Boomer Airbrush Basics | Clean In Under Two Minutes!

This short clip shows how easy it is to clean any Dual Action Airbrush in under two minutes with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol. Often times we are discouraged when we think of having to clean one.

[@modelrailroader5619]

Best airbrush tutorial yet! I’m gonna go for it...because that’s what was holding me back. Thank you😊

[@boomerdiorama]

I'm glad to hear that! This was my intention. If they took my airbrush away I would melt away . . . never to be seen again . . . lol. Cheers. ~ Boomer.

[@qwincyq6412]

Wow that seems too easy! But clearly it works. Thanks for this.

[@boomerdiorama]

It is that easy. Cheers. ~ Boomer.

[@brtree74]

Hi Boomer. Great method and tutorial. The proof in the pudding is that you have had the airbrush for such a long time and it works just fine. If you dismantled it, chances are you would have lost a small part of it somewhere in that time. Enjoyed the video👍👍👍

[@boomerdiorama]

I already did lose a part or two . . . Lol. I lost the cover for the needle and the set screw for it. Cheers.

[@harperlarry49]

I quit taking my airbrush completely apart after each use several years ago. At first I felt kind of guilty, like I was cheating or something. Just like everything else, don't make it overcomplicated. Nice tip. Cherrs.

[@boomerdiorama]

The idea of tearing down an airbrush after every paint session is unnecessary with Isopropyl based acrylics. I have left Tamiya paint to dry in my airbrush (by accident) over night and the next day a good soak in alcohol cleaned it up.

[@jointhefist1016]

Oh, that's much easier than what I was doing

[@boomerdiorama]

:-) Have at her!

[@PeterTillman3]

This absolutely works. I went out and bought as much Tamiya paint as I could buy here in Singapore and it has no equal. Just blast that isopropyl through the brush and it is clean in, well for me, 5 minutes 😄 thx again again Boomer for the tip.

[@boomerdiorama]

Great to hear! Welcome to the Boomer paint doctrine . . . keep practicing and eventually you will be a master. Cheers. ~ Boomer.

[@jamesbradford1815]

I just tried out my omni 5000.....and kept saying where have you been all my life. A truly great air brush. Plus you made clean up easy. Thanks for your advice and encouragement. Air brushing adds a “next level” to the modelling hobby.

[@boomerdiorama]

Great to hear Allen. That is a beautiful airbrush for the money. I would say the best. Mine is still going at 25 years old! I am also glad to hear your modelling skills are being liberated and set free with the airbrush. If I need to shoot enamels (which is rare) I use a cheap back up airbrush. Cheers ~ Boomer.

[@patrickhawes5007]

Thanks Boomer. That’s pretty much how I clean mine, except I started out using a 50/50 mix of windex and purified water, then move on to acrylic airbrush thinner, and the figured out that the 99% IPA I use at the print shop works the best. Cheers 🍻

[@boomerdiorama]

Windex does work for cleaning, but it you leave the Windex "residue" in the airbrush it will gum things up very soon. It has something to do with the blue tint in the Ammonia. ~ Boomer.

[@schadowolf]

Very instructional video given I just ordered an Omni 5000 like yours :😀 I saved the link to this video in my 'notes' file I have been collecting from your channel

[@boomerdiorama]

Great airbrush. The best for the money in my lengthy experience . . . and opinion.😁

[@FarlandHowe]

Yes, after switching to Tamiya paints and alcohol as my solvent/thinner, life has become much simpler. I used to hate my airbrush, now I love it and I’m still finding new things to do with it. Thank you again, Rob

[@boomerdiorama]

Tamiya paint and IPA revolutionized my approach to airbrushing twenty five years ago. Namely the ease to clean is what really did it for me. ;-)😜

[@Death_From_Below]

Great information

[@boomerdiorama]

I take it for granted. It's encouraging to know how easy it is to clean an airbrush between sessions, etc. This way we feel more inclined to use the airbrush for the smaller projects. Cheers.

[@davestrains6816]

Great info!

[@boomerdiorama]

Glad it was helpful Dave. Cheers. ~ Boomer.

