Why won't my airbrush spray gloss sealer anymore?

[CustardBug]

Hi! I used to be able to spray FX Wharhouse gloss sealer for latex masks perfectly fine from my Paasche but now nothing will come out! I don't get it because it still sprays acrylic paint fine but it wont spray sealer unless it's heavily thinned. Obliviously i cleaned the tip and the needle, what else could it be? I got a new air hose too and made sure it's not leaking. And I tried adjusting the pressure on the compressor but i don't think it will go any higher.

Any help would be great, thining the sealer with water is making the finish matte and i really want that gloss finish back!

 

[udog]

When you say you cleaned the tip and the needle, you disassembled the whole airbrush?

 

[Vindex]

Disassemble the whole brush and clean it. Then check the nozzle to make sure it's not cracked, or damaged. I had one crack and it would not spray. Something to do with vacuum pressures, or some such thing.

 

[INFLUX]

what kind of feed are you using? jars or cups?

 

[CustardBug]

what kind of feed are you using? jars or cups?

A cup.

When you say you cleaned the tip and the needle, you disassembled the whole airbrush?

I disassembled it as much as i could. It might be the nozzle, it's probably not in the best of condition but i tried cleaning the best i could.

 

[INFLUX]

A cup.

Do you know how to backflush using a cup? You have to tightly cover it with your thumb or something. Using a little bit of aggressive thinner relative to what you were working with like Alcohol, Spirits, Acetone (wear a respirator and to this outside) Fill your cup halfway, tightly grip and cover the feed cup, with your other hand tightly cover the nozzle, ease the needle back so you don't poke yourself and the feed is open. Now with a free finger hit the air, it will come out of the spray aperture but with your finger covering the cone and the needle pulled back it will force the air backwards into the cup. You keep the cup covered so you don't spray/spit thinner everywhere but it's now pressurized so be careful or it can spray by itself in the other direction. Toggle between backflushing and normal spraying with the thinner in the cup and you are essentially washing your rig's insides without a full dismantle. Also a failed Backflush will tell you if you have an obstruction between the needle and feed cup.

From what you're describing I'd also guess there might be buildup between the needle and cone. (Because you're getting different results with lower viscosity) Sometimes I'll unscrew the cone, drop it in a pickle jar of acetone for an hour, shake it around, and then put it back on and spray the boogers out. I have about a dozen cones in the pickle jar now and I just keep them in there to keep them clean.

 

[CustardBug]

Do you know how to backflush using a cup? You have to tightly cover it with your thumb or something. Using a little bit of aggressive thinner relative to what you were working with like Alcohol, Spirits, Acetone (wear a respirator and to this outside) Fill your cup halfway, tightly grip and cover the feed cup, with your other hand tightly cover the nozzle, ease the needle back so you don't poke yourself and the feed is open. Now with a free finger hit the air, it will come out of the spray aperture but with your finger covering the cone and the needle pulled back it will force the air backwards into the cup. You keep the cup covered so you don't spray/spit thinner everywhere but it's now pressurized so be careful or it can spray by itself in the other direction. Toggle between backflushing and normal spraying with the thinner in the cup and you are essentially washing your rig's insides without a full dismantle. Also a failed Backflush will tell you if you have an obstruction between the needle and feed cup.

From what you're describing I'd also guess there might be buildup between the needle and cone. (Because you're getting different results with lower viscosity) Sometimes I'll unscrew the cone, drop it in a pickle jar of acetone for an hour, shake it around, and then put it back on and spray the boogers out. I have about a dozen cones in the pickle jar now and I just keep them in there to keep them clean.

It must be the cup thats clogged. It's not backflushing and i know it's not the needle/nozzle because i can see in them.

 

[INFLUX]

It must be the cup thats clogged. It's not backflushing and i know it's not the needle/nozzle because i can see in them.

Can you run a pipe cleaner through it?

 

[CustardBug]

Can you run a pipe cleaner through it?

Idk i never tried, but that's a good idea. Also i got it to backflush but only if i cover the nozzle with a cloth. It didn't spray out the cup tho, it only bubbled.

 

[INFLUX]

Idk i never tried, but that's a good idea. Also i got it to backflush but only if i cover the nozzle with a cloth. It didn't spray out the cup tho, it only bubbled.

That bubbling right there - I bet you its from the cup or between the cup and aperture. I bought this linked Airbrush Cleaning Kit It's cheap and works like a charm.
The different size pipe cleaning brushes work great to jam through the tubes. Also I keep thinner in the kit's squirty bottle - fill my cup and give it a good spray in a purge cup every 20 mins or so of work.
To make a purge cup use any cup that will hold up the the chemicals your working with. Stretch a rubber glove over the cup and rubber band it in place. cut the middle finger off, jam some cotton balls in the thumb and poke some holes in it. While working you fill thinner in your airbrush cup stick it in the middle finger hole and spray. The thinner stays mostly in the cup and the aerosols get trapped in the thumb filter. It helps keep down the thinner vapor when you have to spray indoors.

 

[CustardBug]

That bubbling right there - I bet you its from the cup or between the cup and aperture. I bought this linked Airbrush Cleaning Kit It's cheap and works like a charm.
The different size pipe cleaning brushes work great to jam through the tubes. Also I keep thinner in the kit's squirty bottle - fill my cup and give it a good spray in a purge cup every 20 mins or so of work.
To make a purge cup use any cup that will hold up the the chemicals your working with. Stretch a rubber glove over the cup and rubber band it in place. cut the middle finger off, jam some cotton balls in the thumb and poke some holes in it. While working you fill thinner in your airbrush cup stick it in the middle finger hole and spray. The thinner stays mostly in the cup and the aerosols get trapped in the thumb filter. It helps keep down the thinner vapor when you have to spray indoors.

Thanks, i'm defiently buying some of those bendy wire brushes now.