Airbrush cleaning kits

I have just put together my own useing coton buds (Q-tips i think you call them) a reaming tool and those smal brushes for cleaning between the teeth. The only tool i have thats designed for  airbrush cleaning is a set of fine wire brushes.

Bish

I have just put together my own useing coton buds (Q-tips i think you call them) a reaming tool and those smal brushes for cleaning between the teeth. The only tool i have thats designed for  airbrush cleaning is a set of fine wire brushes.

 

Very similar to my approach, many of the same supplies.

I bought an airbrush cleaning kit or two back during the excitement of re-starting airbrushing. To this day I have no idea what some of the 'tools' would be used for.

About the only thing I'd add to Bish's list is an old hairy toothbrush and a can of lacquer thinner. (and plenty of ventilation) I do use one thing from the cleaning kit, various size pipe-cleaner-looking things which I use to clean out the back end of the brush where the rear seal is meant to prevent paint from ever getting to, but it does anyway.

I'd second Bish's suggestion of a proper airbrush reamer. Note that 'reamer' is a misnomer, and I wish they wouldn't do that. A reamer is designed to remove metal, and we certainly don't want that to happen on the inside of our nozzles! Don't worry, they don't.

BootBoyx2

an assortment of small brushes and what looks like some small (picks).

I have one of these kits, but all of the brushes are too large to usefully clean any small spaces in my airbrushes, and the metal cores of the brushes might damage polished surfaces.  Since I use tissue paper & cotton buds to clean the inside of my paint cups, these brushes are redundant & have never been used.

  When I've removed the nozzle cap, nozzle, and needle, I use cheap interdental brushes to clean the (now empty) paint canal at the front of the brush.  The nozzle cap & the nozzle itself are immersed for a few minutes in the appropriate solvent (usually IPA, since I mostly use acrylics) and then the apertures carefully cleaned using a bristle from an old shaving brush.  So, cotton buds (Q-tips), tissues, an old shaving (or decorating) brush and cheap dental brushes - we're talking pennies.

For lube, I have a small tube of Iwata airbrush lubricant, which I apply lightly to the needles about every third cleaning session (I read somewhere overuse could damage seals in the brush).

Hutch,

Have you ever experienced the Iwata lube turing to a sticky gel?  Don Wheeler wrote about it on his website.  I tried it with my Iwata lube and found the same.

This is good stuff

Badger Regdab Needle Juice

Watchmann

Hutch, Have you ever experienced the Iwata lube turing to a sticky gel?

No, not so far.  It's kept in a cool, dark place with a steady temperature, not subject to any major changes in conditions.  It does have a gel-like consistency out of the tube - if it was a thin liquid they'd have to put it in a tin or a bottle, I suppose - but it hasn't turned sticky yet.  I'll look out for that, thanks for the warning.

Don says he applied the lube to all working parts, I only lightly coat the front half of the needle, maybe that's a factor?

Hutch6390

Don says he applied the lube to all working parts, I only lightly coat the front half of the needle, maybe that's a factor?

Rinse and blow out a few times w/distilled water on a folded ('bout six layers) old newspaper until nothing comes out but air.
   

Wipe it all down with a paper towel and alcohol.

THEN ~ I pull out the needle, add a drop of clp on my .2 needle and re-assemble.

DONE.

Sometimes, if needed I'll leave the cap and cone in a labeled plastic film container to soak in alcohol or laquer thinner 'till the next time. No scrubbing ever needed there.

To use next time, pull the needle out and give it a quick wipe then reinsert and shoot a drop or two of alcohol to clean off any of the clp that might still be in the main body.

   BREAK FREE clp

   cleaner*lubricant
    *preservative*
#1 in gun maintenance.
Always works great for me.
     

Greg, i am not sure why they use the term reamer either. I also use a an airbrush cleaner which is called a liquid reamer.

Watchmann

Hutch,

Have you ever experienced the Iwata lube turing to a sticky gel?  Don Wheeler wrote about it on his website.  I tried it with my Iwata lube and found the same.

 

 

I use the Iwata stuff as well and have never had any problems with it.

Huthc, is this the set of brushes you mean. I do find these very useful, i just don't use the very largest one. I mainly use it on the spout on the paint cup and on the threads where the head assembly screws into the body of the airbrush.

Ken S at Badger Airbrush cautions you against using those spiral 'bottle brush' type cleaners.   The wire can scratch the interior brass surfaces

I use some inter-dental toothpicks with rubber projections on the pick.  Less likely to scratch.  

You could spend a fortune on the eye-wateringly expensive Iwata airbrush cleaning kit. Top-line kit, but... Link included as it has tutorial.

Or....

These are the usefull tools I have, and USE. (examples only, other vendors available).

Harder & Steenbeck Cleaning Brush Set, small & fine brushes that won't scratch.

Airbrush Spray Gun Wash Cleaning Tools Needle Nozzle Brush Glass Cleaning Pot Holder
I use the pot ALL the Time, obs.

The 'pick' is sometimes usefull, (be gentle), & only the smallest brush is usable on my Iwata CH or Badger Omni.

Needle Packing Screw Drivers, (bottom) essential to replace/tighten the teflon needle packing seal & air valve spring (top), but not used often though.

Link here

Bish

Huthc, is this the set of brushes you mean.

