Started airbrusjing today!

Phil_H

Hi Chris,

I believe the Windex we have here in Australia no longer contains ammonia, but is scented to smell like it does.  (But hey,  if it works, it works.)

If you're using Tamiya and Gunze acrylics, you don't  need much more than metho (methylated spirits, aka denatured alcohol). Metho will rip straight through these paints.

Don't use acrylic thinner for cleaning, it's much too expensive for that. You can even use metho for thinning Tamiya and Gunze acrylics- depending on how you work, metho can sometimes be more effective than the proprietary thinner.You can thin the paint much further with metho than you can with proprietary Tamiya thinner.

Really?  I didn't know that.  I use the clear one (as opposed to the blue one) and it works quite well.  I'll have to check the label and see what goes into it.  Will also have to give metho a try as a thinner and cleaner.

Thanks for the tips Phil.

Chris.

bmonette8385

Its just a cheapo airbrush from harbor freight.  But i dont think it came out too bad.  With more practice im sure i will figure out how to work with it.  Its a siphon feed BTW

It sounds like the HF clone of the Badger 155. Many of the advise that Don Wheeler gave about the Badger 155 at his web site will apply.

Don Stauffer

I find cleanup for enamels easier than for acrylics.  You have more time, because it doesn't dry as fast, and it is easier to dissolve dried paint if you do miss some.

Don,

I can't speak for MM Acryls, as we don't have them here in Australia, but for Gunze, Tamiya and Vallejo acrylics, denatured alcohol will dissolve dried acrylics very quickly, whether they;ve been dry for 20 minutes or 20 years. I've never had any problems cleaning acrylics.

I find cleanup for enamels easier than for acrylics.  You have more time, because it doesn't dry as fast, and it is easier to dissolve dried paint if you do miss some. I use regular paint thinner from the hardware store. It is cheap if you buy it by the gallon.  I do not thin the paint with this stuff, but it is fine for cleaning both brushes and airbrushes.

I merely run about half a bottle of thinner through after each color, backflushing several times, and wiping the tip of the pickup tube a couple of times.  About every fifth or sixth time I disassemble the airbrush taking care to wipe out the nozzle and wipe off the needle until it is smooth. I use Q-tips to work on the nozzle.

I prefer enamel because I find the cleanup easier.

This is on my Badger 200.

cml

I always use Windex to clean up after acrylics (i use Gunze and Tamiya).

With my siphon fed brush, i'll either empty or spray out all the excess paint.  I removes the cup and rinse all out in water.

Whilst the cup is removed, i then use an eye dropper filled with water and flush our the siphon of the brush.  Then, i'll fill up the cup with water and spray out a few cups with high pressure, until is sprays clean.

I'll then refill with windex and spray a cup full through the brush high pressure.

Once it's all spraying clean, i'll take it all apart and use acrylic thinner on a cotton bud to get into all the smaller areas etc and all around the threads. 

Hi Chris,

I believe the Windex we have here in Australia no longer contains ammonia, but is scented to smell like it does.  (But hey,  if it works, it works.)

If you're using Tamiya and Gunze acrylics, you don't  need much more than metho (methylated spirits, aka denatured alcohol). Metho will rip straight through these paints.

Don't use acrylic thinner for cleaning, it's much too expensive for that. You can even use metho for thinning Tamiya and Gunze acrylics- depending on how you work, metho can sometimes be more effective than the proprietary thinner.You can thin the paint much further with metho than you can with proprietary Tamiya thinner.

I always use Windex to clean up after acrylics (i use Gunze and Tamiya).

With my siphon fed brush, i'll either empty or spray out all the excess paint.  I removes the cup and rinse all out in water.

Whilst the cup is removed, i then use an eye dropper filled with water and flush our the siphon of the brush.  Then, i'll fill up the cup with water and spray out a few cups with high pressure, until is sprays clean.

I'll then refill with windex and spray a cup full through the brush high pressure.

Once it's all spraying clean, i'll take it all apart and use acrylic thinner on a cotton bud to get into all the smaller areas etc and all around the threads.  I've seen some articles talk about using pipe cleaners soaked in thinner to get into the real hard to reach areas - i've tried this, but the pipe cleaners kept coming apart and leaving bits of wool all through my brush.  Since then, i don't use pipe cleaners anymore.

I never leave things soaking in thinners - mainly because i'm easily distracted and am worried it'd stay there for another week until my next session.

I very rarely use enamels, but use the above method, except with mineral turpentine.  This is obviously a lot harsher, so you need to be a lot more careful with removing the teflon washers etc.  Again, i never let anything soak in the turps.

This method is a lot more expensive though (because water and windex is much cheaper than turps).

I go through this routine each time i change colour and each time i've finished using my brush (obviously).

Hope this helps.

Chris.

Its just a cheapo airbrush from harbor freight.  But i dont think it came out too bad.  With more practice im sure i will figure out how to work with it.  Its a siphon feed BTW

Knowing the airbrush will help us help you!

Soap and water will work on your hands, but not so much on your airbrush. Windex with Ammonia (or similar, I use ZEP), will work for acrylics. I don't use enamels, but the appropriate thinners for enamels will work. Interdental brushes will work on the nooks and crannies.

There are some (especially Badger) that need an O-ring removed before immersing in thinners. Siphon or bottom fed airbrushes require a different technique than gravity fed.

Could you tell us which airbrush you have?

Don