Cleaning Airbrushes

[halsey]

Hi

 

Before everyone jumps on me .....................I know there are lots of topics on Airbrushes but I have a specific point/question...………….

 

I am quite interested to get into airbrushing BUT I do know my own weaknesses and if it involves a lot of hassle/mess/cleaning/maintenance then it won't be for me.

 

Honest answers please even if you are a seasoned pro do you sometimes get fed up with the cleaning routine?? 

 

As an example my local model shop owner who sells them says "don't bother"!! - budget is tight and I don't want to waste what feels like a £200 commitment (AS compressor Iwata brush cleaning station etc)

 

Cheers 

[tractor_37260]

Hi

 

Before everyone jumps on me .....................I know there are lots of topics on Airbrushes but I have a specific point/question...………….

 

I am quite interested to get into airbrushing BUT I do know my own weaknesses and if it involves a lot of hassle/mess/cleaning/maintenance then it won't be for me.

 

Honest answers please even if you are a seasoned pro do you sometimes get fed up with the cleaning routine?? 

 

As an example my local model shop owner who sells them says "don't bother"!! - budget is tight and I don't want to waste what feels like a £200 commitment (AS compressor Iwata brush cleaning station etc)

 

Cheers 

 

Regular cleaning/stripping down is a MUST when using any Airbrush to keep it working properly, and help get consistent results.  If that's going to be a problem for you, then avoid Airbrushing and stick to brush painting..........

[Pete the Elaner]

The thought of cleaning it usually puts me off from starting.

I really don't know why because it only takes 5 minutes to clean from start to finish. I don't ever feel tempted to skip this though.

[njee20]

I spend longer cleaning than spraying, and it definitely puts me off! Even now I've got a backlog of projects needing totally different colours, I'll do one, but then by the time I've cleaned out one colour I can't be bothered to do the next, so don't bother!

[Wellyboots]

My process is to flush out the brush with cleaner/thinners between colours and again when finished then clean the nozzle and needle. If you don't the brush will sooner, rather than later, start spitting and clog up. It might seem a hassle but I find it worth the effort as the finish is much better than anything I could do with a brush. 

[Greengiant]

I run airbrush cleaner through after each colour, mainly only spray Vallejo Air acrylic which has a nice drop dispenser nozzle, so rarely overfill the paint cup, therefore minimal cleaning. Occassionally spray enamels, but they are easier to clean with longer drying times.

My brushes are mainly Iwatta which are easy to strip and clean.

 

Martin

[arran]

xylene thinners works well

 

Regards Arran

[Mick Bonwick]

Cleaning is the most important aspect of successful airbrushing. If you don't keep the airbrush spotless, especially inside (the bits you can't see), then it will eventually stop working. If cleaning is likely to be too much hassle, then I suggest that you don't start. There are plenty of tools and materials that you can use for weathering without having to invest in an airbrush and the equipment associated with it.

[alfsboy]

i usually just blow cellulose thinners if enamel  or 2K or water and then isopropyl alcohol if acrylics.Some times some cellulose  too .I tend to be sloppy  and just blow at a high pressure  and then stick my finger over the nozzle to clear it all .sometimes I pull the needle out and clean it and the nozzle but mostly I dont strip it much .I use 2K ,enamels and acrylics especially Tamiya .i use cheap airbrushes off amazon .They tend to be better than more expensive ones  for me  and you can chuck em if they really clog up .I know its sloppy but it works for me .I spray and weather brass trains ,model racing cars ,buildings etc.I do us e powerful compressor though from Machine Mart.If you use cheap ones you can easily have dedicated brushes for the more delicate colours like clear ,white ,metaliics.

Edited October 26, 2018 by alfsboy

[John Tomlinson]

I have to agree with what's been said, if the airbrush isn't kept spotless it won't work properly, or indeed at all. I find even in the course of a session, that I often have to run thinners through, and sometimes clean the needle separately.

 

If it isn't clean you tend to get spattering of paint and an uneven finish.

 

The upside is that unless you are amazingly gifted, a good airbrush finish will be infinitely superior to something done with a brush. I'd say its the only way to stand a chance of matching today's quality RTR finishes, so do you really want your models in comparison to look a bit naff?

 

John.

[sdw7300]

Agree with all the posts above - keeping your airbrush clean is essential but it doesn't take long. Having everything you need to spray AND CLEAN in one place next to where you're spraying helps. I keep white spirit & IPA in small bottles with flip up lids with small holes so I can easily fill the airbrush reservoir with one hand. If you run plenty of white spirit through after every spray you can get away with a complete strip down every few sessions. Even a complete strip down and clean only takes 10 mins. Buy some airbrush cleaning brushes and an airbrush reamer. Will set you back about a tenner in total but helps keep the insides and nozzle perfectly clean. 

