Unblocking an airbrush...help!

[Belfast Neil]

Hi guys, been painting my Usurper mask today and got a base coat and first colour coat done with no problems before my airbrush died. I am getting a solid air feed but it won't draw the paint. I've been cleaning as I go by blowing really hot water through it and it seems to have kept things running smoothly. It has done the same though this time it won't clear no matter what I do. I have the brush steeping in hot water now but was wondering if there is anything else I can do to clean it out? Can I soak it in white spirits or would this ruin the insides?

Any advice appreciated as I was really getting into it before it died!

Cheers.

 

[crawjaw]

What kind of aibrush do you have? Is it gravity or siphon fed?
When my Iwata gets clogged I hold my finger over the nozzle and try to spray. Closing off the nozzle causes back pressure into the reservoir making air bubbles. Sometimes this is enough to clears it. Failing that I take the nozzle off and then remove the needle and wipe with airbrush cleaner. Small brushes are handy for the inside of gravity cups and nozzle. More often than not theres a wee stubborn paint particle stuck to the nozzle or needle. If that doesn't work try getting some proprietry airbrush cleaner and soak the parts in that. I would be wary about using white spirits unless it is just for wiping and you've been using solvent based paints. BTW what paint are you using? I find Createx classic paint freqently clogs my brushes.
Lastly you can buy ultrasonic baths for about £30 Everything Airbrush and cleaner for difficult to remove paint. Might find something similar cheaper if you shop around.

 

[Belfast Neil]

Using a dual action one, feeding from a glass jar under the pen. Tried the back pressure but didn't shift it. I'll leave it overnight and then strip it tomorrow. Thanks for all the advice, I'm sure I'll get it sorted.

 

[4505marcel]

Not done alot of airbrushing apart from weathering my starwars based costumes, but I use Badger airbrush cleaner in aerosol and its awesome even on dried on paint from the day before

 

[frosty]

I'd strip it down and give it a good clean, i have a few brushes myself, they all usually get clogged at one time or another, as a general rule before i start airbrushing, i take everything apart, give it a good clean with isopropyl alchohol, then put it all back together, then i give it another clean after every few colours.
Hope you get it sorted

 

[Tetsuo]

I had the same problem with Tia's airbrush, we soaked ours in turps over night n that seemed to shift the blockage.

 

[Belfast Neil]

I had the same problem with Tia's airbrush, we soaked ours in turps over night n that seemed to shift the blockage.

Might try this, had no luck with the water today so stripped it and to be honest it looked immaculate. Will try turps and then dedicated cleaners. Hopefully it hasn't just packed up!

 

[Akisha]

We commonly use our air brush to touch up the paint on my truck. We use a paint thinner to help clean it out, and if the tip gets clogged
we use a needle to help push the paint out. Dont use to much paint thinner, just enough to clean it out. It also Might damage a plastic jar if thats
what your using.

 

[Dreadlock]

We commonly use our air brush to touch up the paint on my truck. We use a paint thinner to help clean it out, and if the tip gets clogged
we use a needle to help push the paint out. Dont use to much paint thinner, just enough to clean it out. It also Might damage a plastic jar if thats
what your using.

I would also check that the hole in the lid of the jar is clear, as if blocked it will be causing a vacuum which will stop the paint from being sucked up.

 

[Belfast Neil]

Got it all sorted, just need to make more effort keeping it clean after use. Cheers guys.