Cleaning an airbrush

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1337 MikeV correct me if i'm wrong :D

If you insist.

QUOTE: Cleaning airbrushes: Internal mix Gravity fed: Place thinner into cup, spray, use q-tip or microbrush or other similar tool to wipe. done. Siphon fed (side feed) : basicly the same as gravity

I would agree but I would first wipe the color cup out real good with a paper towel or soft rag to remove most of the paint. Then after putting thinner into the cup I like to take an old artists type of paintbrush and put it into the cup and wipe it around the cup and down around the needle to break-up most of the paint which has adhered to these surfaces. Then spray out that thinner, put in another bowl of thinner and spray it out again. If it is a small color cup such as the Badger 360 or even slightly bigger such as the Omni 5000, I would spray a few bowls full of thinner to clean it good.
If I used enamels or lacquers for painting and spraying lacquer thinner through it, I like to spray a little of the mixture of 2 parts filtered water, 1 part Windex, and 1 part Simple Green through it and follow with some water as sometimes lacquer seems to leave the airbrush a little bit sticky feeling, but not always.

QUOTE: Bottom fed: now it gets intresting. Use lacquor thinner (if your ab has teflon bearings) and just spray it through, wipe the needle, soak the nozzle, wipe the bottle and litle straw thingy, and the cap.

You don't have to have Teflon needle bearings to spray lacquer through an airbrush, just be careful not to get it back into the needle bearing area that much and you will be fine.
The Omni 4000, 5000 and 6000 do not have Teflon needle bearings but they do have a needle bearing made of a solvent resilient rubber type compound called, "Calrez" which has characteristics similar to Teflon.
A bottom feed does not need to be cleaned any different than a gravity-feed, it just has a bottle and siphon tube to clean as you mentioned. Removing the needle each time is not necessary unless you are paranoid of paint drying in there.

I hope this helps.

Mike

thanks mike :D its just i prefer teflon bearings to rubber. too bad the ones for iwata cost like $15 usd.

Oh is there a teflon bering for aztek a370 and does anyone have any broken aztek's they dont need? i want to modify one to take a needle :D

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1337 thanks mike :D its just i prefer teflon bearings to rubber. too bad the ones for iwata cost like $15 usd.

Then buy a Badger Anthem 155 or Badger 360 as they both come with Teflon needle bearings from the factory at no extra charge.

Mike

hahahaha mike... still trying to convert people to badger/omni's. I might (gasp) buy an omni or a badger, if i can find a place that sells omni stuff... no places within a 10 km radius can i find a place that sells omni... only paasche, aztek, iwata, and occasionally badger.

Does the badger 100 come with teflon bearings?

What size (diameter) is the airhose for badgers?


the point is, i cant see any reason not to buy an omni or even a (gasp again) vega... I just dont like the red part of the vega.

1337,
www.dixieart.com sells Omni brushes. Good prices too.Got my 4000 there for $70.00.

Joe

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1337 Does the badger 100 come with teflon bearings?

Yes. All Badger model 100, 150, 155, 175, 200, and 360 airbrushes have ptfe (teflon) needle bearings.

QUOTE: What size (diameter) is the airhose for badgers?

Do you mean the fittings on each end or the hose diameter itself?

QUOTE: the point is, i cant see any reason not to buy an omni or even a (gasp again) vega... I just dont like the red part of the vega.

I replaced my two Vega's handles with the chromed Omni handles. They have better balance to me with the heavier Omni handle instead of the stock aluminum handle.

Mike