Cleaning problems and pulsating

[PoshMamma]

Hi, folks, a newbie here.....a big question for all of you. I have not been able to find solid info on how often do you clean your airbrush while working. I am having trouble with the tip drying and I decided to clean every 3 minutes or so....not sure what is the norm. I am using opaque Golden acrylics. I use medium and water to dilute them, about 50%. It was helping with the dry tip but now I am experiencing fast pulsating which drives me nuts. I have cleaned my airbrush, taken it apart a dozen times but the pulsating continues. From what I read in my manual (I have a 150 Badger) that I need to apply prepared beeswax to the tip....which I don't have and when I got into the Badger site to see if I can order some, no mention of the beeswax! I am finding that the cleaning (and cleaning) is really putting a damper on my fun with the airbrush. I am set up with a regulator and a moisture trap, so all is fine in that area. I have been trying to spray anywhere from 15 to 35 psi and don't have a clue on which psi I should be at, regardless, I end up with a dry tip! I did find out with the frequent cleaning, it worked much better but only for a day. So....if anyone can offer help here...please do so....

[mayhem]

I break my gun down once a week and as for tip dry I scrap it with my nail about the same every 3 mins or so..the pulsating I would say your paint is a little to thick try to dalute it a lil more and see if that helps...I just got my golden airbrush colors , they are ready to spray and work great...


by the way welcome to the forum!!!!! there are alot of great artist here..

[gtech]

I would also that the paint is a bit too thick for the pressure you are using maybe. Sometimes when it happens to me (and that I know that everything else is ok), I use a higher pressure and it works ok.

And about the cleaning interval, what I do is that I use a squirt bottle to shoot some cleaner into the end cap, and then spray some air into an empty bottle. It helps to keep that end cap clean so I don't have to clean the airbrush every 3 minutes. Sometimes, I also use a some cleaner to clean that same end cap.

Gilles

[redneck]

building supplies stores is the best place to buy beewax found in plumbing dept [wax rings are use to seal commodes to the floor] buy the wax rings without a metal back

sandstone ray

[barshark]

I break mine down and clean it after every session, it may be a few days before I can get to spray again. Like gtech, I also keep a bottle of water and a bottle of cleaner beside my station. The water I use to clean out the cup between colors and the cleaner goes thru the airbrush between colors.
I also pull the needle out and give it a quick wipe after certain colors that I've found don't always come clean with the cleaner.

[brushbyair]

What surface are you painting on, if it is textiles (T-Shirts ) your PSI setting should be between 40 - 65 psi, I spray all of my shirts at 60 psi using a Passche VL, this alone will help some with tip dry. I keep a 2 oz. bottle of water with the siphone tube and spray a little airbrush cleaner through the brush then water into a cleanout between each color until it is free of old color. At the end of my painting session I break my brush down doing the following, nozzel is removed and cleaned, needle tip is removed and cleaned, needle is removed and cleaned ( about once a week I spray the needle with WD40 and wipe it down before reassembly ) inspect all parts for damage and wear then carefully reassemble my brush. Some may say that is overkill, but it helps me to remember how to tear my brush down and reassemble, and I know it is ready for the next session.

[PoshMamma]

Thanks all.....

I think I needed to hear some feedback, especially on the cleaning. As to my paint being too thick...well, I am using Golden which is suppose to be airbrush ready and on top of that I use medium and then water! If I were to dilute it anymore, I'll end up with only 25% paint! So....I think I need to monkey around with all the suggestions on the cleaning and I think that the wax will be the next thing I will try. I have one of those wax seals, still in the box, I just scrape and borrow....thanks....wish me luck!

[fontgeek]

I'll throw my two cents in here.
First, if you are using the Golden Airbrush Acrylics, you probably don't need to thin them down at all, if it is just their standard acrylics, then you need to thin them to about the consistency of skim milk, which is pretty much what their fluid acrylics are.
Because they can be run with such a low viscosity, they don't require all that much air pressure, the high pressures (for airbrush) like 50 -65psi are okay for the heavier paints like Createx, but for the thinner paints, the use of too much pressure can cause problems too, besides the overspray, you will find that the compressor or air source can be straining to keep up, when that happens, your air pressure will fluctuate or "pulse" with each movement of the piston or diaphragm. If your compressor doesn't have a reservoir or holding tank, then the problem is even worse.
With the size of the nozzle and needle on your brush, it should be able to handle thickier or heavier paints, so over thinning your paints can cause you some headaches too. You can probably spray your paint at 25 to 35psi without much problem, Just make sure your paint is well mixed, well strained, and properly thinned BEFORE you put it in your airbrush, then, start with the air pressure fairly low, then adjust the pressure while test spraying on some scrap material until you find the right working pressure for you, your brush, and your paint mixture.

As to the cleaning, clean after every session of painting, avoid the use of petroleum based lubricants in your airbrush, especially if you are working with water based paints, the contamination from the lubricants can really screw up your paint and job, and only takes a tiny bit of contamination to do it.
Try keeping a cup of water and a denture brush or toothbrush at your work place, this lets you dip the tip of the airbrush into water, and the brush lets you scrub the tip without damaging or bending the tip, and without having to work without the needle cap.

If you are working with non-water based paints, then you can do the same trick, but use the appropriate solvent.

Maintenance cleaning and cleaning after every session is less work than the cleaning out of desperation, and causes a whole lot less wear and tear on both you and your equipment. It also lets you and your brush(es) perform at a much higher level on a more regular basis. Leaving brushes for the weak or month to clean may seem like a cool idea, but your brush gets worse and worse as time goes on, and it wears out a whole lot faster when things are dirty. That dirt and buildup act like sandpaper, and just grind away at the precision parts (read EXPENSIVE PARTS).
Keeping your brush well maintained also lets you know about problems or potential problems a whole lot sooner.
Following a set and solid cleaning routine will help you avoid problems and help you keep your sanity just a little bit longer.
Good luck