 

Before now I've thinned/mixed paint, sprayed 3 coaches and cleaned down in 20 mins before work.

[ianLMS]

Airbrushes are definitely worth the effort. My Sparmax MX4 was only around £45 and a AS186 compressor wasnt that expensive either. If you only use water based paint, cleaning is simple with a brush and small tub of water. Quick swill, spray out excess and change colour. Full clean at the end of the session. 5 mins or less to srip, clean and put back together. Enamels need a bit more cleaning, but again, not much.

[Pete the Elaner]

There are plenty of tools and materials that you can use for weathering without having to invest in an airbrush and the equipment associated with it.

 

I'm sure you didn't mean that the airbrush was primarily for weathering, but for anyone who has not used one before, it may read that way.

I do find mine good for some (but not all) weathering but also for getting a thin, even coat of paint on flat surfaces like loco or wagon bodies. I chose the airbrush to paint my platform tops, getting a far more consistent finish than I could have done with a traditional brush.

[Kylestrome]

Honest answers please even if you are a seasoned pro do you sometimes get fed up with the cleaning routine?? 

 

The "cleaning routine" is just exactly that. It's necessary but it should also be a routine, just like cleaning your teeth or doing the washing-up. How much of a chore you make it into is up to you. 

 

David

[Torper]

I'm not as quick as Sam!  Yes, the time taken in setting up an airbrush and then cleaning it at the end of the session is a pain - maybe 10 minutes for the former, including thinning the paint to the right consistency (I use enamels) and then about 15 minutes to clean up afterwards.  I use white spirit and/or Lidl's Baufix All Purpose Thinner, together with some mini bottle brushes sold specifically for airbrushes, and some cotton buds also come in handy.  I also use a lot of kitchen roll as cleaning can be quite messy!  Maybe the reason i take longer is because I strip the airbrush down after every session - that may be unnecessary, but it only takes a few extra minutes.  It is however all worthwhie - as John says above (Post #10) the finish I get using an airbrush is infinitely better than my efforts using an ordinary brush - and, for that matter, than the results I get using a Halfords spray can.

 

And you don't need to start by spending £200.  I started with a set up (tank compressor and two airbrushes) from RDG Tools, currently £82. (https://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/AIRBRUSH-COMPRESSOR-WITH-TANK-AIR-BRUSHES-132---128-AND-HOSE--902734.html).  There are loads of similar set-ups on ebay.  It has served me well, and the airbrushes are in fact quite acceptable although perhaps not for fine work, though I never use an airbrush for that anyway.  When I became more confident in using it I upgraded to a Sparmax GP35 (currently about £90) because I fancied a trigger action brush.  You'll also need a decent face mask that will cope with paint and thinner vapours and particles, especially if you're going to be cleaning your brush with xylene as Arran does!  And then you'll probably decide that you want a spray booth as well - it all adds up!

 

DT

Edited October 26, 2018 by Torper

[tractor_37260]

I spend longer cleaning than spraying, and it definitely puts me off! Even now I've got a backlog of projects needing totally different colours, I'll do one, but then by the time I've cleaned out one colour I can't be bothered to do the next, so don't bother!

 

No need to strip down an airbrush between colours provided your doing them all in one session, if using enamels just spray some clean white spirit through the AB to clean it out and then use the next colour. Always strip the brush down and fully clean it at the end of every session / or leaving it for another day etc. A lot easier to remove any paint build up when it's still fresh, that once it's fully cured/hardened. 

Edited October 26, 2018 by tractor_37260

[Damo666]

The thought of cleaning it usually puts me off from starting.

I really don't know why because it only takes 5 minutes to clean from start to finish. I don't ever feel tempted to skip this though.

I've watched this guy's videos recently, very good tutorials on Airbrushing.

 

His series on weathering (a WW1 Tank) has some excellent results, a lot of which can be ignored for our hobby (like 'modulation', 'Filters' and perhaps mud) but I've learned a lot having gone thought this series. Weathering, Chips/scratches, Oil stains are all shown in detail, with a good clear multi-camera set-up. (no one-handed tutorials).

His video on cleaning is interesting for 2 reasons. (1) his home made cleaner uses Ammonia. A big NO NO. Ignore this. But (2) his quick cleaning technique between colour changes is good, fast-forward to here.

