Paint Cups
Here are two Badger 1/4 oz. paint cups:
The one on the right comes with the 155. It works fine when working level, such as standing at an easel, and, it can be used on either side of the airbrush. The one on the left comes with a model 350. I find it much easier to use for models, as the bend causes it to sit more level when painting something lower than the brush. I have two of the -483's. They cost about $6 ea.
Here is a picture of the -483 installed on my 155.
By the way, Iwata doesn't make a paint cup for their siphon fed airbrushes. However, the Badger cups will fit the Iwata.
Here's something that may seem obvious to those who know it, but may not be to those who don't. When you install a cup or bottle on the airbrush, give it a slight twist as you push it on. It will grip much tighter and not fall off in use. Another slight twist will make it easy to remove.
I was concentrating on painting with a fairly full cup of paint, and managed to spill some on my bench. And it occurred to me that a cap for the cup might be a nice thing to have. Badger offers a plastic cap for the 1/4 ounce cup. It is part number 50-0484. I could only find one source for it, and it was $3.60 plus a shipping charge. So I dug into my junk box to see what I could find. And I found this. It's a 3/4 inch metal hole plug. I bent the prongs out slightly and drilled the small hole for a vent. The picture on the right shows how it looks on the cup. It seals well enough that I can tip the cup and nothing leaks.
I couldn't find a source for this type of plug and I have no idea when or how I acquired this one, so I visited my local Home Depot to see what they have. Here is something that might work as well, and it only cost 50 cents. Lacquer thinner doesn't seem to affect it, and it seals as well as the metal one. As you can see, I needed to drill a small vent hole.
Obviously, if you are spraying a small amount of paint, a cap isn't needed. And, if you are spraying a large amount, you would probably use the jar attachment instead. That's one of the nice things about a siphon airbrush. But there are times when the quantity is somewhere in between, and a cap might be useful. And it could mean one less thing to think about while you're painting.
Postscript
I was at Lowe's Hardware and found a drawer full of these. It cost $1.04 and is just like the one I had in my junk box.
Feedback
Daniel Bates was browsing the plumbing section of his local hardware store and noticed the caps that go on faucet handles. He found one that was just slightly undersized to fit the Badger cup. But, he also found some O-rings that were just the right size to make it fit. I looked through my junk and found one that fits without an O-ring.
On the left is Daniel's cap and on the right is mine.
Just remember to drill a small vent hole and check that it will stand up to any thinners you use.
Thank you Daniel.
Post Postscript
I just found out that Badger no longer makes the 50-482 cup with the straight stem. If you need a cup like this, Paasche makes one that will fit most siphon airbrushes, including the Badgers.