How to deep clean your airbrush | Tutorial

[@ModellingWeekly]

As always, I hope you found this useful!

[@Mavd-mk9iq]

thank you for sharing this!

[@marcosgarcia4467]

Yes, thanks

[@hankrol7830]

Thank you for it. Only I smear some mineral jelly on the needle and clean the tip with a long, old brush dipped in a cleaner, alcohol for me.

[@ModellingWeekly]

@@hankrol7830 thanks for sharing!

[@ghosturbx]

Wow, my airbush looks like brand new

[@jean-charles9931]

Good tutorial! One trick that I got from another user: when you clean your airbrush after a painting session, remove the nozzle and cap then slide the needle to the front, not to the rear. Therefore, you lower the risk to split some paint residues at the back side of the airbrush.

[@MOS6510Models]

Quick tip bud.. Take the nozzle off first, then loosen the needle. then push it forward out the nozzle end.. the way you are doing it you end up pulling paint up into the barrell which means more work, it was a tip that was shared to me when i first started using a airbrush.. Great video by the way, i clean mine just like you do otherwise :)

[@ModellingWeekly]

That's a very good trick! I will try that next time :D

[@RCBOSS1969]

Great video, thank you!

[@sturrrdy]

I work for a Archery Target company that uses airbrushes for detailing multiple different animals like deers, raccoons etc. we use “Paasche” airbrushes. Typically we have a small bucket of lacquer thinner that was use to clean them out

[@ModellingWeekly]

Lacquer thinner does indeed work dreams!

[@modelmagic9930]

I’ve been having some serious Vallejo air problems and I think it’s because I haven’t been cleaning it properly so hopefully this helps me.

[@ModellingWeekly]

Good luck mate

[@relativeparadox9567]

So should I do this every day or is this something that could be done once or twice a week? I know it is relative to how often/much you paint but generally speaking.

[@ModellingWeekly]

Taking the whole thing apart for a deep clean isn't necessary after every session, however it's worth doing once every 3 or 4 days if you're spraying a lot each day (at times when you don't do a deep clean, i.e. between sessions, spraying through with airbrush cleaner until there is no colour left is the way to go)

[@koendewit2577]

Nice video, i use a harder and steinbach and i use enamel paint. I usually clean after use with enamel thinner, but sometimes i wanna do a deepclean too. Can i use any airbrush cleaner, or do i need special cleaner?

[@ModellingWeekly]

To do a deepclean you can use basically anything that dissolves the paint you use - the only thing you need to keep in mind is if the thinner/cleaner reacts with the gaskets in your airbrush. If they are Teflon/PTFE then you are all good (very unreactive thermoplastics), though if they are silicon or any other rubber then they may become inflamed when they come into contact with thinners. An easy way of knowing what type of seals they are is this: Teflon = White, Rubber = Black. Most HS airbrushes have Teflon seals, so you should be fine :) Sorry for boring you to death xD Good luck man! Edit: NEVER use lacquer thinners, they destroy teflon!

[@tonyperez4791]

Outstanding tutorial ! I have a couple of Azrek airbrushes and use them with Vallejo paints and thinking of going one step up , new airbrush using Tamiya paints , but was wondering about Tamiya airbrush cleaner , it says that it melts plastic ( I use it for building models, same formula as their Extra Thin cement , and cheaper) will it , attack the plastic " Teflon" washer with time ? Sorry if I don't make any sense , I'm new as this airbrushing thing. Usually prefer brush painting , but my carpal tunnel makes it difficult. Anyway, hope you and your loved ones are well. Take care, Tony

[@ModellingWeekly]

I'm 70% sure that Teflon won't react with them - BUT I think it's worth using alcohol or a weaker cleaner on the teflon seals. Just to be safe ;)

[@tonyperez4791]

@@ModellingWeekly Will do ! Thank You !!!!

[@waynebrinker8095]

I use an inexpensive ultrasonic cleaner. It's a godsend for safely and thoroughly cleaning an airbrush.

[@ModellingWeekly]

I'll have to o try one out some day. I think plasmo has a handy little guide for them... 😄

[@StevenSeabass]

I’ve just seen this video. I’ve got an Ultra too. I pretty much clean it like this after every painting session. But I have a problem spraying some things (VMS varnish) and it stops spraying anything out the end after a few seconds and even sometimes with full pull back of the trigger. Do you know what may cause this please? Thank you and love your videos and look forward to going through your library.

[@ModellingWeekly]

Sounds like the varnish is drying at the tip of the airbrush, which is clogging the end and causing the issue you're describing. I'd try out the combination of tamiya varnish with paint drying retarder, which will help to stop the varnish from drying prematurely :) hope this helps!

[@StevenSeabass]

@@ModellingWeekly Thank you for the quick reply. I will try some Tamiya varnish and see how it goes. It’s frustrating because VMS say to use 0.4 needle as well which is what the Ultra has. Primer and varnish are my biggest fears and have never found one of each that I can get in with with the Ultra.

[@ModellingWeekly]

@@StevenSeabass I've personally never used the VMS stuff so cant comment, but if you thin down some tamiya stuff at a ratio of about 3 parts thinner to 1 part varnish (or thereabouts) then you should have no problems :) you can alter and experiment with the ratio to find what suits you best

[@StevenSeabass]

@@ModellingWeekly thank you so much for replying to me. I really appreciate it.

[@natedrawsthings]

What cleaner do you suggest for tamiya acrylic?

[@ModellingWeekly]

Isopropyl alcohol, tamiya airbrush cleaner, lacquer thinner all work :)

[@ianmcdonald6502]

I noticed that you don’t have a seal on the nozzle assembly, how do you stop the air escaping through the thread?

[@ModellingWeekly]

2:07 there's a white o-ring on the nozzle :)

[@ghosturbx]

Could we see one of those giant missile trucks Built in 1/72?

[@arghons.hobby.workshop]

H&S airbrushes are eastest to clean. I have Ultra also and I am very happy.

[@marcosgarcia4467]

Thank you

[@ModellingWeekly]

👍No problem