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Iwata Neo stripdown


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Hi

 

I have done a fair bit of spraying of acrylic paints recently using my Iwata Neo and I now realise from reading other posts on here that this can be more of an issue with rapid drying than enamel. I took the front end of the airbrush apart without problems and cleaned it throughoughly with cellulose thinners. However, I cannot undo the section at the rear which contains the spring and the pull back lever. I tried using a small amount of pressure from a set of pliers after several sprays of WD40, but all to no effect. I can see traces of paint on the lever which suggests there could be paint on the inside causing it to lock up.

 

My question is: is it safe to immerse the rear of the brush in cellulose thinners to disperse any paint on the inside, or is there anything such as seals etc that could be damaged by the thinners? I can't find a good exploded diagram of the brush either to determine what is where.

 

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

Dave

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Dave,

I assume but I am not sure if all Iwata guns have ptfe seals, but why would you want to use cellulose thinner to solve acrylic paint? Ethanol, isopropanol or acrylic thinner removes all dry paint quite well. Personally, I think it makes a bigger difference if you can use an ultrasonic bath to intensify the process.

 

Michael

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You should be able to strip the brush down to its component parts. The fact that you cannot is worrying.

 

When removing the needle then it should only be removed in the direction of the point and only replaced in the direction of the point.

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2 hours ago, Southernfrance said:

 

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

 

 

If you can see traces of paint on the inner parts of the trigger (lever) you have a problem, but it's not insurmountable.

 

The safest fluid to use, as suggested by michl080, is isopropyl alocohol (isopropyanol) but if you don't already have any it will be extremely difficult to find at the moment. You could also try an acrylic foaming cleaner, but I guess if you have some you'll already have tried that.

 

If you are in the habit of using cellulose thinners then you may have already damaged the o-ring that protects the rear half of the body from paint ingress. I think (although I'm not absolutely sure) that the Neo range does not have ptfe o-rings, and I am quite happy to be corrected by somebody who has the technical knowledge.

 

Prolonged immersion in hot water will loosen an acrylic paint from the internals, but be prepared to spend some time at it. Avoid using pliers on the body if you can.

 

Neo user manual attached.

 

NEO IM-Long_REV3.pdf

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I don't know if these will help at all.

 

This with the rear cover unscrewed.

 

483218362_RMwebIA02.jpg.e973b63e6f56cbdb95c6221c0413bd94.jpg

 

It's a fairly fine thread and could possibly have jammed up tight if over-tightened when fitted. Just really there to protect the needle so paint shouldn't really be there unless perhaps transferred by holding it. There is a seal on it but not sure why. Perhaps to prevent over-tightning of said thread.

 

The needle can be withdrawn by un-doing the rear screw retainer which locks the needle in position.

 

 

1667420061_RMwebIA03.jpg.1aa439bbbdaddf031f4bfa6dc026ea97.jpg

 

This passes through the lever so with this withdrawn the lever can also be removed.

1561385721_RMwebIA04.jpg.b2b9e58ca55e12581a9079ea0faab9c9.jpg

 

1961272925_RMwebIA05.jpg.18f859e5ea82fd43cab868b4f2a281f1.jpg

 

If desired the sprung lever section can also be unscrewed and withdrawn as can the lower section air valve assembly.

 

All parts are really just a reversal of taking apart to re-assemble. Just remember to fit the top lever first before inserting the needle back..........been there/done that!

 

Izzy

 

RMweb IA 06.jpg

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2 hours ago, meil said:

You should be able to strip the brush down to its component parts. The fact that you cannot is worrying.

 

When removing the needle then it should only be removed in the direction of the point and only replaced in the direction of the point.

This is certainly the standard view. However, I strip my Neo regularly by removing the needle backwards, through the chucking nut, then wash the body and needle in an ultrasound bath. This stops the gumming up of the needle in its seals rather than promotes it. I wash the parts after each spraying session, before the paint traces have time to start curing.

