Cleaning the Airbrush Fluid Nozzle
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 มิ.ย. 2022
- A fast and easy method for cleaning a two-piece fluid nozzle in a gravity fed airbrush.
Iwata HP-CS Eclipse amzn.to/31Up4ym
Createx Restorer amzn.to/3N3Qdp4
4020 Automotive Reducer amzn.to/3lYWlmG
Isopropyl Alcohol amzn.to/3PTfSlW
Dental Brush amzn.to/3lUVlj9
Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the products mentioned in my videos. I promote products that I use personally because they work. Links listed above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
#iwata #airbrush - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Dude this was very helpful thanks so much for taking the time to teach us that! I didn’t know where to start today, I was afraid I would damage the nossle.
That was extremely helpful! Thank you. Unblocked my airbrush’s nozzle and it’s spraying perfectly again!
Awesome!
Very useful, Trevor. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Thank you!
Hi Trevor... yep have done what you just suggested 👍 for a quick fix 👍 before a good cleaning...l also love my eclipse ❤ have 2 to use, when I'm doing different colors...with out cleaning and changing colors...Thanks so much for your help & time 😊
Hey Rich! I agree, I absolutely love my Eclipse airbrushes as well (I think I own three currently, but it might be more :)
A very clear and precise video, thank you 👍😷👍🏴
Thank you, my friend!
I was today year's old when I learned I can unscrew the nozzle tip! Thank you for the great video!
🙂You're welcome! I'm glad you found the information helpful! Thank you for watching and taking the time to leave a comment!
Very helpful video, thanks for sharing. 👍
Thank you!
Well Done!!!
Thank you!
Thank you so much I airbrush canvas and I was having issues and your method solved it ! Thank you Jedi airbrush master!
Awesome! I'm glad you found the content helpful! Thank you for watching and taking the time to leave a comment!
@@wickedartstudio and thank you my friend for answering me ! That shows you care about your fans ! And your students who watch you! And that’s really cool ! I just did the border and tonight I’m gonna render VALEK ! So we will see ! Lol
great tutorial! :)
Thank you!
Excellent video Trevor.
When I am spraying and my tip builds up, I discovered that the little ‘straws’ that come with chain lube or WD40 work great for cleaning the buildup of paint on the exposed part of the needle. Place the ‘straw’ hole over the needle and give it a few jiggles an poof, all clean.
I never would've thought to try that. Thanks for sharing!
@@wickedartstudio thank you. You have answered so many of my questions and shared so much knowledge…… especially for the real fire videos. We share the knowledge and the hints.
I found the Teflon needle packing holds a lot of dried paint that can flake off & block the fluid nozzle
I completely agree with this. The channel from the cup to the Teflon gasket should be as short as possible, please watch video 2:55
Also, almost all airbrushes have many unnecessary design things that only make paint build up more easily and stick. An airbrush should be as smooth as possible everywhere inside and outside.
I agree. I've found it helps if you apply a light coat of airbrush or spray gun lube on the needle packing seal prior to reinstalling it. That seems to work for a while. The downside is, I rarely tear my brushes down that far.
@@wickedartstudio Just came across your video, and love it! Well done! Do you have a video showing you putting the lube on the needle packing? Also, does the lube get into the paint when you do that? I custom paint with lacquer paints, and just wondering if there would be a reaction, or if the lube doesn’t affect it.
@@scottrados9413 Hey Scott! I appreciate the kind words! I don't have a video showing that, but the easiest way to do it without taking your brush apart is to apply a light coating of lube on the tip of the airbrush needle (about the first 1/3 of the needle) before you reinsert it back in the brush. Some of the lube will transfer to the packing seal as the needle glides through it. The lube will not affect your paint provided you are using an airbrush or spray gun specific gun lubricant. A little goes a long way. It doesn't need much.
How do you clean the channel between the packing and the cup without a full disassembly and a soak?
I have a few things like long reach dental brushes that can get in the in the channel, and always get in there with some lacquer thinner and acetone right after spraying certainly paints that like to creep backwards (and stick to the AB), however I never know how far back is too far, or how much paint I am cleaning out, and I always feel like I am missing some gunk
Hi Johnny! In short, I don't. If the needle channel between the cup and the needle packing seal needs to be cleaned, I completely disassemble the brush and soak the parts in an ultrasonic cleaner. The distance between the front of a brush (with the nozzle cap and nozzle removed) and the needle packing seal will vary somewhat between different airbrushes. It's about one inch of space on my cutaway Iwata Eclipse. You can see the cutaway in this video th-cam.com/video/jx2KwFiCmHw/w-d-xo.html
There are probably tools that will allow you to reach that far; however, you also risk pushing dried or residual paint further back against the needle packing seal if you don't remove it as well. If you do remove the needle packing seal and do the same thing, there's still a chance of leaving residual paint in the threads where the packing seal lives because it's a much larger space. Using lacquer thinner and acetone will also deteriorate the O-rings in the trigger assembly. You're more likely to get residual cleaning solutions into the trigger assembly by pushing the solution through the front of the brush with the packing seal removed... just something to be aware of.
