Clogged Airbrush help needed

Have you checked the nozzle assembly? I somehow split mine a while back and it gave me a ton of trouble, water and cleaner would come out but paint would barely shoot even under higher pressures. When you are trying to spray paint look into the paint cup to see if there any any bubbles flowing into the cup when the trigger is pulled back. A tiny crack in the nozzle can be hard to see but can totally mess up a brush. Nozzles are easy to damage if the needle is inserted to hard.

If you rotate the needle slowly does it seems bent at all? If you run the tip of the needle carefully across your finger it should feel smooth any resistance or catching may mean a bent needle. 

I forgot to mention (DUH) that I dropped my AB several weeks ago. Damaged the outter rim of the nozzle cap but everything else seems fine (at that time it did). Now I'm thinking that probably is it.

Is the AB a total waste then?

You could try replacing the cap and needle, it most likely damaged based on your description.

Even the slightest damage to the needle tip can create significant issues with the AB's performance.

Needles goes in and out of the assembly without any resistance and the tip feels smooth to the touch.

I've cleaned this thing now 4 times and at this point I don't know what to do. I guess I could buy a new needle and nozzle.

"Spiiting" for me usually means thick paint, or low pressure, or a combo of the above.

Multiple thin coats really are a good idea. A try at a single good solid color coat (not saying that you did that) usually fails. I expect to see plastic or primer through the color for at least the first and even maybe the second color coat.

What does Wheeler think?

Well, I don't have the same brand or model of airbrush, but a couple things come to mind.  First, Vallejo's claim of their Model Air not needing AB thinner is bogus!  I use a lot of Model Air and can count on one hand the number of times I have NOT had to thin it, sometimes as much as two parts paint to one part thinner!  Second, the "spitting" noise you describe: could it possibly be from water getting in the air spray mechanism?  Sometimes when I'm cleaning acrylic paints from my airbrush, I run a lot of hot water all over it and some water can get in the mechanism (where the valve/trigger pivots just above the hose coupling).  A blast of compressed air (from a spray can like you use to clean your computer keyboard) blows it right out, the spitting noise goes away, and the paint flow improves, since the airstream is not being impeded by the water anymore.  Third, and this is really important since it happens a lot when I use Vallejo paints: no matter how clean you think your AB is, there can still be paint gummed up inside.  With the needle removed, and after you've given what you think is a pretty through cleaning, take the aforementioned can of compressed keyboard cleaning air. stick the tube into the tunnel where the needle usually goes, and give a good long blast of air out through the airbrush nozzle.  You may be surprised at what you see!  I often get a bunch of gummed up, almost dried paint to blow out the nozzle.  It may be hanging off the end of the nozzle, almost like toothpaste coming out of a tube, that no amount of regular cleaning was able to get out, but which the compressed air was able to loosen up.  Not saying that is your problem, but give that a try and see if it helps!

The tip of the needle shouldn't feel smooth, it should be sharp.  Look at it under magnification to make sure the tip isn't bent. 

Lacquer thinner may help dealing with stubborn residual dried paint...

The needle tip is sharp but I was commenting on the sides feel smooth. I think the needle is ok, however, the nozzle might not be? Not sure about that but I'm going to order a new one just to elmininate that as possible issue.

However, after reading all your comments and some researching it sounds like it might be user error.

I haven't drained my tank (ugh..../shame) and I need to plumbers tape my connector to my air compressor AND I need to buy a moisture trap.

Process of elimination! It's going to be a good learning experience for sure.

Thanks for validating my opinions on Vallejo. Going to use up what I have and switch paints. 

I once had a Badger spit paint with bubbles in the gravity cup. Asked Don Wheeler about it, he suggested a couple of things to check, one being the little cone shaped nozzle that the needle passes through.

Under very strong magnification I found the split in the small end of the nozzle he had suggested, very tiny flaw but it was the culprit. Hobby shop had the part, replacing it cured the problem.

The fault was likely placing too much pressure on the needle, while moving it into position when re-assembling. Be sure to leave the needle just a bit withdrawn, then tighten the head parts and push the needle foward, only enough to ensure light contact with the nozzle part.

No need for much forward placement pressure, as you have to move the trigger back for paint flow anyway. Please let us know what you find, interesting for many of us.

So, I bought a mostiure trap and well, I'm having some noob like issues. Here is how I have it set up. Air is barely coming out of the AB and now I cannot control the PSI on the regulator. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Giving up already? 

Sorry to laugh,but this thread has given me my LoL moment for tonight. I can seroiusly feel your frustration,Vallejo takes some time to get used too,AK is coming out with a new line that supposed to be similar to Tamiya but eith a better color range. 

http://www.akrealcolors.com

No, but man, I sure do right now

I don't think it's my paint (at least not entirely my problem now).

So, I took the airbrush apart again and did another cleaning. The nozzle (the tiny piece) just looks "off". I'm having troube screwing it back on so I'm soaking it for a couple hours in Windex....it might be caked on paint that's hardened.

I hooked up the AB without the nozzle/needle and the head base and air had no problem going through.

Wondering now if the nozzle is buggered up.

So, yea....it's the nozzle. I think it's broken off. When I tried to tighten it when I was cleaning it...I think I cracked it. It just will not screw in.

Time to order some parts.

Hmmmmm.

acctingman

So, I took the airbrush apart again and did another cleaning. The nozzle (the tiny piece) just looks "off". I'm having troube screwing it back on so I'm soaking it for a couple hours in Windex....it might be caked on paint that's hardened.

I hooked up the AB without the nozzle/needle and the head base and air had no problem going through.

Wondering now if the nozzle is buggered up.

 

So, yea....it's the nozzle. I think it's broken off. When I tried to tighten it when I was cleaning it...I think I cracked it. It just will not screw in.

 

Time to order some parts.

 

If you have damaged the nozzle, then I would closely check the needle along with the thread around where the nozzle screws onto the body. Good to have some finality to your issue.