I ended up here after my first attempt at airbrushing resulted in a clogged airbrush and massive frustration. I know this is 4 years old now, but a *massive* thank you for the tutorials on airbrushing. There's tons of truly atrocious advice out there on UA-cam, and it's hard to find someone who does this well, step-by-step, and doesn't lead you astray.
Thank you, Marco! My airbrush is very similar in construction to hours so you took a lot of the anxiety out of the disassembly! This video makes the whole cleaning process look so much less daunting 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
Great advice for cleaning airbrushes. I have seen many interesting yet questionable techniques on how to clean an airbrush over the years but have always stuck to the basics like you mentioned. Ultrasonic cleaners are all the rage now to clean airbrushes but fortunately I found one UA-camr who explained that after using one a few times he noticed his airbrush was pitted all over, particularly the threaded areas. Microbubbles that are trapped inside the airbrush when submerged caused this. Keep your airbrush working for years and keep it simple.
And great explanation of proper lubrication! I have tried lubricating, but never really felt confident that what I was doing was correct. Now I understand it a lot better than I had.
Hi Marco, new to Airbrushes and I have been looking around for some good instructions on how to care for for my Airbrush. Thank you so much for your video. Clear and easy to follow. Airbrush has been stripped, cleaned, re-assembled and works like a dream. 👍
Finally a good airbrush cleaning video. I never disassemble the valve unless something terrible happened and it's not moving when I press on the trigger but that is very rare. If it's cold where you live the superlube will get thick and tacky and hinder movement which is why I don't use it anymore.
Thanks for this Marco! Bought myself a Harder and Steenbeck Evolution CRPlus 2 in 1 a few weeks back after finding your channel after giving up on airbrushing due to years of struggling with cheap crappy airbrushes. This one works like a dream.
Fantastic video as usual. Recently I've been struggling with poor performance with my airbrush, no matter how well I thought I had been cleaning it. I felt like in the past I had fewer problems than I've been having lately. Now I feel like I can approach it with more confidence because you explained everything in a very understandable and approachable way. Also, those dental brushes are really amazing! I've been using those for a little while now, and they were a real revelation.
I've almost made all the mistakes described in the "don't do" part, and now I just clean it when it clogs or at the end of a project but it took me a lot of time to learn this, I wish i've seen this video years ago !
It's thanks to you that I first picked up an airbrush and am now super comfortable using one. I recently upgraded my compressor and airbrush and am enjoying it even more. THANK YOU
Super useful video! I actually did twist the fine tip nozzle right off the thread recently when putting my Iwata neo back together after a clean. I thought for sure I'd have to replace the airbrush but I got one of the pipe cleaners from the maintenance kit, poked it into the piece of nozzle that was screwed into the point of my airbrush and turned it in the unscrew direction. Took a hot minute but I managed to get the piece out just with the friction of the pipecleaner bristles. Much cheaper to replace the nozzle rather than the whole airbrush!
Similar experience. Used a sharpened match to loosen and unscrew the part left behind in the body. Bought an original replacement part (pricy; note to self, don't break the nozzle, dum dum). No adverse effect, as far as I can tell (apart from costing me AUD 70 + postage).
I still reference this video all of the time. Such a gem! I did have a quick question though. What do you do to prevent dry tip? And what do you do to clean dry tip when it can’t be prevented?
Hey Marco, watched video on cleaning very informative. When you got to the part about not tightening the nozzle too much i wasent sure how much was too much. When i felt it snugging up i should have stopped. Now i have a useless air brush and not sure if all the threads came out of the air brush and brush might be useless as well, yes what a noob lol. Anyway great video keep up the great work ✌🇨🇦✌
So now I feel finally ready to disassemble my IWATA and maybe use it again, thank you! If the nozzle breaks while screwed on, you didn't necessarily lost your whole airbrush though. Happened to me once, and I got the broken nozzle part unscrewed by pressing a toothpick in from the front and slowly unscrewing what was left of the broken nozzle
It just happened to me with a Sparmax airbrush. The solution which a genius on Discord came up with was to insert fine tweezers and use them to apply pressure and unscrew the nozzle thread. It worked! Now I just need a new nozzle.
