Badger SOTAR 20/20 review:

The badger SOTAR 20/20 is a dual action, internal mix, gravity feed airbrush.

SOTAR stands for State Of The Art Results and I think that Badger is not far off with this airbrush. The SOTAR 20/20-2F airbrush comes with its .21 needle and will allow you to paint very fine details work. It is capable to provide professional illustrator the ultimate fine line detail.

Originally released in the mid 90’s to compete with the great Custom Micron series airbrush from IWATA, the Badger SOTAR 20/20 offers one big advantage over the IWATA airbrush: the price! For those who don’t necessary have the funds to buy a rather expensive IWATA hairbrush, this Badger SOTAR 20/20 airbrush comes as a blessing as this airbrush is very well price for a product able to achieve such great details work.

There is 3 needles available for the SOTAR, and they are colour coded as follow:

 The 3 different model of the SOTAR are:

Badger Air-Brush Co. Sotar 2020-2F Large Gravity Feed Fine Airbrush, Black

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Badger Air-Brush Co. Sotar 2020-2M Large Gravity Feed Medium Airbrush

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Badger Air-Brush Co. Sotar 2020-2H Large Gravity Feed Airbrush with Heavy Head

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 You can use the different needle size on the same body at the condition that you are using the corresponding paint tip and spray regulator.

 Top Features for Badger SOTAR 2020-2F:

First impression:

The Badger SOTAR 20/20 has a nice black finish. Users will be happy to know thought that the inside of the cup is not black but silver, making it easier to clean the residual paint. The badger SOTAR 20/20 is a little be lighter that the Badger Patriot 105 and also feel a bit different in hands probably because it has a shorter nose than the Patriot or the Krome Airbrush. But because of its shorter nose, it makes it easier for you to view where you are spraying, making the SOTAR 20/20  even more suited for those users that are working on very fine details  Overall, I got used to it pretty quickly.

The Badger SOTAR 20/20-2 comes with a 1/12 ounce cup as oppose to the original SOTAR 2020/-1 that came with a much smaller paint cup. The SOTAR 20/20-2 comes also with a spare needle. Note that it is shipped with a needle guard now, which offers a little extra needle protection always welcome when using such a thin needle.

 It is equipped with the same black plastic finger rest as the Badger Renegade Krome , feature that, I feel give that extra bit of comfort when spraying.

Trigger tension adjustable AND paint flow adjustable:

The Badger SOTAR 20/20’handle has a cut away design, so untightening the needle chuck at the back will allow you to remove the needle, without having to remove the handle. You can adjust the trigger tension from medium to light using the retaining spring screw.

You can also adjust the paint flow using the paint adjusting flow screw. Basically, if you move that screw forward, you can reduce the trigger movement little by little until any trigger movement impossible.

For a maximum paint flow, loosen the paint adjusting screw so that it touches the black plastic knob at the end of the needle.

This unique feature from the Badger SOTAR 20/20, the control on the paint flow, make it easier for you to control the thickness of the lines you are spraying.

This make it the perfect airbrush for highlighting, shading or weathering for modellers.

Badger SOTAR 20/20 very good detailed brush at a reasonable price:

At that stage you have probably understood that the Badger SOTAR 20/20 is really a great brush for those who want to be able spray really fine lines.

Of course, to achieve good result in spraying fine details, you will always need to make sure the paint you are using has been properly thinned before using it on the Badger SOTAR 20/20.

Another crucial factor is the air pressure. Make sure that you air pressure is low enough (approximately 20 PSI or even lower then that) to be able to control the flow of paint Failure do to this could result to spidering defects.

All of that can sound a bit complicated for a beginner but with a little practice, you will be able to get the right paint consistency and find the right air pressure for the type of work you want to do.

I wouldn’t recommend though the Badger SOTAR 20/20 for any priming and solid colour jobs. Keep the SOTAR for fine details jobs and maybe use an alternate airbrush for job that need larger coverage.

Conclusion

The SOTAR 20/20 is another really good brush from Badger. The SOTAR is a great brush for fine work. It wouldn’t necessary be an airbrush aimed at beginners but maybe more suitable for more experienced users that want to take it to a step higher.

The price of the SOTAR 20/20 is also a high point.The SOTAR 20/20 is sold at a very competitive price compared to competitor airbrushes that can do similar kind of fine detailed work. So if you can’t afford a IWATA Custom Micron  airbrush, then I would go for the SOTAR 20/20.

