lots of air no paint :o(

[Paul T]

Hi all I'm new here and new to airbrushing, I have owned three, the first one being a very cheap double action off ebay, like a 100 bucks for the brush and the compressor. It was fine until it wasn't, just started spattering and blowing air and no paint so I spent a bit more and got a super cheap auto brush for 59 dollars it too was good for about a week or two but even from day one it was blowing air but no paint and worked intermittently. Gotta be these cheap brushes I thought. BTW I paint models, war hammer 40k sci fi models using citadel water based model paint.

Anyway I bought an Iwata revolution mini single action gravity feed airbrush with a 0.3 needle. I thought quality and simplicity I cant go wrong, but pretty much from day one just like the cheap ones, often air no paint. Its not the paint or how thin or thick it is as it does it with straight water too. If I wind the needle right out it sprays a lot of paint in a nice even layer but it has like 10 increments around the rear dial but only really works wound out to 8 or 9 so fine work is impossible.

How could all three brushes have the same problem? My little air compressor is set at about 40psi Ive wound it up and down no change. I have dismantled it there's very few parts being single action and oiled and resembled it as per shown on airbrush tutor. Help if you can please :untroubled:

 

[Mr.Micron]

Welcome home Paul.
Air and no paint , Question what type of paint are you using and did you clean your airbrush,
Water based paint you will need to soak the needle in some Restorer(by Createx) to get all the dried paint out of it.
Also sounds like you have not reduced you paint correctly ,
What compressor are you using? if t is a tankless compressor it only has 40 PSI when no air is on but once you press air on it will drop to around 20 PSI while spraying.
What paint are you using?

 

[Paul T]

Hi there and thank you, I use a brand called citadel model paint it comes in little tubs and is used from the tub using a brush, but I pour a little in a lid and add water and thin it to about milk. I think the compressor has a tank a small one as it will spray and then the little electric motor will kick in as the pressure drops. I clean it by flushing/spraying water a few times and then block the nozzle with a tissue and back flushing it so it bubbles in the cup. Do you soak the tiny nozzle that unscrews with the tiny spanner in Createx? where can I get that from?

home? :tears_of_joy:

 

[Mr.Micron]

Hi there and thank you, I use a brand called citadel model paint it comes in little tubs and is used from the tub using a brush, but I pour a little in a lid and add water and thin it to about milk. I think the compressor has a tank a small one as it will spray and then the little electric motor will kick in as the pressure drops. I clean it by flushing/spraying water a few times and then block the nozzle with a tissue and back flushing it so it bubbles in the cup. Do you soak the tiny nozzle that unscrews with the tiny spanner in Createx? where can I get that from?

home? :tears_of_joy:

Restorer can be bought from here Coast Airbrush Products
When using any tube paint you have to filter it. The thicker the paint the more large chunks you can find in it.
Just spraying water and back flushing the airbrush is not really cleaning it. It does not wash out all the paint that gets trapped in the nozzle. So you have to take the tip and nozzle off and soak them in a good cleaning solution . Mainly you need something to break up the old dried paint to open up the nozzle channel. Just because the needle can pass through does not mean paint will.

Here are a couple of really great videos put out by the great guys at coast airbrush..Airbrush Overview
Compressor Guide - Choosing the correct compressor & maintaining your compressor
and Iwata Airbrush Guide

 

[inevitable]

I can't recommend "restorer" enough. I got an airbrush thrown in when I got my compressor (both second hand), the airbrush would not pass any paint - after some time soaking and cleaning bits it is working!

I think it could still do with some additional cleaning, but it is working and spraying pretty well considering the state it was in.

 

[jord001]

3 airbrushes with the same problem, to me the common denominator is the citadel paint. Ive never used it but had a similar problem with some trident. It looked normal but blocked 2 of my airbrushes up, ended up totally stripping and cleaning the brushes and also I then double filtered the paint, no problems since. SO id say that the brushes have some paint in there somewhere.

 

[RebelAir]

I also have never used the Citadel paint..I did some reading up on it and many mentioned issues with it when airbrushing, saying that the reduction needs to be spot on for it too perform (Mixing up paint from tub or tube paints needs a lot of refinement to get 100% right, a flow medium may help you)..Cheap brushes are exactly that and could have been half the issue but if its still behaving the same way in a better brush it points to reduction...another thread I read on a modellers forum suggests that its also a very messy paint which tends to clog up airbrushes and is hard to get clean so a good restorer as mentioned no doubt will help as you say that its doing the same with water now so it does suggest a dirty gun..(Cld be a seal issue as well)..No doubt a mixture of reduction issues and a dirty gun...GL and hope ya get it sorted out..Perhaps consider swapping to a more airbrush orientated paint for ya models..