I'm really enjoying the videos. Ph.D. chemist here, so I like some of the language used. The three step process of spray, cleaner, brush the cup, spray was new to me and looked good initial. Guess what happens though if the paint is even a little dried?
Thanks a lot Marco! I am getting back into the hobby and always wanted to use an airbrush but you know it always sounded scary. A lot of the videos just never gave the right information. However you give the reasoning behind everything to help understand WHY. Which is what I love and need. If I do not understand why I just postpone it till I do. Had my first use of the airbrush today after watching your videos. It went way smoother versus what I was expecting. Keep up the good work!
I love your in-depth scientific approach to every topic and i am more of a homebrewer myself. I want to mix my own cleaner but i cannot figure out why people add glass cleaner. I was hoping you could enlighten me why its necessary or if a simple IPA / D. Water / glycerin Mix performs better without glass cleaner
Helpful tipps! very nice. I own two Airbrushes (I am a beginner I must say) a cheap one for Priming and so on and an Evolution Silverline from H&S. I must say.... I hate those tiny, fiddly nozzles you need those wrenches for. I really love the bigger type H&S uses for their Products, Its so much more comfortable to use.
Thanks a lot for this tutorial. As a beginner, the airbrush = bomb reference really resonated with me. Heading over to pick up that Iwata cleaning kit!
Thanks for this video! Now I feel like a pro, because for the first time your video was not totally mind-breaking, many of the tips were already known to me, nice recap and still some useful tips too, though. For instance, I never valued much the nozzle cleaning needle, I will try that. Anyway, very appreciated! I recently got some airbrush cleaning brushes from Harder & Steenbeck, they are not like the rough brushes you shown (I have them too, and i trashed them). They are much better, with more and thinner bristles. Of course they are good for any airbrush brand, not only H&S .They come as a set of six brushes of different sizes, and some of them are long enough to clean every part of the airbrush. I need them to be long enough because I learnt (the hard way) that some dried paint also accumulates on the internal portion of the airbrush which is back of the paint cup (at least this happens in my airbrush, which is a Badger Renegade), so I need a brush long enough to reach there. Before I did that cleaning, I had some flecks of this dried paint coming out, every now and then, during my paint job, that was horrible and I had to redo some paint jobs for that. That happens when you do not clean your airbrush thoroughly (it's more subtle and dangerous than simple clogging).
I'm a Grex guy, but this video will save me time. I see I've been overly zealous about cleaning and I need to keep it more simple and to use those dental cleaners! THANKS!
You're completely correct with Ultrasonic cleaner, I've personally wrecked Grex Airbrush Twice(had to test on replacement of course) and then an Iwata SBS Side cup. Avoid prolonged ammonia exposure as well, really just don't use Windex to clean an AB, Fantastik cleaner diluted worked, Iwata cleaner is cheap for large amount etc.
Lolll!! This is THE missing manual from Iwata! Hahah- the one Iwata themselves never include. Thanks for this ... this would be GREAT for all newbies (I figured mine out long ago) - wish I had this when starting off!
This is correct information! I been using an airbrush for almost 60 years now, first original real Thayer and Chandler AA series, ( not the new ones made by Badger) and later, Iwata... This is CORRECT information!
I know this is a bit late, but this is a great tutorial. The lube part especially. I had an issue with my airbrush trigger "clicking" when I pressed on it for air. Now I know the importance of lubrication! Also, I was cleaning my airbrush too much and soaking the parts too long....such a noob...hahaha
Good video - Lots of things different for me, I found that once I'd been using the airbrush long enough o figuring out paint and thinner ratios I rarely had issues with needing to clean a lot, I think that's the biggest factor - Thanks for another great one :D
Your content is so informative and excellent. You're definitely one of my favorite miniature painting UA-camrs; perhaps even the very top one. Looking forward to your future videos. Greetings from Norway
I've been using my Iwata for about a year now and I totally agree with everything you say here. There are a lot of great painters on youtube that do some really dumb stuff with their airbrush (like leaving it in cleaner all night.) My only surprise was how much Iwata lube you put on there, I think I maybe am not using enough now. I'll make sure to get it nice and juicy next time :)
Again, this is the best airbrush series for newer airbrushers. Great work! I need your help though. My biggest issue is that when I'm doing assembly line painting with my airbrush and the paint in my cup is being sprayed out it leaves a film around the cup as it dries. I try carefully to clean it out so the dried paint doesnt get sprayed out the nozzle and clog it but it wastes a lot of time. Am I using too much paint in my cup or the wrong type of paint? It feels like even when I use smaller amounts with airbrush paint it still drys and sticks the cup. It's a huge headache, especially when priming a group of minis.