Overall, I can only highly recommend this airbrush and I give it another 5 stars!

The post Badger SOTAR 20/20 Review first appeared on AirbrushGeek.

Badger Krome Review

In this article, I want to speak about another fantastic Airbrush from Badger. The Renegade Krome RK-1 Airbrush. The Renegade Krome RK-1 Airbrush is the modified and improved version from the original Renegade Airbrush.

The Badger Renegade Krome is a dual action, internal mix, gravity feed airbrush.With its very fine .21 needle, the renegade Krome is the ideal airbrush if you want to work on fine details.

Badger Air-Brush Company RK-1 Krome Airbrush 2-in-1 Ultra Fine Airbrush with Additional Fine Tip, Spray Regulator and Needle

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 Badger Renegade Krome Top Features:

• Paint tip 0.21mm (fitted)
• 0.33mm Needle/Nozzle Set Up
• Inside blend
• Air Valve Finger Rest
• Cutaway Handle with PPS Paint Flow Adjusting System
• Improved Trigger Action
• Suitable for use with Acrylics, lacquers, and Urethanes

First impression:Badger Krome Review

The Badger Renegade Krome comes in a very nice black and aluminium storage case with reinforced steel corners.  As I already mention in my other Badger Airbrush reviews, I like having boxes to store my Airbrushes and keep my working area tidy.

The Badger Renegade Krome comes 3/8-ounce mounted colour cup, a spare needle and nozzle. It comes with a protective rubber cap for the needle and a metal lid for the cup this time rather than the plastic one that comes with the Badger Patriot 105 for instance.

In the box you can also find a hose adapter to fit with a standard 1/4″ hose and spray regulators for the two types of needle.

The Badger Renegade looks very nice with its finished (as opposed to the Renegade Velocity gunmetal finished), all parts are well manufactured, and it feels very comfortable and also well balanced in hands.

Cleaning and maintenance:

Careful cleaning and maintenance of your airbrush is essential if it is to continue to work effectively. I will always recommend to dismantle and lubricate your airbrush before the first use.

You will really feel the difference when using a well-oiled trigger mechanism, will make everything even more smooth. You can check price  this following REGDAB Airbrush Lubricant .

The Renegade Krome has a cut out handle on the back that will allow you to remove the needle without taking the handle off. I like this feature from the Badger Airbrush that make the cleaning and the maintaining much easier, saving you some precious time that you will be using to work on your project instead!

I really feel that taking apart  the badger Renegade Krome won’t cause you any trouble. All the airbrush’s parts are just to be finger tight to work to perfection. No need of plier or any other tool.

Please take extra attention though while dismantling/amassing the Airbrush not to lose the tiny little spout /paint tip. The part is very tiny and can easily be lost.

Badger Renegade Krome ideal for detailed work:

The extra fine needle will allow you to produce very fine lines, as thin as an hair all the way down to 1/1000ths of an inch! If you blend your paint property, the Badger Renegade Krome will produce very thin lines. Ideal for detailed work or for weathering if you are into model painting.

The Badger Renegade Krome has a needle limiter with graduate markings collar with a set screw that will allow you to adjust the needle position by tightening or untightening it. You won’t need to worry about pulling the trigger back too far with this feature.

The Badger Renegade Krome Airbrush performs realy like the original Renegade Airbrush as far as the spraying capabilities, which is superb really. If you are looking for an airbrush that will allow you to spray some great details, I can only recommend this airbrush id for you.

Top Features

• “Tension sense”ultra responsive trigger tension control system
• “Stopset” accu-precision trigger setting mode
• Exact taper fit, non-thread, micro-precise paint tips
• “Pointperfect” polished needle micrology
• “Smartcenter” nozzle technology with patented
• “guide and hold” assembly design ensures perfect paint tip centering for tighter line production
• 0 .21mm paint tips (0.33 mm on R3R) 6 ºlinear airflow angle needle point (6.5ºon R3R)

Conclusion for the Badger Renegade Krome Review

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Badger Air-Brush Company RK-1 Krome Airbrush 2-in-1 Ultra Fine Airbrush with Additional...

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Badger Patriot 105 Review: Let me introduce you the badger patriot 105 airbrush. I must say to you, this is one of my favorite airbrushes out there at the moment. I will try to tell you why in this following review.

