Model tips, How to clean your airbrush after Enamel & Acrylic paint use

[JKDspirit]

Hi dude...I want to use humbrol enamel paints...could I use white spirit to thin it? or should I use humbrol paint thinner? someone said if i use white spirit with it the plastic will melt?

[spidiq8]

@JKDspirit It won't melt the plastic if you thin with white spirits, you're better sticking with proper enamel thinner from Humbrol though, always stick with the proprietary thinner for the brand to be on the safe side, you'll guarantee no odd effects.

[piokz25]

hi i have a Q.how many time do you clean your airbrush?is it every after the job is done?

[spidiq8]

@piokz25 I thoroughly clean like this after every session. The end of a session is when i'm done painting for that day, or for a good few hours, say breaking for lunch/errands, during a session i may spray 3 to5 colours, i always start with the lightest and work to the darkest and flush between colour changes with thinners till it flows clean, the only exception is metallics, i clean before changing to a solid colour as metalflake can remain. Process takes 15-20 min max, typically 10min

[magmawave]

Very very helpfull.Thank you so so much.

[spidiq8]

@magmawave Glad to be of help, you're welcome.

[atchoy2]

thank you very much now i should go buy lacquer thinner for the cleaning

[atchoy2]

is that a thinner bcuz i cant really hear ur voice to my netbook u have very tiny little voice

[spidiq8]

@atchoy2 Sorry the sound is a bit quiet. If you plug in earphones that would help, most notebook speakers suck. That's Turpentine substitute, you can also use White spirit for cleaning, likewise, enamel thinners though I reserve this specifically for thinning. This relates to enamel paints, to clean after Acrylic you need IPA or ammonia solution and cellulose, (lacquer), you need lacquer thinners.

[aldipragantha]

thank you so goddamn much

I spent half a day just to clean up my made in chinese airbrush, but still dirty

until i found this video

[spidiq8]

@aldipragantha You're very welcome, glad you found it useful. If theres any residue left thats hardened before you got the chance to fully clean it strip the seals off and clean in cellulose thinners, use a 0.6 interdental brush dipped in thinners to clean the emulsion tube that runs from the cup to the nozzle, the hardest bit to clean thoroughly.

[EndoCloudz]

Perfect video, no need to watch any other ones

[spidiq8]

@EndoCloudz Thanks, glad you found it useful, in addition to the routine on the video i now clean the emulsion tube with interdental brushes, cheap tesco own brand, 0.6mm and each brush lasts a good while and even withstands cellulose.

[acidraw84]

Very helpful, I'm very new to using an airbrush and have been wondering how I would clean it.

[InstantUsername]

Did this guy mention ammonious solution, as if containing ammonia?

I just heard yesterday in some youtube video, that ammonia supposedly will damage anything made of brass in the airbrush. Maybe someone knowledgable can confirm this.

[spidiq8]

@InstantUsername No, i mentioned, AMMONIA solution, as in a diluted ammonia / water solution, other modellers use US windex, (which contains ammonia), or Car supplies stores windscreen wash, (which contains ammonia), lots of AB artists use this to create their own reducer/thinner for Acrylic paint.

I have yet to see any evidence of damage to brass parts in my brushes or in anyone elses brush, I know some who exclusively use acryl, clean with ammonia and have been using the same AB for years.

[spidiq8]

@spidiq8 Just to expland on that. It's a weak solution containing 6% ammonia to water, use household ammonia which can be gotten from chemists or hardware stores and is traditionally used for cleaning many things in kitchens.

[Legodude5991]

Brilliant tutorial just ordered the same airbrush as that cant wait :)!

[coffers88]

thanks for that... very simple and easy to follow

[Elements153]

nice video.. but speak a little louder next time please because it was hard to hear what you were saying

[danafutrell]

very good vid,  thanks a bunch

[spidiq8]

@danafutrell You're welcome

[spidiq8]

@Collector3595 In a manner of speaking.

I don't know if they're all the same, mines a cheap ebay Iwata style, but it came with a bifold sheet showing the stripped component parts so you can see how it's assembled and to order parts should you need them, but no manual in the sense of, this is how you clean it.

[ariels36]

Thanks for the tutorial! Last week I got the same airbrush for just 12$. I haven't been able to use it, How good is it? On one of the previous comments you tell someone that you bended the needle and replace it, where did you got the replacement? Did you bought and iwata needle? Thanks again.

[spidiq8]

@ariels36 No, take note, Iwata needles WILL NOT FIT, they're physically thicker than the needles for these, I got some originally which is how I know. If you search ebay you'll find sellers offering needle and nozzle sets for about £7, ($10) approx

[ariels36]

@spidiq8 Thank You for the info. I just check and found it.

[vogelbekdier97]

@spidiq8 hi, i bought an airbrush And it has a detachable jar instead of a tub, that's very unhandy. It gets very dirty and it leaks. I want to buy a new one, which airbrush do you recommend? I don't want to use a compressor yet. Another question; how do you mix the paint and the thinner? I know it has to be 50-50 % but i won't get the right mixture. I sprayed airplane wings today but it was too thin so the air blew the paint away, very ugly. Thank you!

[spidiq8]

@vogelbekdier97 Any dual action gravity feed one would be OK based on your current one, you can get a basic one on ebay for £10-£20, a very good one like an Iwata BR / CR, for just under £100 but the cheap ones are pretty good, mine in the video above came in the kit and is about £15 worth and has performed well. I'd recommend you do get a compressor, air cans are too inconsistent in delivery / pressure, re thinning, add thinner to paint to milk consistency, make sure your pressures not too high

[quad1000]

Nothing to dislike...nice basic tutorial. Well done.

[venomDgamer]

Do u paint models like cars or aircraft

[spidiq8]

@venomDgamer Yes, I build model kits, Cars, Motorbikes and Aeroplanes, (WWII warplanes), mainly but will have a go at anything.

[Trucker340]

Great vid, thanks for this, have just bought my 1st compressor and airbrush, am very nervous about using it for the 1st time.

[spidiq8]

@Trucker340 No problem, glad to help, if you've never used one before set it up and load with water and practise spraying into a pot or the sink to get a 'feel' for the settings and what happens with the controllable paint flow. Once happy with that try some water based ink or paint and practise on some scrap card or paper, then mess about with consistency to get a 'feel' for how you need to thin the paint in future. once happy move on to other paints and practise on scrap plastic etc.

[rurudtsafg]

I wish I saw this video before I went and tried cleaning it meself.....

[spidiq8]

@rurudtsafg As long as you didn't do anything drastic it's all recoverable, we all have to learn from somewhere, this process is a combination of bits i do and a lot that was taken from Geoff Illsleys excellent DVD on airbrushing., (Drawing the needle through the front to prevent dragging paint through the seal for example)

[paintballbmx19]

is that a master g22

[spidiq8]

@paintballbmx19 It's a chinese made Iwata clone type is all I can tell you, I got it along with a syphon feed brush with my mini compressor if that's any help, looking at google images it looks the same design.

[paintballbmx19]

@spidiq8 k cuz i had a mster g22 it broke after a week so i bought one from harbor frieght and is working very well so im just going to get those in stead of expencive ones cuz the harbor frieght one cost 15 dloors so they are really worth it

[spidiq8]

@paintballbmx19 It's a cheap unit certainly, I've seen brushes the same from the same place for £15 - £20, (about $12?)

For a cheap one it's been really good, i've bent a needle once, but my fault, replaced that and it's been good generally, even used it for spraying Lacquer based stuff (alclad), with the rubber seal off the nozzle, (it has a teflon internal seal)

[paintballbmx19]

@spidiq8 thanks