Yet another airbrush question

OK, thanks everybody!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Joe504 I often have another problem, the needle never seems to be straight in relation to the brass nozell. It is always touching one side or the other.

That is absolutely normal.
Even Iwata Microns can do that.

Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by Joe504 I often have another problem, the needle never seems to be straight in relation to the brass nozell. It is always touching one side or the other.

If this is what you mean by "bent needle" then that's different than a "bent tip" which is a much worse problem.

Your cleaning technique is fine. Most of us overclean our airbrushes I've seen some pros at work and all alot of them do is dump the color they are done with, put new color in, spray until the new color comes out on some scrap, and then continue on thier merry way. When you watch a pro work like this you are flabbergasted at first but then amazed at how fast they do it. Then the light goes off in your head and you "get it".

Don't try to remove that o-ring. When you have to mess with the o-ring, it's time for a new brush. If you really want to clean it out try a squirt of carb cleaner. Don't worry about getting it spotless, you don't have to

Ok, then let me ask a few other questions, maybe my cleaning technique is wrong.

When Im done with one color, I spray a cleaner through the brush till it comes out clear, then I cover the front of the brush with my finger and back blast it. Empty the now dirty cleaner from the cup, and spray again untill clear. Then I pull the back off of the brush and remove the needle. There is always paint on the needle. The the front is taken apart, and I work on the little brass nozel from the front. I also try and clean the inside of the brush as best as possible with q tips and pipe cleaners. I can never seem to get all of the paint out of the inside of the brush. Once I re-assmble the brush, I often have another problem, the needle never seems to be straight in relation to the brass nozell. It is always touching one side or the other. If I can simply change my cleaning habits, I would be happy to do that. Also, I have no idea how to change that o ring, dont even know how to get to it. Is the a web site that has a better exploded view than the one that came with my brush? Thanks for all your help.

Joe

MikeV had an excellent thread on this subject a few posts back. Use the search function and you should be able to find it.

E

I have owned a VL for over twenty years, and am vary happy with it. I disassemble the paint cones after every use. But not the air head, that's done once a year to replace the o-ring. I also use a Badger 200H, this is also disassembled after every use. If your getting bent needles and scratchs, one has to ask, what are you cleaning with? I use kleenx, Q-tips and pipe cleaner. For a cleaner, Laquier thinner for enamels and laquiers, a mixture of rubbing alcohol and denatured alcohol for the acrylics. I found for good painting and long life, keep the air brush clean and mantained, treat them as delicate insturments when disassembling and reassembling. It make the painting sessions a little longer but saves on replacement parts.
As to you thought of a gravity feed air brush I too am looking into this as I some times paint in such small amounts, that one of these may ease the paint waste problem.
Hope this helps and good luck