blazt* Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Has anybody tried using one or more o-rings to replace the packing in an airbrush? I have the cheap harb. frt. deluxe and the packing seems to be shot. I'm going to get another probably as a backup so that when one goes down I can put it on the back burner...but I'm just trying to explore some options such as slicing tubing into tiny pieces (after which I would have enough to replace the packing every deep cleaning!) , stacking rubber washers in there, etc. I realize the radius of an O ring might not seal flush against the barrel but maybe if it was compressed enough with the packing screw? Or maybe it might require so much load that the needle would stick. Parts of course aren't available for my AB and for those running Iwata, etc. IIRC it is pretty much criminal what they charge for a little piece of rubber. My AB is going Ppppppffppfffftttttttt right now. I've been around town a little bit; finding anything small enough is the problem. But there are some tiny orings on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Has anybody tried using one or more o-rings to replace the packing in an airbrush? I have the cheap harb. frt. deluxe and the packing seems to be shot. I'm going to get another probably as a backup so that when one goes down I can put it on the back burner...but I'm just trying to explore some options such as slicing tubing into tiny pieces (after which I would have enough to replace the packing every deep cleaning!) , stacking rubber washers in there, etc. I realize the radius of an O ring might not seal flush against the barrel but maybe if it was compressed enough with the packing screw? Or maybe it might require so much load that the needle would stick. Parts of course aren't available for my AB and for those running Iwata, etc. IIRC it is pretty much criminal what they charge for a little piece of rubber. My AB is going Ppppppffppfffftttttttt right now. I've been around town a little bit; finding anything small enough is the problem. But there are some tiny orings on ebay. I'm no a/b expert but isn't the packing meant to keep paint from flowing back up the body of the airbrush into the trigger compartment? I don't see that paint in the cup is under pressure and if true, there's no reasons why packing would cause the brush to be making any noise. Have you considered a problem in the air valve itself? It's at least worth a try to put a drop of oil into the air valve to see if that will unstick it and solve the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 I use the world's most expensive rubber bands to replace the black washer between my Iwata brush body and the rear section that covers the needle. Those would be the leftover rubber bands from my youngest's braces. They are the right size, and have held up for the 6 months I've been using one in place of that thin black spacer washer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly1 Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Try this Masters look down the page for Model E90 its the same as the HF brush. I got the .35 needle and repair kit both worked fine the bad thing is the repair kit costs as much as a new HF brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dochollow Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 i poked a hole in my hf ab packing cleaning it. i just had my daughter pick up another ab at hf, springfield i feel thats an outragious price for the parts kit if any body knows of a replacement packing please let us know, short of rubber bands from braces i am hopeing the birthday fairy wiil deliver me a paasche vl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedarLakeMusky Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Do you need to replace the O ring after every deep cleaning? I am knew to airbrushing and have never taken mine totally apart for a good cleaning. CLM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I've been painting nearly two years with this gun and haven't taken mine out yet. Sounds to me like the problem is in the front of the gun, just a good cleaning I suspect. Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjiwhite Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 The HF airbrushes I use have never had to be taken apart for cleaning. Course I use enamel or aycrylic paints thinned with acetone and after every use; I always run a bottle of acetone through just to clean it and brush and ream out the nozzle with acetone also. If you do the cleaning as part of the same pattern when you paint (EVERYTIME) you won't have those issues. As far as the costs of the HF AB I use....when the rings wear out I just replace the whole airbrush. You just can't beat the price!!!! Benji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazt* Posted June 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I'm no a/b expert but isn't the packing meant to keep paint from flowing back up the body of the airbrush into the trigger compartment? I don't see that paint in the cup is under pressure and if true, there's no reasons why packing would cause the brush to be making any noise. Have you considered a problem in the air valve itself? It's at least worth a try to put a drop of oil into the air valve to see if that will unstick it and solve the problem. The inside diameter is ragged and torn; I believe as air blows by this roughness the noise is generated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazt* Posted June 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Do you need to replace the O ring after every deep cleaning? I am knew to airbrushing and have never taken mine totally apart for a good cleaning. CLM No, definitely not. I'm just saying a length of tubing would produce a number of packing pieces for dirt cheap, and instead of cleaning it just toss it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazt* Posted June 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 I'm no a/b expert but isn't the packing meant to keep paint from flowing back up the body of the airbrush into the trigger compartment? I don't see that paint in the cup is under pressure and if true, there's no reasons why packing would cause the brush to be making any noise. Have you considered a problem in the air valve itself? It's at least worth a try to put a drop of oil into the air valve to see if that will unstick it and solve the problem. Probably not the valve - it is smooth and I lubed it recently with superlight, fully synthetic (amsoil) fork oil which has seal conditioners in it. I could check it , though. When I get my new brush hopefully today I'll swap out the nozzle first then the packing to eliminate/ identify the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazt* Posted July 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Well, I recently shot urethane clear through my brush and a teardown is pretty much mandatory for that. Also I use Plegde with Future and sometimes I'll have to take it apart the day after, although 4 times out of 5 a full jar of rubbing alcohol sprayed out leaves the action smooth like new the next day. From now on I'll be brushing the urethane though. Spraying it wastes too much and 10 other reasons. I should be more careful with the packing...it's one of those situations where I got the disassemble/reassemble method down pat. Then I forgot the method that worked so well and wound up screwing up the little rubber chunk when I tried to shove it all the way down the barrel with the cleaning brush (repeatedly failing to seat it flush) rather that sliding it in until the point where the packing grabs the barrel, yet the brush can be pulled free leaving the packing partly inserted down the barrel. I then finish by taking a plastic q-tip wand with the cotton pulled off to tap it down and fully seat it. But the brush bristles are really rough on the rubber over time if you get too agressive. The HF airbrushes I use have never had to be taken apart for cleaning. Course I use enamel or aycrylic paints thinned with acetone and after every use; I always run a bottle of acetone through just to clean it and brush and ream out the nozzle with acetone also. If you do the cleaning as part of the same pattern when you paint (EVERYTIME) you won't have those issues. As far as the costs of the HF AB I use....when the rings wear out I just replace the whole airbrush. You just can't beat the price!!!! Benji Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazt* Posted July 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 I've been painting nearly two years with this gun and haven't taken mine out yet. Sounds to me like the problem is in the front of the gun, just a good cleaning I suspect. Musky Glenn What's a good way to clean the tip / nozzle? I've tried the rolled up corner of a paper towel, which could be better. And rolling the needle back and forth in there, which would probably open it up over time. My smallest cleaning brush is too big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted July 1, 2011 Report Share Posted July 1, 2011 Usually, the only implement that can clean a small tip is the needle. I occasionally soak the tip in a/b cleaner overnight and then shoot cleaner through the brush with the needle removed. No problems so far. For paint clogs, I leave the tip on the brush, loosen the needle and use it to push out the clog while shooting acetone through it. Just don't use too much force when jamming the needle into the tip. Tips are expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
