For an airbrush being used only for acrylic painting, what is your favorite soaking solution to use afterward to soften and dislodge dried paint? Some people suggested MEK or paint thinner, but these are somewhat dangerous, smelly and seem like overkill for acrylics. I tried 90% alcohol, which seemed only fair. Anything better?
Hal
I use denatured alcohol which I use for thinner, too.
Wolfgang
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
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I clean between colors with denatured alcohol, but at the end of a session, I use lacquer thinner. Yes, it is smelly, and potentially dangerous (with LONG term exposure to LARGE quantities), but that is why I have a spray booth.
Greg
Hal -
With all due respect, I've been using the same air brush with acrylics (MM Acryls - several formulas) for about 30 years and except for a few occasions that I use MM thinner, all I use is water for flushing. Still haven't had a problem. I used to soak the nozzles in thinner but haven't done that in decades either ... (LHS suggested that I stopped doing that)
Denatured alcohol is nasty stuff and unless there's a real call for it I'd rather not keep it around.
Archer.
Hi Hal,I'm with Archer, as I use only water for cleanup. My choice of paint has been Polly Scale acrylic ever since it was introduced. The key to cleanup with acrylic paints is to get it done before the paint has time to harden, and I never let an airbush sit with paint in it when I'm not using it.
In the MR workshop, I have a long-enough airbrush hose to reach to our sink. When changing colors I hold the airbrush upside down under running water and spray water through it, which is very effective for cleaning. I also run water through the siphon tube and uder the cap, and use water to clean the in-bottle paint filters. If there's any paint residue on either side of the siphon connection, I scrub it off under running water using an old toothbrush.
At home my airbrush hose won't reach the sink, so I normally remove the color control tip when changing colors and rinse it in a bottle of clean water. But I'm in the market for a longer hose!
So long,
Andy
Andy Sperandeo MODEL RAILROADER Magazine
I don't have a ready supply of water at-hand for airbrush cleaning, and, when I did, was dissatisfied with its performance. While I do use distilled water as a thinner for acrylic paints, I use lacquer thinner for for clean-up of both lacquer-based and water-based paints. Only a very small amount is required, as it's very effective. Of course, a two-stage respirator and spray booth should both be prerequisites when airbrushing or spraying any type of paint.
When you've finished an airbrushing session, your first task should be cleaning the airbrush - not after you've removed masking tape from the models, or put away the paint, or stopped for a coffee, but immediately. It's much easier than trying to clean out dried paint, and even a two-stage brush takes only a couple of minutes.
Wayne
Here is a great read on paints. http://hosam.com/ look at the 5th paragraph (only 1 line) Click on the Paints and paints, fillers links. Be sure to click the sub links in there too. There are some great collections posts of all kinds of things from some really great folks like Andy sharing thoughts and tricks.
In answer to your questions though I like Windex and sometimes nail polish remover if I think there may be some paint starting to stick in there. Then a good breakdown and cleaning after every use.
ratled
Modeling the Klamath River area in HO on a proto-lanced sub of the SP “The State of Jefferson Line”
Denatured alcohol. If any paint is really tough to get off the use laquer thinner.
Thanks all and hi to Andy. Ratled, I'll check those links.
Looks like acrylic-only folks usually get by with water. I always try to run it quickly after paint. Alternate with 90% alcohol.
I've been using a Badger 55 (large needle/nozzle), which tends to start chugging and spitting after only about 30-45 seconds of spraying Polyscale. I break it down and clean it 100%, and it just does the same again. I have inspected the needle and nozzle, and see no defect or bend. I use a Badger reamer to clean the nozzle. I've tried diluting the paint by different amounts and straining it. Always use a water filter as well. Must be missing something to keep getting such poor results.
But the 55 has had a fairly rough life overall, so out of frustration I've just replaced it with an Iwata HP-CS, which I'm about to try for the first time. A local painter opined that this gravity-feed type is less prone to clogging (simpler, shorter paint pathway), and it has a manual cleaning-without-disassemby feature.
hdtvnutI've been using a Badger 55 (large needle/nozzle), which tends to start chugging and spitting after only about 30-45 seconds of spraying Polyscale. I break it down and clean it 100%, and it just does the same again. I have inspected the needle and nozzle, and see no defect or bend. I use a Badger reamer to clean the nozzle. I've tried diluting the paint by different amounts and straining it. Always use a water filter as well. Must be missing something to keep getting such poor results.
I'm using a Paasche VL with the fine tip, and PollyScale, thinned with distilled water, sprays well without clogging at about 15 to 20 psi. Higher pressures or using alcohol as a thinner results in repeated, and almost immediate clogging, at least for me. My last session was almost four hours worth of spraying, with no clogging at all.
Archer1 Hal - With all due respect, I've been using the same air brush with acrylics (MM Acryls - several formulas) for about 30 years and except for a few occasions that I use MM thinner, all I use is water for flushing. Still haven't had a problem. I used to soak the nozzles in thinner but haven't done that in decades either ... (LHS suggested that I stopped doing that) Denatured alcohol is nasty stuff and unless there's a real call for it I'd rather not keep it around. Archer.
I'm also with Archer on this. I have a plastic tub (sink) next to my paint booth with a 2 1/2 gal jug of water above the tub for cleaning. I use a Brita filter when filling the jug instead of buying all that distilled water, (I'm a custom painter, so I go through more water than most modelers). I use a Paasche VL and just pull the pin (needle) and run water through the brush and rinse and wipe the pin. I use a wire brush to get any paint that's hardened at the tip. I also use paint cups to paint with rather than bottles - a lot less parts to clean. On the rare occaision when I have not been able to clean things right away, I have resorted to soaking the brush in laquer thinner or acetone, but this is such a PIA, that I don't let it happen very often.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
Forgot to say that I spray at 20 PSI and thin the Poly with water. I only use alcohol for cleaning, followed by more water.
There is one small air passage in the 55 along the side that is L-shaped, and I cannot find anything which will go all the way thru. I can clean it from both ends, but not the sharp bend. The brush stops working if it is clogged. I also get rapid paint buildup in the nozzle guard, but just cleaning it doen't stop the spitting.
One painter suggested either brake fluid or whitewall washer solution for cleaning; havn't tried either yet. I use pipe cleaners on the body passages.
Maybe I'll send the 55 in for evaluation, but in the meantime.......