On the other day a colleague asked me a series of questions about airbrushes: What an airbrush is?; Where can buy one?; How I'd clean it up?; What products I'd use?; if I'd disassemble all of it to clean it?; And how often I've used it in plastic model kit?
So, I realized I was conveying my maintenance method to him, which is actually the results of my research and personal experiences. By the way, experiences that were not always successful, - I can tell you more detailed stories in the future post.
Therefore, the next lines are dedicated to showing some clean up tips.
But I always like to emphasize, I'm not speaking as the whizz of airbrush, these are procedures that have helped me in my context. Please have in mind this and check if it fits for you, before applying them.
Before we start, let's talk about the airbrush I'm using: It's a double-action Fengda DB 130 model with a gravity paint cup (top part of the airbrush). This airbrush is very similar to the STEULA BC61 Professional Double Action Airbrush.
Note: For the single action and bottom cup airbrushes, you'll have to adapt some of the instructions below.
If you need change the color
Do I need to do a general cleaning procedure each time I change color? I mean, there is any problem using an airbrush with previous color ink?s The answer is "it depends", Light colors replace dark color and since your airbrush cup has no appreciate volume of paint. In this case, clean up may not be necessary. So, just discard the first few sprays and it should work.
After a work day
If you're doing a very precise job, you don't have the situation where the next color to be used is darker, or if you've just painted and will continue for another day, you should do the clean up.
Daily cleaning can be done very quickly and without major waste of material.
For this I use the following materials:
Dropper or pipette
cleaning cloth
Flexible cotton swab
Paint solvent
Airbrush washer or disposal container
Step 1 - Wash the cup (Color Cup)
If the cup still contains ink, when possible return it to the bottle, otherwise discard it in the disposal container.
With the pipette transfer the solvent (water for acrylic paint paint) to the airbrush cup. Then, with the pipette itself, wash the cup, squeezing and releasing the pipette, making a small rinse inside the cup. Be careful do not spill it, especially if are using organic solvent (thinner).
Step 2 - Cleaning the inside
Then I discard the mixture removing everything with the pipette and repeat once or twice until the rinsing result is very clear. Put some clean solvent in the cup and use the airbrush washer or disposable container to discard, pressing and releasing the airbrush trigger sequentially, this will clean the inside airbrush.
Step 3 - Needle Cleaning
Needle cleaning isn't something to be done all the time but, in my opinion, if you any a crazy airbrush user it's a good thing to do. This step could potentially damage your equipment and requires attentiveness. To do: 1) Remove the knob (Standard-Handle); 2) Loosen the adjustment screw (Needle Chucking Net); 3) Remove the needle. Now it can be cleaned with a cloth.
Note: A) If you do this procedure with the airbrush connected to the hose, make sure it doesn't fall off the table, I usually put an adhesive tape on the hose to fix it on the table, or put in the airbrush holder :). An eventual fall can damage the nozzle cap and that it can become a big problem, I've know this because I already :(
B) An special careful when handling the needle if's bended the it could permanently damage the equipment.
Step 4 - Cleaning the Nozzle Cap
Soak the flexible rod in the solvent, catching the airbrush pull the trigger back, without press it down. So it should not release the air. Just pull the needle in to clean the needle cap.
You'll notice that with the intensive use the nozzle cover will accumulate ink and over time if it is not cleaned it can interfere with the performance of the equipment.
Note: It is much easier to clean the nozzle with fresh paint.
Step 5 - Verification
Put a few drops of the solvent in the cup and do a test on the cleaning cloth, to see if all ink has come out.
You'll eventually notice a leftover ink left in the airbrush, this is due to the accumulation of ink on the Noodle Cap. In this case, add a little more solvent into the cup and repeat this step.
Note: Don't forget to clean the pipette by filling and releasing solvent with it, so you can use it for much longer.
Step 6 - Cleaning the outside
With the same cleaning cloth, clean the inside of the cup to remove any residue, as well as from the airbrush outside.
When you use paint it's easier to see where it needs to be cleaned on the outside, but with clear varnish it'll get more complicate. As a good tip. I've a routinely cleaned the outside even, using paint or varnish. It’ll drive you crazy to cleaning it off after dry.
In this sense, I always have the airbrush cleaned and ready to be used.
Note: On the market you can find very effective and specific products for airbrush cleaning.
These were the steps for a daily clean up, procedure next post we'll talk about the complete and deep procedure to clean up the airbrush.
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Images: Anderson Torres