Best Of When your done using the airbrush?

[Chris333]

We go through those gloves at work like water. So for me they are... cheaper 

[Blazeman]

This thread should be designated a "best of."  Verified procedure detailed.

[jpwisc]

I'm really glad this thread happened. Cleaning is what has kept me from utilizing solvent based paints. After reading this, I think I'm ready to try them out (I bought the paint already, time to make some magic happen).

[Chris333]

3 pipette Pete 

[peteski]

I'm really glad this thread happened. Cleaning is what has kept me from utilizing solvent based paints. After reading this, I think I'm ready to try them out (I bought the paint already, time to make some magic happen).

In my other hobby (1:25 scale automotive model kits) I often run into airbrush-phobia.  Many good modelers who use spray cans resist using an airbrush (some even own one but never take it out of the box).  The most often used excuse is that the airbrush cleanup is too much of a chore and too time consuming. With spray cans there is no cleanup.  They just don't want the hassle.  Well I admit that my cleaning method is slightly more complicated than just turning a spray can upside down and spraying the nozzle dry, but it is not *THAT* much more painful or time consuming. To me that extra 40 seconds I spend cleaning the airbrush is well worth the full control the airbrush gives me (I can use any paint and have full control over the air pressure, paint flow, and spray pattern).  Plus the spray cans can clog (even when cleaned after painting), rendering them useless.

Once you go airbrush you never regret it. 

[robwill84]

Wait, these things are reusable? I always chuck mine in the trash when I'm done and buy a new one.

[muktown128]

To add to what Peteski said, I agree that back flushing an air brush or spray gun is good practice to help get paint out from inside the gun and to clean the tip / nozzle with a paper towel .  I've sprayed paint using conventional spray guns for over 25 years (not very often, but over a long period of time) and always do this.  People are told not to back flush where I work now, because of risk of chemical contact.  Given the low pressures of air brushing, this should not be an issue.  However, I would recommend wearing gloves if you are going to back flush.  We go through nitrile gloves like water where I work also.  I always keep a few pairs of gloves in my lab coat.

Scott

[mcjaco]

For shame.

Over spray is a badge of honor.

[nscaleSPF2]

Geez, you guys make this so complicated.
Me:
BADGER Model 200 airbrush with 1oz glass jar and siphon (bottom) feed.

Organic-solvent paints: After painting I spray out any remaining paint.

• Put in 3 pipettes-worth of lacquer thinner (with acetone) in the jar and swish it around to rinse the paint off the walls.
• Screw the jar into the airbrush, open the needle all the way and spray out the dirty thinner. Make sure to suck up as much of the thinner as possible.  I spray this dirty "wash" into a piece of paper towel.
• Fill the jar with 3 pipettes-worth of lacquer thinner (with acetone) in the jar and swish it around to rinse the paint off the walls.
• Screw the jar into the airbrush, open the needle all the way and spray out the almost-clear thinner. While spraying, slowly open and close the needle. Also, place small a piece of folder paper towel (I use Bounty) against the airbrush nozzle.  Do this few times while the needle is wide open.  That will blow the air back through the siphon, rinsing it out.  Move the paper towel slightly away from the nozzle then let it touch it again (while spraying). D this few times. That will clean the front surface of the airbrush head. Again, make sure to suck up as much of the thinner as possible.
• Put in 3 pipettes-worth of lacquer thinner (with acetone) in the jar and switch it around to rinse the paint off the walls.
• Leaving the needle wide open spray this now-clear thinner into piece of paper towel. Make sure to suck up as much of the thinner as possible.
• Unscrew and remove the needle and wipe it on the paper towel moistened (in the previous step) with lacquer thinner, then screw it back in.
• Unscrew the jar and using the dry air coming out of the now-empty airbrush dry the inside of the jar.
• Screw the jar back on - the airbrush is now clean and ready for next paint job.

This entire process takes me less than 1 minute (much shorter than it took me to write it up).  I do this between spraying different colors and as a final cleaning. I have been doing this for close to 30 years without problems. I do fully disassemble and clean my airbrush, but only about once a year.

If you have a rinsing station like John shows, you can spray the thinner in there, But I would still recommend the paper towel method of back-spray and head clean, and needle cleaning.
[/list]

I think that one thing that Peter failed to mention is that he uses a spray booth so that he does not breathe the vapors from the thinner.  Right, Peter?  Lacquer thinner is toxic, and will cause brain damage if you inhale enough of it.

[peteski]

I think that one thing that Peter failed to mention is that he uses a spray booth so that he does not breathe the vapors from the thinner.  Right, Peter?  Lacquer thinner is toxic, and will cause brain damage if you inhale enough of it.

Neah, I love the smell of stinky solvent during paint sessions!  Spray booths are for wimps! 

