Badger 100G Review
6/2013
My good friend Patrick Stack has loaned me his Badger 100G to review. He calls it his little gem, and I will certainly treat it like one.
The 100 series includes the 100LG with a 1/3 oz cup, the 100G with a 1/16 oz. cup, the 100SG which has no cup, just an internal cavity, and the 100 SF side feed which I have already reviewed.
Here it is along with the wrench to remove the head. The cup tilts back at a 35 degree angle. A cap is available.
First Impression
It looks nice and feels nice. It's slightly tail heavy, which I prefer, balancing about where the U.S.A. is engraved. It weighs just 81g. Trigger action is nice and smooth.
Here it is next to the 100SF side feed and the 150 bottom feed.
The head assembly and internal parts are the same on all three, and all parts are interchangeable. This is also true of the 100LG and 100SG. In fact, you could convert between any of these models just by swapping out the body. For instance, the 100G body is part number 50-0341, and it is available at Webairbrushes.com .
Parts Breakdown
Here it is broken down. The needle bearing is the standard Badger pressed-in type, which is guaranteed for life.
The head has the little white Teflon gasket to seal between the air and paint paths. If it leaks, you will get bubbles in the cup. Sometimes, a little Chapstick on the threads cures the problem. It's cheap to replace. The spray regulator is the crown type. It must be installed for the airbrush to function.
Like the 100SF and 150, there is virtually no adjustment range for back trigger force due to the short needle tube. I would call the tension about average for airbrushes. I'd probably trim the spring a little.
Patrick sent me both the fine and medium head sets and needles. Here are the heads with the tiny threaded tips.
The medium is about 0.5mm and the fine about 0.25mm. The heads are not marked for size, as the same head is used for both tip sizes. The tips are too small to mark. The medium spray regulator is not marked either, but the fine one has an F stamped on it.
A large 0.76mm head and needle set is also available.
Removing the tip is something you don't want to do unless you have to. There are instructions in the manual involving a special reamer used from the rear. Without it you would have to grip the tip with something else. When re-installed, it needs to be sealed with bees wax. But, the head and tip can be cleaned or replaced as a unit, so there is really no need to mess with it.
Here are the needles. The medium needle has a tiny secondary taper on the end. The shafts are the normal Badger 0.050" diameter.
The medium needle has two grooves on the back end for idenitfication, and the fine has one groove.
The crown type spray regulator protects the needle, which is inset about 1/32 of an inch. These are the medium size parts.
Trying it out
Here are a couple samples with food coloring on paper towels.
As you might expect, it performs pretty much like a 100SF or a 150. And, that's not a bad thing. Trigger control is very good, although I would modify the air valve and trigger springs for a lighter touch because I'm a Wimp. I cleaned by flushing with water and using my interdental brush. There was plenty of room in the cup to maneuver the brush and clean the front and back openings.
Patrick included his special cleaning tool, a modified wooden toothpick. But, I didn't feel I needed it for food colors.
The crown spray regulator prevents you from snagging the needle. If you were willing to live a bit dangerously, you could file it back a little and be able to do get closer and do finer lines. A replacement needle is less than $5, so it's not a major risk.
Conclusion
This is another classic Badger airbrush. I can see why Patrick likes it so much. It would be an excellent choice for small objects, and even big ones if you don't mind refilling the cup. I don't see it as the best choice for something like a 1:24 scale car model though. The 100LG is probably better for general purpose use, as it is the same airbrush with a larger 1/3oz. cup.
The 100 series of airbrushes have been very popular for a long time, and with good reason. They are an excellent value.
My very sincere thanks to Patrick for trusting me with his baby.