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Gentlemen,
My first airbrush is on the way. Therefore I have a very basic question that all the airbrush videos I've seen haven't really answered:
You don't take it apart and clean it after every paint change do you?
If not, how many paint changes to you go before the whole breakdown and clean?
Or do you breakdown and clean between projects? Once a month? Do you clean it every 3 mos regardless if you use it or not?
If you are building a kit that involves 10 different airbrush sessions with 10 different paints/lacquers/whatever, do you just clean the can 10x and then breakdown the whole thing when all done?
Thanks for all the advice, oldtimers.
With my NEO, I'll flush and back flush between color changes, and when done for the day, give it a good cleanout.
Not totally kosher according to some, but have yet to tear it completely down. Usually pull the air cap and nozzle cap on the final cleaning, gently wipe the needle and really clean out the nozzle tip, then run a little acrylic cleaner through. I only use acrylics though, so your MPG may vary depending on your AB and what you decide to spray.
I break it down and clean it after every use. I usually flush and back flush thoroughly between color sessions.
I spray thinner through it, backflush and wipe clean between colors, without disassembly.
Usually after a session, I just do that again, then pull the needle and wipe it off thoroughly.
Taking it all apart is something I try to avoid, because among other things you can lose parts.
Modeling is an excuse to buy books.
I flush and back flush with lacquer thinner. And change the tip periodically. $10 for my passche
I change it mostly when I drop it or ding the tip
Thanks,
John
BlackSheepTwoOneFour I break it down and clean it after every use. I usually flush and back flush thoroughly between color sessions.
So a "use" can be made up of several color sessions?
Oxboy BlackSheepTwoOneFour I break it down and clean it after every use. I usually flush and back flush thoroughly between color sessions. So a "use" can be made up of several color sessions?
I suspect by color sessions he means spraying different colors at the same sitting, and when done then he'll do the tear down.
By flushing we generally mean cleaning out the bowl on gravity feeds or putting a bottle of thinner/cleaner on the siphion feeds, and spraying till clear. Back flush is putting a finger over the nozzle and hitting the trigger to force air back into the cup, then spray a little more till clear. Then go onto the next color. When all done do the thorough cleaning.
Me too. And to clarify, for me that means at the end of the day a breakdown and complete clean. Whenever I've forgotten, things are never right next time I use the a/b.
A clean airbrush will lead to a happier you.
Just to pile on, here's some advice I follow. Enjoy your new toy!
Dave
Stage_Left Just to pile on, here's some advice I follow. Enjoy your new toy! Dave
I do not disassemble between paint changes, just run thinner through until no color comes out. For simple kits I sometimes finish the kit before disassembly and clean. For longer projects I have learned to tell when it needs the thorough cleaning. One telltale to me is when you can see paint on nozzle surface after the flush with thinner cleaning.
An intermediate cleaning beyond flushing with thinner is to remove and clean the needle.
Don Stauffer in Minnesota
I do everything he says. I use Rustoleum Laquer thinner (about $14 a gallon from walmart) for cleaning. Occasionally I'll use CVS IPO depending on the paint.
Although I do wipe down the needle and maybe add a little oil after I'm done for the day. I've had instances where I'd get chunks of old paint splatter on my work, I'd like to avoid that if possible.
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