[Nile_Griffith]

Like everyone else has said, I would really recommend taking the leap. The difference that even modest airbrushing skills have over using a paintbrush really do make a difference and I find actually encourage you to improve your skills and investigate further what can be achieved.

 

For myself I spray with acrylics only. I'm a committed fan of Vallejo's products, both their model air and model colour ranges. I would also recommend their airbrush cleaners as they do an excellent job.

 

That all said you don't have to go splashing out hundreds of pounds of your hard earned dosh. I learnt with and still use regularly a £30 airbrush from Machine Mart (I now have a couple of Iwata Revolutions as well), although my original £80 compressor has been swapped out for a much better but more expensive Iwata unit.

 

I'm lucky in that I can set up my spray booth in the utility room right next to the sink. So access to a slow running tap of cold water is never more than a few seconds away, just in case it all goes horribly wrong. But my top tip, like others on here. Is get yourself set up to clean before you start airbrushing and if you have any of your cleaning materials missing, don't make a start with the paint. Why? It's easy to take your eye of the ball when cleaning and to sort of do things on auto-pilot. So if you have something missing that you really need it can be quite disruptive and potentially damaging to your kit. Also having all your cleaning kit to hand and ready to go means you can be quite efficient with your cleaning regime and what then becomes a second nature process, then doesn't fell quite so burdensome or time consuming.

 

Besides!!! Once you start enjoying the grin factor at seeing your models and scenics looking that extra level better, through the use of your newly acquired airbrush skills. You will wonder what all the fuss and worry was about in the first place

 

Personally I'd rather spend a day cleaning airbrushes than ballasting!!!!!!!!!

[halsey]

Wow I only went out for a couple of hours and look at the response - many thanks to all of you 

 

Decision made I will save myself £200 and continue brushing - its not for me - thanks for all the well considered replies 

[Vecchio]

 200 not really. You get a decent airbrush also for less than 20 £. I have one expensive one and one cheap one - the cheap one came with 3 different needles and nozzles and works almost as good as the expensive one.

Cleaning takes time, for me acrylic paint is more difficult to clean than enamel as it sticks after a short time. This is my cheap one:

The other one is a Revell Professional Master Class Airbrush (did cost a fortune some 25 years ago, today approx. 130£) But: Even today I get original spares for that.

As a compressor I use my normal workshop one with 25 litre tank. It is an oil free type so you just need a water trap which comes for a 10er.

Vecchio

[ColinK]

Wow I only went out for a couple of hours and look at the response - many thanks to all of you 

 

Decision made I will save myself £200 and continue brushing - its not for me - thanks for all the well considered replies

 

I think you’ve made a good decision. What I suggest is looking for an opportunity to see someone using an airbrush, even better if they will let you have a go. A trader a Ally Pally did this for me and after he let me have ago, I decided I could do it and bought a fairly cheap airbrush and compressor from him.

 

You might find someone doing a demo at an exhibition or at a model railway club. Indeed I’ve taken my airbrush along to my club so others can have a go.

 

While the results I’m getting are fine, I still hate the time it takes to set everything up and clean it afterwards. I wait until until I have a pile of stuff and when I have the house to myself have a spraying session. It has got expensive though, buying a quality effective mask so I can spray enamels and a top notch spray booth - you must protect your health.

 

PS spraying enamels made the house stink of paint!

[Tim V]

I thought spraying cellulose and xylene thinners into the air did nasties to your lungs?

[alfsboy]

I thought spraying cellulose and xylene thinners into the air did nasties to your lungs?

It does.correct mask and air extraction . 2K will kill you quickly .I use it on racing cars and brass locos .I dont really recommend it but that paint certainly stays on .

[hayfield]

How about this item,

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/FBGC-14-in-1-Airbrush-Cleaner-Pot-Cleaning-Kit-for-Spray-Gun-Brush-Accessories/7020014553

 

is it worth getting ?

[tractor_37260]

How about this item,

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/FBGC-14-in-1-Airbrush-Cleaner-Pot-Cleaning-Kit-for-Spray-Gun-Brush-Accessories/7020014553

 

is it worth getting ?

 

Maybe ?  depends on what you may already have ? but a packet of (a suitable size for the nozzle) Dental Tepe brushes would be cheaper.......avail from Tesco/Boot's/eBay.............

 

an example..........

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boots-TePe-6-INTERDENTAL-BRUSHES-RED-0-5mm-Dental-Floss-Flossing-Tooth-Teeth/392159026151?hash=item5b4e7fdbe7:g:X~YAAOSwCMVb1Dp~:rk:1:pf:0