Detail Brush Recommendations

And then there is the no-brush-at-all-method of painting the typical WW2 aircraft propeller-blade tips.

I just dip each tip into an open bottle of paint, and blot the excess on a paper towel before going to the next tip to be dipped.

I often use toothpicks as detail brushes for very fine detail. I use those double-ended, sharp end picks.  They are disposable/cheap. I get two sessions from each pick, of course.

I can make a somewhat longer line by splitting the end of the pick, so it works as a penpoint.  BTW, I also have friends who do use metal penpoints or drafting pens with paint for thin lines.  Those can be cleaned in just about any kind of solvent.

Yes !

 I have found that if you clean the brush in soap and water ,  right after the thinner routine then it will be absolutely clean . Also by doing this you get all the contaminants out .To make it even better . You've heard of " Dawn " dishwashing detergent right ?

    This is what I use . Always in a 50-50 mix and definitely with warm water . Rinse very well , dry , shape and there you go !      T.B. 

I was a painter for many years.  I started with, and was trained by, my Mom's brother Elzy.  He started painting at 15 in 1935 and was known as the best painter around.  I was taught by him, and others, that a bristle brush should never be put in water.  I have seen the damage caused by that; pretty soon that nice bristle brush is just fit for a "duster brush".

Solvent based paint (oil paint) was applied with a bristle brush.  Water-based paint went on with a nylon/polyester brush.  I still have and use brushes (both types) bought new in 1992; I was so particular about my brushes at work that I wouldn't let my helpers clean them until they proved they could do it right.

Good brushes will last a long time when treated right.  I am just too wary to place my bristle brushes in water, whether I'm painting a house or a model plane.  ymmv...

Gary

Tanker - Builder

Hi;

    I have both the " Detailer " and the "Pschyco " as well as some whose names I cannot pronounce . Can you say as fine as a " Frogs " Hair ? That's pretty extreme I know , but , one Winsor and Newton I have fits that description .

   There are some rules that no one has mentioned here about thinners and cleaners. No one has mentioned the usage thereof , when it comes to the brush itself . They are simple rules and if you follow them , You'll cut replacement costs in half .

    Tip One -  NEVER clean your brushes in lacquer thinner and let sit .Clean them immediately after , in mild soap and water , shape and let air dry ! This will extend brush life by a long shot . Lacquer thinner eventually eats away the glue they use to put the thing together inside the ferrule !

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      Tip Seven - When cleaning your brushes , Do Not press them down and swirl .This will break bristles and make it harder to keep shaped .Gently roll it along the side of the cleaner container till no paint comes out .

    Immediately transfer to running water and soap .That will get any paint left where you couldn't see but the cleaner was still up in there .

 Can you say , Brush purchases at least eight years apart ? Sometimes longer . I have striping brushes from my automobile shop days , that was back in the 70s !

      I guess it's because I am old school and had to learn the hard way . Luckily I learned while painting a house and not a model .      Tanker - Builder

 

So Tank,

Are you saying that after cleaning the brush used for enamel in paint thinner, then finiish with soap and water?

Hi;

    I have both the " Detailer " and the "Pschyco " as well as some whose names I cannot pronounce . Can you say as fine as a " Frogs " Hair ? That's pretty extreme I know , but , one Winsor and Newton I have fits that description .

   There are some rules that no one has mentioned here about thinners and cleaners. No one has mentioned the usage thereof , when it comes to the brush itself . They are simple rules and if you follow them , You'll cut replacement costs in half .

    Tip One -  NEVER clean your brushes in lacquer thinner and let sit .Clean them immediately after , in mild soap and water , shape and let air dry ! This will extend brush life by a long shot . Lacquer thinner eventually eats away the glue they use to put the thing together inside the ferrule !

     Tip Two -  Never let the brushes bristles come in contact with anything else when shaped and dried .