 

Previously, I had regular problems of the needle seizing in the seal, and also of the trigger-mount assembly getting stuck (to remove it, I gripped it in a vice and rotated the brush body).

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4 hours ago, meil said:

When removing the needle then it should only be removed in the direction of the point and only replaced in the direction of the point.

 

That is a good idea, but it is not possible with all Iwata models. I can pull out the needle to the nozzle direction at my HP-B, but not at my HP-C.

 

Michael

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Hi

 

Many thanks for all the responses, all most appreciated. 

 

The photos from Izzy are good, but I've got all of this apart already without problems. It's getting the last piece out, shown still fixed to the body to the right hand side in Izzy's last pic. I think this is described as the spring guide in the very useful manual (thanks Mick). I've seen a strip down on YouTube so know it comes out, but it just will not turn. The photo attached shows it too. I have removed the needle via the chucking nut as per Guy, in a similar manner to other airbrushes I have used in the past.

 

I have only used cellulose thinners to spray through to clean after painting, or to wipe clean dismantled items, so hopefully I've not damaged any seals. From the exploded diagram it seems there is an O-ring in the spring guide, so clearly not ideal to use cellulose there. I don't have access to IPA being based in rural France, but do have surgical spirit and white spirit as well as the aforementioned cellulose thinners. The idea of leaving it in hot water is something I can try....but looking at the colour (which is a faint maroon which may not be visible in the pic) It may be an earlier use of enamel that is left as residue. If it is then that will be interesting. I don't have an ultrasonic bath, and am not convinced I need one. Well, I've never needed one before........

 

 

IMG_1602.jpg

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21 minutes ago, Southernfrance said:

 I don't have an ultrasonic bath, and am not convinced I need one. Well, I've never needed one before........

 

If you've ever seen the amount of crud that is released by giving, say, an assembled Comet loco chassis kit or a coach kit, a few minutes in an ultrasonic cleaner, you'e be totally convinced.

 

After a few years of using a small one from Lidl, I have recently invested in https://www.amazon.co.uk/FORAVER-Ultrasonic-Stainless-Cleaning-Commercial/dp/B07CGLLZKP  .

 

It heats the water to an adjustable pre-set temperature; (I add a pinch of washing soda and a drop of washing-up liquid to the water); and I set the timer to 5 minutes. The tank will take a loco or bogie coach with no problem.

 

Any flux residue is neutralised, and all scale, filings, glass fibres, grease, fingerprints, etc., etc. are removed and can be seen, in amazing quantities, on the base of the tank after the 5 minutes are expired.

 

When dried, the model is ready for painting - money well spent!

 

John Isherwood.

 

 

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Using a glass jar or a tin (not anything plastic) place cellulose thinners to a depth which will allow you to soak the rear end of the airbrush, up to but not beyond, the rearward end of the air valve. That means the upper end (in your photograph) of the oblong hole in the top of the body, where the trigger goes. From what you have now described I expect that some enamel paint has well and truly locked the thread of the spring guide to the main body. Cellulose thinners will eventually loosen that. Do it outside the house!

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1 hour ago, Southernfrance said:

Hi

 

Many thanks for all the responses, all most appreciated. 

 

The photos from Izzy are good, but I've got all of this apart already without problems. It's getting the last piece out, shown still fixed to the body to the right hand side in Izzy's last pic. I think this is described as the spring guide in the very useful manual (thanks Mick). I've seen a strip down on YouTube so know it comes out, but it just will not turn. The photo attached shows it too. I have removed the needle via the chucking nut as per Guy, in a similar manner to other airbrushes I have used in the past.

 

I have only used cellulose thinners to spray through to clean after painting, or to wipe clean dismantled items, so hopefully I've not damaged any seals. From the exploded diagram it seems there is an O-ring in the spring guide, so clearly not ideal to use cellulose there. I don't have access to IPA being based in rural France, but do have surgical spirit and white spirit as well as the aforementioned cellulose thinners. The idea of leaving it in hot water is something I can try....but looking at the colour (which is a faint maroon which may not be visible in the pic) It may be an earlier use of enamel that is left as residue. If it is then that will be interesting. I don't have an ultrasonic bath, and am not convinced I need one. Well, I've never needed one before........