[@johnarthur6302]

Nice, Boomer. I’ve been stripping mine down but I think I’ve done it so much I can do it in ten minutes. But hey 2 < 10 so I’m in. Great tip!

[@boomerdiorama]

It never hurts to strip an airbrush often if you don't mind doing it for sure. Especially if you shoot lacquer or enamels. I just can't be bothered from a production point of view when I use Tamiya. Cheers. ~ Boomer.

[@JoeyBPhotography]

Quick and easy. Love it!

[@boomerdiorama]

I'm spoiled by it. But it works every time. Cheers.

[@brian5606]

Heck yeah buddy . . . appreciate the good info kind sir . . .

[@boomerdiorama]

You bet. I just thought I would share that since further content will encompass the airbrush, etc. Cheers.

[@paulhayton3423]

What can I say... you clean up well.

[@boomerdiorama]

I guess it looks easy because I have done it a thousand times . . . and I became lazy, so I developed an easy methodology. At the end of the day, it means more time for modelling. Cheers.

[@mikewoodbury7248]

Nice I do a similar thing crank up the air pressure and send it !!! I hope you use the budget bump stops I told about on my layout. I’m sure you’ll nail it for sure. Any questions don’t hesitate to ask I always try and model railroad outside the box or circle or whatever! Cheers!

[@boomerdiorama]

Thanks for the tip! Cheers.

[@boomerdiorama]

There is a metal one I scratched there, but it needs more I think.

[@julianrobinson8177]

That’s just saved me a a lot of time Many thanks Boomer Take care Julian

[@boomerdiorama]

Good to hear. Cheers.

[@Vman7757]

Thanks for sharing. That's what I do now when I use Tamiya paints and Isopropyl Alcohol, I have to strip it all down on my other two brushes, because the paint will tend to cure in the other two brushes. So I have a brush for acrylics, Enamels, and one for lacquer paints. I find I need Lacquer for painting brass locomotives that will be baked between coats.

[@boomerdiorama]

You can paint brass with acrylics as well. Tamiya is a primer. In fact it's the best "acrylic" primer there is for scale models. Cheer.

[@Vman7757]

@@boomerdiorama I will have to try it on something I have that's not a clients. But will try it.

[@boomerdiorama]

@@Vman7757 Good idea to try it on a demo. I have painted many brass pieces in the past with Tamiya. But each to his, or her , own when it comes to confidence and what works in this game for sure. Cheers.

[@Vman7757]

@@boomerdiorama I have been doing the same thing since the 70's. It's time to try something different. And with it getting harder to find paint that work really well for my use.

[@ErzgebirgsMoBaHO]

Thank you very much

[@boomerdiorama]

You are welcome!

[@Madonsteamrailways]

Although I don’t have an airbrush at the moment, if I decide to get one, I will know how to keep it in clean order.

[@boomerdiorama]

Cheers. Glad to hear it helps. ~ Boomer.

[@ianisaacs2340]

Thank you!!! I needed this!

[@boomerdiorama]

I thought it important moving forward and all. Cheers.

[@ianisaacs2340]

@@boomerdiorama Dammit Boomer, now I got to go buy some Tamiya paints... lol

[@boomerdiorama]

@@ianisaacs2340 You won't be sorry you did once you get used to them. Make sure you also buy a few bottles of Isopropyl Alcohol as well. The latter is far more cheaper than the former and will stretch the paint immensely. Cheers.

[@ianisaacs2340]

@@boomerdiorama will do! Your advice is gospel as far as I am concerned. 🙏🍻

[@normtaylor3240]

Hay Boomer, Norm Taylor from Bashaw Alberta here. I've acquired the pike stuff door kit that looks like the one's you used on the yard office next to the Dairy Queen. I'd like to scratch build the yard office and was wondering what length, width, and Hight the building is. Also the Hight to the peak at one end. I'm using the Evergreen 4530 metal siding (040 Thickness) for the walls. Thanks. Cheers.