This is a common issue with fast drying acrylic paints especially with primers! You can try using a bit of retarder or simple flow improver to slow down the drying time on the walls but the most effective thing is to work and load the airbrush with smaller quantities of paint
@@joshuahorchler644 hahahaha I always try to reply to everybody! It's starting to be difficult because of the number of comments but It's just a matter of waiting a bit longer 😉
Great video as always, man. I think I can second your sentiments about ultrasonic cleaners since regretfully I bought into the meme and I can already see some damage on the outer finish of my H&S Evolution. Oh well, at least this stuff will keep my wife's jewellery squeaky clean.
I love this video! I watch it often to refresh how I should keep my airbrush clean. I do actually have a question for this one as well :) When cleaning the airbrush with airbrush cleaner, is it important to rinse the surface with demineralized water afterwards? Lets say I've cleaned the outside of the airbrush housing with cleaner, should I then run some demineralized water over it before drying it? Drying is another thing I've thought about a lot, especially when cleaning the inside of the housing. I have used q-tips a lot for this, but unfortunately they often leave behind small threads of cotton that you have to get out after. What would you recommend when it comes to drying the different airbrush parts Marco?
Thanks man!!! You don't need to rinse after using airbrush cleaner; it's mostly made of water and created to be gentle on the metal of the airbrush. To dry the internal parts you can use make up q-tips or the ones used to clean glasses, they are basically the same; they are extremely dense, almost like little sponges and don't leave threads behind. You can also use kitchen towels, the ones with a good absorbing power, to make a "drying probe"
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM You a very welcome :) It's nice to know about the composition of the airbrush cleaner. I try be really good and gentle with my expensive equipment, but you can also go too far, and just make things really inconvenient for yourself! Since I'm often overly meticulous in my approach to this kind of thing, I have to figure out where I can make things a bit easier :) That is actually a very good idea with the makeup q-tips! It's not often that I actually feel the need to clean inside the housing, but when I do, I just hate having to go look for small threads of cotton that I have to get out with a pair of tweezers. I have sometimes used a microfiber cloth for cleaning my glasses that I have rolled up, but it's not super great and it's not possible to put it all the way inside of the housing. Now I have a better solution for this problem!
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM When it comes to drying the airbrush internally, like inside the housing, or where the paint is pulled from the cup inside the airbrush, how important is this after a day of painting, or maybe after a complete cleaning of the whole airbrush? I don't have that much time to paint, so my airbrush can easily sit still for several weeks/months at a time. Is it a problem spraying demineralized water through the airbrush after a cleaning, and then leaving it to dry in the box?
Hello Marco. I still visit this video every now and then, just to refresh my memory, and it's still great! I was wondering, how do you clean your airbrush after using it for spraying varnish? I've heard lots of people saying that you have to do a deep clean after using varnish in the airbrush, but it just takes a very long time to do every time I want to make a "safe point" on a model. What is your take on this? :-)
SO INFORMATIVE. Thanks, man! If a needle tip is bent, it's rubbish, right? Like, there's no point in trying to paint with it? (Each project I try, a small amount of paint comes out, then the flow of paint stops. Trying to figure out if it's the needle, dirty brush, incorrect pressure or all of the above... X_x )
Thanks! Yeah you can't paint with a bent needle but you can try to fix it rubbing the point between two pieces of hard, flat plastic. Most of the times this is sufficient to fix a small damage at the end of the tip!
Hey Marco, I clean my airbrush pretty much every time, but I've noticed that I often get sputtering when using whites (mostly the liquitex ink). Any tips? Thanks for all your amazing video's!
