discussion Airbrush/Compressor Combo Advice

[AlanG]

No that's fine. Having one in the line should be enough. But i'd defo invest in those brushes

 

[Dave Ward]

Every now and then, I strip my airbrush down, and give it a deep clean in an Ultrasonic cleaner - lukewarm water, and liquid soap - I do this for about 1/2 hour, and it's amazing how much crud you can get out. I also use a nozzle cleaner
View attachment 326049
( the SMS shop sells these ). I gently clean the nozzle cap ( it's not a reamer! ), and scrape off any build up. I do this after every use. If I suspect the nozzle itself, then I have some fine steel wire ( about 0.15mm ), to see if there are any obstructions ( with the nozzle removed!). I always clean my a/b straight after use, and never let it sit for more than 5 mins with paint in it. I have in the past resurrected needles, with metal polish, and a porcelain tile, but that's a last resort.
I used to deep clean my airbrush regularly, but I found that I created more problems through wear on the 'o' rings, so now less often. Before I put my a/b away, I spray a mix of water & washing up liquid through it. I've never really believed in the proprietary air brush cleaner solutions.
Dave

 

[Guest]

Perfect answer from Dave.
You'd be surprised how much crud gets into the nozzle, the cleaner Dave shows is a must, also the ultra sonic cleaner, I use windscreen wash in mine now. No problems with the modern seals.
Also have the odd dental brush, great for getting into the body with the nozzle out.
John .