I have seen all kinds of videos and instructions on cleaning airbrushes. They all seem to take a lot of time and involve a lot of work. Some even use crazy specialized tool kits.
All I have ever done in 20+ years of airbrushing is flush all the parts with CRC Brake & Parts cleaner when I am done.
It takes literally no more than 30 seconds, and I have never had a problem.
How does anyone else Really clean their airbrushes?
-Kevin
As you say, there’s not really much to it. I’ll shoot a little lacquer thinner through it if I’m doing a drastic colour change, but usually disassemble it completely if changing paint-types, like lacquer-based to acrylics, f’rinstance.
At the end of a painting session, a little lacquer thinner through it, then disassembly, and clean-out of passageways with a pipe cleaner - takes a couple minutes, at most.
My airbrush is a Paasche VL, in-service now for almost 40 years.
Wayne
I do what the good Dr. does. [Y] To the letter, about the paint changing and all.
Mike.
Just like the good “Dr” Wayne, I do the same. A complete tear down and clean up after the airbrush session is done does well and keeps things clean and reliable.[C):-)]
My go to airbrush for the last ten or so years has been the Harbor Freight single action. I really like the simple design and cleaning is like Kevin said, 30 seconds or so.
I use True-Color paints and keep the empty bottles. I keep two half full bottles of Acetone handy and drop the nozzles in a bottle, put the lid on and shake. I use the brush handle to blow away the paint/Acetone residue and reassemble. Been doing it that was for at least seven years with zero problems.
EDIT:
I use the second bottle like Wayne for a quick clean. I have a half dozen of the HF cheapos for changing colors, makes it easy to go back and fourth.
Mel
&nbs
OK, this all sounds good.
Watching one of those “how to clean an airbrush” videos would be enough to scare off a new hobbiest.
Nothing should be that difficult.
-Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Glad to see this thread.
I have a friend of mine who is impressed with the flexibility and “user-friendliness” of the airbrush. Yet, he’s hesitant due to his perception that cleaning is a long chore.
Imho, for those on the fence, it’s likely that by the time you clean your airbrush for the 3rd or 4th time, it transitions into an easy 1 to 3 minute routine where your motions are almost mechancal.
Run soap and water through it till it sprays clear, but I only use acrylic. I imagine you need solvents for oil-based paints. When I start having issues with spray I will break it down but not until then.
This is really one of the reason I have try to not use often airbrush and really lost the taste to use it.
It was always a clear nightmare to clean it after use and this is particulary true with the use of acrilycs paint.
This has been already mentionned in other topic, but after a while I make the step
I ended by a solution which keep me back happy with the use of an airbrush.
Seen on Amazon I buy two years ago a small ultrasonics cleaner; this stuff is used to clean jewels basicaly, but it clean an airbrush like a never used one .
It’s very easy to use, and no matter if paint is dry on parts of the airbrush, any particules go out when the parts of the airbrush are put in the bath.
I use just distilled water and a few drop of detergent in the bath, 10 minutes and voilà a clean airbrush.
I just need to dry the parts and bring back them together.
Yes it’s a small investment, but I don’t regret it in any way, I just regret to have not do it earlier.
Yes I forget to mention, the nightmare is gone, and I have a lot of pleasure to use my airbrush often even for a small spot of paint; before this needed reflexion because all the work I need backward to clean the airbrush.
And my beloved half use it too…she is happy to use it for his jewels.
But one solvent not often mentionned which eat all paints even acrilycs is “thinner cellulosic”, this thinner is used as a solvent in many paints and often for car paint
It’s extremly volatile but disolve any paints in a few second; take care of plastic he eat styrene too; I have used it a lot for professionnal use but also for lacquer paint in modeling use; it dries quickly and feel it more performant than acetone.
But use it in a well ventilated area this solvent like acetone is volatile and fumes are I believe …somewhat toxic…
Thinner Cellulosic is known as Lacquer Thinner in the USA.
That is the only cleaner I use in My Pro-spray guns and air-brushes, no matter what kind of paint I use. Automotive General Purpose Lacquer thinner. No need to take apart to clean after painting. Run thinner through brush until clear thinner flows out, then back flush a couple of seconds. Close paint valve and You are good to go. I use Paasche H-model/Paasche VL-model, same brushes since the early 80’s. Not one part has ever been replaced. The same method I use on My pro-guns when I painted trucks and autos. A respirator was needed then though…more fumes!
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
We used to have an ultrasonic cleaner at work, a rather large one.
I don’t know why we had it, no one ever used it for anything work related, but we all brought in stuff from home to clean in it. It was amazing.
-Kevin
Good point, Frank.