First awesome stuff! Leaned allot so thank you kindly. I have a bunch of stuff in my shopping cart and have a quick question before pulling the trigger. The dental cleaners. What size works best? Small? Standard? Thanks!!!
Do you follow different steps for priming? That’s where I tend to get most clogs and most messy cleanups. I’ve tried both Vallejo primer and Stynilrez and though the latter is definitely better, they both do give me headaches still...
thanks, i didn't know how to use the lube tube that came with my Iwata. One thing I do is to put isopropyl alcohol in the cup and nozzle, leave it in there for 3-5 minutes then spray it out (safely), then I rinse with water by spraying because it's not too friednly to the rubber rings but at least it dissoves the paint.
First comment and already a question for all of you: My H&S - that I cleaned maybe TOO much - is, well, broken. I just tried it again after a complete cleaning. I used the official cleaning kit and Vallejo cleaning fluid. I always thinned paints with Vellejo thinner and Isopropyl alcohol (which might have dried out the rubber rings? Won't do that in the future in any case). Anyhow, it leaks bubbles out of the part of the nozzle that's screwed into the body of the airbrush in front of the colour pot sometimes, so I guess the sealing ring is damaged. It ALSO has paint sticking to the needle after a simple retraction without yet pressing down to add paint into the airstream. So every time I press down again paint splatters where I aim at. It also clogs super fast, probably because that paint on the needle tip dries right away. Happens with both the 0.2 *and* the 0.4 needle, so if there's damage somewhere it has to be on a part that's not shared. So the question is: throw the whole thing away in a fit of rage and get a new one/upgrade to an Iwata *OR* try a first needle kit with new nozzle, cap, etc. and a replacement set of sealing rings first? If I do the first option I have the nagging feeling that I might have wasted a fixable piece of kit, if I do the second and still have to buy a new one I'm out 50€ more than I have to be. Thanks, and keep up do good work and the nice community!
Hi! It's difficult to make a "diagnosis" without physically handling the airbrush but 99% of the times this kind of problems can be solved replacing few parts, and I'm extremely in favour of repairing tools. You probably need a new o ring for the nozzle. I don't think there's something wrong with the nozzle; if you pull back the trigger it's normal to load paint on the needle to the point in which you can have a full drop of paint after few retractions
Marco I love your vids mate very inspiring and that accent is amazing ;) one thing that bothers me is: Isnt it bad practice to pull the needle back through the airbrush as it would bring residue paint? Keep up the great work!
😂 Thanks a million man! Yes, it is a bad practice in theory, but you have always to adapt to the real situation; most of the time people (myself included) clean the airbrush when it stops working and it's a big, encrusted clog of paint; in this case removing the nozzle with the needle on becomes more risky and complicated so I choose the lesser evil giving priority to the delicate point and the nozzle
Marco thanks for this excellent information friend. Let me ask you I am a barber that uses my airbrush to enhance my clients. Is it OK to clean the unit at the end of the day. I do remove the excess paint tho. i just dont want the unit to clog. By the way I bought everything in this video. Let me know your thoughts. Much Success
This is very helpful, especially since I have the very same airbrush as you do, thanks! :) Thou I have a question: what does this valve under the cap do? In which situations and in what position it is better to be used?
I believe that's another way to modulate the amount of paint you're spraying; tightening it gives you a much finer spray, even when you fully pull the trigger back, whereas loosening it gives you much wider spray. Its basically another built in system to make it easier to control the amount of paint you're laying down on whatever surface you're spraying.
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM I believe I have it in the middle at all times and my abrush is getting clogged even if the paint is like a water (1 drop of paint to 3 drops of athinner and 1 drop of flow imp.) and psi is at 30. :( I guess I should just maxout it open for now and come back to it when I get some more experience.
@@PijamasGagarin I work around 35, but if you have this problem at 30 the secondary gauge is probably lowering the original pressure from the compressor. Also try adding a bit of flow improver to your mixes to stretch the drying time!
So... is step 1 in the cleaning to blow out all the paint that was remaining in the cup through the front of the brush? Can't that result in paint drying on your needle as the paint runs out and it starts sucking air from the cup? Or did you put something in the cup first (like an abundance of water or cleaner?)
