Zone19 Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Being a little OCD I tend to clean my airbrush (full strip down and clean) after every use...It takes about 20 mins, does anyone have any suggestions that would save me time? Also would you suggest giving it a slight Oil? If so which parts? Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little-cars Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Depends, which brush do you have ? Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noeyedears Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 I wouldnt put oil anywhere near it, try the grease specifily designed for the job. I use it on the needle VERY SPARINGLY, and the trigger and valve bits and bobs VERY SPARINGLY. The last thing you want is it getting into the nozzle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerbannog Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Full strip down? I just spray one load of appropiate thinner and wipe the paint jar clean. Then take needle and nozzle out. I carefully wipe (just lightly!) the needle clean with a tissue and put the nozzle in a container with thinner. I have never used oil anywhere on my airbrushes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Brown Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 I must admit I strip most of my CR down virtually every use. I find it quite relaxing! I use Iwatas own Superlube, just a touch on the needle, and a very high quality (can't remember which one) light oil for the air trigger plunger. Again, just a smear. I certainly wouldn't use Superlube on this part as it slowly bungs the plunger up over time. All the air valve area just needs a smidge of Supalube once in a blue moon. Infact, I wouldn't strip this area very often at all. Don't forget to give it a good blast through with your cleaner/thinner of choice before you use it again. I use the Iwatas Media then Flow Improver just before use. What sort of paint would you be using? Rick. EDIT! DON'T BE TEMPTED TO GET WD40 ANYWHERE NEAR IT, NO MATTER WHAT SOME PEOPLE TELL YOU!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fraxinus Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 there I was thinking again about buying an airbrush and compressor tempted by LMS......reading this, hairy stick a bit longer then until the self cleaning airbrush is invented! I haven't the dedication to cleaning air brushes & masking that you chaps have even though the results are far better 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitfire Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 I clean my AB (Badger 200NH) out after every session it only takes 5 minutes and is no great hassle. Cheers Dennis 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnerboy Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 there I was thinking again about buying an airbrush and compressor tempted by LMS......reading this, hairy stick a bit longer then until the self cleaning airbrush is invented! I haven't the dedication to cleaning air brushes & masking that you chaps have even though the results are far better some people hate masking canopies, some people hate filling & sanding...I HATE CLEANING MY AIRBRUSH! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Brown Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 there I was thinking again about buying an airbrush and compressor tempted by LMS......reading this, hairy stick a bit longer then until the self cleaning airbrush is invented! I haven't the dedication to cleaning air brushes & masking that you chaps have even though the results are far better You can become a slave to them! You find yourself working out how to A/B sumat when it would take only a couple of mins to hand paint it! Rick. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charley420 Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 I put the big paint cup on my hs ultra then blast half a cup of thinners thru making sure I work the needle back and forth.this usually gets it pretty clean. I picked up some spraycraft aerosol airbrush cleaner in the modelzone clearance its tremendous stuff just make sure you hold some tissue over the area else cellulose thinners will go everywhere. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zone19 Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Thanks for the advice Guys, it's most appreciated I'm using Humbrol Enamels with Revel thinners...The A/B I've got is a dual action one I got free with my compressor, so it's a good learning one, and I have to say this board is full of excellent advice...Like spraying with White, Using an Oral Syringe for measuring (Pure GENIUS) and now all this advise for cleaing....But I still use a ipe cleaner for the Paint Bucket feed Cheers Guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wizball Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 I really can sympathize with the OP - I clean my H&S Evolution very thoroughly, making sure the innards are spotless, using cotton swabs and dental microbrushes after every session, taking about 20 minutes. Colour changes in the session I also take far too seriously. Problem is, my suspicion is that all this cleaning only wears out the A/B and is 85% overkill. I own a ultrasound cleaner, my guess is it would be wiser to be a little more relaxed in everyday use and go for "spring cleaning" every other month or so... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JagRigger Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 That's what I do - quick blow through with thinners and wipe the needle, and a more in depth maybe once a month. I use Badger 200 & 150 - I find the 200 better for fine work / weathering such as exhausts, and the 150 for general use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Same as JagRigger more or less, wipe out the excess paint from cup, fill cup with thinners, back flush, tip out cleaner, spray whats left in the cup through and repeat until the thinner comesout clean, remove and wipe needle. I'll do a deep clean if and when it needs it, which is a complete strip down and into the ultrasonic cleaner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomjw Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 I flush my H&S Ultra with Revell airbrush cleaner and the strip it down to clean the innards with Spraycraft Aerosol cleaner. It works for me and takes less than 5 minutes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 (edited) Full strip down? I just spray