discussion Lubricating my airbrush

[Eric Kirwan]

Hi

I have a bog-standard cheap and cheerful airbrush and compressor set that my wife bought me off ebay for my birthday.

I have read in a number of places that I should lubricate by airbrush after every strip and clean, but I don't know where exactly to lubricate and what is best to use. Can anybody advise please??

Thanks

 

[BarryW]

I dont lube mine but instead I use the Vallejo Airbrush cleaner as it lubes as well as cleans. (only good for acrylic paints incidentally)

 

[Guest]

I follow the same treatment as Barry. The only problem I have had is with am H & S. This was the trigger mechanism. The small piston which is moved up and down by the trigger to allow air through. Not realised it was slowly getting to a point where it was sicking. Took apart used airbrush oil and not be a problem since.

If you are using the brush regularly I do not think you need to lubricate at all. But I suppose it depends on the airbrush engineering.

Laurie

 

[monica]

hi I would follow the advice give by Laurie,Barry and they have help me so much with expert info ,as most off the lads who have used an AB for some time

 

[Guest]

Use Iwata medea superlube and it should work fine. If that does not work, strip it down and work out what the problem is.

cheers, John

 

[tanktrack]

I'm the same a Barry and use Vallejo cleaner after using water and screen wash , it takes longer to clean the brush than paint but it is worth the effort as you get a better spray and less problems .

 

[Guest]

I always use loads of water which gets rid of 95% of the rubbish. The worst area is the cup. I always end up with a skirting of junk stuck to the cup. I put a good dollop of Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner, removes anything (including wife hates smells), on a tissue and wipe around making sure none of the debris filters into the paint tunnel. Then finally I give a couple of cups of V.Air Cleaner.

Vallejo Cleaner is also great for removing the paint providing it is within a few days.

Laurie

 

[Guest]

On a particular video on airbrushing the presenter says to squeeze out a black head at the side of your nose and use that as lubricant.

I kidd you not.

 

[Guest]

Well my reaction, Harry, is that it would be just as well to remove that reply.

I kid you not. As quoted in the Caine Mutiny by the author Herman Woulk.

Laurie

 

[Guest]

Well he actually says run your finger down the side of your nose and use the skin oil ,same thing really.

But at least its not a sicking airbrush

I follow the same treatment as Barry. The only problem I have had is with am H & S. This was the trigger mechanism. The small piston which is moved up and down by the trigger to allow air through. Not realised it was slowly getting to a point where it was sicking. Took apart used airbrush oil and not be a problem since.If you are using the brush regularly I do not think you need to lubricate at all. But I suppose it depends on the airbrush engineering.

Laurie

 

[Ian M]

I too use the Vallejo cleaners, works great for Acrylics, For solvent based paints I just use what is best for the type of paint, then either a drop or two of white spirit or vallejo cleaner. Depending which is closest to hand.

The oil from the side of the nose (out side thank you very much), is a well known lubricant and is also THE thing to polish your nice Brier pipe bowl with and is great to rub on the ferrules of your fishing rod so you can part the sections later...

By the way, if your trigger is getting clogged with paint, this is a sign of two things...One the seal between the paint holder and the trigger that holds the needle is worn and needs changing or tightening, or that you pull the needle out the back when you take the needle out. Out from the front in from the back and you will not be dragging paint into the trigger area.

Ian M

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

I use concentrated screen wash to flush my AB out, then for a good clean I spray some IPA through to finish, to lubricate it I spray some GT-85 onto an area then apply a little with a Q-tip where needed.

Adrian

 

[colin m]

My needle used to stick once in a while. Following Stona's advice I know give it a light wipe with WD40. No more sticking and it's safe for acrylics.

 

[Guest]

What BarryW said is me too: no lube, clean with Vallejo AB Cleaner.

 

[Guest]

My needle used to stick once in a while. Following Stona's advice I know give it a light wipe with WD40. No more sticking and it's safe for acrylics.

Amazing what WD40 does and a good tip. Probably better than oil as it seems to disappear but do the trick. A panacea for most problems. Goes hand in hand with Velcro. If it needs sticking Velcro if it needs un-sticking WD40.

Laurie

 

[stona]

I've been using WD 40 for years (originally on the advice of an air brush artist, quite well known for some 70s album covers). I'm liberal with it. I squirt some on every moving part and then in the paint cup. Squirt it through and follow with your normal solvent/cleaner.

I've had fellow modellers throw their hands up at the heresy but it has never had an adverse effect on anything I have sprayed

Cheers

Steve

 

[Eric Kirwan]

Thanks for all your advice guys. I have to admit, the nose stuff almost had me running for the hills, but think i'm going to try the WD40 first and see how that works for me.

 

[Guest]

I've been using WD 40 for years (originally on the advice of an air brush artist, quite well known for some 70s album covers). I'm liberal with it. I squirt some on every moving part and then in the paint cup. Squirt it through and follow with your normal solvent/cleaner.I've had fellow modellers throw their hands up at the heresy but it has never had an adverse effect on anything I have sprayed

Cheers

Steve

I have read that WD40 is simply a light lubricating oil diluted with White Spirit. If so, I don't think those ingredients would damage an AB (although I don't know whether the rubber (instead of PTFE) seals of cheaper ABs would like it, but your successful experience "over 40 years" would probably include using rubber seals).

 

[Guest]

Well Steve here we go.

I have studied this and in my science lab come to this conclusion on the ingredients of WD 40

First WD stands for Water Displacement.

My scientific analysis found the found the following ingredients.

• 51% Stoddard solvent (In 1953 this was the predominant cleaning fluid used by dry cleaners.)
  
• 25% liquefied petroleum gas (presumably as a propellant; carbon dioxide is now used instead to reduce WD-40's considerable flammability)
  
• 15+% mineral oil (light lubricating oil)
  
• 10-% inert ingredients
  

So now you know.

Laurie

PS OK I will come clean I got it from Wikipedia. I could not afford the time in the lab, on such a mundane item, to do my own expert and probably more accurate analysis.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Laurie. I (should have looked in Wiki.) Interesting that Stoddart Solvent is White spirit. I wonder what the inert ingredients are in WD40. If insoluble, they would be left behind after evaporation, and if so WD40 might not make a good cleaner liquid for plastic parts before painting.

On the other hand, enamels use WS as their solvent and enamels are sprayed through an ABs which need any particles to be very finely ground (as modelling paints have). Perhaps that is why I have seen "special" WS designed for ABs. WD40 might not have such finely ground particles and therefore might block an AB with a fine nozzle (0.2mm). (Just some ill-informed musings!)