Airbrush cleaner

[49thStateRT]

What are really good airbrush cleaners that are cheaper than the ones I use now? I use mainly Tamiya alcohol based acrylics. I have found that a process of using a cup ful of Tamiya air brush cleaner, which is very strong odor and expensive, and then Medea air brush cleaner that seems like a detergent water, works well. 91% rubbing alcohol doesn't even though I clean brushes with it.
I recently tried generic windex and it seems like it is pretty good as a cheaper replacement for the Medea. Is the Tamiya basically like generic bulk lacquer thinner or something else? What is your go to for Tamiya acrylics?

 

[urumomo]

Tamiya's AB cleaner is exactly the same as their solvent cement -- 50% butyl acetate 50% acetone

 

[49thStateRT]

Tamiya's AB cleaner is exactly the same as their solvent cement -- 50% butyl acetate 50% acetone

So buying acetone and butyl acetate (if you can) at Home Depot and mixing them would be fine? For either use? Also the smell of the Tamiya AB cleaner seems stronger than their regular quick cement (green cap, not light green extra quick)

 

[urumomo]

HD doesn't sell butyl acetate , you can prob get it off Amazon , though , and def a place like Lab Alley or other chemical supply .
A cheaper alternative for both solvent welding and AB cleaning when removing cured paint is ethyl acetate --- sold at Home Depot and the like labeled MEK Substitute .

 

[Jakko]

Badger airbrush cleaner works well to get Tamiya acrylics out of an airbrush. However, it works notably less well on Mr. Aqueous and even worse on water-based acrylics. Vallejo airbrush cleaner, though, works well on the latter.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I just use hardware store lacquer thinner. One size fits all

 

[kevin]

I just run a bowl water through first, then a bowl of Tamiya X - 20A thinner after using their acrylic paint.

 

[Wig41]

I use a mix 50/50 of 91%alcohol and simple green. Keep a squeeze bottle full of this right at my airbrush booth. Squirt some in, use a q-tip to rub the sides of the cup then spray it through. A very inexpensive and reliable method for me.

 

[TimM63]

I use 99% isopropyl alcohol and Q-Tips to clean the bowl. I don't spray the alcohol through until bowl is clean. Then I spray a bowl full of alcohol through the AB.
Since I have a resin 3D printer, I have a couple gallons of isopropyl alcohol on hand.

 

[Jimbot58]

I like Alclad airbrush cleaner, but I don't often use acrylics, so I can't fully comment on that. However, it only seems to be available in 4 oz, bottles,

 

[MJY65]

I just use hardware store lacquer thinner. One size fits all

That's what I use. Chase it with acetone if you want it to dry quickly. I will always run a few drops of SLT through it last to make sure the strong solvents are blown out. Caveat: I'm using this in a booth that is vented outside.

 

[GCB]

I use isopropyl alcohol (medical one). Cheap and works well for Tamiya., MR Hobby, etc..

 

[BarleyBop]

Yup, love them squeeze bottles. I'll be filling one with bulk cleaner once I get through the little bottles that came with my cleaning jar.

Also, dedicated brush for swishing bowl and tip, micro brushes and reamer.
Big labels so I don't get confused !

 

[Rich97]

I saw a YouTube video where the guy made a cleaner with 40% distilled water, 40% windshield wiper fluid (no ammonia), and 20% 99 isopropyl alcohol, with 10 drops glycerol per 250ml.... but it's suggested to only use it with water-based acrylics.

 

[Edbert]

After spraying Tamiya acrylics I typically run a bowl of 99% isopropyl through to get the easy stuff. Then another bowl of hardware store lacquer thinner, backflushing this time, then pull the needle (from the front!) and wipe it down.

After 4 to 5 bowls of color I disassemble and deep clean the nozzle with periodontic brushes and an old AB needle. After 3 or 4 of those types of dee cleaning I disassemble to the air-valve and the rear gasket holding the needle.

 

[Littlemarten]

I recently tried generic windex and it seems like it is pretty good as a cheaper replacement for the Medea.

Avoid using anything containing ammonia, like Windex™, as it will eventually strip the plating from the airbrush.

 

[49thStateRT]

I use a mix 50/50 of 91%alcohol and simple green. Keep a squeeze bottle full of this right at my airbrush booth. Squirt some in, use a q-tip to rub the sides of the cup then spray it through. A very inexpensive and reliable method for me.

