Airbrush cleaning methods...

[abedooley]

I know that somewhere I ran into a post where someone had made a container to spray the gun out into. I've looked everywhere for it and can't find it so I'm hoping someone could remind me where it was and also give tips on cleaning methods.

[MrObsessive]

Abe, check here for the thread you wanted.

As far as cleaning, I'm a bit paranoid when it comes to cleaning between paint job periods-------Meaning I'll take mine totally apart and clean mine with lacquer thinner.

I like to run lacquer thinner through the airbrush until no color is showing, then take it apart to get inside the barrel and feeder tube with a pipe cleaner, and a very tiny pipette to clean inside the needle tip.

With the needle itself (I have a Badger Crescendo) I pull the needle out of the front of the barrel, and then reinsert it from the rear. This saves wear and tear on the needle bearing which needs to stay in good shape for proper airbrush function.

Put it all back together, make sure the cap's on the needle, and I'm all set for next time.

[abedooley]

I'm using a badger 350. I don't have the long needle to worry about. Do you use lacquer thinner even if you run enamels through it?? The link I'm thinking of, the guy put a pic of how he made his airbrush cleaner. Its one of those airbrush cleaning stations. Thanks Gary!!!

[CAL]

I'm using a badger 350. I don't have the long needle to worry about. Do you use lacquer thinner even if you run enamels through it?? The link I'm thinking of, the guy put a pic of how he made his airbrush cleaner. Its one of those airbrush cleaning stations. Thanks Gary!!!

Look at Iwata's site, Badger may have a cleaning station too.

I, too, use a powerfull solven for cleaning. Sometimes, besides lacquer thinning, acetone or Dope thinner, which I think works the best.

I found, that my Iwata is a whole lot easier to clean than either of my Badger brushes.

I also like to do a full take apart cleanning between sessions, especially on my Badgers.

[Brendan]

I'm the same with cleaning airbrushes. I take mine completely apart. But I use the solvents that appropriate with the paints that I use, so if it's water based I use alcohol to clean. If it's enamel or lacquer, I use lacquer thinner. But you need to be careful with the type of cleaners you use because there are rubber O rings in the airbrushes. And the solvents will deteriorate the rubber. Just make sure you do general maintenance on your airbrush every couple of months. I was able to make my airbrush last for over 25 years before I cracked the body.

[cruz]

Like Bill, I have a Crescendo also, it's a great airbrush, so great that I have a backup of the same one but this one has lasted over 15 years without any issues. To tell you the truth, the only time I thoroughly clean it is when I am ready to paint a body, other than that I just run lacquer thinner through it and just use it like that. If I am running any water based paint, then of course I thoroughly clean it!!!

[Lownslow]

full teardown after every 5 paintjobs. but i now have a airbrush for laquers,metallics, and acrylics so i clean them after every use and tear them down once a month

[Steven Zimmerman]

I've been using an air brush for forty years,both on model cars and and for doing murals,pin striping,etc on cars,motorcycles,etc. When it comes to airbrushin,ya CANNOT git dem suckers TOO clean...Ruining a beautiful paint job with specks of 'yesterdays color' can mess up your whole day ,I would say disassembling to clean your airbrush is a 'necessary evil' if you want to have any success at all using this tool. One trick I've learned is to use carb cleaner to clean your gun....I buy it at the local auto parts store,and make sure you get a can with the long thin nozzle tube. This stuff will take off paint thats been dried on the outside of your airbrush for YEARS !....When done,be sure to run some lacquer thinner through the gun,to remove any traces of the carb cleaner,its pretty strong stuff. I have 7 or 8 airbrushes, and have been using carb cleaner for the last decade and have not had to replace any seals yet(knock on wood).............Steven Zimmerman aka the'Z'man

[abedooley]

I've been using an air brush for forty years,both on model cars and and for doing murals,pin striping,etc on cars,motorcycles,etc. When it comes to airbrushin,ya CANNOT git dem suckers TOO clean...Ruining a beautiful paint job with specks of 'yesterdays color' can mess up your whole day ,I would say disassembling to clean your airbrush is a 'necessary evil' if you want to have any success at all using this tool. One trick I've learned is to use carb cleaner to clean your gun....I buy it at the local auto parts store,and make sure you get a can with the long thin nozzle tube. This stuff will take off paint thats been dried on the outside of your airbrush for YEARS !....When done,be sure to run some lacquer thinner through the gun,to remove any traces of the carb cleaner,its pretty strong stuff. I have 7 or 8 airbrushes, and have been using carb cleaner for the last decade and have not had to replace any seals yet(knock on wood).............Steven Zimmerman aka the'Z'man

