I just started out in airbrushing. I was looking for a way to clean acrylic paint from my airbrush. It dried on and in the airbrush before i could clean it up. How would i get the dried paint out of my airbrush? I’m using a Paasche model H and the paint is Polly scale railroad acrylic. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Try 91% alcohol. Acryllic can be very stubborn if you don’t keep the airbrush clean as you go, of course you’ve already found that out.
Ricky
First you will need to completely dismantle your gun and I would try the alcohol as suggested but I suspect you will end up needing lacquer thinner to get it clean.
Basically, once it has dried on there you have a problem.
I have ultrasonic cleaners that I use but they aren’t cheap, do you know of anyone who has one you could use? That would get it super clean, of course you would still need to dismantle it completely.
Learned this lesson the hard way many, many moons ago on one of my old Binks guns and have never forgotten the trouble it was to get it clean again.
Good luck and let us know how it goes for you…
Mark
Mike a couple of thoughts…
First as stated, clean as you go is the #1 rule of airbrushing
Second, take it all a part and wipe everything with Windex and a cotton swab. You don’t want to use anything tougher than a swab (ie toothbrush) as you could wind up putting in small scratches which could affect performance and make it easier for paint to build up there again. It could take a while so be patient.
If the Windex doesn’t work you could step up to something stronger like nail polish remover. Again just use the swab and work at it.
Lastly, concentrate on the cone and you can always replace the air cap and the needle for just a couple of bucks.
Use caution if you soak the parts as the finish can etch if you leave them too long in alcohol, Windex, nail polish remover or thinner. If that happens throw em out and get new ones.
ratled
I use the Paasche H and Polly Scale paints as well. As soon as I’m finished painting, the airbrush is disassembled and the cone, needle, tip, bottle cap, and siphon tube go into warm soapy water. I also use a strainer on the end of the siphon. I gently clean them with a pipe cleaner and cotton balls, then set aside to dry. Knock on wood, I’ve had no problems with this process. Hope this helps you.
I’ll probably get some flak for this, but what you are experiencing is the primary reason I stopped using acrylics in the airbrush. I use solvent based paints such as Floquil and Scalecoat and cleanup is a snap because solvent based paints easily soften with their thinner (Laquer thinner is my preference). Take precautions using it and wear gloves and spray in a well ventilated area.
Chris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcPYlO3TYqo&feature=fvw
Mike this youtube video might be of some help. It’s a gravity feed brush but the cleaning tips explaining and showing the needle, nozzles, trigger removal, etc. are very good. I don’t know the paint brand he mentioned and whether or not it’s acrylic but it seems like they are (?) Anyway it might be a good walk through on what’s involved. I’m a total beginner myself and haven’t used my brush yet.
Let’s just make that a clickable link. Airbrush Basics.
Try Model Master “Dried Paint Solvent”. #50495 Soak the air brush parts over night in it.
Not from me. I try to avoid using acrylics in my airbrush too. But when I do, I keep some warm soapy water around. I have found that the hotter water helps break down the paint sometimes. The enamel and lacquer based paints are easier to clean up.
Richard
Thanks for the help guys. I’m going try the windex first and then if that doesn’t work i will use ultrasonic cleaner or laquer thinner.
Same here, as long as I can buy ScaleCoat I would not even considr putting acrylics in my airbrush.
Sheldon
You guys are just stuck in the mud fuddy duddies! Acrylics are just as easy to clean as any other paint, the process is just a little different.
The key to avoiding dried paint in the airbrush is rinsing the airbrush within a few minutes of finishing, keep a source of water, (tub, bucket, sink, waterever) near where you’re painting. Submerge the airbrush in the water push the trigger and let water run through it, (With a single action brush open the cone all the way, with a dual action pull the pin), occaisionally covering the front of the airbrush with a finger to backflush, do this until the water runs clear (about 30 seconds). Run some clean water through the brush for another 15 seconds, (from a bottle or a tap). For dual action, rinse the pin as well and wipe down. To clean any dried paint at the tip use a cotton swab and some alcohol, with a single action brush you’ll have to back the cone out to get at the tip, (one reason I prefer the dual action brushes - easier to take apart).
As for dried up paint in an airbrush, the best way is just to disassemble the brush and soak all the parts in laquer thinner (it’s not going to etch the chome surfaces, at least it hasn’t in the 30 years I’ve been painting). After a few hours of soaking use pipe cleaners to scrub out the insides and a toothbrush or any plastic or natural bristle brush to scrub all the rest, (they aren’t going to scratch the tough chrome surface either). Soak and scrub some more if neccessary. Once everything is clean, wash everything with soap and water and rinse thoughly with clean water, let dry and reassemble. Do not forget the last step, if you don’t wash out all the solvent residues, you risk gumming up the works the next time you paint, this is a good reason to use separate airbrushes for solvent paint and acrylics.
