Hi
Paul,
I'd do the same as
Steve, throw away and buy a new one.
Kidding aside I haven't thrown my 35year old Badger 150. It's a sucker...meaning it's not a gravity feed
airbrush. Have taken it apart once a blue moon and only replaced the needle, nozzle tip through heavy handling while doing one of those blue moon sessions, I pushed the needle in very hard and cracked the tip of the nozzle. Also replaced the trigger because it got worn out... I pull to the left so perhaps I need re-alignment.
How did I get it to last this long? Well, with dilligent flushing of appropriate thinners for the relevant paints immediately after every change of paint and not letting paint sit and dry in the well. Sometimes I continue with the next color by changing the cups. Thinner loaded cutips and tiny cut sponges are used to wipe paint build ups on the crown and cup rings. I use tooth picks to eek out any stubborn remains. Wood is hard enough and yet soft enough not to damage polished metal that's why tooth picks are best for canopy clean ups if there is a paint creep under the masking.
For acrylics I use Windex window cleaners as it contains amonia to flush the
airbrush. If I could pee into the cup I would.
But I rarely us acrylics...inks yes in the past for my artworks. Tammi paints has always been good to my airbrushing when I found that it wasn't true acrylics.
After these many years the 150 is now relegated to coating base colors and the occassional misting. It also does good spattering effects.
You only need to breakdown the parts when there is a major blockage or necessary replacements if you practise the quick clean methods I just explained but if you want to go the full Monty it's ok just be light with the handling.
Cheers,
Richard