Amazing as always. I owned an Iwata Eclipse now for 6 years and I can´t recommend it enough. I made like 75% of the mistakes that Marco pointed out during the process and the Eclipse just keeps on giving. I have a question though; lately, I noticed that a gurgling sound comes out the airbrush when I spray, I wonder, is it the O-ring or did I messed up badly some valves? Also how often would you suggest to change needle? AND lastly, do you use the same method spraying metallic paint, or do you use another, cheaper airbrush? Cheers Man
Awesome! The gurgling sound usually happens when air finds an obstacle in its way and comes back where there's paint. It's difficult to really damage an internal part so most of the times is just a little lump of dry paint or (less frequently) a damaged nozzle. I use the same airbrush for metals but I add more flow improver both to stabilise the suspension of the metal pigments and to fight their tendency to stick to the walls 😉
quick question I was told there was two different settings for the siphon and the gravity feed but i can not find any info on the that setting i use siphon cause i change colors alot while i do my drawings but just not quit sure at what pressure to run. I run 30 psi for the gravity feed.
Wonderful video Marco. I'll stop using Windex immediately! Question: In the instructions for my Iwata Neo it says to never remove the nozzle. Because of that I never have and I'm seeing some paint buildup (especially Vallejo crimson - hate that paint!). Should I remove the nozzle? Is it safe to do even though the instructions say don't? I've been pulling the needle out the back because it won't come out the front while the nozzle is insitu. Sorry, I'm definitely a noob :)
Thanks! That's strange 😅; remove and cleane the nozzle is a classic part of a deep clean of the airbrush! You need to be careful because it's a delicate part (this is true for every airbrush) but if you see/feel paint residues and resistance is better to disassemble and clean
Thanks for this great video! What are those little metal dishes you use to mix paint in? I would like to get some. Can they be found online? I could not find them.
They have all sorts of names but here’s a link to some on Amazon. Cabilock 12pcs Makeup Palette... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B085N1TDT9?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Yay... That cleaner is not on Amazon prime in my area, so I guess I'm gonna stick to my vallejo. Also I found pouring out the excess into a bowl I have just for that and having a paper towel ready to wipe the rim, is easy enough and since I often have way too much left, cause I don't know how much I really need, that is way faster for me. I usually also wipe the nozzle (with the needle retracted of course) with some airbrush cleaner cause there is always a lot still coming out. Have to try spraying cleaner through it and see if that works.
Great video as always, really simple to get my head around and dispel the fear of breaking my shiny new airbrush. I would love to know why Iwata made a nozzle wrench that can't be used on the Eclipse series though, seems like a bit of a dumb ass move...
Just a tip that I use to service my mountain bike. Place the parts in the reverse order of how they come apart. That way nothing goes back together wrong
I have two Iwata airbruses, a single action and a HP-CS dual action. For years I used interdental brushes to clean it because it was more easily accessible to me in Brazil. I still use them today, even after having bought that keychain of airbrush brushes. My single action airbrush is a bit older, and sometimes I get some leaking in the nozzle cap (it has no O ring). Do you recommend any product to use as sealant?
I never tried to fix a similar problem... The first thing that pops in my mind is to try with the rubbery thin plumber tape used to seal the screws between water pipes...
I've seen beeswax mentioned for sealing threaded airbrush parts several times. I tried liquid thread sealer on my cheap airbrush once and it did not work as well as I hoped, it got places it shouldn't be and caused other issues. I haven't tried teflon tape yet. (Liquid thread sealer normally works much better than teflon tape for sealing threads especially for gas and air line fittings. Teflon tape is good for the making the threads near compression fittings work smoothly, it also works on water plumbing due to the way the threads are formed but not as easily.)
I would like to see a three way debate between Marco, Vince Venturella and angel giraldez on this topic. You all advise against each other’s cleaning methods.
Hi Marco, I am a Noob airbrush user. Do you have any base line PSI suggestions for certain colours especially white to avoid mottled spray. Thanks in advance!
Hi! Check my playlist about airbrushing for all these information, there's everything you need to know in there (and in the painting videos I show dilutions for every single colour I use!)
