Cleaning an airbrush after Wicked paint

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Darmatwil

Guest
I have been running water and airbrush cleaner through my airbrush at the end of each painting session. Well tonight I had to take it apart and do a thorough cleaning. I had build up in the nozzle. :whistling: No big deal, it cam clean very easily. Mu question is when using Wicked colors (not detail) should I take it apart and clean it at the end of each painting session? A little more time isn't an issue if it will keep the performance up. I am using an Iwata Eclipse HP-CS.
 
I see no need. You can always flush with a bit of reducer as well.
 
Rinse cup, flush with Water, then windex, then continue with water till it sprays clear on paper
 
Be careful of Windex, the ammonia will eventually breakdown the chrome and the brass underneath, if you must use window cleaner get an non-ammonia type like make for automotive use .
 
lol wicked especially white is a royal pain in the nozzle. I had to clean mine out good today to remove build up. I dropped my renegade nozzle on the carpet talk about needle in a hay stack. Lucked out and found it though.
 
I have the Createx cleaner and the W500. Strictly Attitude, it was the white that was the culprit this time. I'll just flush the heck out of it. I just watched a video that pointed out something I hadn't been doing. I was spraying my back-flush cleaner instead of dumping it out. Makes sense to just dump it instead of putting what you cleaned back into the brush.
 
I generally spray and back flush with water a few times wiping any visible paint out of the cup with a rag, then pull and wipe the needle. I then put a 50/50 mix of Denatured Alcohol and Water in the cup, spray a bit into my airbrush pot, then let it sit for 10 minutes or so while cleaning everything else up(this gives it a bit of time to break down any leftover paint). I then spray, backlash, and dump the Alcohol mix. Pull and wipe the needle again, then flush with water. I rarely ever have to break my brushes down for cleaning.
 
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I use autoair.. similar paint i believe... yes its a pain sometimes to clean.. I tend to remove my nozzle and soak it in airbrush cleaner for half hour and most stuff falls out... Gently feel ya way with the needle to see if any stuck.
 
Try using the foam make-up remover pads to block out the needle end.
Saves fingertips. possible tattooing and maybe even paint poisoning?
I use these to clean off the needle tip whilst painting, and for cleaning out the cup when I'm done.
Only 'cause I can't get my stupid fat finger inside the cup! Grrr!:mad:
 
I really want to get an ultrasonic cleaner

At work we have one that is small but has a metal tank and a plastic strainer insert basket.
I believe I was told it came from Harbor Freight or Grizzly. About $40.
I have an all plastic one from Walmart's jewelry area. Not sure how it would hold up to say alcohol or airbrush cleaners. It was about $20, 5 yrs ago.
 
At work we have one that is small but has a metal tank and a plastic strainer insert basket.
I believe I was told it came from Harbor Freight or Grizzly. About $40.
I have an all plastic one from Walmart's jewelry area. Not sure how it would hold up to say alcohol or airbrush cleaners. It was about $20, 5 yrs ago.
Think it would hold up fine as long as you kept from using lacquer thinner or anything that is known to eat through plastics.
 
Well, I have had an interesting evening. I had to take the nozzle out twice tonight. Earlier today I had no problems, and I flushed it out very well at the end of the first session. There was only clear cleaner bubbling when I finished cleaning then. There was some crud in there that was not paint. Also I have noticed when cleaning between colors that when I move the needle back and forth with the trigger there is paint that comes out of the body at the back side of the paint cup. Is that normal?
 
The paint in the trigger chamber means the teflon needle guide is too loose. Easy to fix. Remove all inner part. Get a thin long screwdriver. Stick it in the back and light rotate it untill it bites then lightly give it a quarter torn clockwise. Insert needle very carefully as there are nothing to guide it. Drag it back and forth and feel for just the slightest drag. If too much the undo the nut. Too little and give it a tighter turn.
 
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