Cleaning Airbrushes Using Acrylics

[modelmaster2001]

I have been a long time modeler using Model Master enamels. Mode Master enamels are being phased put much to my demise. Thus I must shift to acrylics. I have begun researching the use of acrylics, particularly cleaning techniques. Could any of you give me some best practice hints?

 

[Crimea_River]

Depends on the maker as they all have their own formulations. I use Tamiya and they work well with IPA but Vallejo doesn't. I think you have to decide on your brand first and then pick a cleaner for it.

This is a good guide: Airbrushing Tips 'n Tricks v4: Airbrush Cleaners–Suggestions for Getting the Gunk Out | Model Paint Solutions

 

[fubar57]

I bought this to clean Vallejo Paint from my airbrush as the IPA I use for most other acrylics turns Vallejo into a nice gooey goo https://www.vms-supplies.com/pro-technicals-picker

​

Apparently its good for other brands as well

Green "Acryl" icon denotes a product suited to work with water-based acrylic paints. They come in plastic dropper bottles and glass jars. This product is compatible with acrylics by Vallejo®, Humbrol®, Tamiya®, Revell®, Model Master®, Italeri® Gunze® (only H series), Pactra® and equivalents. Not suited for solvent-based acrylics (Gunze® C series) and enamels!

 

[fubar57]

Here's another one I may try....Internet Modeler Ultimate Airbrush Cleaner and Thinner
Site link...Ultimate Modelling Products

 

[bdefen]

Any thought on using Windex?

 

[fubar57]

I've read the ammonia is bad for the AB.....I've read it has no affect on the AB

 

[bdefen]

I've read the ammonia is bad for the AB.....I've read it has no affect on the AB

View attachment 615206​

I've used it without any problems "that I know of". "that I know of" being the operative word. I dilute mine 50-50 with water.

 

[ZemkeFan]

I've read the ammonia is bad for the AB.....I've read it has no affect on the AB

View attachment 615206​

Hey Guys,
First time here and I love this site
Full disclosure, I'm the guy behind Model Paint Solutions and the AB cleaning article previously mentioned.
The turning coin is an apt pic for this discussion. I will try and be succinct but that's not easy with this subject.
I've gotten into trouble before by answering this question bluntly and honestly and the most outraged emails usually come from AB distributors and/or Reps. In addition, the complete answer is nuanced and social media prefers sound-bites of yes/no, black/white. Okay, here we go:

Windex can be used without harming the finish (and this is really the important point)----IF IT IS NEVER ALLOWED TO DRY IN THE AIRBRUSH!! There is a caveat to this so please keep reading. Electroplating is affected as the ammonia in the Windex dries. So, if you remember to rinse the Windex out (fanatically) as part of your cleaning routine, it won't hurt your brush. Now here's the caveat, some AB brands have better plating than others. Not all AB's are created equal. That being the case, the brands with good plating resist corrosion better than those that don't. Being an AB junkie from an early age, I've owned most (all?) of the major brands of AB over the last 40 years and, most importantly, I regularly repair H-S, Iwata, Skybow, Higher-end Iwata Knock-offs, Grex, Paasche, Badger, and the occasional Thayer&Chandler as part of the AB services offered on MPS. I see what these brushes look like after years of use and if I've worked on your brush, you know that I regularly ask about the type of paints and cleaning routines used via email exchanges before beginning a rebuild. I've also witnessed the effects of long-term Windex use on my own brushes and it's a mixed bag.

Bottom line:
1) Brushes like H-S, Iwata, and some of the higher-end knock-offs withstand Windex well enough that the occasional lapse of memory leading to Windex being left in the cup to dry, doesn't lead to a loss in plating. Now, do that every day and yes, you'll start loosing plating no matter what AB brand you're using.
2) Brushes like Badger, Paasche, and Grex and most of the lower-end knock-offs, don't withstand exposure to Windex as well. I say this based on repairing them and owning them. This means that with those brushes you have to be more careful to rinse out the Windex during the cleaning routine as it only takes a couple missteps to start loosing plating.

NOTE: A final 5 minute soak in water or your favourite acrylic thinner as the last step of your cleaning routine should be sufficient to remove residual Windex. Note that I suggest a 5 Minute SOAK. It takes time for the last rinse of water/thinner to permeate the threads and crevices of the brush and displace residual ammonia. The very last step I use with my brushes is a 5' soak in Tamiya Airbrush Cleaner (Square bottle/Pink Top); good stuff.

