How stupid have i been?

[Guest]

i have been using IPA (as i have loads!) to clean the airbrush after using it, and it hasnt been as simole, quick and clean as i thought, and i watch videos of folk cleaning in a matter of a minute or so, so why was it taking me four or five washes, loads of cotton buds, and it STILL didnt look pristine?


I cant answer that, its only Tamiya acrylic paint, so should be easy.


Well this morning, i sprayed the RA66 comanche and a few ancillaries for the blackhawk, using tamiya Nato Green. All good.


Session finished, and i thought, ive got a little bottle of tap water, ill try it. Thinking i would be wasting my time, I poured in half a cup full. Swished around with a cotton bud, and tipped out, and im shocked! The cup is clean!


I then drop a bit more in, backfeed it, tip it out, another small amount, run through the airbrush, and a second or so later, its running clean! And its VERY CLEAN!


Why have i been wasting my time with IPA if water works better? Was this a fluke or do you lot do the same?

[Guest]

I clean with water then do a final squirt and wipe with Tamiya (or whatever) thinners and some water.

[Dave Jay]

Dave, an airbrush is only an air propelled version of a hairy stick! What do you use to clean acrylic from a hairy stick?........................................Wate r!


I did once hear you can't thin Tamiya acrylic with water you have to use a thinner, so I can see your initial logic, but I also heard that you can use cheap pound shop windows cleaner spray to thin acrylics, so maybe you could give it a bash too, worth a go. But if plain old H2O works for you then it's happy days!


Also, you're far from stupid, you're just learning by your mistakes, you'd be stupid though to ignore your mistakes!