Airbrushing-Keep Paint From Drying In Gun In Between Passes

[69NovaYenko]

When airbrushing you have about 20 minutes or so dry time before you make the next passes as you build up color.

My question is how do you keep the paint from drying in the gun in between  passes. Do you disconnect paint jar/cup and run cleaner through it.

After all if the paint is drying on the car body it`s also drying in the gun. Sometime the tip starts to dry up and clog.  How do you airbrush veterans address this.

All tips and advise is welcomed.

Edited November 15, 2015 by 69NovaYenko

[StevenGuthmiller]

I don't know what everyone else does, but I completely clean mine after every use.

Whether it's going to be used again in 20 minutes, or 20 days.

It only takes a few minutes to clean it, & I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

Steve

[Miatatom]

If it's a gravity feed, empty the contents of the bowl, wipe it out and shoot cleaner through it. If it's a suction feed, remove the bowl/jar and replace with one filled with cleaner and spray it through it. That's what I do.

[Harry Joy]

Like both above, regardless of what kind of paint I'm shooting, if I'm going to take a break of more than 15 or 30 minutes, I'll clear out the brush with a little of the appropriate thinner for the paint I'm using at the time. It's not a big deal.

[69NovaYenko]

Thanks for the insight and advise.

[Pete J.]

Personal opinion but cleaning the gun if you are going to use it again within the hour is a waste of time and paint. Assuming that you are using a double action brush, the paint will not dry in the brush. Paint dries by the evaporation of the solvent when exposed to air. The inside of the brush is sealed just like a bottle and the solvent cannot escape from the paint and dry. In a gravity feed brush the paint may form a "skin" on the top of the cup if you don't have a cover for the cup. Any excess on the tip will also dry. A Q-tip with a little thinner will take care of the tip and a cover will take care of the cup. If you have a siphon feed, the system fully closed and the paint is not exposed to the air, but you may have the same issue with the tip. The only issue you may have is the paint settling out if it sits long enough. I hate to admit this, but I have had clear sit in my gun for a week and because all the seals fit well and it is double action, I could grab it an spray with no issues at any time. Not recommended. Paint only dries when exposed to air. Now this only applies to traditional solvent based paints. If you are using two part or catalyzed paint, they will harden in a set time and you need to get it out of the brush before they kick off. However traditional lacquer, enamel and acrylics are good to go.

[peteski]

Pete J. said it all.  regular organic solvent based enamels and lacquers will not dry in the airbrush in such a short time.  The closed needle prevents solvent from evaporating and the small vent home in the paint jar lid is not large enough for any appreciable evaporation of the paint solvent.  The only thing is, when you start spraying after waiting 30 minutes, spray outside of the model body for few seconds to clear the paint which sat in the airbrush. This is important with metallic paints (where the metallic particles might have settled a bit).  Also with metallic paints make sure to swirl the airbrush around for a while to mix the settled metallic particles back into the paint.

[Snake45]

If it's a gravity feed, empty the contents of the bowl, wipe it out and shoot cleaner through it. If it's a suction feed, remove the bowl/jar and replace with one filled with cleaner and spray it through it. That's what I do.

Same here, and I do it immediately after painting, even if I'll be painting the same color again in 10 minutes.

[Miatatom]

I will add to my post that if I change colors, I take everything apart and clean it.

[Snake45]

I will add to my post that if I change colors, I take everything apart and clean it.

Oh, I don't even do that. Only time I'll do a full strip and clean is if I'm going to shoot white or another very light color, or a clearcoat over a light color. Or maybe once or twice a year on general principles.

[Skip]

Typically, I try planning the painting whether it's model car, sign work or whatever, working from light to dark colors.  That is if it's possible to do so, some times it isn't.  Working light to dark determines the extent of airbrush flushing or cleaning between colors.  Normally what I do is shoot enough of the reducer through until it comes clean. Paying particular attention to the tip and needle which a quick  run run over with a Q-tip is all that's needed.  Cleaning the needle and tip will make sure that the next color doesn't sputter shooting out globs instead of the fine atomized mist you're looking for.  I used to surgically clean the airbrush between colors until I figured out that it wasn't any better than just a quick clean up like I'm doing now.  I leave the surgical cleaning for after the painting is done!