[@boomerdiorama]

Hi Norm, I don't have a specific drawing to draw from on that one (it was a Napkin design from a photo). But here are the hard copy measurements in (1/87) HO Scale, in standard feet: Length is (29.5'), Width (17'), Height of Walls (10'), Peak of roof (14'). Length of roof panels is (31.5'). The shed on the back is Height (8') @ rear of building tapering down to (7.5'), Length is (11'), Width is (5'). The screen on the windows and shed door is "photo-etch" from BLMA. Everything else is scratched from evergreen plastic, except the doors you mentioned. The Yard Office Build tutorial is here as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGatopR6hL19ZqM I hope that helps some. Cheers. ~ Boomer.

[@normtaylor3240]

@@boomerdiorama Thanks.

[@boomerdiorama]

@@normtaylor3240 No problem. Cheers.

[@RB55able]

Great easy to follow video on cleaning the airbrush. What does backflushing do as opposed to just blowing clean isopropyl through the front?

[@boomerdiorama]

Great question: The upper chamber (cup), down to the tip, forms a triangular (tapering) orifice. In order to loosen the microscopic pigment that builds up over time on the inside chamber, you need to back flush it to loosen the residual pigment so it can blow back and through the (funnel shaped) tip. It also helps loosen the pigment build up at the base of the cup inside the body of the airbrush. Essentially the backflush reduces the microscopic build up that occurs over repetitive use which eventually requires a tear down (or a harmonic cleaning). The "inside" of the tip will clog faster if you don't back-flush as well. Cheer.

[@MyFingerLakesRailwayLayout]

Good video. I used to avoid the airbrush due to cleaning. I found after cleaning 3 or 4 times in a week, it went very quickly. I use a Pasche H single action and shoot Vallejo Model Air. I just shoot laquer thinner to clean it. Break it down every 3 or 4 times maybe. Does this sound right?

[@boomerdiorama]

It's different for everyone. I use IPA to thin and clean, so I never really have to break down my airbrush to clean. See this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqbNp6RqpJmKoc0

[@MyFingerLakesRailwayLayout]

@@boomerdiorama right, that’s what I was referring to, but Vallejo is not compatible with IPA, right? Hence my reference to lacquer thinner. Cheers!

[@boomerdiorama]

@@MyFingerLakesRailwayLayout Right, but you can clean, or strip Vallejo with IPA.😁.

[@MyFingerLakesRailwayLayout]

@@boomerdiorama Ah, clean Vallejo with IPA, but not thin. Got it - Thanks!

[@boomerdiorama]

@@MyFingerLakesRailwayLayout Vallejo has a specific thinner for the airbrush. Isopropyl seems to "craze" Vallejo unpredictably. Cheers.

[@corwin81]

Can you clean the airbrush this way with Vallejo paints? Or only Tamiya?

[@boomerdiorama]

Yes. You can use IPA to clean any acrylic paint from airbrush. But don't thin Vallejo with IPA!

[@corwin81]

@@boomerdiorama ah, thanks for the clarification! Was considering getting the Vallejo Air weathering paints so I can brush paint with them, but also wanted the option of airbrush use with easy cleaning.

[@corwin81]

I just got an Omni 5000 and a few Tamiya paints, but I don’t want to waste the good stuff practicing if I don’t have to. Would the Walmart acrylic thin and clean with IPA in a similar way(I realize the pigment quality is lower)?

[@17leeward]

Hi Boomer, probably it should be obvious but what exactly are you doing when you 'back flush'?

[@boomerdiorama]

The "back flush" loosens up the pigment in the top of the chamber so it can be flushed through either end more easily. Picture the chamber like a funnel. The bottom of the funnel clogs, as well with residual pigment. Therefore, backward "siphon" pressure dislodges any residual pigment so it can be re-suspended and flushed out the orifice from both ends of the airbrush. Subsequently, there will still be microscopic layers built up over time, but this only requires a tear-down every six months, or so, to clean out. Cheers. ~ Boomer.

[@17leeward]

@@boomerdiorama Thanks for such a comprehensive reply Boomer, Lee

[@boomerdiorama]

@@17leeward No problem at all bud. Cheers. ~ Boomer.