Cleaning Airbrush Nozzles

Murt

New Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2016
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How do you guys go about cleaning a nozzle after an airbrushing session? I spray Model Air Vallejo paints & primers only. I do a complete break down and clean every time I'm done because I find that just running some windex and air brush cleaner just does not do good enough job if the brush will be sitting until the next day when I can paint again.

My biggest problem is cleaning the nozzle. I am using an Iwata Neo CN Gravity Fed airbrush with a .35mm needle and nozzle combo. I went out and bought a few different brands of inter dental cleaning brushes but they are all too large to actually go through the nozzle all the way. I can kind of clean a little bit out of the nozzle but not enough. I then tried soaking the nozzle for a minute or two in mineral spirits as well as lacquer cleaner. This helps break the paint down a lot but I don't really have anything I can stick inside and get the paint out besides the needle when I don't like doing and even the needle can leave stuff behind. It just very time consuming to clean the nozzle out. I even went out and get an ultra sonic cleaner. This helps as well but I still need something that I can use to push the paint out of the nozzle preferable with some bristles on it. I've also tried using a pipe cleaner as well as a tooth brush. The tooth brush helps loosen paint stuck right on the tip of the nozzle by shoving a few of the toothbrush bristles into the nozzle hole.

Anyone have any advice on how to clean a nozzle of this size thoroughly and quickly?
 
See if Iwata makes a 'reamer tool' for your nozzle. That's the needle Scott is speaking of. In the past, I have repeatedly pushed paintbrush bristles into the nozzle to help clean it as well.

I have sworn by Tamiya paints for airbrushing for a long time, but I just tried out Model Air paints over the last couple weeks. I find that they gum up the airbrush muck more quickly, thickly, and thoroughly than Tamiya.
 
NecronautDrummer said:
See if Iwata makes a 'reamer tool' for your nozzle. That's the needle Scott is speaking of. In the past, I have repeatedly pushed paintbrush bristles into the nozzle to help clean it as well.

I have sworn by Tamiya paints for airbrushing for a long time, but I just tried out Model Air paints over the last couple weeks. I find that they gum up the airbrush muck more quickly, thickly, and thoroughly than Tamiya.

Add a few drops of AB thinner to your paint. More or less just to break the surface tension of the paint and they will flow much more smoothly.

Also depends on the size of the needle you have in your airbrush. Model Air neat in a .02mm...pushing it without thinning it a little. Going to down to a 0.15 in a H&S....forget it unless you thin it out.
 

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