how do you save your AB and paint for desasters between sessions.....

The ultra-sonic cleaner I use comes from Radio Shack under thier "Nexxtech" brand. It has a small stainless steel tub that will hold about a pint of cleaning solution (I use the 1 part Windex, 1 part Simple Green, 2 parts water mix). It plugs into the wall and when you turn it on it causes the tub to vibrate, causing the cleaning solution to vibrate and that is what cleans what even is in the solution. There is a plastic basket the allows you to put things into the solution and lift them out. What I do is fill the tub with enough solution so that when I stand the AB vertically in the solution it will clean the areas when the paint is but not up to the seals. Between colours I just put the AB in tip down , press the on button and after about a minute take the AB out, blow out any cleaning solution out, then start painting again. Also for a complete cleaning you can dismantle the AB put all the parts in as well as any colour cups and clean away.

If I'm going to paint some more with the same color in about 30 minutes or less I just clean off the tip with a Q-Tip soaked in thinner, but the tip cap on, make sure the paint cup is covered, and let it sit. More than that I dump the paint back in a bottle and blow a cup of thinner through my brush. Between colors I always clean the airbrush out thoroughly by running thinner through it.

QUOTE: The best way I have found to clean the AB during a session, with a colour change or not, is a ultra-sonic jewelry cleaner

Hi Virago, can you describe what an ultra sonic jewelry cleaner is and how it works?

I normaly don't have that problem. If I have reached on end of the aicraft that I'm painting, the other side is ready for another coat.

The best way I have found to clean the AB during a session, with a colour change or not, is a ultra-sonic jewelry cleaner, You can pick one of these up at Radio Shack, Over all compaired to the cost of you AB and everything you do with it, it's a small price to pay.

jinithith - are you talking about dry paint on/in the tip of the needle? Needle lube goes a long way to helping reduce that... but if it does clog on me I just give a quick burst of paint onto a paper towel or such and go back to painting! (Heavy burst) then it paints like normal...

---edit---

oh yeah ... and a qtip moistened in thinner helps get it off the tip...

I've never had propblems between coats, even using acrylics. Worst case, remove the nozzle assembly , clean the tip of the needle, re-attache the nozzle and proceed to your next coat. If it really is thin, it should be ready for the next coat very quickly.

And, yes, you need to be clear in your questions. Until you clarified your question at Tho and Crockett's request, your question made no sense.

oh, and gorgeous model!

I mean, when you are waiting for thin coats to dry (the same color) and you don't want to clean the whole AB for that 5 minute break, what do I do?
for single action, I heard that you close the nozzle all the way, but paint keeps on clogging.

crockett: If you don't understand the question, then why take time to write "write something that makes sense?" from Tom's post, I understand that people don't comprehend my question fully.
sorry, I'm feeling a little touchy now because my mom's yelling at me for finally finishing my homework at this time of night. I don't think that she saw me struggling to get this report done from Friday!

BTW, my teachers are assigning truckloads of H work so they can finallize the grades.
a report assigned friday, due monday, and I have her 1st period tomorrow, so no study halls to finish.

oh yeah, I forgot that people don't care about my excuese crap!

Crockett - just noticed the AVG P-40 in your sig... sweet!!!! especially like the wheel covers... how did you mask them or is it a decal? (might as well turn this into OUR topic until we find out what the question is! haha)

I'm with Tom, ask something that makes sense and we will try to help you.

hmnmm... not sure I understand the question...

if you are asking do I clean in between switching paints yes... at least spray thinner through until it is clear.. not sure if that isn;t what you meant...