But seriously, I don't have a conventional paint-booth, but I spray in the direction of a dual squirrel-cage blower installed permanently in my basement window.

[mmagliaro]

Very handy list that Peteski has put together there.
I will add my name to the list that says solvent based paints are not hard to clean out of an airbrush.
In fact, I find them easier to clean out than water-based paints.

I use laquer thinner or xylene or similar (whatever I was using to thin the paint).

I usually use the little side cup rather than a whole jar, filled with thinner.  About 2 cups' worth of thinner
cleans everything out nicely.
For the "backwash" step (as I'll call it), rather than hold a paper towel near the nozzle, my airbrush
came with a rounded metal "dome" cap that slips over the front.  I put that back on while I open and close
the nozzle and wash solvent through there.

I agree, Peteski's list is a "Best Of" item to be sure.  Very organized.  And it makes clear that cleaning with
solvent based paints isn't that hard.

[chicken45]

Geez, you guys make this so complicated.
Me:
BADGER Model 200 airbrush with 1oz glass jar and siphon (bottom) feed.

Organic-solvent paints:

• After painting, spray out any paint remaining in the jar.
• Put 3 pipettes-worth of lacquer thinner (with acetone) in the jar and swish it around to rinse the paint off the walls. If the swishing alone doesn't rinse the paint off, cover the jar opening with the soft part of the palm of your hand below the thumb (while wearing a nitrile rubber glove) and then shake the bottle vigorously. I learned to do this with one hand while holding the airbrush with the other hand.
• Screw the jar onto the airbrush, open the needle all the way and spray out the dirty thinner. Make sure to suck up as much of the thinner as possible.  I spray this dirty "wash" into a piece of paper towel.
• Again, fill the jar with 3 pipettes-worth of lacquer thinner (with acetone) and swish it around to rinse the paint off the walls.
• Screw the jar into the airbrush, open the needle all the way, and spray out the almost-clear thinner. While spraying, slowly open and close the needle couple of times. With some thinner still in the jar place a small a piece of a folded paper towel (I use Bounty) against the airbrush nozzle and with the needle wide open press the trigger.  That will blow the air back through the airbrush and the siphon tube, rinsing it out.  Bring the paper towel slightly away from the nozzle then let it touch it again (while spraying). Do this few times. That will clean the front surface of the airbrush head and also flush the inside of the airbrush. Then spray out the remaining thinner into the paper towel. Make sure to suck up as much of the thinner as possible.
• For the third time put 3 pipettes-worth of lacquer thinner (with acetone) in the jar and swish it around to rinse the paint off the walls and screw the jar onto the airbrush.
• Leaving the needle wide open spray the now-clear thinner into piece of paper towel. Make sure to suck up as much of the thinner as possible.
• Fold a small piece of lacquer-thinner moistened paper towel from the previous step, unscrew and remove the needle, put it in the fold, and twirl it while pulling it trough the fold, then screw it back in the airbrush.
• Unscrew the jar and while pointing the airbrush down, press the trigger to spray out any remaining thinner from the inside of the airbrush.
• Now using the airbrush as an air-gun dry the inside of the glass jar.
• Screw the jar back on - the airbrush is now clean and ready for next paint job.

This entire process takes me about a minute (much shorter than it took me to write it up).  I do this between spraying different colors and as a final cleaning. I have been doing this for close to 30 years without problems. I do fully disassemble and clean my airbrush, but only about once a year.

If you have a rinsing station like John shows, you can spray the thinner in there, but I would still recommend the paper towel method of back-spraying head cleaning, and needle cleaning.

I don't airbrush water-based acrylics and I doubt that this method will work with them.

EDIT: slight verbiage changes and clarifications.[/list]

After all this, I have 2 questions:
1. what else can you do "with one hand"
2. What about gravity fed airbrushes?

[peteski]

After all this, I have 2 questions:
1. what else can you do "with one hand"
2. What about gravity fed airbrushes?

1.  I don't know - I'm known as 2-fist Peter.   

2. If you thumb is fat enough, still wearing the nitrile glove, you can use it to cover the opening of the paint cup after you put some thinner in it, then shake it to swish the thinner around the cup (holding the covered-cup airbrush in the same single hand). 

[Peavine]

I use lacquer thinner and disassemble the brush every time I use it. I always use latex gloves when I spray and clean. I keep boxes of Q-tips. The real ones with the rolled paper shaft, not plastic. You can pull a lot of the tip off to give yourself a thinner shaft to clean out the smaller tubes with. Works perfectly on my Paasche brushes. Takes me about five minutes for a thorough cleaning with either acrylics or enamels.

[peteski]

If you clean the airbrush right after painting session (before the paint starts setting), there really is no need to fully disassemble the airbrush.  Really.  I've been using my method for years and very seldom fully disassemble my airbrush.