Highlighting Issues

[Gorby]

15 minutes ago, bmwh548 said:

Those work for the everything but the nozzle itself on these airbrushes. 

Sorry I should have said - they don't go through the hole, but they are good at cleaning the dried paint out at the end.

[GazB]

14 hours ago, bmwh548 said:

Get some cotton or even some fabric from an old T-shirt or whatever. Cut very thin strips (about a millimeter in diameter) and feed one end through the nozzle (not a lot, just enough for it to get in there). Then take an old needle and push the strip all the way through so it goes through the nozzle tip (don't force it or you'll crack the nozzle, if it doesn't go just take it out and make the piece thinner). When it's in that position put a few drops of thinner and start moving the strip inside the nozzle (front and back, circle) a few times. Pull it out through the back and examine it. Repeat until the piece is clean.

If you think you have paint in the air channel grab a piece of thin steel wire and feed it through from the front until it gets to the air valve. Move it around see if it dislodges anything. With the airbrush completely apart you can use some lacquer type thinner to soak it and repeat the process. Just make sure you don't soak any rubber seals. Also keep in mind that the more you take it apart the more stress you put on the seals. They're very poor quality and tend to fall apart from too much "handling".

 

4 hours ago, Chrissy_J said:

My o-ring seal (part no.4 on the diagram) disintegrated during cleaning. I now use plumbers' PTFE tape to seal the nozzle cap to the airbrush body.

You'll know if there's a leak in this area 'cos you'll get bubbles of paint coming from the joint when you work.

 

3 hours ago, Chrissy_J said:

I'd use a strand of cotton, wet the end and try and push it through like threading a needle. Or you could use the point of a pin or a sewing needle to push it through.

The important thing is not to use anything solid enough that it might make the hole in the needle tip any bigger, as it'll increase the size of your spray pattern - it'll turn your 0.3 tip into an 0.4 or bigger.

 

3 hours ago, Gorby said:

I use these for cleaning out the nozzle hole:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TePe-Interdental-Brushes-0-4mm-Pink/dp/B002RUUF4M/ref=sr_1_21_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1549218330&sr=8-21&keywords=floss+sticks+dental

 

They work perfectly.

Thanks for the tips and points, guys. Appreciate it /

 

Gaz