Carb cleaner huh??? Sounds good..... Must try. I need to go get some regular thinner and lacquer thinner sometime today. Thats really all I need to get goin.. And I don't think my home-made regulator is gonna work. I didn't wanna fork out the $20 for a descent one, so I built this. Its got one of thoese cheap ball valves, and then a tee with the pressure gauge. The problem is the air is leaking past the ball valve and building pressure in the line. So when I first pull the trigger it sprays at a real high PSI.

I just need to break down and buy an actual regulator.

[Lownslow]

Carb cleaner huh??? Sounds good..... Must try. I need to go get some regular thinner and lacquer thinner sometime today. Thats really all I need to get goin.. And I don't think my home-made regulator is gonna work. I didn't wanna fork out the $20 for a descent one, so I built this. Its got one of thoese cheap ball valves, and then a tee with the pressure gauge. The problem is the air is leaking past the ball valve and building pressure in the line. So when I first pull the trigger it sprays at a real high PSI.

I just need to break down and buy an actual regulator.

we use one for regulating another compressor its worked fine the problem is the seal if you dont check it prior to installing youre gonna have major problems.

[abedooley]

we use one for regulating another compressor its worked fine the problem is the seal if you dont check it prior to installing youre gonna have major problems.

SEAL??? I didn't see one in the valve.... Is yours like this one?? Im gonna take it back apart and see whats going on.

[billd64]

Ive used brake Kleen, stinks, but apears to work better and no residue

we use one for regulating another compressor its worked fine the problem is the seal if you dont check it prior to installing youre gonna have major problems.

[billd64]

I think iwata or badger makes a bottle with a filter assembly.

I used my friends Iwata the other day, Learned cup use, as i usually spart with paasche /bottle. and I use vari-prime primer as my primer base for any paint after wards.

I use paint gun gleaner for all three of mine, I bought it from my jobber. its stronger then needed sometimes, but im certain that my gun is clean when i take all my pieces out of cleaner and drain to dry.

I had an issue recently, and found i put a gun down, and never cleaned it, normally they are cleaned after every use, or color change to avid a contamination of colors. like dark debris with a light color.

my air brushes/touch up spray guns, are cleaned as my real guns are cleaned totally stripped, cleaned/re-assembled, friends and boss at work laugh, but my gun always works. I have tupperware butter container of both wire and wireless pipe cleaners to clean tubes and o rings etc.

You may want to look into a key ring of welding tip cleaner brushes they are awesome to clean my paasche pieces internally

bill

model tools work at work, and work tools work with model building

I know that somewhere I ran into a post where someone had made a container to spray the gun out into. I've looked everywhere for it and can't find it so I'm hoping someone could remind me where it was and also give tips on cleaning methods.

[sak]

I been mostly using acrylics with mine and I take it apart and clean it well after every use. Especially createx, it starts to dry in the cup almost instantly and gums up the needle tip if you dont thin it. Even the ready to use stuff needs to be thinned a little I find. If you use acrylics, and you are not doing a large area, just put in a drop or two of paint in at a time and spray water through it immediatly after its empty. Enamels take longer to dry so that should be alot easier to clean up. What I recommend is spray enamel thinner after you are done until its clean, then take a q-tip and scrub the cup clean. I dont take the needle out but I remove the head and wipe the tip of the needle clean. Then run warm soapy water through it. If theres something in the nozzle, let it sit in thinner for awhile. Lacqours, I dont have much experience with except for alclad, but I would do the same way but use lacqour thinner instead.

[fatkidd]

here's a couple links for what i believe you are looking for...

http://www.coastairbrush.com/products.asp?cat=319

http://www.tcpglobal.com/airbrushdepot/airbtools.aspx

hope that helps.

[BigGary]

Carb cleaner? I hadn't thought of that. It'll take almost anything off. Sure is handier than taking the gun all the way apart everytime I use it. I'm a believer in the old adage, "When you think its clean, clean it again". If you forget that, you'll find yourself muttering, or shouting, unrepeatable words. Been there, done that.

My first airbrush was a Badger 350. It has its limitations, but I learned what it could and couldn't do. Took lots of practice.

Gary