Since, for some brushes, you have to be more careful when using Windex for cleaning, it's important to balance that with the upside of why it's an efficient cleaner. Many acrylic paints utilize thinners that are either alcohol- and/or ammonia-based. That being the case, a combination of Windex and IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol; the highest percent you can get from the grocery store/pharmacy) mixed at a ratio of 1:1 (50% Windex/50% Alcohol) is a very efficient cleaner for most acrylic paints even when the paint has dried. It is also very cheap Vs the "Airbrush Cleaners" made by the big manufacturers and, with careful use and that final soak/rinse, can be used for many years in most brushes with no issues.

Sorry for the long response but as I said in the opening, the complete answer requires some nuance.
I hope that helps.

Cheers!
--John M.

 

[herman1rg]

Great info, Welcome and Bacon

 

[ZemkeFan]

Great info, Welcome and Bacon

Thanks!
I'm new, but guessing "Bacon" is good right
I really like the site, content, and exchanges.
You folks are more mannerly than some of the FB crowd can be and that's refreshing

 

[herman1rg]

Thanks!
I'm new, but guessing "Bacon" is good right
I really like the site, content, and exchanges.
You folks are more mannerly than some of the FB crowd can be and that's refreshing

Bacon is indeed very good

 

[herman1rg]

Why bacon is the most important food that has ever existed...

 

[Crimea_River]

Many thanks for this John. That does help clear up some things.

I go back to my H&S operating instructions from the manufacturer which specifically say not to use ammonia based cleaners. I never thought that this might affect the electroplating but rather, because my H&S nozzle has a vinyl (?) seal on it, that the seal being damaged was the issue. Is there any assurance that ammonia does not affect this seal?

I also have an Iwata brush that I thought was better suited given that all of the wetted parts are metal.

 

[ZemkeFan]

Many thanks for this John. That does help clear up some things.

I go back to my H&S operating instructions from the manufacturer which specifically say not to use ammonia based cleaners. I never thought that this might affect the electroplating but rather, because my H&S nozzle has a vinyl (?) seal on it, that the seal being damaged was the issue. Is there any assurance that ammonia does not affect this seal?

View attachment 615885

I also have an Iwata brush that I thought was better suited given that all of the wetted parts are metal.

Yup--I understand why manufactures warn about using ammonia-containing products, given that it can happen with any brush if it's exposed to Windex et al, and not rinsed enough times. It's not if but when, unless, you take the time to soak/rinse to get it out. As far as the effects on the nozzle seals, I've not seen any correlation with Windex use and corrosion. I have seen these wear quickly with exposure to PPG/Duracryl bu that's it. As I'm sure you know, the nozzle seals pop off with a little help and can be easily replaced. They come in bags of three for less than $8 or so; good to keep some in your kit bag.

 

[Crimea_River]

Actually I didn't know that. I'm a newbie to H&S.

 

[ZemkeFan]

Actually I didn't know that. I'm a newbie to H&S.

Actually I didn't know that. I'm a newbie to H&S.

Yea, there real easy to remove using an XActo blade with good light and mags.
The new seal simply pushes onto the nozzle and is held by a friction-fit.
Let me know if you have any other H-S questions; glad to help

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks John. Loving it so far.

 

[bdefen]

Hey Guys,
First time here and I love this site
Full disclosure, I'm the guy behind Model Paint Solutions and the AB cleaning article previously mentioned.
The turning coin is an apt pic for this discussion. I will try and be succinct but that's not easy with this subject.
I've gotten into trouble before by answering this question bluntly and honestly and the most outraged emails usually come from AB distributors and/or Reps. In addition, the complete answer is nuanced and social media prefers sound-bites of yes/no, black/white. Okay, here we go:

Windex can be used without harming the finish (and this is really the important point)----IF IT IS NEVER ALLOWED TO DRY IN THE AIRBRUSH!! There is a caveat to this so please keep reading. Electroplating is affected as the ammonia in the Windex dries. So, if you remember to rinse the Windex out (fanatically) as part of your cleaning routine, it won't hurt your brush. Now here's the caveat, some AB brands have better plating than others. Not all AB's are created equal. That being the case, the brands with good plating resist corrosion better than those that don't. Being an AB junkie from an early age, I've owned most (all?) of the major brands of AB over the last 40 years and, most importantly, I regularly repair H-S, Iwata, Skybow, Higher-end Iwata Knock-offs, Grex, Paasche, Badger, and the occasional Thayer&Chandler as part of the AB services offered on MPS. I see what these brushes look like after years of use and if I've worked on your brush, you know that I regularly ask about the type of paints and cleaning routines used via email exchanges before beginning a rebuild. I've also witnessed the effects of long-term Windex use on my own brushes and it's a mixed bag.

