My Vintage THAYER & CHANDLER Model A - Let's Check it Out!

[@edwardmcdonough1426]

Great video! It's really nice to see a modern assessment of a vintage airbrush! The first airbrush I ever saw was a Thayer & Chandler that a buddy of mine from art school/PCA bought back around 1976. The Thayer reminds me of my vintage Paasche VL3 I bought in the late 1990s. I sent it Coast Airbrush & a very young David Monig, after watching David's VHS video on airbrush maintenance, to upgrade it with a teflon seal & to actually remove that screw in front of the trigger per his recommendation in the video. That old VL still works perfectly; it's a beast! Always look forward to your airbrush reviews; have a nice weekend!

[@theartworkshop]

That's awesome! Very cool to hear it and that it's still working. I just love some of those vintage paasche airbrushes as well. Will have to start making some videos on them this year. Have a great weekend Edward.

[@vxrzap]

Amazing airbrush. So beautiful!!!! And after this video everyone realizes that this days companies are offering airbrushes like this one with some tweaks and a good finish.

[@theartworkshop]

The model A is a beauty! Even after all these years this finish still looks so nice.

[@vxrzap]

@ I will try to find one too!! Just to have it sitting… Man keep making videos!!! There are so good!! Your reviews of products are the most honest reviews I have ever saw in my life!!!

[@theartworkshop]

@@vxrzap Thanks so much man! They are a lot of work but I enjoy making them.

[@stephenbridges2791]

I've got a Thayer & Chandler from the 70's. Badger owns T&C, these days. There's a back story on that, too. The owner's father went to T&C with an airbrush design and they turned him down. After his father passed, I guess he was still pissed. So, he bought them out. Heard him tell the story himself, I think; here on the Tube.

[@theartworkshop]

That's wild! I've never heard about that. Will def check it out. Thanks for letting me know!

[@lesgl]

@LemurKrazy That's basically how i heard/read it went down as well..Revell Germany sold T&C airbrushes in their home market early 00's under the Revell brand and gave some of them their own names

[@theartworkshop]

@LemurKrazy awesome- thanks!

[@TonyMount-sq3hi]

50 years old wow hard to believe they were yang AB then didn’t realise how long air brushing has been going definitely ahead of its time and I’m sure a collectors piece mark and that art your working on now looks like it’s gonna be amazing can’t wait to see it 🙏🏼

[@theartworkshop]

right? and it still works well! Thanks so much T

[@dredfxcustompaint]

Great video mark 👍 that trigger is bang on to the super 63 an apsalut pain to put back together thanks for sharing 👍

[@theartworkshop]

thanks Rob- yeah man some of the older ones are a nightmare to get back together! got this one working pretty nice though

[@keithdamien3715]

It is great to see a video on the Thayer Chandler model A. It was my gateway into vintage airbrushes. Not much has changed with them since the 20s. If you get one of the Badger Sotar old style head pieces. You can mount it on a old Thayer Chandler. Then you get a much easier way of maintaining it than looking for vintage parts.

[@theartworkshop]

It's an awesome little airbrush and was my gateway too! I would love to get one of them from the 20s or earlier. It's just so hard to reliably date them.

[@keithdamien3715]

The easiest way to date them is by the handle. More recent ones maybe 60s forward had a aluminum handle. Earlier had a cigar shaped handle like yours but made if resin. Earlier than that like 30s had a more flat back to the handle. Then really early ones like 20s have no removable head just the adjustable air cap. Those are really rare along with ones that have a crescent snapped trigger top.

[@musoseven8218]

Awesome video and airbrush, I've often been tempted to collect classic and vintage airbrushes, but I dare not😲😀 I've vintage bow, draft and lining pens (for lining model railway stock), I've also got some modern lining tools too (very efficient), but I love the feel, balance and quality of the vintage pens. They remind me very much of your airbrush in fact. I'm also sure that those more skilled than I have handled, honed, used them, with loving care, makes them very special indeed✌️👍😊 Happy New Year to you and yours🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤😊😊

[@theartworkshop]

Thanks so much Muso! I love the idea of collecting vintage pens. Some of them are absolutely beautiful too. Happy 2025 to you and your family as well!

