Mixed up my air brush needles

[aurfalien]

Hi,

How can I tell the visual difference between .2mm, .3mm and .5mm needles?

I'm pretty bummed that I mixed em up.

But I did not mix up there corresponding caps, or at least I think i didn't

Or is there a spray pattern I can use to determine the difference?

 

 

[MrObsessive]

I can usually tell visually, but there's a drill bit sizer I use to tell me what drill bit is what for my pin vise if I get them in the wrong place in their holder and it's marked accordingly.

 As far as a spray pattern, I guess you could make some kind of "template". In other words, put in your needle, spray its pattern on a piece of sheet plastic, and then tape that needle to the plastic to tell you which one sprays in that particular pattern. Kinda primitive, but when all else fails..............

[aurfalien]

I can usually tell visually, but there's a drill bit sizer I use to tell me what drill bit is what for my pin vise if I get them in the wrong place in their holder and it's marked accordingly.

I see, so you use a drill bit sizer?

[Yenkocamaro]

Hey Brian, if you have a micrometer, or a digital caliper, that should help you out.

 

Cheers,

Lance

[MrObsessive]

Yeah, it's a metal plate that's marked for different sized drill bits #61-80. I've had it for years and it comes in real handy to size up for instance brass rods I may want to use, and for different drill bits that might get misplaced somewhere on the worktable.

I bought it at our local train shop (Tommy GIlbert's in Gettysburg) and it's a nice thing to have. 

[aurfalien]

Hey Brian, if you have a micrometer, or a digital caliper, that should help you out.

 

Cheers,

Lance

Hmm, looks like I will have to get one.

So what measurements do I take of both the needle and its corresponding cap?

Do you have a suggestion on what type of micro meter I should get?

Hows this one from Umm-USA look;

http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?products_id=1904

 

Edited June 18, 2016 by aurfalien

[MrObsessive]

Brian what I have is something like what's linked here..........

[Yenkocamaro]

Hmm, looks like I will have to get one.

So what measurements do I take of both the needle and its corresponding cap?

Do you have a suggestion on what type of micro meter I should get?

Hows this one from Umm-USA look;

http://umm-usa.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?products_id=1904

 

Yes Brian, that's like the one I have, but if you are going to invest in a measuring tool, buy a digital caliper. They are so much more useful, than a micrometer.

Cheers,

Lance

[Harry P.]

Once you get the sizes figured out, paint the end of each needle (or color it with a Sharpie)... and write down your "code'... red is 2mm, blue is 3mm, green is 5mm, etc.

[aurfalien]

Once you get the sizes figured out, paint the end of each needle (or color it with a Sharpie)... and write down your "code'... red is 2mm, blue is 3mm, green is 5mm, etc.

That is friggen brilliant, thanks man!!!

[aurfalien]

Yes Brian, that's like the one I have, but if you are going to invest in a measuring tool, buy a digital caliper. They are so much more useful, than a micrometer.

Cheers,

Lance

Ok cool.  Now to the measurements, I assume its diameter of the needle?  How about the nipple, I notice some extend further then others.

[Yenkocamaro]

Ok cool.  Now to the measurements, I assume its diameter of the needle?  How about the nipple, I notice some extend further then others.

Brian, it measures in thousands of an inch. So it would show you which needle would be small, medium, and large, by diameter. Not sure what you mean by "nipple"? Haven't used an airbrush in 12 years. I have a brand new Paasche just waiting to be used

 

Cheers,

Lance

[Harry P.]

If your problem is identifying a 2mm, 3mm, and 5mm needle, that's easy. You don't need calipers or a micrometer or anything. Just hold the three needles together in a bunch and look at the ends. It's very easy to see which is the smallest and which is the biggest, just by looking. No need to measure, as long as you already know the three sizes.

[aurfalien]

If your problem is identifying a 2mm, 3mm, and 5mm needle, that's easy. You don't need calipers or a micrometer or anything. Just hold the three needles together in a bunch and look at the ends. It's very easy to see which is the smallest and which is the biggest, just by looking. No need to measure, as long as you already know the three sizes.

