Paint drying too fast when airbrushing

[Housesparrow]

I am a novice, but unless you can get needle lube to work consistently, you are left with cleaning the tip every 10 sec or so. I use a small brush, that I dip into a tiny bowl of cleaning liquid, and I use that brush to clean the needle repeatedly. Make sure you blow some air out, to dislodge cleaning fluid, before continuing the paint work.

Afaik, there is no way around this.

I like to clean the needle tip very often, so that I don't even risk having any splatter going on.

Edited February 14, 2016 by Housesparrow

[wildman]

I initially had the same problem when I was trying to airbrush humbrol acrylics. Here is what I did to fix the problem. FYI I used the H&S ultra also.

1. Changed from the 0.2 to the 0.4 needle set ( I got the 2 in 1 so it came with both)

2. Purchased some Winsor and Newton retarder - http://www.winsornewton.com/uk/shop/oils-solvents-mediums-and-varnishes/acrylic-colour/mediums/galeria-fluid-retarder-8-45-us-fl-oz-250ml-pot-3040818I use a few drops of this with the humbrol own acrylic thinner and a few drops of W&N flow improver

3. After each session doing a full clean before storing. i.e taking it appart cleaning well, lubing the needle and trigger back up and putting back together. I can do this in around 5 mins now

4. Changed the cap over to this one (the infinity one) it fits the ultra perfectly and allows for easy tip wipes if you get try tip http://www.modellingtools.co.uk/air-cap-04-mm-infinity-126793-3487-p.aspI know it's £18 just for the aircap, but I must say this aircap makes mid spray tip cleaning 1000 times easier.

Since doing all this I have not suffered from any of the mind bending frustrations I initially had trying to airbrush humbrol acrylics. Where I use Vallejo i simply use their own brand thinners and their airbrush cleaner and I have never had any issues. I still add a drop of the retarder to help slow the drying times down.