How to clean your airbrush

I thought back flushing was not a recommended practice because of the potential to push paint and cleaner into the back end of the brush.
 
I thought back flushing was not a recommended practice because of the potential to push paint and cleaner into the back end of the brush.

I do not know who told you that. If you've got a good seal then you won't have a problem with that.
 
Actually, I believe DaveG mentioned it in a thread. Paul Budzig also doesn’t recommend back flushing. And regardless, if your seal isn’t 100% tight, chances are....
 
Back flushing pushes air back into the paint cavity. The hole feeding the paint is very large in comparison to the little to no gap between the seal and the needle. Air and liquid take the path of least resistance. Now, if you put the cap on, covered the vent hole and back flushed, then their would be no other place for anything to go.
 
Might take a look at this later. No matter how thoroughly I think I've cleaned it, if I don't use it again within a few days the needle is stuck....
 
Might take a look at this later. No matter how thoroughly I think I've cleaned it, if I don't use it again within a few days the needle is stuck....
Yup. Regardless of whether I've back flushed or not, there still seems to be that little bit of paint dried inside on the needle. Now, if you've got PTFE seals for the needle, they will wear with movement of the needle from the dried paint and you end up with a not perfect seal on the needle. I find my Infinity is particularly susceptible to this.
 
Might take a look at this later. No matter how thoroughly I think I've cleaned it, if I don't use it again within a few days the needle is stuck....
Yup. Regardless of whether I've back flushed or not, there still seems to be that little bit of paint dried inside on the needle. Now, if you've got PTFE seals for the needle, they will wear with movement of the needle from the dried paint and you end up with a not perfect seal on the needle. I find my Infinity is particularly susceptible to this.

When this happens to me, I always remove the needle from the front. Dragging it through the seal will damage the seal. That is also why I like the Eclipse and the Micron.You can clear the front without tools.
 
I think back flush doesn’t necessary for cleaning. I alway use interdental brish.
 
When this happens to me, I always remove the needle from the front. Dragging it through the seal will damage the seal. That is also why I like the Eclipse and the Micron.You can clear the front without tools.
That's another good habit I think people don't consider. It may be a bit of a pain to do on an Iwata with the screw-in nozzle, but it's the best way to remove the needle.
 
That's another good habit I think people don't consider. It may be a bit of a pain to do on an Iwata with the screw-in nozzle, but it's the best way to remove the needle.

With a screw in nozzle it is not a good idea to keep on removing it just to pull the needle through the front. The nozzle's threads are fragile and you will snap it off eventually. And you'll be wearing out the soft threads in the body and you will need a sealant to get a good seal.
 
When I change color on my bottom feed or side feed, I don't have gravity feed. I use regulator which I added with help of guys from this forum. So I have one regulator+hose+quick disconnect just for changing color and when I am done. Right now it's set on 80 psi, but usually it's on 60. So when I changing colors I spray windows cleaner and water after that on 60 psi.

After I am done I disconnect my airbrush and connect it to other hose+quick disconnect which has much lower pressure and I use that for airbrushing. After I am done for the day i do the same spraying on 60 psi and soak parts which you did see on picture, the rest I clean immediately like seen on picture. I don't do back flushing cause I don't see a purpose in it, 60 psi throws everything out. More or less.

White color can be pain and sometimes I need to disasemble front so I can see the needle and just wipe it out, but this happens not so often. Happens if I don't use my 60 psi regulator(to clean it in between) and I let white color to sit to much in my airbrush. I got similar setup like Twood has. I stole his idea -.-

Either way there is lot's of ways how you can clean your airbrush and people here do it each their own way. There are general rules, but to me looks like everyone manipulates those rules to find the way he/she likes the most.

here is a screen shot from Iwata when I asked them that question Ttxela

Screenshot_2019-10-09 Question about product - huskystafford gmail com - Gmail.png
 
Forgot to add I did back flush before, but I don\t do it anymore, cause there is no point in it for me. To each their own I would say. I do clean my side feed cup with a brush and windows cleaner if I am changing colors though.
 
Back
Top