New airbrush clogging and spitting paint

[jleworth]

Hey guys, I bought a Badger Crescendo brand new from a yard sale a while back for $10. I have previously used a no name brand airbrush I picked up at a flea market which was a complete waste of money and the cause of much frustration. I had hoped that the new airbrush would preform considerably better, which it did before the first cleaning even with crappy water based acrylic paint. During the first cleaning I managed to ruin the medium sized tip not knowing that the back cap was to be used as a punch to remove it. After a complete cleaning and a change of tip and needle to the largest size I found I was unable to keep a constant flow of paint with acrylics which were thinned with windex. I have since then purchased createx pre-thinned airbrush paint, completely cleaned my airbrush by boiling it, read the instruction manual from cover to cover and made sure all the pieces were accounted for and in their proper place. I have tried using both the smallest and largest tips and needles but I am still having a problem with the paint clogging. The airbrush will initially lay down paint (I usually have to move the needle back and fourth a few times) but after a few seconds either stop all together or spit out a huge glob of paint. shaking the brush a few times while spraying off to the side will reset it (for lack of a better term) and the problem starts all over. I have tried thinning the paint, though I believe it is already thin enough, but that produces spidery lines from the paint being blown away when it hits the piece even after the smallest amount of thinner. I have done my fair share of painting with gravity fed paint guns, siphon guns, and even gelcoat cup guns, and I know how the tools work but I cant seem to solve this problem. The only thing I can think of that may be the problem is the nylon bushing in the housing ahead of the trigger that the needle goes through. Once it came out of place and the paint backed up into the trigger area however it appears to be in good shape and in its proper place. If anyone can help me with this problem I would really appreciate it. Also, if someone could let me know what the proper air pressure would be and the proper consistency of the paint that would be great. Thanks guys.



Jim

 

[Mr.Micron]

Jim never boil an airbrush Rubber and teflon hate heat. For water base paints Restorer by Createx, Soak only the nozzle in there for about 20 minutes and you can see the waterbase paint melting away.
Windex not really a good reducer. 25% alcohol 75% water and 1 drop of glycerin(found in most drug stores) per ounce and you have a great home brew reducer for any waterbased paint.
The term Acrylics can range from Acrylics Enamels (Oil base), Lacquers , or water based . So I am assuming since you used windex to try and reduce it that it is waterbased.
Spitting and clogging can and may because by chunks in the paint , Strain the paint through nylon (panty hose work great) to ensure you have no chunks in the paint . having the airpressure too high may cause tip dry which will cause spitting .
Check out Mitch's videos he show wha tthe paint should look like when mixed right and explains tip dry and other issues you can run into .
As far as air pressure 35 PSI is about average. for really reduced paint I have dropped down to 5 PSI.
Hope this helps

 

[dwayne]

bad clogging but airbrush is clean

Jim never boil an airbrush Rubber and teflon hate heat. For water base paints Restorer by Createx, Soak only the nozzle in there for about 20 minutes and you can see the waterbase paint melting away.
Windex not really a good reducer. 25% alcohol 75% water and 1 drop of glycerin(found in most drug stores) per ounce and you have a great home brew reducer for any waterbased paint.
The term Acrylics can range from Acrylics Enamels (Oil base), Lacquers , or water based . So I am assuming since you used windex to try and reduce it that it is waterbased.
Spitting and clogging can and may because by chunks in the paint , Strain the paint through nylon (panty hose work great) to ensure you have no chunks in the paint . having the airpressure too high may cause tip dry which will cause spitting .
Check out Mitch's videos he show wha tthe paint should look like when mixed right and explains tip dry and other issues you can run into .
As far as air pressure 35 PSI is about average. for really reduced paint I have dropped down to 5 PSI.
Hope this helps

i am having alot of issues with the Createx paint and i am using the Illustration base to reduce it but still clogs my airbrush. Can the problem be old paint? i get it at Art Supply Whse in Huntington Beach CA. Sometimes the paint comes out really thick and chunky and i get the drying skin problem really fast all the time that clogs my airbrush. I dont strain the paint but maybe thats alot of the problem? even when i get the paint really thinned down it still doesnt spray good and its too thin. i have a 40 PSI compressor. I bought a brand new airbrush it sprays out the cleaner awesome but as soon as i put paint in it it doesn't shoot anything out or it works for a second then cloggs or spits, i am using a .5mm tip. I really think its a paint problem if my brand new airbrush wouldn't blow it out at all. Can you use any water based Acrylic paint in an airbrush as long as you thin it out? This is really frustrating nothing i do helps with the clogging

Dwayne

 

[bikergranny]

dwayne, createx is thicker because it's designed to be shot with a larger tip (.5) and at a high PSI (45+) It's also designed basically for t-shirts.
You aren't too far away from Coast Airbrush. I would go there and talk to the salespeople who are knowledgeable and can get you in the right direction.

 

[AndreZA]

I just finished playing with my Createx that I bought 18 months ago and almost never used. I sprayed it through my 0.35 Eclipse at about 15psi and had to thin the paint about 10:1.

 

[Squishy]

Does it spray water without issues, no skipping? or spitting? If so then could be a paint issue. Have you tries examining the nozzle under a magnifying glass, to make sure there are no cracks or imperfections? Just a couple of thoughts.

 

[airbrushingferret]

no createx....use com art etac or spectra and send ihn the gun 2 bad ger for a checkup