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cleaning airbrush after enamels?

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  • Member since
    January 2012
Posted by Fuddy Duddy on Sunday, April 22, 2012 11:02 PM

keilau

I bought a 1-pint size Weber brand "odorless turpenoid" at Hobby Lobby for $9. I have not used it yet. Any comment?

I use acrylic paint most of time. But am thinking that I may need enamel some time occasionally.

 

Be careful with the odorless thinner. I tried using it and stopped. It had a bad reaction with some of my enamel paints causing them to clog up my airbrush. 

  • Member since
    October 2011
Posted by wjt619 on Sunday, October 23, 2011 8:46 AM

wow! thank you everyone for responding sooooo fast! very helpful! i think im going to start using the forum more and more!

again,

thanks everyone!

william

AT6
  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Fresno
Posted by AT6 on Saturday, October 22, 2011 1:53 PM

I do'nt use the expensive thinner to clean my air brush. I save that for the paint as well. I clean with Wallyworld thinner even though it stinks  then I use laquer thinner to finish cleaning. I do that between changing colors as well as for the final cleaning of the session. It takes more time but in the end is well worth the extra effort.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Saturday, October 22, 2011 8:45 AM

Be careful of generic "paint thinner" these days.  Some of it is pretty crappy and contains a lot of solid residue.  Stick with turpentine or mineral spirits- that is, something that has a well-defined chemical makeup.  The paint thinner that has a milky appearance- a cloudy white, is really bad.  Okay for cleaning your hands, wiping paint off workbench, but cannot be used to thin paint, and I have even stopped putting it in my airbrush.  With the solid residue I am afraid some of it will stay in AB passages, and I have no idea what would dissolve it if it stays in there.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    January 2011
Posted by stymye on Saturday, October 22, 2011 1:45 AM

I'll ditto  also

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: Bent River, IA
Posted by Reasoned on Friday, October 21, 2011 9:42 PM

padakr

I use mineral spirits to clean and save the brand name for thinning.

Ditto

Science is the pursiut of knowledge, faith is the pursuit of wisdom.  Peace be with you.

On the Tarmac: 1/48 Revell P-38

In the Hanger: A bunch of kits

  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: Netherlands
Posted by kermit on Friday, October 21, 2011 9:06 PM

There is still alot to be said for using enamels...they simply spray smoother for some reason. But there is ofcourse the health and environmental issues to consider.... The stuff is nasty really.

Completely switched to acrylics myself because of the fact they dry faster. But thats just about the only real reason.

The run of the mill white spirit (EDIT: i meant mineral spirit....language barrier...sorry) should work out fine thinning and cleaning enamelsSmile

Just ventilate thoroughly after spraying! Not the first time i kinda neglected to do so and ended up with a headache.

Richard

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Sir Winston Churchill

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Windy city, US
Posted by keilau on Friday, October 21, 2011 8:27 PM

I bought a 1-pint size Weber brand "odorless turpenoid" at Hobby Lobby for $9. I have not used it yet. Any comment?

I use acrylic paint most of time. But am thinking that I may need enamel some time occasionally.

  • Member since
    August 2011
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by GreenThumb on Friday, October 21, 2011 6:44 PM

Lacquer thinner is probably the cheapest but the smell is strong.

It does clean better than anything for enamels but if smell is a concern then go with cheap mineral spirits as recommended by the others.

Mike

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Friday, October 21, 2011 5:10 PM

Yes! Definitely don't use the expensive stuff

  • Member since
    October 2011
  • From: SC
Posted by luftBuilder on Friday, October 21, 2011 5:02 PM

I do the same thing, but make sure all the spirits are out before spraying acrylic , i use a lil  testors acrylic thiner to clean out  the spirits and get it ready for some acrylic.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: SE Pennsylvania
Posted by padakr on Friday, October 21, 2011 5:00 PM

Hi William,

I use mineral spirits to clean and save the brand name for thinning.

Paul

  • Member since
    October 2011
cleaning airbrush after enamels?
Posted by wjt619 on Friday, October 21, 2011 4:04 PM

hello everyone,

ok, i have always used acrylics. now that im switching to enamels, can i use regular paint thinner or mineral spirits to clean out my airbrush when switching between colors or just when im done spraying? by using those compared to the testors brand (or whatever brand) airbrush thinner/cleaner its saves quite a bit cash!

any words of advise or help will be apprieciated.

thanks

william

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