# Cleaning airbrushes



## Flux Chiller (May 2, 2005)

I use acrylics (Tamiya) which can be thinned with Tamiya's own X20A thinner while they are still liquids. Once the paint has either dried or is in the process of drying (and this need be only a few seconds after finishing spraying), the Tamiya thinner is no use at removing the paint left in the passages of the airbrush. The only solution is to use a Sprayaway Xylene based airbrush cleaner, but it is a very nasty solvent...

anyone know of any non-toxic solutions?

Thanks


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## Brent Gair (Jun 26, 1999)

I've not used Tamiya paint but I've never seen an acrylic that can't be removed with ammonia. It may not be the most pleasant stuff to use full strength but since it's sold as an additive to laundry detergent, I would assume it poses relatively little danger to your health.


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## Styrofoam_Guy (May 4, 2004)

What airbrush do you have? That might determine what is good for your airbrush.

I cleaned up using lacquer thinner for my Pasche H and Aztec. 

For my Aztec I keep a bottle of Castrol Superclean and drop the tip in there. It helps clean and keep any left oer paint from drying.

For my Pasche H I have dropped the tip into a jar of lacquer thinner and left it there. (note I do not leave the spray tip in lacquer thinner as it contains an O-Ring) any O-rings should not be left in lacquer thinner.


Other people have used windshield washer fluid. I sometimes used the Testors acryil cleaner only because I was given a container but it does work well.

HTH


Alex
Styrofoam Guy


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

styro is right. it depends on the airbrush construction. for cleaning the airbrush (paasche h) when dismantled, i use strypeze water rinsing brush cleaner (and i paint with stuff thats much harder to remove than acrylics, laquers, etc.). ive occasionally sprayed it, but only with excellent ventillation. for easier cleanup i use simple green, but spraying that is very bad news on the lungs, even with ventillation. 

flux, i gotta say that one of the reasons i like tamaiya is that because its alcohol based, it acts as its own solvent while im airbrushing, whcih makes me think somethings going wrong while youre spraying. and theres really nothing thats not nasty in some way that will cut through a solvent based paint. thats just the way of the world, so invest in a good respirator.


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## Flux Chiller (May 2, 2005)

Cheers guys. I'll try some of these ideas

Razor, I hear ya - i do have a good mask but the vapour lingers in the house (its too cold to be outside this time of year) - parents get upset. Alcohol, is that the option here?
I have a Paasche F1, so very simple and maybe smaller passages than the H, but there is no doubting, the Tamiya paint doesn't completely flow through with its own solvent, there is always some colour residue in the passages and cup, and the X20A won't shift it. Probably not enough to clog the thing, but I like it to be spotless between paints.
Perhaps I have got it wrong somehow after all these years, but I don't think so as results continue to be outstanding, if i might be so modest.


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## Guest (Jan 4, 2006)

This might seem crude but my old badger airbrushes is still going strong after almost 15 years. YOU MUST BE VERY CAREFUL WITH ALL OF THE FOLLOWING.
They are all solvents of some power so consider carefully before using.

Acetone will remove just about anything paint wise.
But acetone as is ain't that easy to come by in the UK so get yourself some of them glass mixing bottles that some shops sell for mixing paint for airbrushes and then go get some nail varnish remover from the chemist.

Preferably the stuff with no additives like lanolin, always read the label to make sure it's NOT acetone free, and just use a small measure in the jar to drop your paint nozzels into (assuming you can, i know very little about Pasche airbrushes).

If your gig is to put some in the cup and blast it through the make sure your by an open window, lean out and hold a rag about 3 inches from the nozzle and let rip. You don't need much, do this about twice, should be sorted.

Now alcohol is a good alternative, used it myself but it's tough to get hold of. At least i never had any luck locally. 

As to the vapour and odour, no way to win really here. With both you get pungent stuff so consider cearfully and ALWAYS be careful with both acetone based stuff or alcohol.

If push comes to shove there is always cellulose thinners, no let up in the odour stakes there either. Just as much care must be taken in using that as much as you do using anything else spirit based to clean ya airbrush.

Well that's my two pence worth for whatever it's worth, and i know i do bang on about taking care with this stuff but i'd rather you didn't learn how i have at times just how dodgy this stuff can be, does the job but still must be treated with respect.

