[finlander]

I sprayed last night for the first time in a l-o-n-g while. I dont sell any and usually it is painting one at a time. Is there a product out there that would help me clean the VL quicker, something that I could use at the desk, rather than running to the sink, to clean the cup? It works well, and I thinned the paint so it flows easier. I have a bottle of Windex/water that I pump thru between colors. I saw a 'cleaning station' type of something in the locked case at a Hobby Lobby, but I dont know what it does. I am not that critical to disassemble the a/b after every color. But I have seen someone do it after painting several of the same scheme. Can everyone chime in their procedures, give me some ideas? Thanks in advance.....Bruce.

[finlander]

Just did a lookthru at BearAir and did not see what I saw at HobLob. But I did see a color changer, 8 paints at your fingertips. Anyone use a color changer? And wasn't there a post a few years ago about building something similar out of pvc pipe? Was that lost in the Big One? I might be thinking of something else though, my ind is not what used to be...

[mark poulson]

I keep a small tupperware-type plastic container filled with water on my work bench, and, between colors, I wash my airbrush out in it. It doesn't matter when the water gets a little dirty. Last thing I do between coats is fill the cup a little with airbrush cleaner, and back flush, loosen the needle and work it back and forth, and then spray out the remainder of the clean. I make sure I've worked the needle thoroughly, and then I move to the next color. When I'm done spraying, I do the same thing, making sure to clean the tip with an artist's brush (throw away), and then I run cleaner through it one more time, and then hang it up until the next time I paint. I pull the needle out before I paint again, and, if it's still dirty, I clean it and run a little acetone through the gun, and I'm ready to go again. Most of the time I don't need the acetone. And the "dirty" washout water works fine. No running to the sink. The airbrush cleaner last step takes care of any residual paint from the "dirty" water.

[hazmail]

Bruce- I use ethyl alcohol (called Metho or Methylated Spirits here), it's cheap and as long as paint is water based will strip anything, just "flush your brush" and tip it into a jar. I usually tip some in the brush and leave it there until I next use it (put the cap on or it will evaporate), keeps everything spick and span.pete

[BobP]

Wikipedia to the rescue! Methylated spirit is the Brit equivalent of denatured alcohol here in the U.S. It is ethyl alcohol to which has been added one or several chemicals to render it undrinkable. Undrinkable = denatured. To bad, I feel like drinking my airbrush cleaner some days but can't afford to use Jameson to clean my airbrush.