Bottom line:
1) Brushes like H-S, Iwata, and some of the higher-end knock-offs withstand Windex well enough that the occasional lapse of memory leading to Windex being left in the cup to dry, doesn't lead to a loss in plating. Now, do that every day and yes, you'll start loosing plating no matter what AB brand you're using.
2) Brushes like Badger, Paasche, and Grex and most of the lower-end knock-offs, don't withstand exposure to Windex as well. I say this based on repairing them and owning them. This means that with those brushes you have to be more careful to rinse out the Windex during the cleaning routine as it only takes a couple missteps to start loosing plating.

NOTE: A final 5 minute soak in water or your favourite acrylic thinner as the last step of your cleaning routine should be sufficient to remove residual Windex. Note that I suggest a 5 Minute SOAK. It takes time for the last rinse of water/thinner to permeate the threads and crevices of the brush and displace residual ammonia. The very last step I use with my brushes is a 5' soak in Tamiya Airbrush Cleaner (Square bottle/Pink Top); good stuff.

Since, for some brushes, you have to be more careful when using Windex for cleaning, it's important to balance that with the upside of why it's an efficient cleaner. Many acrylic paints utilize thinners that are either alcohol- and/or ammonia-based. That being the case, a combination of Windex and IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol; the highest percent you can get from the grocery store/pharmacy) mixed at a ratio of 1:1 (50% Windex/50% Alcohol) is a very efficient cleaner for most acrylic paints even when the paint has dried. It is also very cheap Vs the "Airbrush Cleaners" made by the big manufacturers and, with careful use and that final soak/rinse, can be used for many years in most brushes with no issues.

Sorry for the long response but as I said in the opening, the complete answer requires some nuance.
I hope that helps.

Cheers!
--John M.

Thank you for the detailed Windex warning. I have a Badger 105. I've only used acrylics in the two years I've owned it. I use the 50-50 Windex/water mix for cleaning when spraying Vallejo paints. Fill the cup, swab in out a bit with a soft paint brush, spray it out, nozzle and blocked nozzle. Refill with Windex mix and repeat., While I have not done the five-minute soak, but I do spray 2 or 3 AB cups of water through it to rinse afterwards. Out the nozzle, and then blocking the nozzle, out the cup. With Tamiya paints, I use Tamiya acrylic thinner and/or 90% isopropyl alcohol, and the same water rinsing procedure. When done painting, after cleaning, I unplug the compressor and spray the entire air tank through the AB. Then air-dry for a day before replacing the caps and storing.

I'll be using some Mr. Color aluminum finish lacquer for a P51D later this spring or summer, when I can completely open my studio (garage) for good ventilation. Hoping the Mr. Color thinner is a good cleaner.

I will try the Windex/alcohol mix. Thank you very much!!

 

[ZemkeFan]

Thank you for the detailed Windex warning. I have a Badger 105. I've only used acrylics in the two years I've owned it. I use the 50-50 Windex/water mix for cleaning when spraying Vallejo paints. Fill the cup, swab in out a bit with a soft paint brush, spray it out, nozzle and blocked nozzle. Refill with Windex mix and repeat., While I have not done the five-minute soak, but I do spray 2 or 3 AB cups of water through it to rinse afterwards. Out the nozzle, and then blocking the nozzle, out the cup. With Tamiya paints, I use Tamiya acrylic thinner and/or 90% isopropyl alcohol, and the same water rinsing procedure. When done painting, after cleaning, I unplug the compressor and spray the entire air tank through the AB. Then air-dry for a day before replacing the caps and storing.

I'll be using some Mr. Color aluminum finish lacquer for a P51D later this spring or summer, when I can completely open my studio (garage) for good ventilation. Hoping the Mr. Color thinner is a good cleaner.

I will try the Windex/alcohol mix. Thank you very much!!

That sounds like a really good cleaning routine.
Are you referring to Gunze Mr. Color?
If so, I think you'll find they shoot very nice when diluted with their "Leveling Thinner" and they clean real easy
Thanks for the comment.

 

[Airframes]

Good info John, and welcome to the happy band.