Cleaning airbrush after clear gloss varnish

[DD_Crash]

I have nearly finished my Bf109 and I now need to go over the matt paint ready for decals. As it is clear how can I tell if the airbrush is completely clean?

Thanks in advance.

[dnl42]

I generally run a half or full cup of thinner through between each color and a full cup after a session. DON'T waste your actual paint thinner on cleaning the airbrush! I use airbrush cleaner for water soluble paints or hardware store cellulose thinner for solvent-based paints.

[Ray_W]

What have you been spraying? What do you intend to spray up next? 

[Bertie McBoatface]

57 minutes ago, DD_Crash said:

I have nearly finished my Bf109 and I now need to go over the matt paint ready for decals. As it is clear how can I tell if the airbrush is completely clean?

Thanks in advance.

 

I have a habitual cleaning routine which I follow for all paints and varnishes If I stick to it and it shifts all the  paint, I know that it will also clean all the varnish. Sometimes I do go over it all twice though, perhaps if I know I won't be using the airbrush for a long time.

[Mike]

1. Empty the colour cup - I usually pour mine back in the pot unless I've adulterated the colour with another
2. Spray out the remaining paint on some scrap - I have a length of paper taped to the front of my spray booth
3. Wipe the colour cup clean with some paper towel
4. Fill the colour cup half way with thinners
5. Squirt a little thinner through
6. Backflush (cover up nozzle so air blows into the colour cup) to clear the paint path of remaining paint
7. repeat 5 & 6 until it's spraying pure thinners
8. Pronounce your airbrush clean and smile beatifically
9. load up matt varnish
10. PAINT!!!!!!

Those steps should work in the same session, but if you've not painted for a day or more, it's best to give your brush a proper clean to ensure the paint path doesn’t block up and ruin all your hard work

 

[DD_Crash]

Thanks all