The free space around the needle in the chamber between the packing seal and the gravity feed cup is minimal. There's basically just enough room for the needle to pass through. So, it's unlikely that any residual paint that works its way into that chamber is going to cause any issues when operating your brush. It can cause your needle to be "glued" in place if you allow the residual paint in that chamber to dry with the needle inserted. For that reason, I store my brushes wet in a stand at the end of the day, meaning I leave cleaning solution in the gravity feed cup (about halfway up) once the brush has been cleaned. Just be sure your stand aims your brush slightly downward to prevent the solution from creeping back into the trigger assembly. Let gravity work for you. Does that make sense?
If I will be storing one of my brushes, I will disassemble most of it and clean it thoroughly. I then allow all of the parts to air dry overnight while disassembled in the event there is any residual paint left within. The following day, I reassemble the brush and put it away. That will prevent the needle from getting stuck due to any residual paint I might have missed that has had time to dry. For what it's worth, I completely disassemble a brush and clean it in the ultrasonic cleaner only once or twice a year. They just don't require that thorough of a cleaning very often (and I use my brushes daily).
So, don't worry so much about missing some gunk until you notice a performance issue with the brush. Then it's probably time to take things apart for a more thorough cleaning.
Thanks for this wonderful information. Do you recommend using an ultrasonic cleaner to clean airbrush components? Thanks
Great question! I used to use an ultrasonic cleaner about once a year or every other year to thoroughly clean the airbrushes I use on a daily basis. I've gotten away from that. Don't get me wrong, an ultrasonic cleaner does a very good job when it comes to really cleaning your brush. The downside is I don't recommend soaking any of the O-rings in whatever cleaning solution you choose to use in the ultrasonic cleaner. In order to remove all of the O-rings, the brush needs to be completely disassembled, including the air valve assembly under the trigger. All of that takes time and I've found the only parts that generally really need a thorough cleaning after a lot of use are the fluid nozzle and maybe the needle packing screw. I spend a lot less time removing those parts compared to disassembling the entire brush. Allowing those parts to soak in Createx Restorer or some other cleaning solution for fifteen to thirty minutes usually does the trick and I'm back to work. I hope that helps!
Hey mate very clear and concise video. I have a sparmax double action gravity fed airbrush. When i press triger to get air i am also getting paint coming through. Have cleaned airbrush, cleaned nozle, still same problem. What is causing this? Many thanks
My first guess would be the fluid nozzle is either damaged or not clean enough. Paint dries and builds up over time on the inner walls of the fluid nozzle due to general use of the brush. That paint film will continue to build with more time and use until it reaches a point that affects the operation of the airbrush in a negative way. In your case, the likely issue is the paint build on the interior of the fluid nozzle has become thick enough that the tip of the needle can no longer seat against the end of the fluid nozzle properly (creating a seal that doesn't allow paint to flow until the trigger is rocked back). The fluid nozzle needs to be removed and soaked in whatever solvent is needed to soften the dried paint you choose to use. This may take 15 minutes; it may need to soak overnight. After soaking the fluid nozzle, I prefer to use the airbrush needle to gently scrape the inside walls of the fluid nozzle and push any softened dried paint out. I use the word gently because the tip of the fluid nozzle is very delicate and easily damaged. Using too much force to push the tip of the needle through the fluid nozzle can split the nozzle and/or distort the opening of the nozzle. If the tip of the nozzle is oblong rather than round, you will have the same issue. I hope that makes sense and helps you out!
First time I've cleaned my airbrush I dropped the nozzle. Twice. Was lucky to find it though, but it is crazingly microscopic for my eye
I can relate. I've dropped the nozzle numerous times over the years. I have managed to find it most of the time. There are a few still floating around in the studio and the shop though.
Learned some things with thos one trevor...one is, I haven't cleaned my brushes nearly as well as I thought ;) secondly, do u ever apply vaseline to your threads? I was told to do this years ago and admit I dont do it as frequently as I should but it does help preventing your parts from not wanting to unthread.