A couple of tips:
Don’t paint straight from the paint bottle, use a clean bottle or better yet, learn to use a paint cup, (fewer parts to clean).
ALWAYS strain the paint
And for me personally, that has proven impossible to do. I’m not a “fast” worker, never have been. Slow methodical, do it right the first time kind of worker.
And, I can’t say I’ve ever liked the results or the durability of acrylics.
Sheldon
There are quite some differences between different brands of acrylics. In my experience, Polly Scale demands complete disassemply of the airbrush for cleaning.
I primary use Tamiya acrylics. They are alcohol based and a lot easier to clean out - just shoot a cup or two of alcohol, and then a cup of water, and the airbrush is as new again. No disassembly needed.
I don’t doubt Jay’s abilities with acrylics to get a good finish and his advice on cleaning seems reasonable to me but I just don’t like acrylics in my airbrush. I use them primarily for detail and touch up brush painting but that’s it. I also feel that for a begginner (the OP) I believe solvents are much more forgiiving and I think a smoother finish is easier to attain. One thing is, that solvents can be sprayed at a much lower air pressure (around 15 -20 psi) and thus the begiiner can avoid common problems like orange peel and splattering. I also find solvent paints have less lumps and tend to mix up faster. I use a paint strainer regardless, but I still would recoomend the OP give solvents a try to see if he likes them. And like Sheldon pointed out, I can walk away from my airbrush for a half hour with Floquil in it and come back and start spraying, no clogs, no dried paint in the nozzel.
Chris
Well, you just learned a very improtant lesson, I learned a long time ago - when working with acrylics, you must keep the gun and internal components clean constantly.
I only use acrylics when called for. I prefer solvent beased color like True-Color, or if necessary, Scalecoat.
True-Color will clean up easier without the odors and works well with alcohol for easy clean up.
When you use solvent based finishes, always wear a RESPIRATOR or mask to prevent inhalation of fumes and/or overspray.
You should do this with acrylics as well anyway, but a lot of folks don’t.
It’s just being safe.
In your case, I’d recommend what I used- Acetone, available at a pharmacy or Home Depot. You’ll have to disassemble the gun parts and tip and soak overnite to loosen the dried paint.
A good quality pipecleaner is a good commodity to keep around in large quantities.
Good luck,
HF1
Sheldon, if properly done, it would be difficult if not impossible to distinquish between a model painted with acrylics or solvent paints. I have been custom painting for 20 years, the last 10 of which have been almost exclusively with acrylics, not one customer has ever questioned or been dissatisfied with the finish of their models (and I have some pretty picky clients, including a few museums). As far as durability, once fully cured (about a month or 2 hours of baking) acrylic is as hard and durable as any other paint, with one caveat: our MR acrylics are formulated for use with plastics, they do not stick as well to bare brass, a solvent-based primer is recommended for any bare metal.
Stein, I have to dissagree with you about Polyscale and having to break down the airbrush. I use Polyscale about 75% of the time and I rarely have to disassemble my airbrush, the last time was at least 25 paint jobs ago. If one follows the procedure I described in my previous post, it shouldn’t be neccassary. This procedure is exactly as Testors (Polyscale) and Badger (modelflex) recommend. The “secret” is not to let the airbrush sit, rinse it out with water as soon as one is finished painting.
Look, I’m not saying one type of paint is better than another, but they do require different techniques and process. From my observations and experience, those who have been using solvent paints for a long time, seem to have more difficulty or lack the patience to really learn how to use acrylics and there is a real learning curve to getting profficient with a new process. One shouldn’t blame the medium for one’s own lack of experience with it.
Thanks for making my link clickable Jeffery/Running Bear. It was late and I didn’t notice…
It’s good to hear that one doesn’t really need to worry about etching the needle, etc. from modelmaker51’s experience. I can’t wait to try my Imata double action. I’m gonna need a LOT of practice before I tackle any expensive kits!
On the subject of solvent based paints. Some members simply cannot go near them due to chemical sensetivities, migraine triggers, the pursuit of healthier vapors in the home with the family etc. Too often I think solvent paint fans (or those who’ve used them like myself, in the past) forget that we are making choices for reasons other than just the most durable finish, etc. There’s a lot of orange peel in the laquer and solvent based paint world too, anyway.
I now have a commercial booth and still won’t go near the solvent paints. My wife really thanks me.
After just opening a can of plastic wood one day in the train room (no windows) any solvent based
anything has been banned and that’s fine with me.
MM51, thanks for your details. It’s been very helpful for an about to be newbie with acrylics and brushes.
Jay said:
“From my observations and experience, those who have been using solvent paints for a long time, seem to have more difficulty or lack the patience to really learn how to use acrylics and there is a real learning curve to getting profficient with a new process. One shouldn’t blame the medium for one’s own lack of experience with it.”
Jay, I agree, but I also see no advantage to acrylics that would prompt me to “relearn” 40 years of successful model painting experiance.
Sheldon