I always use a two-stage respirator when airbrushing, regardless of the paint-type. For lacquer-based paints (or those using acetone or benzene as the vehicle) a dust mask is inadequate.
Wayne
[quote user=“zstripe”]
Marc_Magnus
But one solvent not often mentionned which eat all paints even acrilycs is “thinner cellulosic”, this thinner is used as a solvent in many paints and often for car paint
Thinner Cellulosic is known as Lacquer Thinner in the USA.
That is the only cleaner I use in My Pro-spray guns and air-brushes, no matter what kind of paint I use. Automotive General Purpose Lacquer thinner. No need to take apart to clean after painting. Run thinner through brush until clear thinner flows out, then back flush a couple of seconds. Close paint valve and You are good to go. I use Paasche H-model/Paasche VL-model, same brushes since the early 80’s. Not one part has ever been replaced. The same method I use on My pro-guns when I painted trucks and autos. A respirator was needed then though…more fumes!
Take Care!
Frank
Thanks Frank for the translation, yes technical words are sometimes hard to translate or to find in an another language.
I’m an iron worker, and have used “lacquer thinner” [Y] a lot in mixing steel primer or even finishing paint coats.
I have also work in the yacht ships shop and paint many ship with lacquer thinner as solvent for some special ship paints.
And yes it’s a fabulous washer for after paint job, for paint gun and airbrush, it’s so powerful I sometimes use it on brush which have dry with acrilycs paint; many say acrilycs when dry is extremly difficult to
A proper mask is essential when doing any type of airbrushing. Even acrylic paint fumes can be dangerous if you are around them enough.
As far as cleaning, I shoot only acrylics, so I have several bottles of distilled water to spray through when changing colors.
For final cleaning, I have a bucket I keep soapy tap water in next to the spray booth. (An empty ice cream bucket is the perfect size, and you get the added benefit of being forced to eat said ice cream. [dinner]) I run that through the airbrush by simply placing a color cup on the airbrush, sitting the color cup into the soapy water bucket, just under the level of the water, and spraying. (You need to crank the pressure down a little, and keep a low water level in the bucket. Just enough to submerge the color cup and airbrush tip.)
I then rinse with distilled water. (I keep this in a second bucket, from prep work on the model before painting.)
Then I take the still wet airbrush apart (60 second job) and wipe it on a clean soft cloth. Allow to air dry and reassemble later. (60 second job to reassemble.)
The longest time is spent getting everything totally dry!
I started airbrushing about a year ago, and I’ve only used Tamiya acrylics so far. Following a Youtube tutorial I came across, I use Lysol for cleaning. I’ll spray a bit through after I’m done, and then take the brush apart and clean it out using Lysol, q-tips, and paper towels. Then I put it back together, do one more quick spray through of Lysol, and then a last spray with water. The thought of airbrushing always scared me, but once I started I realized it’s a lot easier than I thought it would be.
Quick tip for modelers that decide to try out “Future” as a decal surface foundation or an overall clear coat finish.
Future is an effective product BUT…for those not aware, as soon as you finish applying your coats of Future on to your model, FLUSH your airbrush out immediately!
Future is a “Water Soluable Acrylic” and it dries quickly to a hard finish. It will “gum up” inside of your airbrush’s passegways if left sitting inside, especially in warm room temperatures.
[;)]
What do you use to clean after spraying Future, distilled water or something more robust?
If it is indeed “water soluble” then water will clean it up when wet.
Once dry however…
DISCLAIMER - I have not used it for this, therefore all answers contained in this post are subject to being proved wrong. (Challenge accepted? Ready, set, GO!)
Me and my manners! Sorry, should have posted that info.
I like to use a mix of 70% alcohol and filtered or distilled water. Another option that I’ve used is straight automotive lacquer thinner. Both perform well.
Out of habit, although not always necessary, I still remove my needle, jar/cup, and air cap and wipe them off with alcohol or thinner. To me, it’s worth the extra 30-45 seconds as it helps with the airbrush operating flawlessly [:D]
I use only lacquer thinner to clean my Paasche VL, but always disassemble it in the same manner at the end of a painting session, whether I’ve done only a simple one-item touch-up or have painted four dozen cars or two or three locomotives in a four or five hour session.
If you’re too lazy to properly maintain your tools, you’ll end-up with them un-useable.
A friend has three very nice airbrushes, including a VL, none of them ever used due to the “arduous cleaning process”. I’ve explained to him several times the simplicity of the maintenance, and every time his reply has been the same: “Do you want them? They’re yours if you want them…just take them, please!”
Next time that comes up, I will, even though mine is as good as it was the day I bought it. I can list it on my other Forum, which does have a Buy & Sell for Members.
Wayne