Grex Tritium Airbrush Complete Tear Down - Sonic Deep Clean - Assembly

Follow along and learn how to fully take apart your Grex Tritium airbrush for a full deep clean and re-assembly. Even with regular cleanings between paint sessions, little bits of paint will find there way into the airbrush where you cant reach. This will show you how to to deep clean your airbrush using an inexpensive sonic cleaner. You can also use this as a guide to learn how to take your airbrush apart.
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[@bryantdunbar3476]

Nice video. A couple things about the packing seal. First, when removing the packing seal screw, if there is no packing seal at the end of the screw, chances are the packing seal is stuck inside the airbrush body. As mentioned, the packing seal is made of PTFE which is incredibly durable and not likely to disintegrate as a result of use with solvent based paints. What it will do as a result of paint drying around it, it will get stuck in the airbrush body. To remove it we use old airbrush needles that have been repurposed as "hooks" (bent to this shape) to reach inside of the airbrush body and pull the packing seal out. Perhaps this was short cut in the video, otherwise a packing seal was inserted on top of the previous seal. As for inserting a new packing seal and the packing seal screw, it is correct not to tighten the screw down too tight. However, this is not to avoid "crushing" the packing seal, again it's pretty durable, but rather so the needle can slide through it. It's best to test the needle going through the packing seal prior to assembling the airbrush so the packing seal screw can be easily adjusted if necessary. When testing the needle there should be some resistance as the needle passes through the packing seal. However, if it requires excessive force then the packing seal screw is too tight and needs to be backed off slightly. Conversely, if the needle passes through the packing seal too easily, then the packing seal screw needs to be tightened slightly more. Test the needle through the airbrush multiple times if necessary before re-assembly is continued. Once the packing seal screw is set, the slider can go in next. If properly cleaned, it should slide though the airbrush body with no resistance. If it hitches or gets stuck, something is still adhering to the interior of the airbrush body and needs to be cleaned. No lubricant is necessary for the slider. As for the shift pin (the little "bullet" shaped part, referred to in the video as a "plunger") I would not recommend using petroleum jelly as that can potentially compromise the two Viton o-rings on the shift pin over time. We use lithium grease on the top of this part as it interfaces metal to metal with the slider to actuate the air valve. One other note on the slider. If when you have fully assembled the airbrush, if it blows air continuously when you've turned the air on, do not worry, you have not broken the airbrush. What has happened is you have inserted the slider upside down and it's keeping the shift pin depressed and the air valve open. Simply remove the air valve assembly to remove the back pressure on the shift pin, remove the trigger from the airbrush body and rotate the slider 90 degrees inside. Put the trigger back on the airbrush body, thread the air valve assembly back on and the airbrush should perform normally again. So don't stress if this happens. Lastly, as for cleaning with an ultrasonic cleaner, this is not a requirement for proper maintenance of the airbrush. Grex does not use ultrasonic cleaners when cleaning and repairing of customer airbrushes. However, if using an ultrasonic cleaner, it's very important to thoroughly dry all the interior areas of the airbrush to include the interior of the green grip. If moisture is left inside, this can be locked in for extended amounts of time and can cause corrosion. This can be very detrimental to the airbrush. So use paper towel and Q-tips as necessary to ensure everything is dry prior to re-assembly. If you have air nozzle you can attach to your compressor to blow forced air, this is another way to help dry the interior areas of the airbrush.

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

Man, so much go info here! Since you work for Grex, you know this is gospel on proper maintenance of this airbrush. Thanks for sharing!

[@colonelklink53]

Excellent video. I bought this Grex over a year ago and maybe used it once. I've been hesitant to use it more due to the more involved breakdown for cleaning. My main airbrush is a Paasche Talon and have become intimately familiar with cleaning. I'm a bit of a novice and am still learning airbrush best practices.

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

The more you use it the faster you will get in cleaning it.

[@biggie931]

Thanks for showing the complete tear down and cleaning process! Great job!

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

You bet!

[@acebongboy]

I found the tear down very helpful. I was total noob and a bit apprehensive and this got me through the process and my airbrush applying paint properly again. Thanks!

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

Glad it helped!

[@paulsweightlossjourney]

Nice video, answered a few questions as I just used mine for the first time today

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

Glad I could help!

[@magnificus8581]

Wow, thank you so much!

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

You are very welcome. Please sub to my channel if you haven't already. More vids coming shortly!

[@bryantdunbar3476]

If you strip the threads of the fluid nozzle inside the airbrush body, you do not have to buy a whole new airbrush body. Thin a round toothpick so it can be pressed into the front of the airbrush and "catch" the thread and simply back it out of the front of the airbrush body. If this does not work then contact Grex for assistance but generally speaking this is easily fixed and simply replace with a new fluid nozzle once the previous thread is removed. If you put a new fluid nozzle on the airbrush and the nozzle cap won't thread onto the airbrush properly, then chances are there's still thread inside the airbrush body from the broken/stripped fluid nozzle. Again, this is not too difficult to address and Grex will assist or provide servicing of the airbrush as necessary. Don't hesitate to call or email Grex and ask questions. The only dumb question is the one that's not asked.

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

Great tips! If I am not mistaken you work for Grex. Thank you for the insight.

[@larrycumba2741]

Just bought the 3mm trigger style kit. Will use it for leather dye. Also got the 5mm needle set. Tried it on some sample pieces and did a nice job. Gave me an even color. Unlike a dauber or sponge. Unless you are outside a respirator is an absolutely a must. As far as filters get the canisters for vapor not the round sponge type which are cheaper but only used for dust etc. Your instructions are very helpful. Thank you for your help.

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

Glad I could help. Agreed, a good respirator is a must. No need to breathe in atomized vapors of chemicals.

[@farmcat3198]

Thanks for showing that!

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

You bet!

[@KurtWal1]

Great video! What is your method for cleaning your airbrush after a painting session? I assume this sort of complete disassembly and cleaning is done every once in a while as needed, but not after every painting session.

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

Correct, I don't do a full tear down every time. Only every 60-90 days and I do all my airbrushes with a deep clean. Normal cleaning is removing the entire front end including tip and the needle. I also remove the cup and opposite threaded seal to the cup. I then clean all these parts and run a small micro brush into the body to clean the passage of where the needle passes through. Basically any part that paint got onto during normal use gets cleaned. I made a note to make a video on basic airbrush cleaning. Look out for it and sub to my channel, thank you.

[@treyzmodels422]

Awesome thanks for sharing!👍

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

Thanks for watching!

[@tonythorrington3740]

Brilliant video followed to the letter now my airbrush doesn't have air then paint .as before ..just a slight pull on trigger and straight to painting results are a small blob of paint every time I 1st pull the trigger then it's normal again but I used to be able to pull back a bit and be able to dry off wet paint any suggestions welcome ..

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

What kind of paint are you using? Does it do this with just water? How much psi?

[@sirkjeff1]

The assembly was very vague. Spent to much time on useless things to put more time on video. When he put it back together doesn’t show which way the groves or rounded parts went I had to keep rewinding to the point I found another video. Point pint the correct way the parts are suppose to go into the shaft rather than Fluffing up the video

[@StyreneModelersHaven]

You should make a video that goes over the things you would like to focus on.