Well, I have 3 pieces in each needle set.

I've the needle, being this long spear type thing that slides into the brush from the rear.

I've this piece (lets call it a crown) that screws into the front of the air brush which the needles pokes through.

And then I've this cap of sorts with a nipple on the end which screws into the front of the air brush which the needle and crown poke through.

My conundrum is the cap really, as I notice the 3 caps each have different nipple sizes.

[MrObsessive]

If the cap is not the right type/size, your airbrush won't spray properly. It needs to be a proper fit to atomize the paint properly as it passes through the crown. You'll know when things aren't right as it'll be spitting and carrying on.

You can match them by looking as close as you can, test them out and then mark them accordingly as Harry mentioned. BTW, on my Badger Patriot and Crescendo airbrushes they're marked on the cap as follows...........

L = Large 

M = Medium

F = Fine

Yours may be marked like that as well (you don't mention what type you have) but you have to look reeeealll close to see those letters marked on 'em.

Edit: Here's a pic of my Patriot airbrush with the marking on the "crown". It's the letter F which is the fine tip.......

 

Edited June 18, 2016 by MrObsessive

[dshue76]

The piece the needle seats in is called a spray tip, The part that goes on over that is the air cap.

Use Harrys method for determining needle size then use a similar method to determine spray tip size. Stand all 3 on end side by side and take a nice close up picture of the holes, I'll bet that will show you the difference. An alternative is to use pin drills to gauge the hole size. Or use 1 needle and test in each, it will stick out farther on the largest tip and less on the smaller tip. I would think all manufacturers mark them some how.

My Paasche has all parts marked with 1, 2 or 3 grooves. once you get them sorted you could use a file to mark them permanently. .2mm parts would get 1 groove, .3mm parts would get 2 grooves and .5mm parts would get 3 grooves.

Edited June 18, 2016 by dshue76

[Roncla]

The piece the needle seats in is called a spray tip, The part that goes on over that is the air cap.

Use Harrys method for determining needle size then use a similar method to determine spray tip size. Stand all 3 on end side by side and take a nice close up picture of the holes, I'll bet that will show you the difference. An alternative is to use pin drills to gauge the hole size. Or use 1 needle and test in each, it will stick out farther on the largest tip and less on the smaller tip. I would think all manufacturers mark them some how.

My Paasche has all parts marked with 1, 2 or 3 grooves. once you get them sorted you could use a file to mark them permanently. .2mm parts would get 1 groove, .3mm parts would get 2 grooves and .5mm parts would get 3 grooves.

I can't really add anything to what Doug has just said. Most of the different airbrushes i have here have the needles marked in some way to identify which is which.

I  do have to look very closely at some of them with my reading glasses to see the markings though.

[aurfalien]

Hi all,

Many thanks for the replies.

I've a PointZero air brush with no markings.

I'm still unsure what a proper pattern should look and feel like as this is all new to me.

Based on the pictures of the air caps, which would you surmise being .2mm, .3mm and .5mm?

I'm certain to have not mixed up spray tips with spray caps so they are properly matched.

 

[crazyjim]

Looks like small, medium, large L-R

[MrObsessive]

 

 

 

 

Brian, I'd say from looking at this picture that the tips are from left to right------ .2mm, .3mm and your .5mm.

Once again as I said if the needle holder is not right for the cap that goes over it, and for the parts shown here, the paint will not spray correctly.

Hope this helps!

Edited June 19, 2016 by MrObsessive

[aurfalien]

Brian, I'd say from looking at this picture that the tips are from left to right------ .2mm, .3mm and your .5mm.

Once again as I said if the needle holder is not right for the cap that goes over it, and for the parts shown here, the paint will not spray correctly.

Hope this helps!

Awesomeness, many thanks.

[aurfalien]

Hi,

So I managed to figure out what's what and labeled em to Harrys color code.  His seemed like a logical/hard to forget scheme even though I have a foot note in each of my air brush cases.