    Tip Three -  NEVER , Never , dip your brush more than halfway into the paint . It isn't necessary .  Besides the capillary action between bristles will draw paint up into the center of the bristles making cleaning that much more difficult and eventually ruin the brush .

    Tip Four - Always use a standard round long for dry brushing . 3/16" at the shortest for dry brushing  , or a std, flat . That one is about 3/16 " wide too .

    Tip Five - Store brushes either flat in a case or upright ( bristles up ) in a container that is not crowded .

     Tip Six .Never think that anything beats a Red Sable brush ! Camels hair is okay but the synthetics , Fuggadaboudit . I wouldn't use a synthetic if you gave it to me .

      Tip Seven - When cleaning your brushes , Do Not press them down and swirl .This will break bristles and make it harder to keep shaped .Gently roll it along the side of the cleaner container till no paint comes out .

    Immediately transfer to running water and soap .That will get any paint left where you couldn't see but the cleaner was still up in there .

 Can you say , Brush purchases at least eight years apart ? Sometimes longer . I have striping brushes from my automobile shop days , that was back in the 70s !

      I guess it's because I am old school and had to learn the hard way . Luckily I learned while painting a house and not a model .      Tanker - Builder

I can also suggest making your own brushes from thin fiberglass rods:

1) Shape the end of the rod with a small file, according to your needs;

2) Using a lighter, burn the filler from the rod's end;

3) Brush the burnt end against some hard surface to get rid the filler residue, leaving bare fibers. Done!

Such brushes hold their tip very well, as the fibers are springy. They don't last long, but you can easily repeat the process many times, each time making a different brush (or the same one).

David, It's not your fault. :-) Brushes simply do not hold up. The first time you use them, they start to lose their integrity. The detail brushes go the fastest, mainly because you notice it so quickly, because you need them for fine detail. The main things you have to do are 1. Use brushes intended only for the particular medium, eg., acrylic or oil, 2. Use a brush in only one medium, eg., always acrylic or always oil, 3. Use the appropriate brush cleaner designed for each medium, that may even mean multiple types of cleaners for the different brands of acrylics, eg., Tamiya thinner for Tamiya and Vallejo for Vallejo, 4. Clean brushes gently and always reshape them before letting them dry, 5. Keep extra, new detail brushes on hand to avoid the frustration of stopping till you get to the store or ruining your work. BTW, this is pretty much the same advice for brushes used to paint large surfaces, like houses. I do all my own house painting, and I can tell you that the brushes I use for cutting in clean, straight lines in corners with contrasting paint colors begin to lose their fine edge after about half a dozen cleanings.

The cleaning is a big part of maintaining a brush. Here's some good guidance from someone who clearly takes his brushes seriously:

http://www.airfieldmodels.com/information_source/how_to_articles_for_model_builders/miscellaneous/cleaning_paintbrushes/

Best wishes and happy modeling, Barrett

Widsor and Newton Series 7 and Davinci are great brushes in 0, 00, 000

Army painter makes good brushes named the detailer and the psycho.

Solvents will kill any brushes. Acrylic only!

You can look up on ebay detail brushes, liner brushes and manicure brushes. Sort by lowest to highest price and you will see many from China. Get the 0, 00, 000 sizes from them for enamel type painting or a less expensive alternative for acrylic. They are inexpensive, work great and when, worn you toss them. They have always shown up in the mail in about 3 weeks regardless of who you buy from. Great brush recource!

Yes, as Don said, anything but water and soap when cleaning brushes will impact the bristles at both ends, but if you are using enamels - not much choice there.  Also don't use your good brush when mixing or thinning a colour on a pallet, as that will add to the wear down.

regards,

Jack

I think the thinner may make a difference. I have seen some brushes that said they were for water-based paints only, and not to use them with turpentine or lacquer thinner.  Lacquer thinner is very hard on any organic material.  I do occasionally use lacquer thinner to clean brushes, but it is always a quick wipe out. I never leave my brushes sit in lacquer thinner for any length of time.