[@musoseven8218]

@@theartworkshop 👍😊😊💜💜✌️✌️

[@vem6345]

Old is always gold.

[@gordon8753]

I still have mine from airbrush school!! I bought it in 94 or 95.

[@theartworkshop]

that is awesome! Still painting with it?!

[@gordon8753]

@theartworkshop actually last time was about 10 years ago. Was worried about replacement parts.

[@theartworkshop]

@@gordon8753 Yeah I can't find replacement parts either. Badger parts fit I've heard but it will make it into a different airbrush from the original.

[@gordon8753]

@theartworkshop thanks brother. That's good to know if needed.

[@DariuszCzarnogorski]

Hi Mark ,great review , Thayer & Chandler model A ' head system was patented by Olaus Christiansen Wold a Norwegian designer who worked for T&C.His compatriot Jens A Paasche made also many innovations in the American airbrush industry. O.Wold head design was imitated/ copied by the Japanese airbrush manufacturers including the Olympos MP 200 micron series and the Iwata custom micron or GSI creos 770 &771, the Fuso Seki Richpen Phoenix series . O.Wold might be a Nicola Tesla of the airbrush industry, his A-1 patent derives from 1918 it is over 106 years old. The Badger airbrush co bought T&C , they still making the Vega and Omni models, the Badger better airbrush are made under the logo of SATA and Mig Jimenez. In general the Badger airbrushes have better paint initiation than most of the other brands , however they should pay more attention to cutting threads and using the harder steel for the needles , also the esthetic, I personally don't care about the esthetics but do about the leaking threads and the soft needles. If Badger don't invest money to improve their industrial park , like CNC lathes eventually they will lose the competition with the Japanese and German manufacturers. The Badger 100 SF resemble your Thyer & Chandler ., regards Dariusz

[@theartworkshop]

Fantastic info! Thanks so much for this

[@magcolor]

Nice film!!! 👍👍👍👍👍

[@theartworkshop]

thanks mag!

[@PocoCalleCustoms]

Very interesting thanks for sharing Mark 👌👌

[@theartworkshop]

thanks Poco! have a great weekend man

[@PocoCalleCustoms]

@ same to you man 👍

[@JayAdan]

This was cool. I liked looking at the vintage airbrush. I have a couple of older Iwatas that I got in the 90s but I don't think that they would work anymore and I don't feel like trying to source parts for them or I'd consider doing something similar.

[@theartworkshop]

Thanks Jay! You can easily get parts for Iwatas from the 90s. The airbrushes probably just need a good clean and they'll be good to go. Happy 2025 to you!

[@herveperottino]

Bonjour, au sujet de votre sotar gold avez vous résolu le problème de fuite?

[@louisliguore7199]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

[@theartworkshop]

Thanks Louis! Any update on your infinity?! Curious to hear how its going

[@louisliguore7199]

I haven't heard from H & S support yet, they were back from Christmas shutdown on 01/02. The airbrush looks great, but it won't spray paint or distilled water at a reasonable pressure. I tried to spray distilled water out of the Infinity at 12 psi, nothing came out of the airbrush. Subsequently I tried 15 psi, 18 psi, 20 psi, and 25 psi, still nothing came out of the airbrush. I continued increasing the pressure, and at about 30 psi the water came out of the airbrush, but it wasn’t consistent until I reached 40 psi. When I put the paint in at 40 psi the pressure was two high to paint with. I sent an email to H&S Support to determine what air pressure, type of paint or ink, and reduction in that paint or ink was used to create the test pattern included in my airbrush but no reply. I made sure that the needle, nozzle, and air cap all had the two indications on them, and they did. I removed the paint cup and using a flash light looked through the paint path, and it looked perfect, I looked at the nozzle and using the flash light through it as best as I could, and it looked perfect, and I looked at the air cap, and it looked perfect. I also tried to put a few drops of water into the airbrush without the paint cup, but still nothing would come out at a reasonable pressure. When the trigger is pushed down at any pressure, air flows out of the front of the airbrush, and when the trigger is pulled back air continues to flow out of the airbrush, and the needle retracts in proportion to the amount that the trigger is pulled back. I am beginning to think that they never tested this airbrush. The only thing I can think of is that the air flow at reasonable pressures is insufficient to draws the paint through the nozzle. I am extremely frustrated.