I have found the use of q tips is risky as I have had fibers come off and get sucked into the airbrush, clogging it. I usually use Kleenex.

 

[MJY65]

I have found the use of q tips is risky as I have had fibers come off and get sucked into the airbrush, clogging it. I usually use Kleenex.

I use Q-tips to scrub around the cup with the solvent in there, but then suck the dirty solvent out with a dropper. There's no need to blow dirty solvent through the tip. A second (smaller) fill of clean solvent gets blown through.

 

[49thStateRT]

HD doesn't sell butyl acetate , you can prob get it off Amazon , though , and def a place like Lab Alley or other chemical supply .
A cheaper alternative for both solvent welding and AB cleaning when removing cured paint is ethyl acetate --- sold at Home Depot and the like labeled MEK Substitute .

So if I were to try and recreate Tamiya airbrush cleaner/cement but have no way to easily get butyl acetate in Alaska (nobody will ship it, we have no local retail chemical supply), would a 50:50 mix of acetone and MEK substitute be as good, not as good, same? And some people say hardware store laquer thinner works others say it doesn't. Finally, somebody said use windshield cleaner rather than windex to avoid ammonia but I think a lot of windshield cleaner for cold climates has glycol added to keep it from freezing and lots of water compared to the cleaning chemicals in it. Any thoughts on that? I did see a non ammonia window cleaner at Lowe's, marketed for janitorial use.

 

[urumomo]

I use 91% alcohol like everybody else ( with acrylics ) , unless I need to remove cured paint , then I use acetone or ethyl acetate or butyl acetate .

You can solvent weld with that ethyl acetate alone ( MEK substitute ) , but cutting it with acetone will extend it -- entire reason Tamiya cuts it ,, that and evap rate .
Their " fast set " cement is 1/3 acetone 1/3 butyl acetate 1/3 butanone ( MEK ) -- that MEK sub evaps faster than the acetone and butyl .
Acetone alone is crap for solvent welding -- I like using it for softening plastic , and alcohol does nothing to plastics and hardware store lacquer thinner is chiefly acetone and alcohol .
it's the kitchen sink of solvents , you need the current sds to know , and they change over time .

 

[urumomo]

Xylol will solvent weld polystyrene if you need a lot of open time , and will strip paint , but , it reeks

 

[Jakko]

So if I were to try and recreate Tamiya airbrush cleaner/cement but have no way to easily get butyl acetate in Alaska (nobody will ship it, we have no local retail chemical supply), would a 50:50 mix of acetone and MEK substitute be as good, not as good, same?

It wouldn't be exactly the same, because you're not using the same chemicals But if you already have both, you can always mix a small amount (not a full glue bottle of it) and give it a try with some bits of sprue.

And some people say hardware store laquer thinner works others say it doesn't.

Again: try it on some sprue

Finally, somebody said use windshield cleaner rather than windex to avoid ammonia

I used to use windscreen wiper fluid to thin acrylic paint for airbrushing. I don't recall what was in it, exactly, except that it smelled similar (but not identical) to Tamiya X-20A thinner. This is usually a good guide: if two solvents smell the same, they'll likely both work for the same thing.

If you're worried about additives, though, the simple solution would be to look for wiper fluid that doesn't include it. A litre bottle will last you for years if you use it for thinning paint and cleaning your airbrush, so you may only ever need to buy one.

 

[JLTA5]

Avoid using anything containing ammonia, like Windex™, as it will eventually strip the plating from the airbrush.

There is a Windex ammonia free. I used on my tools and paints well.

 

[JLTA5]

It wouldn't be exactly the same, because you're not using the same chemicals But if you already have both, you can always mix a small amount (not a full glue bottle of it) and give it a try with some bits of sprue.


Again: try it on some sprue


I used to use windscreen wiper fluid to thin acrylic paint for airbrushing. I don't recall what was in it, exactly, except that it smelled similar (but not identical) to Tamiya X-20A thinner. This is usually a good guide: if two solvents smell the same, they'll likely both work for the same thing.

If you're worried about additives, though, the simple solution would be to look for wiper fluid that doesn't include it. A litre bottle will last you for years if you use it for thinning paint and cleaning your airbrush, so you may only ever need to buy one.

Anyone with ammonia will damage your tools, but there a lot without ammonia. Windex has a good one ammonia free. I used in all my tools and thing the airbrush paint well. And what is more useful, the addons make the paint cover more uniform because make the tension of the paint more lower. Cover better in hidden places and borders.