Hey Marco thank you so much for all your Videos. For cleaning a use a an alcohol based window cleaner xD works great so far but since i'm ordered my new iwata hp-bp im a bit worried :D.
Also could you make a video about cleaning a Harder & Steenback airbrush? I have water sometimes spraying from my EMPTY airbrush after cleaning it. Can this be a problem with the compressor and/or moisture trap or my cleaning process?
I have an H&S myself, and except for the part about the nozzle, I think everything else should work pretty much the same. It's also possible that you have one or more bad seals, which you can replace. There's one seal that's inside the body of the airbrush that is difficult to replace without a specialized H&S tool. This seal is very easy to overlook.
@@SubversionArts Grazie per l'informazione Marco. When I'll buy the tool for cleaning the nozzle I'll buy a set of seals. I just hope I won't have to replace that seal inside of the body.
@@MentoliptusBanko I don't mean to imply that you definitely should replace your seals. It's just a relatively low cost thing that you can try that might make a big difference. Listen to Marco, not me!
Thanks for choosing Iwata, great info here!
I ended up here after my first attempt at airbrushing resulted in a clogged airbrush and massive frustration. I know this is 4 years old now, but a *massive* thank you for the tutorials on airbrushing. There's tons of truly atrocious advice out there on UA-cam, and it's hard to find someone who does this well, step-by-step, and doesn't lead you astray.
@@DonutSquig 😊😊😊😘
Just used this guide to give my airbrush its first thorough cleaning and everything worked like a charm, thank you Marco!
Thank you, Marco! My airbrush is very similar in construction to hours so you took a lot of the anxiety out of the disassembly! This video makes the whole cleaning process look so much less daunting 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
Great advice for cleaning airbrushes.
I have seen many interesting yet questionable techniques on how to clean an airbrush over the years but have always stuck to the basics like you mentioned.
Ultrasonic cleaners are all the rage now to clean airbrushes but fortunately I found one UA-camr who explained that after using one a few times he noticed his airbrush was pitted all over, particularly the threaded areas. Microbubbles that are trapped inside the airbrush when submerged caused this.
Keep your airbrush working for years and keep it simple.
And great explanation of proper lubrication! I have tried lubricating, but never really felt confident that what I was doing was correct. Now I understand it a lot better than I had.
Hi Marco, been back watching your content and I have to say that you are one if my all time favourite content creators. Thanks for the great guide
Hi Marco, new to Airbrushes and I have been looking around for some good instructions on how to care for for my Airbrush. Thank you so much for your video. Clear and easy to follow. Airbrush has been stripped, cleaned, re-assembled and works like a dream. 👍
Hi Marco. Following this post I went out and bought myself a bottle of airbrush cleaner and it works great - thank you.
Finally a good airbrush cleaning video. I never disassemble the valve unless something terrible happened and it's not moving when I press on the trigger but that is very rare. If it's cold where you live the superlube will get thick and tacky and hinder movement which is why I don't use it anymore.
Thanks for this Marco! Bought myself a Harder and Steenbeck Evolution CRPlus 2 in 1 a few weeks back after finding your channel after giving up on airbrushing due to years of struggling with cheap crappy airbrushes. This one works like a dream.
Fantastic video as usual. Recently I've been struggling with poor performance with my airbrush, no matter how well I thought I had been cleaning it. I felt like in the past I had fewer problems than I've been having lately. Now I feel like I can approach it with more confidence because you explained everything in a very understandable and approachable way.
Also, those dental brushes are really amazing! I've been using those for a little while now, and they were a real revelation.
I've almost made all the mistakes described in the "don't do" part, and now I just clean it when it clogs or at the end of a project but it took me a lot of time to learn this, I wish i've seen this video years ago !
It's thanks to you that I first picked up an airbrush and am now super comfortable using one. I recently upgraded my compressor and airbrush and am enjoying it even more. THANK YOU
😍😍😍😍😍
Excellent! Just ordered the nozzle wrench.Didn't know it existed until I saw this. I agree with everything, except the way you take out the needle.
Kudos, I just cleaned my airbrush for the first time this video was a great help. I am a total noob!
