airbrush cleaning

[Wootton]

hi,

i have being getting paint stuck in the nozzle of my airbrush and was wondering where i could get a really small cleaning brush for it, i\'m in the uk. or are there other effective ways of cleaning out the nozzle.

thanks paul

 

[Wootton]

and here is a pic of some work i recently did on my wardrobe, my mum hates it

 

[Einion]

Hey Paul, what type of paint(s)? And what type of airbrush?

The simplest way I\'ve found to keep the nozzle clear is to blow through water periodically during spraying. But using acrylics or vinyl paints some buildup is inevitable so when it happens I also use a small stiff synthetic round (D-R Cryla, the older type) loaded with solvent to brush over the nozzle and needle tip, then spray water through, repeating as necessary. I usually use acetone for this but isopropyl alcohol or meths will work too.

I don\'t make any guarantees about this so try it at your own risk but I have heard of spraying the tip of the needle (removed from the airbrush) with WD40 helping to keep the buildup of dried paint to a minimum.

Einion

 

[airhead]

Originally posted by Wootton
hi,

i have being getting paint stuck in the nozzle of my airbrush and was wondering where i could get a really small cleaning brush for it, i\'m in the uk. or are there other effective ways of cleaning out the nozzle.

thanks paul

First, filter your paint before putting it through your gun. At 0.2mm, my Iwata really does not like bits of dried paint.

a layer of pantyhose (cut little patches from an old pair of your wife\'s / mom\'s / girlfriend\'s / own... Undo the bottle tops and lay the patch over the bottle, screw the top back on.

As for cleaning the nozzle after use, use an interdental brush, I get them from my visits for free, but they are available for purchase at most department and drug stores:

They are small enough to fit up in the nozzle (don\'t force it) and soft enough not to cause harm.

Finally, invest in a set of \"Air brushes\" from somewhere like
Bear Air

 

[farseerlum]

i undo the nozels and put them in a little jar with laquer thinners in it.

 

[Thunderhawker]

If you have a decent compressor you can always backfeed it as well.

 

[Dragon Forge Design]

if your spraying acrylics only, then a 50/50 mixture of sudsy amonia and water will clean out even the toughest clog. Knowing what kind of airbrush it is would also help.

Also what are you spraying? and how thin are you thinning it down..most paints out of the bottle can stand to be thinned down at least 50%.

 

[Sand Rat]

Same as farseerlum - except I use Methyl Ethyl Keytone for a clenser.

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by steelcult
Same as farseerlum - except I use Methyl Ethyl Keytone for a clenser.

Risky stuff though. Best not used in a domestic interior (and very hard to get in the UK anyway).

Einion

 

[Sand Rat]

Really?

I get it in little purple and white bottles marked \"Testors Liquid Model Cement/Brush Cleaner\" over here - thats what I use to assemble plastic models as well.

 

[airhead]

Lloyd, MEK is one of those wonderful solvents that can not only penetrate the skin/blood barrier, but can carry other things disolved in it along as well.

Think \"patch\" without the patch. (or contact poison) Anything disolved in MEK that you get on your skin will show up in your blood.

Pretty evil stuff all around, even if you can buy quarts of it from Home Depot.

 

[Sand Rat]

Oh, I know how evil it is Kevin - when I was working making animal caging systems we used it to clean the acid off the stainless steel - or the stainless steel off the acid.

Thus it is used with a great deal of caution. And is still a dandy plastic cement for models.