one load of appropiate thinner and wipe the paint jar clean. Then take needle and nozzle out. I carefully wipe (just lightly!) the needle clean with a tissue and put the nozzle in a container with thinner. I have never used oil anywhere on my airbrushes. This is more or less exactly what I do (except mine has a cup rather than a jar - it is easer to clean than a jar), although I have sometimes thought that a touch of lube on the trigger might not be a bad idea. I always give a blast through with neat thinners at the start of every new colour. I also use these to clean out the nozzle: Edited December 3, 2013 by Nigel Heath 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmcclure Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Looks like everything has been covered but a couple of guys have mentioned wiping things off with tissues. I never, ever, ever have anything paper-based within a mile of the AB. I learned this the hard way when I first started using an AB and used kitchen towel - after a few days the nozzle plugged up with fibres. I have an old t-shirt by the bench and I cut off rags to clean the AB with in conjunction with whatever liquid I'm using for the job. Cut a new bit when you run out of clean spots. A good old, beaten up t-shirt will be lint free and will last ages too. I pulled the current rag-donor out of the bin a few years ago, gave it a good hot wash and there's still at least 50% of it left. Of course, I am an XL so perhaps modellers of a more lithe build may use more! Cheers, Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charley420 Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Looks like everything has been covered but a couple of guys have mentioned wiping things off with tissues. I never, ever, ever have anything paper-based within a mile of the AB. I learned this the hard way when I first started using an AB and used kitchen towel - after a few days the nozzle plugged up with fibres. I have an old t-shirt by the bench and I cut off rags to clean the AB with in conjunction with whatever liquid I'm using for the job. Cut a new bit when you run out of clean spots. A good old, beaten up t-shirt will be lint free and will last ages too. I pulled the current rag-donor out of the bin a few years ago, gave it a good hot wash and there's still at least 50% of it left. Of course, I am an XL so perhaps modellers of a more lithe build may use more! Cheers, Roger Blimey why didnt i think of that, always wondered where all those little fibers apeared from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshiretaurus Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 I Increase the pressure to max then run thinners through, Remove the nozzle / needle wipe clean. re fit the nozzle and draw a few drops of thinner through it with capillary action by touching the tip of the nozzle onto a paper towel, before purging everywhere of thinners by use of a dust blower. then refit the needle. This I find is a very useful tool Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffter Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 (edited) The key is to get the job done as efficiently as possible with the minumum use of heavy solvents, for health reasons. So it needs to be done swiftly, with as much of the remaining wet paint removed with water or low volatile cleaners, before a quick squirt of the strong stuff. (They'll ban that aerosol stuff sooner or later, and then we'll be in trouble....) Also, my approach is to have several airbrushes - Paasche F1 for basic work up, Iwaata HPC for artwork, up to DeVilbiss JGA for huge stuff. F1 gets most abuse, and I just replace the needle every few months. Its a coarse single action, but does a nice job if you are just laying on paint, which is basically 90% of the time. Very rarely need the freehand control of the HPC, except when trying to emulate Sorayama maybe! Double actions just start getting complex, and the Iwaata deserves to be pampered, so I avoid using it! Edited December 4, 2013 by Griffter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 Nigel. if you lube the trigger, wipe of the excess as you do the needle, if you leave it on as liquid the stuff sets up like glue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I am finding the trigger on one of my brushes (the cheap Chinese kind) is slow to react in the return from the valve. I press for air which is fine but the air keeps coming when I release with the trigger slowly returning to the closed position after 2-3 seconds. My guess is she just needs a bit of lube but have never done this before. Can anyone recommend a product to try and how to use? My guess: Strip the trigger to expose the top of the valve. A small drop of lube. Remove excess lube. Rebuild AB??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) I have not used this (Singer Sewing Machine Oil) on my airbrush but it is a nice refined, thin mineral oil (so no nasty silicone) formulated for fine mechanisms - its what I would go for first. Just a thought. Edited January 13, 2014 by Nigel Heath 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheshiretaurus Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) I am finding the trigger on one of my brushes (the cheap Chinese kind) is slow to react in the return from the valve. I press for air which is fine but the air keeps coming when I release with the trigger slowly returning to the closed position after 2-3 seconds. My guess is she just needs a bit of lube but have never done this before. Can anyone recommend a product to try and how to use? My guess: Strip the trigger to expose the top of the valve. A small drop of lube. Remove excess lube. Rebuild AB??? This occurs on my Neo too. The whole airvalve assembly unscrews from it with a small brass pin that the trigger presses on. I use the smallest of small drops of 3 in 1 oil on the base of the pin and wipe away then exercise the valve a few times and its sorted. yours might be similar. Edited January 13, 2014 by Cheshiretaurus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 This occurs on my Neo too. The whole airvalve assembly unscrews from it with a small brass pin that the trigger presses on. I use the smallest of small drops of 3 in 1 oil on the base of the pin and wipe away then exercise the valve a few times and its sorted. yours might be similar. Cool. Ill have a look in a few days when I'm off work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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