The Badger patriot 105 is a gravity feed, double action airbrush. It is  really an all-purpose airbrush, ideal airbrush for a large variety of different projects with its 0.51mm needle. It can be used for project going from model making to T-Shirt painting or even cake decorating. I must say, what really stroked me when I first used this airbrush was its ease of use, making it ideal for beginners just starting with airbrushing.

 Badger Patriot 105 Top Features:

• Easy maintenance self-centering nozzle design
• Exacting control for intricate airbrushing detail
• Perfect proportion comfort balance system
• Parts interchangeability with Badger’s 155, 200 and 360

Badger patriot 105 review, First impression:

The badger Patriot 105 comes in a nice solid padded plastic case. I might seem irrelevant for some but I find it very handy as I like to keep my tools tidy. The Badger Patriot 105 looks very goods, nice shiny, and I it is built with high quality materials. There is no plastic handle or things like that, it looks and feels really solid. It comes also with a spare tip.

Now, holding the brush, I found the Patriot 105 very well balanced in my hands, indeed very comfortable to handle. The trigger feels very smooth and light when pulled. One nice feature on this airbrush is the trigger tension adjustment.

By default the trigger tension is set with maximum trigger tension which should be suitable for most users. If less return spring back pressure is desired, you can partially unscrewed the spring screw to lessen the spring pressure.

Some users have reported problems with the needle chuck (the knurled screw seen through the cut-out in the rear body). It might not hold the needle properly and may need tightening. This issue can affect the movement of the needle when the trigger is pulled, impacting the airbrush’s performance​​.

The badger Patriot 105 comes with a 1/3 ounce permanently mounted colour cup with a convenient plastic spill-proof cap. The cup, by its rather large size, is perfect for large projects. Also, I like this plastic cap because I find it much easier to fit than a solid one but most importantly easier to clean.

There is also a cap for the needle, so when you put it on, you don’t need to worry about damaging the needle. Speaking of the needle, you will notice that the needle is sticking out a little bit behind the air cape. You usually find this feature on more expensive brush. This allows you get more fine details or use some more advanced techniques that more experienced users would normally use. The fact that the needle stick out a bit behind the air cape, means also that you will have to be careful to protect the front of the needle using the needle cap described before.The last thing you want is a damaged or bent needle!!

Easy cleaning and maintenance:

Careful cleaning and maintenance of your airbrush is essential if it is to continue to work effectively. Another interesting feature of the Patriot 105 is that it has a cut out handle on the back that gives you access to a knot. This knot will allow you to remove the needle without taking the handle off. Very very useful feature as most airbrush will require you to unscrew the whole handle in order to remove the needle! Not the Badger Patriot 105! So this makes it super the needle between jobs and I can tell you it will save you a lot of time.

Taking the badger Patriot 105 can’t be any easier. All the airbrush’s parts just need to be finger-tight to work to perfection. No need of pliers or any other tool.

The airbrush comes with a great instruction booklet (you can it here) with a very clear diagram showing how all the different parts are laid out and how they relate to each other. Great help if one of the pieces get lost for instance. You can also find the part numbers for every single parts so that it is easy to order a new one if needs to be and that will ensure you order exactly what you are looking for.

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Performance:

The Badger Patriot 105 can easily handle 30 PSI or even 35 PSI, as well as lower pressure settings for detailed work (10-15 PSI), making it suitable for many applications including: custom automotive art, body art, graphic arts, illustration etc…The airbrush is ergonomically balanced for hours of comfortable airbrushing. It will take both acrylic or enamel paint. Thanks to its large cup, this airbrush is ideal when working on large project. No need to refill the cup several times. Some people will find that the large cup can block the view when working close to a project. For those people I will suggest the Badger Air-Brush Co 105-2XR Patriot Arrow which comes with a smaller cup (1/16) than the original Patriot 105 and allow the airbrush users to comfortably spray closer to a project.

Regarding the spray pattern, the Badger Patriot 105 goes from pencil line to a 3’ spray pattern. For the hobbyist this airbrush can do fine details but also suited for background painting. The easy way to remove and clean the needle makes it also ideal when you work on a model spray jobs that require a lot of colour change .You can remove the needle quickly, use a bit of thinner to clean it, wipe it with paper towel and then use another colour.

Badger patriot 105 review: Conclusion 

The post Badger Patriot 105 Review first appeared on AirbrushGeek.