 

[Paul T]

thanks guys for all the input, thanks RebelAir for the research. I bought some Tamiya airbrush cleaner today and I think I paid 14 bucks for 200ml of acetone, that's what it smells like. Anyway I have the nib and the crown in it soaking for a bit, I also bought some model air brand paint that is for airbrushes I'll see how that goes. Yes when I use the citadel paint again if I use a thinner or flow improver might help the airbrush issue you think? Its just i have lots of citadel colours I'd like to use in the airbrush.

 

[chivo]

Hey just another thought on this, and while it is probably the paint, ive had mine stop flowing a few times because the little hole in the cup cap became plugged. Just another thing to keep in mind if you mix in the cup like i do and put your finger over the hole when shaking it up.

 

[Paul T]

That would do it hey with a tight fitting lid and the Iwata sure comes off with a pop, but no I don't even use the lid with I spray :chuncky:

 

[wrb222]

I've read that you should never soak your needle because it's super easy to bend the tip when you put it in whatever container your soaking it in. The guy said if you just use a paper towel with cleaner on it everything should come off.

Here's the video if anyone's interested. This guys is really good but not as entertaining as the one who runs this forum.

The only part I don't like is when he uses a brush. The guy from badger said you can harm the nozzle if you put a brush in it and there's no need to. But I guess for the other parts the brush is ok.

[video=youtube;mNCi6qfnh8A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNCi6qfnh8A[/video]

 

[Mr.Micron]

I've read that you should never soak your needle because it's super easy to bend the tip when you put it in whatever container your soaking it in. The guy said if you just use a paper towel with cleaner on it everything should come off.

Here's the video if anyone's interested. This guys is really good but not as entertaining as the one who runs this forum.

The only part I don't like is when he uses a brush. The guy from badger said you can harm the nozzle if you put a brush in it and there's no need to. But I guess for the other parts the brush is ok.

[video=youtube;mNCi6qfnh8A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNCi6qfnh8A[/video]

Dude please give up the Tony D vid, A lot of better information out there. Do not get me wrong Tony does have some good advice but some is a big no-no.

 

[wrb222]

o really ? seemed legit to me accept for this one vid where he started dancing in front of the camera for like half a minute before he started

 

[Mr.Micron]

o really ? seemed legit to me accept for this one vid where he started dancing in front of the camera for like half a minute before he started

Sorry I do not mean to offend you, Tony D is legit as far as he does know how to airbrush. But Some of the things he puts out in his video after being in the game for a while I found out was big no-no in the airbrush world.
I take it your just starting out so you are searching youtube . Airbrush Tutor has outstanding videos for the beginner . Ken Badger is on here and has videos made as well.
Dave Monnig From Coast Airbrush is here and also has lots of videos on Coastairbrushtv. Some free and some you have to buy.
So please do not take my views of the information that Tony D puts out in a bad way. I just know there are better sources.

 

[ad fez]

Sorry I do not mean to offend you, Tony D is legit as far as he does know how to airbrush. But Some of the things he puts out in his video after being in the game for a while I found out was big no-no in the airbrush world.
I take it your just starting out so you are searching youtube . Airbrush Tutor has outstanding videos for the beginner . Ken Badger is on here and has videos made as well.
Dave Monnig From Coast Airbrush is here and also has lots of videos on Coastairbrushtv. Some free and some you have to buy.
So please do not take my views of the information that Tony D puts out in a bad way. I just know there are better sources.

TRUE DAT!!! We are so fortunate to have the members we do on this forum, I don't know if others are as privileged, but the list you just mentioned,,, experts in the manufacture of airbrush paints, brushes and equipment, experts in the sale and distribution of said items , a least a dozen professional artists who make there money every day from using said equipment, and then us lot who help each other at every turn.....what I'm trying to say is "we are kind of a big deal.....and have many leather bound books"

 

[wtsgems]

My little parts cleaner has a flat sponge on the bottom and a needle tube taped on the side, I set my needles in the tube standing up and out of the way needle down into the sponge.
Its been my experience ( new to airbrushing too) that the paint will not just desolve away, the customer service tech from Iwatta suggested that I go to my local drug store and find the little dental brushes just make sure they are not flavored some are.
I also use cold and heat to break the bonding of the paint from my parts, I use acrylic but I will put my tub in the freezer get it down to almost freezing and then transfer the parts to hot water, the brass and copper shrinks when cold and the paint shrinks at a slightly different rate the reverse is even more dramatic.
Just don't actually freeze the water nor boil
BUT!!!!! I've not used this technique on heat setting paint the cold treatment most likely wouldn't hurt but the heat may make it even harder to get the paint out of your tips