Yes, that' looks like the one I've got (somewhere!) - maybe I'll cautiously give the smaller ones a try.

Tojo72

This is good stuff

Badger Regdab Needle Juice

 

I'd like to second that.

And I have had trouble with the Iwata lube turning to goo. I think I tossed mine. No such issues with the Badger Regdab.

I also use pipe cleaners. Not the "craft sticks" they sell at the dollar store, but the real thing that I get at a smoke shop.

Just a NOTE;

      This from an old guy that has used both Professional and Hobby level Airbrush gear. As told me by my old De-Vilbiss dealer. NEVER !! use spiral WIRE brushes of ANY size on an airbrush unit! You just don't wanna know how much damage can be done in four or five cleanings. Stick to nylon or even the teensy rubber ones made for computer work.

      Next-Question Time: If Acrylics are so great then why all the B.S. with Air -Brushes? The stuff should just flush and wash up with warm water and Dawn. Also, And I have asked this before. If it's so simple to use, then why all the different Cleaners ,Thinners, Retarders and Equipment cleaning products! I thought it was simple cleanup and thinning with plain old water!  

Greg

 Tojo72

This is good stuff  Badger Regdab Needle Juice

 I'd like to second that.

And I have had trouble with the Iwata lube turning to goo. I think I tossed mine. No such issues with the Badger Regdab.

 

Minty Fresh as well! 

Thanks so much for all the replies. Sorry it took a little while. Hope everyone had a good holiday weekend.I keep forgetting about these little brushes I got from Scalehobbiest from Flex-I-File. Getting older I guess. Regular size to extra fine,all would work great. Also, somewhere I saw said you can use glycerin on the needle. Is that o.k.? Again thanks for all the replies.

I have been airbrushing since the mid 1970s and experience has taught me to put together this state of the art sophisticated cleaning set:

these brushes from Harbor Freight running on sale under a buck

Got this to hold the ab while painting and for cleaning

And these dental cleaning mini brushes that are fantastic at reaming and removing pain up front. 

And plenty of Q Tips and lacquer thinner to clean all types of paints in my airbrush.

I have the Badger Needle Juice that I use once in a while. Very simple and effective setup.

plasticjunkie

 

I have been airbrushing since the mid 1970s and experience has taught me to put together this state of the art sophisticated cleaning set:

these brushes from Harbor Freight running on sale under a buck

...

I got a set of similar brushes years ago at a show, from one of those vendors who sells tools in bulk from close-outs, bankruptcies, etc.  The ones I have have soft brass bristles.

That's a great tip about the dental brushes, PJ!  My dentist will put packs of those in goodie bags to give to his patients.  I found they weren't that great for their intended purpose; they bend too easily.  I never thought of using them on my airbrush, but I will now.

Baron

I use those mini brushes specially just cuz they bend easy and can be inserted from the cup into the throat of the airbrush into the nozzle chamber. I turn it or brush in and out then dip in LT to clean then re insert then blow out the cleaning set at 40 psi. Wor every time and no need for a complete tear down for most of the time.

plasticjunkie

Baron

I use those mini brushes specially just cuz they bend easy... 

Right, that's what I mean about their intended use.  I found them too flexible to use for tooth-cleaning; a toothpick works better for me.  From your description, they sound ideal for cleaning the airbrush, so I'm eager to try.

I also thought about using them in sci-fi scratchbuilds, because they look like some kind of strange sensor antenna.

BootBoyx2

I've been looking on amazon for a cleaning kit for my airbrush. Most have an assortment of small brushes and what looks like some small (picks). I do have Q- tips and pipe cleaners,cleaning fluid. I also would like to know about a lubricant for it. What kind and where to use?I have an Iwata TRN1 with .35 and .5 needles. Not looking to spend much, just some basics. Thanks for any advice.

 

I too use the TRN1 airbrush and my cleaning kit consists of Q-tips, paper towels, pipe cleaners, Micro brushes, 91%-99% Alchohl, Medea AB cleaner and time.  I did purchase the Iwata nozzle wrench (The red one not the flat wrench) but thats about it.  Cleaning the AB is not rocket science it just takes time and regular maintenance and the AB will last almost forever. 

lowfly

 

 

BootBoyx2

I've been looking on amazon for a cleaning kit for my airbrush. Most have an assortment of small brushes and what looks like some small (picks). I do have Q- tips and pipe cleaners,cleaning fluid. I also would like to know about a lubricant for it. What kind and where to use?I have an Iwata TRN1 with .35 and .5 needles. Not looking to spend much, just some basics. Thanks for any advice.

 

 

 

 

 

I too use the TRN1 airbrush and my cleaning kit consists of Q-tips, paper towels, pipe cleaners, Micro brushes, 91%-99% Alchohl, Medea AB cleaner and time.  I did purchase the Iwata nozzle wrench (The red one not the flat wrench) but thats about it.  Cleaning the AB is not rocket science it just takes time and regular maintenance and the AB will last almost forever. 

 

 

C.L.P would be the last thing I'd use on my airbrushes.  

The gun guys can't even agree on whether it's any good. And it seems pretty oxymoronic that something that is good at cleaning could also be good at lubrication and protection. 

At any rate, petrolleum distillates and canola oil are not something I want in my airbrush , especially with waterborne finishes.