Cleaning fluid for Tamiya paints

[pinehilljoe]

I havent used the Tamiya acrylics. what is the cleaning fluid people use?

 

[fubar57]

This is just me and its probably over-kill. I'm using the small paint cup on an Aztek A470. Half full of Windex which I shoot and then clean the cup. Full cup of water next. Half cup of Windex. Full cup of water. Half cup of IPA. Full cup of water. Done. In between, I take the nozzle off and use Q-tips dipped in lacquer thinner to clean it and the inside of the airbrush

 

[pinehilljoe]

In between the windex flushes or inbetween paint colors?

 

[Crimea_River]

Pretty much the same for me but I skip the IPA. Lacquer thinner cleaning after every project, not after every mix.

 

[fubar57]

I don't think I've used different colours during the same day. I've only been using an AB for a few years and haven't quite figured out how much paint to use for small jobs without waste. Living 4 hours from the nearest paint source makes one paint frugal.

 

[Crimea_River]

Geo, it's a matter of finding a small cup to pre-measure your mix. I found a plastic lid from an atomizer bottle that was a bit bigger than a thimble and this worked well, until I found that it was hard to clean and it's now gummed up. There are those 1 ounce plastic cups but they're too big in my opinion.

 

[mikewint]

paint to use for small jobs without waste

Geo, the Aztek siphon feed has two bottle sizes and depending upon whose paint you use either the small or large cap fits perfectly onto the stock paint bottle. Small cap fits the 7.4 mL Testor's bottles perfectly. You do have to thin the stock paint, of course, so if I'm going to spray AND paint with a brush I'll buy two jars of the same color, thin one and mark with an AB. You still have the cap and siphon hose to clean but that does not amount to much waste.

cleaning fluid people use?

You don't say what you are spraying, Acrylics, Enamel, or Lacquer. Acrylics are the easiest.
Acrylics: If you are going to use Windex be careful NOT to use the Ammonia containing type, as Ammonia (NH4OH) is caustic and will react with some metals. There are dedicated airbrush cleaning solutions like Iwata's Medea or Vallejo's cleaner. They tend to sell for $5 - $6 for 16oz or roughly $0.33 per oz (Vallejo's is over $1 per oz). What you are getting is water, detergent, and alcohol. That is the same ingredients as Automotive Windshield Washer Solution which sells for $1 - $2 PER GALLON. You can also make your own sans the blue dye: DISTILLED water - Isopropyl alcohol - Dawn dishwashing detergent. Gallon jug of Distilled water (pour about a quart out) add 1 to 2 cups IPA (90%) and 1 - 2 tablespoons of Dawn shake
Enamels: Mineral Spirits
Lacquer: Any commercial lacquer thinner