 

[Dart Vader]

Sorry I do not mean to offend you, Tony D is legit as far as he does know how to airbrush. But Some of the things he puts out in his video after being in the game for a while I found out was big no-no in the airbrush world.
I take it your just starting out so you are searching youtube . Airbrush Tutor has outstanding videos for the beginner . Ken Badger is on here and has videos made as well.
Dave Monnig From Coast Airbrush is here and also has lots of videos on Coastairbrushtv. Some free and some you have to buy.
So please do not take my views of the information that Tony D puts out in a bad way. I just know there are better sources.

VERY well stated Herb...

 

[RandyHortonJr]

I use dental brushes. I use rubbing alcohol and an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner. A brush shouldn't hurt your nozzle unless you're forcing it through the small end. Just use your common sense, it's a weak piece of metal...

During heavy season I use multiple brushes(3-6) and keep a few extra clean brushes ready to go. I use simple green, rubbing alcohol and/or AB cleaner between colors to spot clean my brushes. When I start having trouble with one, I break it down and throw the nozzle and cap assy in my cleaner and cycle it a few times. Then I use the brushes to sweep out any buildup afterward. Since I run 6-7 days a week, this is MY cleaning schedule... Commonly, my brushes stay hooked up and have a bottle attached or paint/water in the cup. I use toothpicks/caps to close my bottles with adapters on them, and a piece of tape over the lid of my cups on gravity feeds. I don't have time to reassemble-use-breakdown-clean everyday. Time is money in tourist town, and without an assistant, a 12-14 hour day is commonplace.

I've screwed up and left a troubled brush out with out cleaning and let it dry(forgotten about for days, ). In that situation, I had to clean multiple times as above, but I also used an old needle to scrape the inside of the nozzle. Again being very careful not to flair or split the small end of the nozzle. Keep in mind I use a .5 setup for shirts and that's gonna be easier to see and work with than a smaller setup. in this situation the forward end of the body had to be soaked too. I just used hot water because it had to soak for quite a while...

Not saying my way is best, nor am I dissing anyone else and their way. Just wanted to give you guys some incite on my way in a fairly busy shirt shop. If you're a hobby painter, implementing a process or schedule of cleaning your brushes should require less laborious cleaning procedures.

 

[RebelAir]

I pretty much have the exact routine as RandyHortonJnr, I think when its all said and done its important to gather information on multiple sources, some will do things differently or explain things in a way that you may understand better than anothers..When you really look at all the vids out there, very few can possibly tell the whole story (As the story is just too complex for a ten minute vid) so look at as many as you can and piece together all the info that may suit you the best..No matter how many vids anyone watches, the best way to learn still remains to try, experiment and make all the mistakes LOL..Btw I have used both hair brushes and even bottle brushes and an old needle to clean my nozzle tips for years..none has ever damaged my gear, but like any cleaning method, care has to be taken because the possibilty of damage is there..GL

BTW I would be careful not to over do the hot/cold cleaning, I would worry that continual expansion and contraction at fast rates could indeed weaken the metals and the metal threads involved, especially if the nozzle tip is still screwed in as the two metals no doubt would expand and contract at two different rates and possibly put pressure onto the fine threads...and...it may not LOL but just a thought..

 

[wtsgems]

I pretty much have the exact routine as RandyHortonJnr, I think when its all said and done its important to gather information on multiple sources, some will do things differently or explain things in a way that you may understand better than anothers..When you really look at all the vids out there, very few can possibly tell the whole story (As the story is just too complex for a ten minute vid) so look at as many as you can and piece together all the info that may suit you the best..No matter how many vids anyone watches, the best way to learn still remains to try, experiment and make all the mistakes LOL..Btw I have used both hair brushes and even bottle brushes and an old needle to clean my nozzle tips for years..none has ever damaged my gear, but like any cleaning method, care has to be taken because the possibilty of damage is there..GL

BTW I would be careful not to over do the hot/cold cleaning, I would worry that continual expansion and contraction at fast rates could indeed weaken the metals and the metal threads involved, especially if the nozzle tip is still screwed in as the two metals no doubt would expand and contract at two different rates and possibly put pressure onto the fine threads...and...it may not LOL but just a thought..

Good point, I've done this on my paasch tips and heads all the parts are separated, sorry I should have made that clear, it will split a fitting I don't do so with the body.