airbrush trouble

Thanks everyone for all of the helpful tips. I will try some out and let you know the results.

Probably one thing I need to do is just go down and practice on scraps, but it has been hard to motivate myself when things have gone bad

Anyway thanks again for everything.

Good tips there ngc

The one thing I always forget to mention is the backspray technique. If it's what I think you are describing, it's where you spray a bit of thinner through the gun and then hold your finger over the tip which causes the air to come back through the opposite way and into the bowl. I do this every time I clean my gun, even when changing colors. I am surprised at how much crud gets blown back into the bowl.
It works great on the Iwata. Just be careful of blowing thinner back into your face or eyes, and make sure the tip protector (not aircap) is on because that Iwata needle is very sharp (trust me, I know). You do have to press fairly hard (depending on the pressure) to get an airtight seal with your finger and point the bowl away from you. Maybe putting a rag over it is a good idea too.
It works great.

Let us know if you have any luck.

stinger

I am a rank amateur when it comes to airbrushing. I have a Badger 150 and a couple of air cans I am trying to get rid of. (Hoping for a compressor for Christmas)

But it seems to me the best method for cleaning from the nozzle tip is a little bit of Back Spray. I've never looked at an Iwata so I do not know if that is possible.

I tend to clean my brush more often because I do not use it as much.

Oh, I also use good pipecleaners. They fit in those places that a Qtip or papertowel won't.

Have you tried Testor's Acrylic? The one thing that I have seen on this forum is that it can be used without thinning.

I hate to suggest it, but try a can of canned air. If the problem still exists, it would rule out any problems with your compressor(?).

Try using the smallest microbrush to clean the little tip nozzle. A pack of microbrushes are cheap, and will last a long time, they're the perfect size for that tip.

QUOTE: Originally posted by newtothegame I am using Testors Model Master Enamel. Thinned with Testors airbrush thinner (I thought to about 40:60 paint:thinner), sprayed at between 15 and 35, mostly approx 20-25 (frustration has had me moving the pressure regulator all over).

That paint to thinner ratio should be plenty thin enough to atomize very well through that airbrush although I mix mine 2:1 like Stinger told you.
I would say it should be spraying great at between 15-20 psi.
If you removed the needle then make sure it is touching the tip good before you tighten the needle chuck, because if it isn't then it will shoot out paint without pulling the trigger back. Also make sure the needle chuck is tight so that the needle does move when you pull the trigger back.
Are you pushing the trigger down all the way when you paint with it? Some people try and push it down just a little but that is not the way a double-action airbrush is designed to operate. Push it down all the way and pull back slightly until you get the paint flow you want. Try straining your paint before spraying it also as you may have a chunck clogged in the tip. When the airbrush clogs, point it away from what you are spraying, push the trigger down and pull the trigger all the way back for a second or two and blast some paint out.
This usually clears the tip of any dried paint or obstruction.
If you are getting a lot of tip dry that you can see on the needle tip that will also affect the flow of the paint. If this happens you can take a Q-tip with a hollow stem and wet it with thinner, and push it into the needle and wipe away that tip dry.

Experiment and let us know what you find.

Mike

newtothegame - Welcome to the forum

I got my HP-CS new back around June and have used it many times with no problem.

I thin my Model Master paints with much less thinner than you indicate. I use about two parts paint to one part thinner maximum. Paints like the MM buffable metallics and most acrylics spray just perfect right from the bottle. I have had to thin some acrylics, however, like the Color of Eagles brand yellow. For some reason it was just thicker, but adding a touch of water at a time brought it to spray well.
Try using plain old mineral spirits instead of the MM airbrush thinner. I've used MM's brand before and I think I get better results with the spirits. It's way cheaper, too.

I think your pressure is too high. I spray at 20 pounds or less. I start at 20 indicated on the regulator and then test spray a printed piece of cardboard (like a FedEx box) to see if I like the 'feel' of how it's spraying, then adjust the pressure until I'm satisfied. I've gotten to where I really don't have to look at the gauge anymore, since it is rather misleading sometimes, and because it's the same compressor I use at work (at higher pressures, like 120 lbs) I don't trust it to be all that accurate at the lower settings. Sometimes it may already be set too low at first, but again I just adjust it up until it works.
Always test spray on something before you commit to your model.

As for the aircap, mine never came with one, although my old Badger has one and the tip is definitely covered on that one. If you can see the needle move as you say, it has no aircap on it.
On the Iwata there are two front end pieces with knurled rings around them. The very front one is a protector to keep the needle from getting hurt. You should get exactly the same results with or without it on, but I always keep mine on.
The second front piece I have never had off after about fifty or more painting sessions. Maybe it's time for me to take a look in there, but it's still spraying like the day I bought it.

I've heard that bear air supply has a good staff of people who may help you if you give them a call. Check them out on www.bearair.com .

I'm sure that mikev and snoop will jump back in here with more, and you should really heed their advice, as they are way more experienced than I.

Before you try again you should give your brush a good cleaning with lacquer thinner, including removing the needle and thoroughly clean the bowl. Be careful reinserting the needle though. When I spray cleaning thinners through my brush I do crank up the pressure to about thirty or so to really blast the crud out.

Do a search on the forum for all the various aspects of airbrushing and you will find a wealth of info.

Hope this helps

Stinger

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV How about a little more info such as: What paint are you using? Is it being thinned enough? What pressure are you spraying at? It sounds like you are just getting tip dry but it could be clumps in the paint as Snoopy mentioned. Give us the specifics of what you are doing and we will try and help. You do have the aircap protector off when you are spraying correct? That is a mishap some people fail to realize with a new airbrush. Mike

I am using Testors Model Master Enamel. Thinned with Testors airbrush thinner (I thought to about 40:60 paint:thinner), sprayed at between 15 and 35, mostly approx 20-25 (frustration has had me moving the pressure regulator all over).

I honestly am not sure what the aircap protector is, so I can't say if I have removed it, but there is no cap or anything that is preventing me from easily seeing the needle stick out of the tip.

Hopefully this paints a clearer picture.

How about a little more info such as:

What paint are you using?
Is it being thinned enough?
What pressure are you spraying at?

It sounds like you are just getting tip dry but it could be clumps in the paint as Snoopy mentioned.
Give us the specifics of what you are doing and we will try and help.

You do have the aircap protector off when you are spraying correct?
That is a mishap some people fail to realize with a new airbrush.

Mike

NEWTOTHEGAME,

I am not to familiar with the Eclipse but for a while I had the same problem with my badger. I fixed it by changing a Teflon o-ring near the nozzle. Before changing it, the paint would not come out but a watery liquid would come out or if the paint did come out it seemed watery with it spitting every couple of seconds.

You definately need to get a moisture trap or spraying from a CO2 tank, in which, you don't need a moisture trap.

As far as the paint not coming out when you want, check to see if you paint has clumps by straining the paint from one jar to another using an old pair of nylon stockings. You will also want to check your thinning ratio.

If all these don't work then maybe someone familiar with the Eclispe could shine some light on it (no pun intended).