Freezing Airbrush

A friend of mine has a totally silent airbrush, so quiet, he was able to use it after his newborn went to bed and never woke her up. it's available from MicroMark. At $200 it's pricey, but you have a pretty high end kit there and the cost of air cans and the good relationships with your neighbors could be worth it. Here's a link to it: http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=81748

goat monkey wrote:

hook it up to the compressor, crank it on for a few seconds and see if the brush works then.  the neighbores should be able to survive that.  if no air comes out of the brush, unhook the hose from the brush and see if air blows out of it when the compressor's on, etc.  trace the problem.  maybe it's the part that actually attaches to the can and not the hose. btw have you actually tried asking your neighbores if they mind if you crank the compressor on for a while?  it shouldn't be more than half an hour even if you're painting something really big.  a can wouldn't last that long anyway and incidentally the canned propellant is toxic from what i hear.

Did that test already,  no change in the volume of air coming out of the brush.  I bought a Paasche VLS last night,  so I'm putting the Aztec to bed,  permanently. 

As far as the neighbors are concerned,  I've previously received the odd complaint when the airbrushing session carries on for too long. (i.e. big project) I live in a condo,  most people in the building are a lot older than me (at 36),  and they expect a quiet atmosphere in which to reside.  As I stated previously,  I'm currently working on a 1/16 Tiger I.  I guess I work at a pretty slow pace,  because it takes me a hell of a lot longer than 1/2 an hour to lay down even one coat.  I'll usually set aside an entire morning or afternoon for such a painting session.  To each his own.    

goat monkey wrote:

the canned air contains subliminal messages to buy Testors products like paint, thinners, decal paper and Aztek brushes.  Proof:  i used the cans before and now i have an aztek.  don't try to avoid the brainwashing by buying non-testors bran canned air:  the air is simply a re-labeled testors product. seriously though, it's probably not DDT or anything but i think it's more than just CO2.  My guess would be it's the same stuff as a hairspray can minus the hairspray.  technically you're right, it's probably no worse than the paint fumes but every bit helps the brain damage.

Very well could be hairspray (? Its not really hairspray without the hairspray is it? J/K) I seem to enjoy modeling the more brain damage I get? I don't understand why everybody wants a spraybooth???

goat monkey wrote:

hook it up to the compressor, crank it on for a few seconds and see if the brush works then.  the neighbores should be able to survive that.  if no air comes out of the brush, unhook the hose from the brush and see if air blows out of it when the compressor's on, etc.  trace the problem.  maybe it's the part that actually attaches to the can and not the hose. btw have you actually tried asking your neighbores if they mind if you crank the compressor on for a while?  it shouldn't be more than half an hour even if you're painting something really big.  a can wouldn't last that long anyway and incidentally the canned propellant is toxic from what i hear.

I doubt the canned air is any more toxic than paint fumes. Its just Co2 isn't it? If that is the case, it will take a while to get over exposure and when you do your going to get a nose bleed and a nasty headache from it but you have to be exposed to a pretty good amount before you get that bad!

knight667 wrote:

RichFLD120 wrote: Well,  I've stripped the airbrush down,  cleaned the hell out of it,  cleaned the nozzles,  put it all back together,  and it still won't spray.Air is flowing through the nozzle,  but it won't pickup anything from the paint bottle,  not even plain water.  I didn't notice any damaged parts,  but then again,  I'm not exactly an airbrush engineer.   Anyone have a spare brush they'd like to sell? Are you using a syphon feed bottle?  If so, check to make sure that the little air hole in the top of the lid is clear...if there's no way for air to get in, you won't get any suction.  Just a thought, as I've experienced something similar with a compressor before.

Yup,  I've cleaned the cap,  tube, bottle, etc.  It won't even spray with a gravity feed jar.

RichFLD120 wrote:

Well,  I've stripped the airbrush down,  cleaned the hell out of it,  cleaned the nozzles,  put it all back together,  and it still won't spray.Air is flowing through the nozzle,  but it won't pickup anything from the paint bottle,  not even plain water.  I didn't notice any damaged parts,  but then again,  I'm not exactly an airbrush engineer.   Anyone have a spare brush they'd like to sell?

Vric wrote:

RichFLD120 wrote: I've gone through 3 cans of propellent in the last week.   You really should consider a cheap compressor. if you use 3 can by a week, you will pay your compressor pretty fast :D

I have a small compressor.  The reason I chose to use propellent cans this time,   is that I'm working on a large project (the 1/16 Tiger I).  I live in a condo,  and the neighbors  are willing to put up with the odd rattle from time to time,  but it would probably drive them nuts (and me as well) having to listen to a compressor for the time required to paint the tank.  I've split the project into a few painting sessions,  but still...

RichFLD120 wrote:

I've gone through 3 cans of propellent in the last week.

You really should consider a cheap compressor. if you use 3 can by a week, you will pay your compressor pretty fast :D

RichFLD120 wrote:

smokinguns3 wrote: I myself have never heard of putting a propelent can in warm water. and used to own one of those old plastic blue AB when i was a kid. My dad said to try it without the propelent in the water. Actually,  Testors themselves recommend the warm water trick.  It's printed on the directions on the back of the propellant can.  The warm water trick itself should have no bearing on freezing the airbrush.

That is to help keep the can from getting cold and losing pressure, so you spray at a more steady pressure.

I don't have an extra A/B, but Squadrons ad in FSM said they had a Testors MM A/B for $50, came with a braided hose, a paint bottle, and a 13/4 oz bottle of gloss black paint. It was a single action metal body A/B

smokinguns3 wrote:

I myself have never heard of putting a propelent can in warm water. and used to own one of those old plastic blue AB when i was a kid. My dad said to try it without the propelent in the water.

Actually,  Testors themselves recommend the warm water trick.  It's printed on the directions on the back of the propellant can.  The warm water trick itself should have no bearing on freezing the airbrush. 

Well,  I've stripped the airbrush down,  cleaned the hell out of it,  cleaned the nozzles,  put it all back together,  and it still won't spray.Air is flowing through the nozzle,  but it won't pickup anything from the paint bottle,  not even plain water.  I didn't notice any damaged parts,  but then again,  I'm not exactly an airbrush engineer. 

 Anyone have a spare brush they'd like to sell?

RichFLD120 wrote:

Thanks for the suggestion GM,   but I now think the problem is with the brush itself.  After allowing ample time for the brush and line to thaw,   I hooked it up to my compressor.  I now have next to no pressure.  Not even enough to shoot thinner.  Durng the last couple of attempts with the can attached,  I could feel and hear air escaping from the trigger.  Must be an air line.  I'm going to pull it all apart to see what's up.

Thats what I was thinking when you said it was freezing! Does it have airlines inside you can replace?