Airbrush query...

[Peej]

All my paints are water based, if I thin them to a consistency to spray with water could I use water to clean the airbrush or do I need to use a proper cleaner? If so which would be the best? Thank you in advance.
Paul

 

[Deleted member 7181]

I'm not as experienced as many on here but when I've used water based paints I tend to do the bulk of my cleaning with water (2 or 3 runs through, agitating the bottom of the cup with an old brush) then give it a final run through with Vallejo airbrush cleaner, remove the needle and wipe that with cleaner too (and the air cap etc)

Doing it that way means I use very little of the cleaner so it should last ages.

I know there are many different cleaners and homemade concoctions but since I was using Vallejo paints I just went straight for their own and as I say, it'll last me a long time so cost is negligible.

 

[colin m]

When I'm using acrylics, I do the same as Andy.

 

[Archetype]

Same here, except I take the needle out before I clean so I can access all of the cup.

 

[peterairfix]

Same for me as I have one of the cheapest airbrush's going and it's lasted nearly three years.

 

[Jakko]

After airbrushing acrylics, I put my airbrush (an Aztek A470) into an ultrasonic cleaner filled with water plus a splash of ultrasonic cleaner solution for ten minutes, then scrub everything out with a toothbrush and a pipe cleaner in a couple of centimetres of lukewarm water in the kitchen sink, and blow through all the parts that air flows through with my mouth. The airbrush keeps running, so I think I’m not doing anything wrong here. You can also skip the ultrasonic cleaner but will need to scrub a bit more.

 

[PaulTRose]

i do as andy does......lots of water....a run through with vallejo cleaner, then water again

keep meaning to get a ultrasonic cleaner too

 

[yak face]

Like a few others here I do the initial cleaning with other less expensive things then give a final clean with vallejo airbrush cleaner. For the main wash i use a bike cleaner from poundland , called ‘dirty bike‘ i think ! This is a litre bottle with a trigger and is a fluorescent pink colour , i think its a rip off of the ‘muc off ‘ bike cleaner thats about a tenner more expensive. This stuff is quite good at dissolving fresh acrylic and combined with the final spray through with vallejo cleaner gets everything back to clean. I also do what chris does and take out the needle so i can scrub the bottom of the cup with either a cotton bud or an old paintbrush. Every now and then i also unscrew the tiny nozzle tip and soak this in cellulose thinners to really get any residue off ( making sure i remove the tiny rubber o ring first or it will swell and be useless) .The tube that goes from the tip to the cup is cleaned out with an interdental brush , dont know what size but its orange or yellow. While the needle is out i usually clean this with cellulose then give it a polish with brasso . Cheers tony
Ps all my airbrushes are cheapo chinese jobbies but im sure the methods will apply to many other brushes

 

[Deleted member 5496]

Water is not a good cleaner. Its molecular composition stick together. It is a thick liquid due to that.

Place a drop on the work top it will stay there with rounded edges. Place a drop of Vallejo
cleaner on the work top & it spreads out. Jolly good reason not to use water as a thinner
as it does not level out as the Vallejo thinners is designed to do.

Water actually due to the above tends just to slide past the paint leaving a quantity
in position in the airbrush.

Change recently from Vallejo Air cleaner to an H & S cleaner (Pro airbrush Cleaner).
It is a far better cleaner than Vallejo & you need less of it. It also lubricates if you leave
a small amount at the bottom of the cup.

Evidence. Place a needle caked with paint in water just a haze of paint is released.
Place the needle in Pro Cleaner & it starts to remove the paint immediately. With
Pro Cleaner it is very rare I take apart to clean.

Vallejo about £7:50 200ml Pro £12:00 500ml. Even better you need less of Pro.

Laurie

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Thanks for that Laurie. Sounds like the one to buy when I eventually get down this bottle.

 

[JR]

Morning all.
I've tried most AB cleaners but have settled on VMS from John's Shop.
Adding water to the concentrate at 4 to I gives a uselful mix. This goes as Jakko uses into the ultrasonic cleaner. It's so easy just to strip the Ultra ab down , pop in the tank and give it 3 odd minutes. Remove the nozzle and tip, make sure there clean by using one of those dental brushes, then put an ab pointed cleaning needle in the tip and make sure there is not hard paint that has skinned . Clean out the cup, along with the front of the body.
Wipe the needle, occasionally, depending on how easy the trigger moves, and it sticky apply a smear of Iwata lube to both the needle and trigger. I always put my needle back by sliding it in backwards , so the tip never touches any part of the body. Pull the needle right back while replacing the tip assembly, then slide fwd and lock .
When I started using Vallejo flow improver the amount of paint sticking to the needle reduced. Tip drying I'm sure is the biggest bug bare of using an AB .

 

[Deleted member 7181]

John, I read in the infinity manual that only certain parts should be put in a US cleaner.

Is that something I should pay attention to (if I get one) or is it not an issue?

I've been spraying mostly solvent/lacquer lately but the way this thing handles VJ that may change.

 

[Tim Marlow]

All of this seems really complex to me......I just flush through, then withdraw the needle out of the back of the brush and clean mine (a side feed Iwatta) with a few drops of Mr color levelling thinner on a clean tissue.....but then I don’t use water based acrylics so don’t get much dry paint in the brush, and the side feed design means I can easily access the paint path....
if the nozzle needs a little more attention I just soak it in a few mL of Mr color for a little while.....

 

[colin m]

I just wanted to add a tip from Stona, a chap we don't see too often these days. That was, give the whole length of the needle a wipe in WD40, before reinstalling the needle. It sounds a bit strange, but does stop the needle sticking, and doesn't have any effect on the paint you use next.

 

[Deleted member 5496]

I just wanted to add a tip from Stona, a chap we don't see too often these days. That was, give the whole length of the needle a wipe in WD40, before reinstalling the needle. It sounds a bit strange, but does stop the needle sticking, and doesn't have any effect on the paint you use next.

Yes I remember that from days gone past.

I use airbrush oil & run it down the needle before insertion.
Also give small drop on the valve under the trigger.

Laurie

 

[Steven000]

I flush through with water and then clean gently with a bit of alcohol and a used brush in the end, never had any problems.

The WD-40 sounds like a good tip, haven't yet tested it, but WD-40 is great on metal but might eat rubber sealings in the long run (petroleum based product)

Cheers, Steven

 

[Steve Jones]

I throw the airbrush away and open up a new one. Cleaning things is not in my DNA. I thought a mop was a wig for Rastafarian until the Mrs said you clean floors with it. What do I know???

 

[Deleted member 7181]

I'm getting the jitters at the WD40 suggestion. Most painters wouldn't even let it in the building never mind near their gun, due to its reputation for causing paint issues.

To be fair dub dee has never caused me any problems, even when painting the odd side job in my mates workshop that's covered in the stuff, but to many painters it's viewed as the very essence of the devil

 

[stillp]

to many painters it's viewed as the very essence of the devil

That's because they think it contains silicones, which it doesn't. It cleans off easily with ordinary panel wipes.
Pete

 

[Archetype]

I was given a tip for catching smoothhounds whilst fishiing on the solent once, and that was to douse my bait in WD40. Apparently it contains fish oils that are irresistible.

I use a drop to free up the trigger, but wouldn't want it in the paintline at all.