Hey Thomas! I've never used Vaseline on the threads, and I wouldn't recommend it. That stuff is a pain to wash off and it gets all over everything. I also suspect Vaseline could cause some adhesion or delamination issues in an automotive environment. I do use and recommend either Beeswax or chap stick. I've used both for years and have never had any issues. I don't lubricate the threads for ease of disassembly though. For that purpose, I would recommend just a drop of a spray gun or airbrush lube. I only use Beeswax or chap stick to seal the threads when I have an air leak. With use over time, as well as disassembling a brush many times over the years in order to clean it, the original seal created by those threaded parts degrades which can cause an air leak. A very small air leak will cause some very erratic performance. When one of my airbrushes reaches that point, then I will reseal the threads with Beeswax or chap stick every time I put the brush back together. It doesn't take very much either, a tiny dab with the blunt end of the needle is all I use.
When I dissasemble my airbrushes , I always use my Iiwata cleaning matt/tray, no more tiny parts finding their way to the floor .
That is a good habit to have!
My Fluid Nozellewont titan up what's going on with it can uoy help please Mishi from Australia
Hi Mishi! What airbrush do you have?
Hi Trevor.. I know I asked many questions but I learn from what you say.. can you recommend a airbrush that is good for pearls..preferably under $200.. and I love my eclipse..I got a friend that also paints lures.. he has a bucket of old eclipse airbrushes.. I am able to get a few of them. He says it's the O rings that are bad.. how hard is it to change them out? Is it worth rebuilding? Is there a place I can send them to to get rebuilt?
Hey Eric! I don't mind the questions my friend. Pearl and metallic colors are tough with an airbrush. My first recommendation, and what would ultimately be the least expensive option in your case, would be to order a fluid nozzle and needle for the Iwata Revolution siphon fed airbrush. The needle and nozzle from the Revolution are interchangeable with the fluid nozzle and needle currently in your Eclipse. The Eclipse is a 0.35mm. The Revolution is a 0.5mm. A 0.5mm still isn't ideal for spraying pearl, but it does work better than the 0.35. A better solution would be to buy a new brush. I highly recommend the Grex Tritium Micro Spray Gun Set with 0.7mm nozzle. To my knowledge, that is the biggest needle/nozzle set you can currently get in an airbrush. The price is a little more than two hundred dollars though. The next step up would be a mini spray gun with a 1.0mm nozzle or bigger. You can find the Grex here spraygunner.com/grex-tritium-tg-micro-spray-gun-set-with-0-7mm-nozzle/?aff=5
You can send your Iwata airbrush directly to Iwata in Portland Oregon, and they will rebuild/refresh your airbrush for you.
hey i used trident water based airbrush paint .. my question is that how often do i need to dismantle the front part of the airbrush to clean the nozzle , i nearly destroyed my h&s infinity cuz i dismantle the head assemble to clean nozzle after every use .. recently i decided not to do that and just wipe the needle and clean the color cup and spray plenty of cleaner untill i see clean spray coming
It's not necessary to completely dismantle the front of your brush in order to clean it after every use. As you've found out, you're putting yourself at a greater risk of damaging parts when they are taken apart on a regular basis (the Infinity is more delicate compared to others). The method of cleaning I use most of the time is exactly what you wrote, I remove the needle from the back of the brush and wipe it down, I make sure the color cup is clean and spray water through it a couple of times. When you reach a point where the nozzle needs to be cleaned it's relatively easy to tell. When you're spraying water, or whatever cleaning solution you choose to use through your airbrush for normal cleaning, pay attention to the cone shape and the amount of liquid atomizing as it exits the brush. Dried paint will gradually begin to stick and build a film on the inside of the fluid nozzle through normal use. When it reaches a point that affects the operation of the brush, the amount of water or cleaning solution being sprayed out of the brush will decrease. Another way to tell is you'll likely notice it takes longer to empty the contents of the color cup when you haven't changed the air pressure setting. I generally take my airbrushes apart for a full cleaning only two to three times in a year. I hope that helps...
@@wickedartstudio thank you very much for replying , i will make my airbrushing experience better cuz now i can spend more time painting than being a airbrush mechanic 😜
@@imrozgill9711 I'm glad to help!
Hi folks. Some advice from a gear head who went from fixing finicky two stroke chainsaw engines to scale model building: do NOT use regular paper towels regularly to clean any part that involves fuel intake,or in this case paint intake into the nozzle and on to anything, because it leaves residual paper pieces small enough not to see but large enough to clog your airbrush and ruin the mixture in the cup and ruin the finish on your model. Use the blue shop towels you can buy an automotive store. Why do you think they sell them there? Same principle. Why gum up something you just tried to clean, or mess up your finishes over time. Not the end of the world and most modelers won’t care, but this is one of the principles that is translatable from auto, or small engine repair to airbrushing and modeling
Thank you for sharing!