Badger 360 Review
12/2011
I assume the Badger 360 was given that model number because the head can be rotated 360 degrees. That makes perfect sense. But, unfortunately, they already had a model 350, and this has been the cause of some confusion. More than once I have seen one or the other referred to by the wrong number. The 360 is nothing like the 350. What it really is is a 155 with a rotating front end that allows it to be used as either a siphon or gravity airbrush.
Here it is next to a 155:
Here is an illustration from the Badger patent on the rotating joint:
It consists of two parts, an inner metal one, and an outer plastic sleeve. I have colored them blue in the cross section. They not only hold the front and back sections together, they are also an air tight seal. I have colored the air passages yellow. Rotating the head is firm, but smooth.
Because of the tapers shown on the front and back body parts, it appears that this is a snap together assembly. It's not obvious to me how you would get it apart. The manual says a replacement can be sent to the customer with instructions. But, when I checked, I was told that they warranty it for life but the brush must be returned to them for repair. It seems pretty sturdy and I doubt that many are sent back. The manual also says not to stress the joint too much when you install a bottle.
You might notice the mystery holes on either side of the front section. I asked Ken Schlotfeldt about them and he said they are tooling holes that are used during assembly. They have no functional purpose. Since they are behind the needle bearing, they shouldn't require any cleaning.
The cup is as large as they could make it and still allow a bottle to be installed. But, that means it is pretty small. Actually, this is the only complaint that I have ever seen of the 360. The shape also prevents the use of the metal 1/4 oz. cups. So, in siphon mode, you have to use a bottle. As you can see on the right, it does not provide the same cleaning access of a normal gravity cup because of the narrow tube at the bottom.But, a pipe cleaner fits easily in the opening.The manual says not to back flush this brush in the gravity position. I expect it is a bit tricky with the small cup.To give you an idea of the size of the cup, I used my paint measuring gadget to fill it with water. It took 21 drops. As a comparison, my Vega 1000 with a 1/8oz. cup holds 63 drops, and the Patriot 1/3oz. cup holds 161 drops. So, it's about 1/3 the size of the Vega and 1/8 the size of the Patriot, or about 1/24oz.
So, how does it work?
Well, since it is really a 155, it sprays just like a 155, which is good. It has the same double taper needle, which gives a wide range of spray pattern, and a reasonable fine line capability. And, like the 155 it will accept the Patriot and 3155 needle, tip and spray regulator, and produce an even finer pattern. It is also as easy to clean as the 155. Above is a sample done with the standard tip and food coloring on a paper towel.Note: I clipped a loop off the air valve spring and set the trigger tension to minimum to get a lighter touch. I do this to all my airbrushes.
Conclusion
In any combination tool, there are likely to be compromises. The 360 is no exception. For me, not being able to use the 1/4 oz. cup is a negative. That is what I use 99% of the time. I find that, with a given tip size, I can spray just as fine with the siphon cup as I can with a gravity cup with just as efficient paint usage. So, personally, I see no benefit from the rotating head. But, that's just me. The 360 is a nice brush, and I've seen many good comments about it. If you mostly use bottle feed and yet want the ability to spray small amounts from a gravity cup, it's a good solution.
If you prefer the Thayer & Chandler Omni style head, the Omni Matrix appears to have the same rotating joint as the 360.
Once again, many thanks to Ken Schlotfeldt for the sample.
Postscript
I got an E-mail from Mick Robbins. He recently bought a Badger 360. And, although he likes it in general, he found the cup was just too small, and he missed having a cap. So, he came up with what I think is a brilliant modification, and was kind enough to send me details and photos. The following is my version.
Following Mick's advice, I went to my local hardware store and picked up a package of leg tips that you can see below. These are meant to be used on furniture legs. I had measured the outside diameter of the 360 cup and found that it is 3/4 inch, so I bought tips to fit.
I used an Exacto knife to cut off the top and form a bottomless cup which fits nicely over the 360 cup.
Here it is on the 360. You can see my cut was far from perfect. I used a thin strip of masking tape for a cutting guide.
I also picked up a couple of 3/4 inch hole plugs. Mick used one made of rubber. The ones I found were metal and nylon.
I liked the way the metal one fit, so I punched a small vent hole in it. Here is the completed modification.
I filled the cup with water, and there were no leaks, even when tipped sideways. It feels pretty secure, and yet it can easily be removed. With the mod, the brush now holds about 1/10 oz. This is still much less than a Patriot, but close to what my Vega 1000 holds. I put some lacquer thinner in it and let it soak for a while, and it didn't seem to have any effect. My total investment was less than $5.
Rubber may be a little more trouble to clean than a metal cup, but it is certainly a workable solution for those who need it.
I really admire Mick's ingenuity, and thank him very much for passing his idea along.
A Variation on MIck's Idea
I got to thinking that any tubing with a 3/4 inch inside diameter should work, so I tried a piece of 3/4 inch rubber automotive heater hose. Here it is. The Tywrap insures a snug fit. It causes a restriction that you can feel when the cup bumps against it
It won't win any beauty contests, but it works like a champ. I can turn the brush upside down and nothing leaks.