Hope this helps a wee bit,
Raytheon


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

ok if memory serves, the fluid passage on the f1 is metal from beginning to end, so you can feel free to use the heavy duty stuff. and yes you want alcohol for the tamaiya paints. 

if youre only worried about cleaning it between uses/ colors, then why spray the solvent? take that sucker apart, and buy yourself a bunch of pipecleaners. whatever solvent youre using, its own fumes wont be anything in relation to what they would be if they were atomized. and buy a small exhaust fan for the nearest window. 

by the way, the h is a much simpler mechanism, and the only way to get it totally clean between colors is to dismantle it. spraying wont do it.


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## MightyMax (Jan 21, 2000)

*Me Too!*

Quote 
flux, i gotta say that one of the reasons i like tamaiya is that because its alcohol based, it acts as its own solvent while im airbrushing, whcih makes me think somethings going wrong while youre spraying. and theres really nothing thats not nasty in some way that will cut through a solvent based paint. thats just the way of the world, so invest in a good respirator.[/QUOTE]

I have had Tamiya Acrylic dry in the brush even if I set the brush down for a minute or two to do something else. Maybe they have changed the formula since I used them at the dawn of the acrylic age. I found it a big pain to get the stuff out of my venerable Paasche H. I flushed the brush with laquer thinner then tear it down for a thorough cleaning. Thank god the H is easy to tear down.
I have not used Tamiya Acrylic in years just for that reason. I can't remember if any other Acrylics gave me problems. I am very old school and since I grew up at a time when no one new what an acrylic hobby paint was I still try to use enamels whenever I can on a plastic kit but of course on vinyl there is no other choice.

Cheers,
Max Bryant


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## Flux Chiller (May 2, 2005)

Guys, thanks for an excellent discussion. Just a reminder the point again is that, yes, I can dismantle, and yes I can get the thing spotless, but only with a solvent (in my case I use the Sprayaway Airbush cleaner usually from Hannants), and that's where I am today. Masks, windows, fans, all good, but all complications too. 

The conclusion so far is there is no special non-toxic solution here. I was looking for someone to come along and say - "hey yeah, easy, orange squash will shift it" or something crazy like that. Maybe I'll have a try see if I can find anything among my less pungent car cleaning procucts. Household detergents, etc...


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## Flux Chiller (May 2, 2005)

A very late response to this thread, if anyone is interested who uses Tamiya Acrylic. 

I had to order it direct from Japan, but they now do a Tamiya Airbrush cleaner in a bottle the same size as their acrylic thinner. It is still quite a strong solvent, but being bottled and not 'aerosolled', you can pour it into the reservoir directly and it immediately removes anything dried on. Then just wash away with water. Less need to fill the air with atomised cleaner except the occasional blast through the passages with this stuff. Pleasing, though no idea why you cannot buy it here (in Europe).


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## falcondesigns (Oct 30, 2002)

Ammonia 10% and water 90% should help.


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

Fux Chiller I don't know what type of airbrush you sue But I've got a Testors dual action and when I go to clean it after painting
first I remove the nozzle and put the airbrush housing under running water.
then I then take the nozzle apart and put the pieces under running water, yes the nozzle come apart. Not sure if that's what Testors had in mind when they designed their nozzles, but they can be put back together.
and third I take the lid from the siphon jar and put it under running water.


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## DiceCaller (Jan 27, 2011)

*Glass Cleaner!*

Hi,

I use and love Tamiya Acrylic paints. Not only can they be thinned with alcohol (it flatens the colors but that doesn't matter on the flat paints). It also cleans up quickly and simply with an ammonia based window cleaner. I spend the big bucks >grin< for a name brand product but I don't think it will matter. 

If I am changing colors I strip down and clean my brush and needle. If I am taking a brake with the same color, I will just put a couple squirts in airbrush and run it through...

I hope this helps.
Shane


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I thin and clean my Tamiya paints up with lacquer thinner. Tamiya makes their own plastic safe lacquer thinner for just this purpose and it works well. Tamiya also now makes a retarder and flow enhancer that makes their paints less prone to clogging up the airbrush and also more suitable for brush painting.


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