How long before cleaning

Dalboy

Double Actioner
I need to use the airbrush with the same colour in it again how long can it be left before having to clean it out and then use fresh paint, I am not talking about leaving overnight as I would clean at the end of the day anyway the same as I would when turning.
I appreciate that there could be many factors in how long but I am talking about an average time.
I quite often want a cup of tea/coffee or wait for a little for some to dry if I inadvertently have applied a little more paint than I should(I will get that part right as I progress)
One thing I have discovered there are many factors to take into consideration when wanting to do many things with an airbrush which I will learn over time like most things there is never any short cuts but then I have plenty of time(well I hope I have;))
 
it all depends on the paint you use but in general it wont harm to leave paint in your airbrush while you drink your coffee
I use etac efx and if I want to paint a monochrome I will leave the paint in my airbrush all day if I have to but if I use the etac PS I wil never leave any paint in my airbrush and give the airbrush a good clean before I put it away even if it is just for a 10 min break
 
it all depends on the paint you use but in general it wont harm to leave paint in your airbrush while you drink your coffee
I use etac efx and if I want to paint a monochrome I will leave the paint in my airbrush all day if I have to but if I use the etac PS I wil never leave any paint in my airbrush and give the airbrush a good clean before I put it away even if it is just for a 10 min break

I should really have put in what paint I was using. At the moment I am using createx paints which I have thinned 1 to 1 it does seem to work for me but with more experience I may find other ratio's to work with
 
Yeap, as Airbrush Dreams wrote. I've read it once smwhere but had to find it out:). I think more reduced your paint is, the longer it'll take to start creating problems (I use wicked), but it will if you leave it in for long time.
Also, when I start ABing (after some time) I'll backflush the paint and see how quickly the bubbles will rise to the cup.
I've noticed if they'll pop right up in the cup it's ok, if they delay even a sec I know that the AB is going to need cleaning...
 
if your cup doesnt have a lid then i'm with Airbrush dreams, you wont have long at all. with a lid maybe half an hour. I tend to take a coffee break once my airbrush cup is empty, then i rinse it out and leave water in it so nothing hardens... for 'Emergencys' like the doorbell i have a big lump of bluetac that i pop on the top.
 
What Createx are you using? wicked,autoair Illastration? as it makes a diff. some you can let sit over night(illustration)
 
thats the reverse of what i get, my illustration starts to settle/seperate if i leave it half an hour.
All depends on how much you reduce it Jackie The more reduced it is the longer it can sit in the cup and if it starts to seperate just give it a little shake But also if i remember right @musicmacd said in dru's class they let it sit overnight unreduced?Correct me if i'm wrong paul?
 
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All depends on how much you reduce it Jackie The more reduced it is the longer it can sit in the cup and if it starts to seperate just give it a little shake But also if i remember right @musicmacd said in dru's class they let it sit overnight unreduced?Correct me if i'm wrong paul?

lol none of my airbrushes have lids (siphon feed doesnt count) so shaking it gets messy, i've got backflushing down to an art in itself
 
Thank you all for the replies. so I am safe having my morning coffee as that is probably the longest time I will be leaving it except on the odd occasion a little longer. As I stated I would never even consider leaving it over night.
I did a mix of a Pearl Satin Gold paint the other day and had a little left in a pot and when I looked next morning it had separated leaving the ruducer over the top but this was easy to remix it (I mixed a little too much)

What Createx are you using? wicked,autoair Illastration? as it makes a diff. some you can let sit over night(illustration)

The majority at the moment are Wicked Paints one I have just brought is transparent createx paint not sure which category it is under and I also have two Golden brand paints.
 
I need to use the airbrush with the same colour in it again how long can it be left before having to clean it out and then use fresh paint, I am not talking about leaving overnight as I would clean at the end of the day anyway the same as I would when turning.
I appreciate that there could be many factors in how long but I am talking about an average time.
I quite often want a cup of tea/coffee or wait for a little for some to dry if I inadvertently have applied a little more paint than I should(I will get that part right as I progress)
One thing I have discovered there are many factors to take into consideration when wanting to do many things with an airbrush which I will learn over time like most things there is never any short cuts but then I have plenty of time(well I hope I have;))
Something that I have learnt to save paint is that when I am busy with black, I will have 2 or 3 artworks lined up. I will work on the darker areas of an artwork when I have that specific blend in the AB, and instead of wasting away I will start blending where needed on the next artwork, clean out the AB by flushing it through and back washing it, run it with water, add reducer and paint, air back for blending and start with the next color. I only have 1 AB at the moment and Paint is like gold to me at the moment so instead of wasting I improvise.

This also helps me with different mediums, to train my brain to adapt to different art mediums at the same time. So I might be doing abstract, still and motion in 3 different artworks at the same time all lined up just waiting for paint...
 
Something that I have learnt to save paint is that when I am busy with black, I will have 2 or 3 artworks lined up. I will work on the darker areas of an artwork when I have that specific blend in the AB, and instead of wasting away I will start blending where needed on the next artwork, clean out the AB by flushing it through and back washing it, run it with water, add reducer and paint, air back for blending and start with the next color. I only have 1 AB at the moment and Paint is like gold to me at the moment so instead of wasting I improvise.

This also helps me with different mediums, to train my brain to adapt to different art mediums at the same time. So I might be doing abstract, still and motion in 3 different artworks at the same time all lined up just waiting for paint...

Unfortunately I only have one painting project on the go at any one time using the airbrush as others that I paint/decorate I use other mediums or even piercing work which can not be done when painting in any medium due to dust.
Just in case you are not aware I am primarily a woodworker mainly woodturning and it is this that I use as my canvas.
 
I am new to airbrushing ,but when I am doing with my eclipse bcs i go to a launch if needed. When I come back I just shoot clog out of the airbrush with 60 psi -.- But I have botlles for that brush. For my sbs I put drops of colors so I don't have issues with it. If I have a break I could also shoot water - stelex-water and it is like new. At least to me lollollol
 
Well, I'm a horrible person...and have forgotten I had paint in one of my guns, for, like A WEEK lol...gave it a good reducer cleaning, took the needle out, and went right back to work.
 
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