Cleaning Airbrushes Using Acrylics

[ZemkeFan]

Thanks; much appreciated!
Couldn't help but notice your -109's
I'm a long-time fan of the type.
Just finished doing Kurt Gabler's G6 using the Eduard kit and decals.
What an awesome kit!! A bit finicky her and there but worth the exercise.
I'm hoping to have an article on it up in the next few weeks.

 

[herman1rg]

At least you're not here to ask for color pics for a model you're building..........

Color pics For a Model I'm Building

 

[Ralph Haus]

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.

If this is the John M. that was on the podcast Plastic Model Mojo (#30), then I would recommend a listen. Then go to the PMM announced John's website to get refreshed on what was said. I have also seen many YouTube presentations on cleaning. One that stood out was a simple strategy. Never let your brush run dry, waste paint if you have to. Dump the left over paint and add a splash of the paints recommended thinner in the cup and swash with a Q-tip. Then do a couple of water rinses, performing a backwash with each. Dump the water, don't try to spray it out. Finally add a bit of cleaner or thinner and spray the AB till clear of the thinner. I have tried this and after three or four color changes the needle is 95% clean. So a full breakdown is not needed every time with this. Also mentioned, John may have said this as well, but before filling the cup with paint, add a little thinner to the cup and spray it out. The logic is that the innards are now coated and the paint wont dry to the parts when first added.

 

[bdefen]

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.

Yes, Gunze Mr. Color. Looking forward to trying it.

 

[ZemkeFan]

If this is the John M. that was on the podcast Plastic Model Mojo (#30), then I would recommend a listen. Then go to the PMM announced John's website to get refreshed on what was said. I have also seen many YouTube presentations on cleaning. One that stood out was a simple strategy. Never let your brush run dry, waste paint if you have to. Dump the left over paint and add a splash of the paints recommended thinner in the cup and swash with a Q-tip. Then do a couple of water rinses, performing a backwash with each. Dump the water, don't try to spray it out. Finally add a bit of cleaner or thinner and spray the AB till clear of the thinner. I have tried this and after three or four color changes the needle is 95% clean. So a full breakdown is not needed every time with this. Also mentioned, John may have said this as well, but before filling the cup with paint, add a little thinner to the cup and spray it out. The logic is that the innards are now coated and the paint wont dry to the parts when first added.

Yup, that was me. Thanks for the kind words
I'll be on the Mojo podcast again in the next few weeks. They're real nice guys to work with.
With regards to the AB tips in your post, those are all great points, especially wetting the brush with thinner and never leting it run dry. I say in by AB classes "that hiss of air is the sound of paint drying to the inside of your brush." . That hits home with some guys.
Remember to do those two things and clean up is 100x easier.
If you're interested, here's a link to an article where I discuss the previous points as well as cleaning with 3-soaks.
I hope you find it helpful
Airbrushing Tips and Tricks – Volume 1: The Basics | Model Paint Solutions
Thanks for the comment,
--J

 

[ZemkeFan]

Yes, Gunze Mr. Color. Looking forward to trying it.

Thant's good stuff.
I dilute mine about 40:60 (paint:Gunze Leveling thinner).
In my experience, it's dry to the touch in a few hours and ready to handle after ~24.
G'luck!

 

[ZemkeFan]

At least you're not here to ask for color pics for a model you're building..........

Color pics For a Model I'm Building

Nope, that hadn't occurred to me but now that you mention it........
Just hoping to enjoy aviation and modeling with like-minded folks minus the snark I see too often on other forums.

 

[bdefen]

Thant's good stuff.
I dilute mine about 40:60 (paint:Gunze Leveling thinner).
In my experience, it's dry to the touch in a few hours and ready to handle after ~24.
G'luck!

Thanks very much.

 

[Colin L]

I have been using a home made mix on Tamiya acrylics, and Future (Klear, Pledge - what ever they call it now) for many years.
It's 1/3 Windex, 1/3 household ammonia cleaner, and 1/3 99% rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol. It has not harmed my 25 year old Aztek in the slightest (proof is- I'm still using a 25 year old Aztek!) After cleaning, I'll blow 1 airbrush cup of water through to flush everything out - still going strong!

 

[modelmaster2001]

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.

Thanks John - This was very useful information. I will let you know how your procedures work out for me. Ed N.

 

[Casor]

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?

Some good advice above but I also recommend an ultra sonic cleaner periodically. It's amazing how much comes off. I have found that lacquer thinner removes many of the acrylics from the airbrush internals.

 

[Builder 2010]

I use water with a little wetting agent, then IPA if tamiya, and that is okay for routine cleanings. I use Windex occasionally with non-Tamiya acrylics. Then I used MEK to literally dissolve all the hardened acrylic. I spray the solvent through a soda straw that's hot-glued into the side of a polypropylene 1/2 gallon (2 liter) juice bottle. The bottle has is filled with water that submerges the straw and has a cloth filter elastic-banded on the open top that acts as a pseudo-filter. The water absorbs most of the solvent and very little vapor exits through the filter. The MEK (acetone will work also) is used about every third cleaning. Then every so often I take the gun apart and throw the pieces into the ultrasonic cleaner which does a number of any acrylic that's still trapped in the gun.

WARNING!!!! Chinese airbrushes use O-rings for the needle seals. MEK or acetone EATS THEM rendering the airbrush useless. I bought a set of these a couple of years ago and even though they were cheap and aesthetically looked pretty good, THEY WERE USELESS! In a short while, they clogged and when I used the harsher solvents on them, the o-rings went south and that was the end of that. I have a 40 year-old Badger 150 which was rebuilt by them for free about 6 years ago. They have a lifetime guarantee. And I replaced the Chinese guns with a Badger top feed finalize 200. All Badgers use teflon seals which are unaffected by any solvent you're going to use.

Another advantage of getting a high quality airbrush. Every part on the Badger is available as a repair part. After disassembling my gun the other day, I found that the trigger was badly deformed from a drop that I didn't realize had done damage. I also found the air valve was getting dubious. I bought replacement parts for plus some new seals.