How To Clean Your Airbrush!
December 2, 2014 by warzan
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I think this was very helpful. It gives those of us who are not so familiar with the airbrush more knowledge. I would also like to see a basic how to use an airbrush series .From the beginner and then more advanced user tutorials. Thank you
Think I’m going to have to pay Brian a visit, really considering an airbrush now.
Great! The only thing I would add is that instead of back flushing with your finger on the end, use a kitchen sponge. No one has ever died of an air injection this way to my knowledge, but best not to be the first one.
I don’t think a sponge would work if you don’t like using your hand / finger use a section of folded up kitchen role to seal of the end of the gun @herrigold
I’ve been doing this for a year, works fine. But I’m sure you can use whatever you like.
Washing up glove…
Great video guys.
I’d like to know if airbrushing to base-coat is as effective as using spray can primers, and see it in action. If effective, Romain’s pre-shading would be even more flexible by being able to use any colours desired.
Also, the possibility of using inks and a suitable carrier/diluting fluid to replicate those weathering sprays I’ve seen Warren and Lloyd using. I’ve been tempted to try surgical spirits and ink in a pump action spray bottle, to see how that turns out.
Elaborating a little: I mean base-coating infantry sized mini’s, rather than larger models.
Undercoating a mini with an airbrush takes a couple of minutes and dries fast. Airbrushes are a lot more directional than spraycans, which seem to fill the air with a cloud of sticky droplets that look for stuff to cling to, so with an airbrush you have to spend some time hunting for angles you’ve missed. It’s my preferred method now if only because it means less fumes taking ages to clear.
Yeah, it works fine. You have to buy the special primer paint, which costs a bit more, and it takes longer to clean out of the airbrush. I find that it depends what I’m doing… cans of primer are better for bigger groups of minis or larger objects (best to do that outdoors anyway). If you’re only doing one at a time then airbrush it.
Haven’t tried any “stains” in airbrushing, but being able to control how much paint comes out (and how dilute the paint is) is comparable. It’s effective, for sure.
Fantastic video, the cleaning of an airbrush has been one of the things that has stopped me from purchasing one so far… Thx again for this eye opener :o)
I have to admit, even though most people do it and it’s a pretty common thing. I always cringe when I see a needle being taken out through the back. Any gunk still on the needle is going to be dragged right through the workings.
Great tutorial saves all the hassle of trial and error.
Great video as always, guys!
Backflushing. Got it. Need to start doing that now.
Brian can standard gun cleaner be used to clean of guns or is the mix to strong for the seals of detail guns?
in the latest weekender and xlbs you’ve spoken of organising weekends… get Brian over for an airbrush introduction weekend……. you know it makes sense
great tutorial nothing to add!
Fantastic vid guys. Brian, really appreciate you doing these. I really wish I lived over there to attend some of his classes. These vids are the next best thing. =)
Great video! Love to see more of everything – I know you’ve already talked about doing a full safety video, but I’d like to see eye? Mouth & nose? Hand? Environment? Pets and baby protection thoughts… I have seen a mix of BOW with protective gear or not, I’ve seen online guys with protective gear or not, I’ve read posts where guys only airbrush in the garage or shed and other guys who slip in a quick session in front of the TV without protection; some people say it’s toxicity approaches meth cooking, others say common sense and moderation are… Read more »
Most people these days use Ultrasonic cleaners to clean their airbrush.
I even clean my brushes in one.
That work well?
Yes and I’m pretty certain that Angel (Infinity) uses one to clean his airbrush.
Youtube cleaning airbrush with ultrasonic cleaner.
From what I gather, even using an Ultrasonic cleaner, you still have to do a fair bit of manual cleaning and stripping down.
Is that the case?
Stripping the airbrush down yes. Manual clean the needle maybe. Ultrasonic cleaners work by cavitation not friction it will do a better job that you can manually. Also that little black pot for airbrushing is OK but I really don’t like it, it you spray into it sometimes you get back blast and it mists out of the pot. Me like some others prefer something like a large container (Milk container, protein powder containers I find perfect) and just fire into a hole cut into the lid or even a good sized chunk cut out the side for ease. SMConsortium,… Read more »
Very useful, thanks Brian.
First of all, I’m loving this airbrush series. Really great work all round and fun to watch.
I was wondering what I might use to clean out my failed attempts at using citadel paints in my airbrush? I would do the whole brand match thing but to my knowledge there is no citadel brand cleaner.
I’d be grateful for any help 🙂
I have used the ultransonic cleaner for the needle and gibbons when Ive done a major clean but it did spoil the nice chrome finish on my Inifinity airbrush 🙁 so dont recommend puttingnthe “body” in to clean. Having attended a couple Brian’s classes have to admit I now pretty do what he shows in the vid and haven’t used the ultrasonic, unless as I say I’m giving everything a major clean up and them it’s only really the needle, nozzle caps etc
Very handy info. I didn’t know about brand-matching the cleaner with the paint. I’ve got the Iwata/Medea cleaner, but in a video on International Scale Modeller’s youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCERZRnW_I0acIiDsORviL-Q, they mentioned Ultimate Modelling Products’ cleaner that’s meant to be better than than Iwata’s, and on Ultimate’s webstore, they claim it’s suitable for ALL brands of paints: http://www.umpretail.com/products/ultimate-airbrush-cleaner. Has Brian come across this airbrush cleaner before?
Just want to say, awesome series gents 🙂
As a near future airbrush owner and lover (mine is in transit from Denmark right now!) This series of videos have been very interesting, and this one in particular is great, and will revisit it a few times to get the procedure right. Getting the airbrush clean is key for it to last a long time.
Thanks to Brian and BoW crew for this great tutorials, I’m really liking been at backstage!!