[@theartworkshop]

@@louisliguore7199 Oh man, so sorry to hear that Louis! I wonder if the nozzle is somehow damaged or deformed. Maybe during shipping? I have no idea what that could since it is brand new. Mine sprays very well, but it is the only infinity 24 that I've used. I noticed on mine that the spray pattern narrows at 35psi. It's strange but doesn't affect me since I spray much at much lower pressures anyway. Hopefully yours gets sorted out quickly and they send you over a new one. That sounds frustrating to me too!

[@louisliguore7199]

I asked H&S what pressure, paint or ink, and what reduction they used to create the pattern on the test card. They said that they had the pressure set to 2 ATM, they sprayed ink with no reduction. At 30 psi I was able to reproduce the pattern on the test card. But 30 psi seems to be the minimum pressure that the airbrush will spray. At 25 psi or lower nothing sprays out of the airbrush. I sent H&S an email about this 8 days ago, but I haven't heard from them yet. I am finishing a black and white portrait that I did most of with my Eclipse HP-CS (0.35mm), with the Infinity at 30 psi, but I want to run at a lot lower pressure. Nothing appears to be damaged. I will send them another email tomorrow.

[@theartworkshop]

@@louisliguore7199 Something is certainly wrong with it. If I were you Louis, I would just ask them to send you a full replacement. You just bought it and so it should be working flawlessly right out of the box. You should not have to be troubleshooting a brand new airbrush. Let me know how it turns out for you. H&S is usually great with this stuff.

[@lesgl]

Great vid..be interesting to see how a modern day top of line T n C airbrush would compare to and old classic

[@theartworkshop]

love that idea! I don't own any modern T&C airbrushes, but I will have a buy a few this year to check out. Thanks and happy new year!

[@deanbrown7643]

Mark that brush is as old as I am, and in much better condition I might add 😅😅

[@jc2200]

Anything is in better condition than your old @$$ 😂

[@theartworkshop]

hahahah- probably took it's vitamins over the years

[@jc2200]

We know Dean definitely didn't lol...that's when good stuff was made in chicago, as opposed to dean 😂

[@deanbrown7643]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 jc as supportive as ever 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jc2200]

@@deanbrown7643 🥰🤩😘

[@herveperottino]

Superbe, avez vous résolu la fuite sur votre sotar gold?.

[@theartworkshop]

Thanks! Not yet, I'm still waiting on the part. I will have to reach out to them to see if they shipped it yet.

[@herveperottino]

@@theartworkshop le mien en or je ne l'est jamais reçu il m'ont renvoyé le gunmetal ,mais le presse étoupe et h.s et fuit de partout et le godet et a moitié décollé et ma buse a de la limaille a l'interieur une horreur, badger n'est plus a la hauteur je croit ,cela et bien dommage.

[@CannonfireVideo]

This was my first double-action airbrush. Frankly, I thought it was a nightmare. Incredibly fussy. You had to use beeswax to seat the nozzle. It wouldn't shoot anything thicker than Dr. Martin's dyes. Atomization was good but when you went in for detail, the line simply wasn't very impressive. When I switched over to the Paasche VL1, everything was SOOOO much better. That big ol' workhorse was simple and easy to fix. Very thin lines were possible if you knew how. And it could shoot mayonnaise. In the pre-Photoshop era, you really needed to use opaque Badger acrylic paints (which were then new) because art directors ALWAYS demanded revisions. In a pinch, you could blast an area with thick white paint and then repaint that section. Try doing THAT with a T&C!

[@theartworkshop]

That Paasche VL1 is pretty awesome! I need to make a few videos on the VL line.

[@peterarnold899]

Nice review ! I love badgers . I came across an airbrush on Amazon that looks pretty sweet it’s the Gaahleri Airbrush Premium Series GHPM-Mobius 0.2mm you may wanna check it out ?

[@andregrafia1914]

First ❤