Do you lube?

[sinnerboy]

Just about to order a new cheapish airbrush for laying down primers & top coats but need to add a few bits to the order to make up to the post free amount, being the tight bottom that I am.

I thought what about a tube of the (for the amount expensive ) Iwata lube.

So my Q to you chaps is

1) do you use it? 

2) Does it make a diff to smoothness of action & tip dry?

3) Would a little Glycerine added to Acrylic thinners do the same job ( quid a bottle a Tescos)

 

TIA

 

Rick

 

[John Laidlaw]

Avoiding all of the potential double entendres, no.

 

As I put both water-based acrylics, and solvent-based paints through the same airbrushes, I just deep clean them more often, and use beeswax on threads and moving parts. Beeswax doesn't seem to react to anything, and prevents the parts binding up.

[sinnerboy]

beeswax, thats interesting, thanks John 👍

[Black Knight]

+ 1 for beeswax

I also give the needle a rub over with the wax, just the length of the needle which comes and goes through the rear of the paint cup and the part by the pull back lever

[Mark Harmsworth]

I've had a small bottle for about ten years - it may even have come with my H&S airbrush. I seem to remember it came with some advice about using it if the airbrush was going to be unused for a long time. Not sure that the length of time was defined - but I've never used it. I clean the airbrush thoroughly after each use and that seems to be enough. I use acrylics.

 

That probably doesn't help much does it.

[Ray_W]

I also use beeswax. A very light smear on needle and moving parts. A little on a finger and wipe through. I also clean the airbrush thoroughly after every use. Iwata's and years of trouble free service.

[malpaso]

Vaseline does the job for me.

Ooerr missus!

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Ive been airbrushing since 1988 and have owned six airbrush’s without any real differences in operation since then. I use Iwata air brush oil on my needle(s) after every deep clean. I use beeswax on all of my threads and haven't had anything happen since I started doing that.

Edited July 30, 2022 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Darknark]

I just use chapstick, a little on the needle after cleaning.

 

I believe you can use straight glycerine as well, but I have never tried it. Chapshick is cheap and convenient for me.

[Ray_W]

22 minutes ago, Darknark said:

I just use chapstick,

Also what I use - beeswax chapstick

 

[Werdna]

Shaver oil is what I use, but only because I found some in the bathroom cupboard.  I tend not to lube the mechanisms much, but I do occasionally run the needle through my fingers coated with a drop of shaver oil, which tends to help the action.  I would guess any other light oil (sewing machine oil and the like) would be equally fine..

[sinnerboy]

thanks all

 

[Panzersgt]

Water base personal lubricant. if your feeling brave over the counter at Anne Summers or like me off amazon £5 for 500ml not £5 for 5ml with Iwata written on the side

[daneel]

I've always found that polishing the needle works much better than lubing it. Of course, if planning not to use the brush for a longer time, then it is a good idea to lube the moving parts. In that case, I would still clean the brush before first use after a long pause, and shoot a cup of thinner first, before letting any paint through.