 

 

IMG_1602.jpg

 

I suggest wrapping the knurled part of the spring guide in tissue, to protect the finish, and gripping it firmly in a vice. You should then be able to break the paint seal on the thread by turning the body of the brush. If you can't get it loose that way, then you might be able to free it by spraying with airbrush-cleaning solvent such as "liquid reamer" and leaving the stuff to soak into the paint deposit.

 

If you can't get propanol for cleaning, meths works fairly well on acrylics. It will dissolve the paint on your model too if used in excess with Methfix transfers! Your surgical alcohol will do the same -- they are both basically ethanol -- but the DIY-store meths is likely to be cheaper.

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1 hour ago, Guy Rixon said:

. I don't have an ultrasonic bath, and am not convinced I need one. Well, I've never needed one before........

 

My ultrasonic bath were the best spent 30€...

 

Not only for cleaning the airbrush, but mainly to clean models before painting. After every soldering session, the whole kit goes in the US-bath to remove all dirt and flux.

 

Michael

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Thanks for the advice, I will try some of the tips once I've finished painting my garden furniture....!

 

I work in N Gauge and have been making models for many years, and have heard good things about ultrasound baths. However, I do not do a lot of work in brass, where soldering and flux leave many residues. My work is mainly with plastics, so the small amount I do is catered for by soda salts and a good scrub! 

 

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On 09/04/2020 at 11:27, Southernfrance said:

Hi

 

I have done a fair bit of spraying of acrylic paints recently using my Iwata Neo and I now realise from reading other posts on here that this can be more of an issue with rapid drying than enamel. I took the front end of the airbrush apart without problems and cleaned it throughoughly with cellulose thinners. However, I cannot undo the section at the rear which contains the spring and the pull back lever. I tried using a small amount of pressure from a set of pliers after several sprays of WD40, but all to no effect. I can see traces of paint on the lever which suggests there could be paint on the inside causing it to lock up.

 

My question is: is it safe to immerse the rear of the brush in cellulose thinners to disperse any paint on the inside, or is there anything such as seals etc that could be damaged by the thinners? I can't find a good exploded diagram of the brush either to determine what is where.

 

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

Dave

 

Another make, but just in case the strip down is of any use.

airbrush02.jpg

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Thanks for all your help. An overnight soak in surgical spirit did b**ger all, so I tried hot water. I dipped it for a minute or so in very hot water and lo and behold, it undone.

The paint in there was all the acrylic I'd used recently, thankfully no enamel. Now for a good clean and reassembly.......

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Re the ultrasound tank, I've just cleaned mine out after just three washes of the airbrush. It was filthy with paint residue, appearing as a fine silt all over the tank surface. I stipulate that I do spray out the residual paint in my brush and then spray through solvent. Even with this conventional cleaning, there's a lot of paint left to come out in the tank, easily enough to gum up the nozzle, threads and seals. I seriously do not think I could live with my airbrush without the ultrasound tank.

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On 14/04/2020 at 12:31, Southernfrance said:

Thanks for all your help. An overnight soak in surgical spirit did b**ger all, so I tried hot water. I dipped it for a minute or so in very hot water and lo and behold, it undone.

The paint in there was all the acrylic I'd used recently, thankfully no enamel. Now for a good clean and reassembly.......

It may well have been the sudden temperature rise that ultimately “cracked” the seize, just like getting a rusted nut to turn with a flame.

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21 hours ago, boxbrownie said:

It may well have been the sudden temperature rise that ultimately “cracked” the seize, just like getting a rusted nut to turn with a flame.

 

That was my first thought too. I've used the "hot spanner" many times before, albeit not on something like an airbrush.

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