Thanks Fred - good to know. How well did it spray?fredk wrote:The basic Humbrol/Badger airbrush I mentioned doesn't have any needle; just a venturi.
As air is blown across it it basically sucks up the paint and mixes it into the airflow.
Thats why it takes less time than typing this to clean it
Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
- Stuart
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Re: Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
Stuart Templeton I may not be good but I'm slow...
My Blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
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- Stuart
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Re: Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
Thanks FF! Yeah it's ok, I know about the chinese ones - My wife bought a double action a/b to do her cakes with and it's crap - The trigger assembly fell to bits when I removed the needle and it took me an hour to get it back together - hence why I was asking about the time it should take to clean them.fearless frankie wrote:I can only echo Dazzleds methods, if you don't mind taking a chance there are some great bargains out there on the dreaded fLeaBay, a lat I work with has just got a cracking Badger 175 for £22, its a Maid of all work as I've had one for a couple of years, seriously avoid the cheapo Chinese ones, been there seen it done it. There is always the rattle can method of painting the 106 and certaian auto shops will mix paint to your requirements too.
Stuart Templeton I may not be good but I'm slow...
My Blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
My Blog: https://stuartsscalemodels.blogspot.com/
- DavidWomby
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Re: Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
FWIW, because we all have different experiences and preferences, I am very happy with my ancient and simple Paasche H using Gunze, Model master, Tamiya, Vallejo or Xtracrylix acrylics.
Cleaning is pretty simple an d quick. I spray water through it until it flows clear, then disassemble and rinse the parts in water too.
David
Cleaning is pretty simple an d quick. I spray water through it until it flows clear, then disassemble and rinse the parts in water too.
David
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Re: Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
I've done quite some experimenting over the years, and here's what I found in order of acquisition:
Badger/Humbrol/Revell single action external mix: never got them to work well.
Hansa double action: a dream to work with, gives me better handwriting than a ballpoint, but not good for large areas. Still in the back of the drawer in case I ever need that level of precision.
Aztec: OK, but I wrecked more of the semi-disposable nozzles than I'd like, and those are neither cheap nor easy to find.
Fengda (cheap Chinese): perfectly good airbrushes for surface work (no up to handwriting though). No different in operation than any of the more expensive brands.
Taurus (probably more expensive Chinese): Identical design to the Fengda's but not parts compatible. Just more expensive..
Paashe Talon: Controls are a bit smoother than the Fengdas', otherwise operationally equivalent. Don't know yet if the higher price will translate into longer life.
I've found no real difference in cleaning effort between the types.
Everyone's experience will be different, of course.
My compressor, by the way, is one of the big noisy workshop things, but fitted with a regulator and moisture trap.
Badger/Humbrol/Revell single action external mix: never got them to work well.
Hansa double action: a dream to work with, gives me better handwriting than a ballpoint, but not good for large areas. Still in the back of the drawer in case I ever need that level of precision.
Aztec: OK, but I wrecked more of the semi-disposable nozzles than I'd like, and those are neither cheap nor easy to find.
Fengda (cheap Chinese): perfectly good airbrushes for surface work (no up to handwriting though). No different in operation than any of the more expensive brands.
Taurus (probably more expensive Chinese): Identical design to the Fengda's but not parts compatible. Just more expensive..
Paashe Talon: Controls are a bit smoother than the Fengdas', otherwise operationally equivalent. Don't know yet if the higher price will translate into longer life.
I've found no real difference in cleaning effort between the types.
Everyone's experience will be different, of course.
My compressor, by the way, is one of the big noisy workshop things, but fitted with a regulator and moisture trap.
- fredk
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Re: Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
Most excellently. Its great for all over single colours, eg undercoat/priming, or the main colour on a tank. Smallest area it can do is about the width of a 2p coin. But of course if an area is masked off this limit means nothingSir T wrote:Thanks Fred - good to know. How well did it spray?fredk wrote:The basic Humbrol/Badger airbrush I mentioned doesn't have any needle; just a venturi.
As air is blown across it it basically sucks up the paint and mixes it into the airflow.
Thats why it takes less time than typing this to clean it
Adjustment of the size of area of spray is by screwing the paint venturi up or down into the airflow.
I bought it originally just to have 'in case I wanted to spray paint something' Its first use was 'flames' on the tank, side panels and front mudguard of a motorcycle. I don't use it much these days just cos I don't spray too much.
But its gonna be getting more use, I think, in the near future
As others have said we all have different experiences.
I have a gravity feed single action and a gravity feed double action. Both are chinese clones, both have worked very well for me for the last 10 years or so. Because they work so well I won't be buying any other anytime soon
Years ago I had a Badger side-feed a/b, it never worked properly for me. It was back and forth to the distributor for 'repairs' so often it became a 'Triggers Broom' job. It put me off using an a/b for years. About the same time a friend had a top European make; he scrapped his as he couldn't get it to work and the maker didn't want to know. He was a commercial artist. He went back to blowing thru a straw.
Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
- Eric Mc
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Re: Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
Many of us seem to have similar tales to tell regarding the history of our personal airbrush use.
I started off 40 years ago with a simple "Humbrol" badged air gun. I couldn't get it to work properly. So, that initial attempt to use an airbrush failed at the first attempt. Also, using compressed air cans only didn't help matters.
In the mid 1990s I bought a Badger single action brush and a simple compressor. Again, less than successful results and again, putting thw airbrush down and reverting to old style brush painting.
Ten years on, in rapid succession, I tried an Aztek, a Chinese knock off and finally a Harder and Steenbeck.
Almost immediately, once I started using the H&B, all other airbrushes got shoved in a drawer never to be used again. I also bought a garage compressor which has a storage tank and adjustable pressure levels.
The H&B is now the brush for me and after about 6 or 7 years of use, is still performing well.
The other major change that encouraged me to persevere with airbrushes was the move from enamel and enamel thinners to acrylics and their more benign (and less odorous) thinners.
I started off 40 years ago with a simple "Humbrol" badged air gun. I couldn't get it to work properly. So, that initial attempt to use an airbrush failed at the first attempt. Also, using compressed air cans only didn't help matters.
In the mid 1990s I bought a Badger single action brush and a simple compressor. Again, less than successful results and again, putting thw airbrush down and reverting to old style brush painting.
Ten years on, in rapid succession, I tried an Aztek, a Chinese knock off and finally a Harder and Steenbeck.
Almost immediately, once I started using the H&B, all other airbrushes got shoved in a drawer never to be used again. I also bought a garage compressor which has a storage tank and adjustable pressure levels.
The H&B is now the brush for me and after about 6 or 7 years of use, is still performing well.
The other major change that encouraged me to persevere with airbrushes was the move from enamel and enamel thinners to acrylics and their more benign (and less odorous) thinners.
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Re: Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
I use a Badger 100GXF Stuart, which is a gravity fed dual action airbrush made from, I think, brass and is solid and heavy in feel (ooh matron). I believe the seals are a type of white polyurethane and they have laughed in the face of even aggressive airbrush cleaners. Stripping down for cleaning is not complex (if you like I will post a pic of the brush stripped down) and I use the thinners of whatever paint I have been spraying and occasionally a bit of airbrush cleaner, usually Badger's own, to remove any stubborn paint deposits. In use the trigger action is smooth and precise and works in two ways, press for air (the pressure of the air being adjusted at the compressor) and pull back to introduce paint - the "dual action". I've heard it said that this type of airbrush is more prone to blockage than the single action type but that has not been my experience (I have owned Badger and Humbrol single action types in the past) and I would say the extra control afforded by the dual action trigger is worth mastering - it doesn't take long. The paint reservoir on the 100 is not huge and I have to regularly top up but I mix the paint in a separate jar so that is not really an issue. Price however might be an issue, this model cost me over £100 back in the mid 1990's (I had a well paid job back then, those were the days!) and was made in the USA. I don't know what the current equivalent model retails at but I would imagine similar money. Firmly grasping wood, it has never given any trouble, none whatsoever. IMHO when buying an airbrush, as with many tools, you get what you pay for and my advice would be to steer away from the "knock off" types.
Doing - Tamiya 1/35th Universal Carrier.
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
Work is the curse of the modelling classes!
IPMS#12300
Re: Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
If you use acrylics they wash out in water quite easily. I run the airbrush under a tap and use a cotton bud to clean any paint that remains. You can run it through with thinners or turps too if you like. I have never had an issue. Using enamels is a bit of a nightmare to clean though.
Asides from pulling the needle out I rarely take the airbrush apart.
Asides from pulling the needle out I rarely take the airbrush apart.
Re: Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
Cleaning of a da can be done very quickly once the routine is in place, I'd recommend you don't give up on the idea.Sir T wrote:Hi Gents,
One of the reasons why I don’t use an airbrush is the time it takes to set up and clean the brush after painting, normally my modelling time at home is limited to 10 or 20 minutes here and there, whilst usually doing 2 or 3 other job (and I don’t think Airbrushing in my car at lunch is a great idea).
I strip and clean mine completely after every session and between switching paint types, enamel to acrylic etc.
My routine is shown here and once you have this it becomes reflex, almost muscle memory and can be done very quickly, about 5 min and you still have a spotless ab ready for the next spraying session.
https://youtu.be/k9YnScCetDo;
- bassman
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Re: Cleaning Single Action Airbrushes
Why don't you buy a double action from the start. After some kits done with single action you want a double action. My experience is very positive with the Badger 150 and the Revell Profi. Cleaning with ultrasonic cleaner works best for me.