air brush technique question

[mark poulson]

Has anyone come up with a way to let water based paint sit in an air brush without it drying up at the tip and becoming difficult to paint with?

I would like to have several colors already loaded into different brushes when I'm painting, especially scale patterns, but haven't been able to figure out how to keep the tip from drying and clogging.

[DUCBOS]

Wade,

I'm not the best for sure, but I use several colors at a time by using a squirt bottle (like a plastic picnic mustard bottle) with a nozzel to squirt through the gun with 95/5/3 solution as I change colors. This cleans the old paint and sorta primes the new color. I spray on a cardboard piece until the solution is clear.

It works for me.

[SmokeyJ]

I found this when I searched for Createx retarder:

Airbrush Warehouse - Createx Additives > 5607 Createx Airbrush Retarder

That is, assuming you use Createx.

When using water-based acrylics, typically whatever brand of paint you are using also sells a retarder for their paints. I am not sure if they are all basically the same or not, but my wife paints plaster statues and usually buys the same brand retarder as her paints b/c, as she puts it, why risk messing up a paint job if its not compatible.

Anyways, maybe Downriver Tackle will have some insight on this given his contributions to similar topics in the past.

Edited December 10, 2008 by SmokeyJ

[KcDano]

Rest the tip in a small cup of water making sure the the tip is submerged.

[mark poulson]

DUCBOS,

I do the same thing between colors now, but I was trying to find a way to keep several different colors ready in several air brushes.

Smokey J,

I don't want to use a retarder, because I want to be able to heat set one coat or color quickly, so I can put the next one on right away. The whole idea is to speed things up by not having to wash out my brushes between colors. With multiple brushes and different colors, I could just keep refilling as I need to, and only clean up at the end.

KcDano,

After I posted the question, I started wondering about spraying the tip with Windex, or resting the tip in a water-soaked sponge. A cup of water makes more sense.

I'll haved to rig something up and give it a try.

Thanks all for the ideas.

[SmokeyJ]

Gotcha, guess I misunderstood what you were getting at.

[mark poulson]

Gotcha, guess I misunderstood what you were getting at.

No worries. Half the time I misunderstand what I'm getting at, too.

[KcDano]

I never use water base paint, however, I knew an artist that would use (i think it was) bulb off a baster filled with water to flush the tip or would set the brush in a cup of water.

[mark poulson]

I'm ging to try to rig up a plastic cup with a water and Windex-filled sponge inside, and nozzle sized holes around the outside, along with some kind of wire rack to hold the air brushes.

If I get it to work, I'll post it here.

If not, I'll post it here, too, so someone else can figure out what I did wrong.

[hazmail]

Mark - I have been using one of those screw on, pointy plastic nozzles you get with the tubes of silicone (tubes not gun cartridges). I just drilled a hole in the bench, stuck the nozzle in and filled it with den- alcohol, push the tip in (threads hold it there) , and any paint would be dissolved by the alcohol, can't see why you could not use water windex etc - pull it out, give the brush a quick squirt to blow out the droplets of cleaner and it is right to go. Lately I have been leaving it there until next use, as when the nozzle is jammed in there there is little evaporation and you know the needle will not be jammed with dried up paint residue or something. I am at work, otherwise I would post a picture.pete

[rjbass]

Mark,

I use several airbrushes and have them ready with paint and use quick disconnect to go from gun to gun...I used to have the tip drying problem but now I put a small amount of Super Lube from Medea on the tip of the needles and it smooths everything out....been doing this for several years and it works and doesn't effect the paint.

Rod

[mark poulson]

Pete,

I'm on my way out to the garage to look for some old nozzles.

Thanks for the idea.

Rod,

Wow! Where can I find that super lube?

Edited December 11, 2008 by mark poulson

[hazmail]

One of these:

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Drill a tight vertical hole and shove it in. See how clean mine is!!pete

[rjbass]

Mark,

You can get it here.....it's great for keeping your airbrush parts from sticking also. Awesome product.

Iwata Medea Airbrush Accessories - JerrysArtarama.com

Rod

Edited December 12, 2008 by rjbass

[mark poulson]

Thanks Rod.

I'll check it out as soon as my piggy bank is fed again.

I think I should have been a Wall Street banker, instead of a carpenter.

$700 billion would buy a lot of paint supplies.