Thanks Marco. Got my airbrush a few weeks ago; I’m definitely still a noob! Your videos are a huge help ⭐️⭐️
😍 It's a pleasure!!!
Super useful video! I actually did twist the fine tip nozzle right off the thread recently when putting my Iwata neo back together after a clean. I thought for sure I'd have to replace the airbrush but I got one of the pipe cleaners from the maintenance kit, poked it into the piece of nozzle that was screwed into the point of my airbrush and turned it in the unscrew direction. Took a hot minute but I managed to get the piece out just with the friction of the pipecleaner bristles. Much cheaper to replace the nozzle rather than the whole airbrush!
Similar experience. Used a sharpened match to loosen and unscrew the part left behind in the body. Bought an original replacement part (pricy; note to self, don't break the nozzle, dum dum). No adverse effect, as far as I can tell (apart from costing me AUD 70 + postage).
I still reference this video all of the time. Such a gem! I did have a quick question though. What do you do to prevent dry tip? And what do you do to clean dry tip when it can’t be prevented?
Hey Marco, watched video on cleaning very informative. When you got to the part about not tightening the nozzle too much i wasent sure how much was too much. When i felt it snugging up i should have stopped. Now i have a useless air brush and not sure if all the threads came out of the air brush and brush might be useless as well, yes what a noob lol. Anyway great video keep up the great work ✌🇨🇦✌
So now I feel finally ready to disassemble my IWATA and maybe use it again, thank you!
If the nozzle breaks while screwed on, you didn't necessarily lost your whole airbrush though. Happened to me once, and I got the broken nozzle part unscrewed by pressing a toothpick in from the front and slowly unscrewing what was left of the broken nozzle
It just happened to me with a Sparmax airbrush. The solution which a genius on Discord came up with was to insert fine tweezers and use them to apply pressure and unscrew the nozzle thread. It worked! Now I just need a new nozzle.
Just cleaned my Iwata for the first time using this video as a guide. Thank you!
Great video! This should be distributed with every airbrush purchase. So helpful and practical. Nice work.
😁😊😁
I'm really enjoying the videos. Ph.D. chemist here, so I like some of the language used. The three step process of spray, cleaner, brush the cup, spray was new to me and looked good initial. Guess what happens though if the paint is even a little dried?
Thanks a lot Marco! I am getting back into the hobby and always wanted to use an airbrush but you know it always sounded scary. A lot of the videos just never gave the right information. However you give the reasoning behind everything to help understand WHY. Which is what I love and need. If I do not understand why I just postpone it till I do. Had my first use of the airbrush today after watching your videos. It went way smoother versus what I was expecting. Keep up the good work!
😍😍😍 Awesome!!! I'm sooo happy right now 😁😁😁
Oh yeah, and that was a great explanation for the problems with ultrasonic cleaners, and I really appreciate your strong advice against them.
I love your in-depth scientific approach to every topic and i am more of a homebrewer myself. I want to mix my own cleaner but i cannot figure out why people add glass cleaner.
I was hoping you could enlighten me why its necessary or if a simple IPA / D. Water / glycerin Mix performs better without glass cleaner
As far back as the 1940s, Thayer and Chandler had those nozzle cleaners, a needle precision ground with a flat. Very well done tutorial👍👍.
Cool! I didn't know this!!! 😊Thanks a million 😊
Helpful tipps! very nice. I own two Airbrushes (I am a beginner I must say) a cheap one for Priming and so on and an Evolution Silverline from H&S. I must say.... I hate those tiny, fiddly nozzles you need those wrenches for. I really love the bigger type H&S uses for their Products, Its so much more comfortable to use.
Thanks a lot for this tutorial. As a beginner, the airbrush = bomb reference really resonated with me. Heading over to pick up that Iwata cleaning kit!
Thanks for this video! Now I feel like a pro, because for the first time your video was not totally mind-breaking, many of the tips were already known to me, nice recap and still some useful tips too, though. For instance, I never valued much the nozzle cleaning needle, I will try that. Anyway, very appreciated!
I recently got some airbrush cleaning brushes from Harder & Steenbeck, they are not like the rough brushes you shown (I have them too, and i trashed them). They are much better, with more and thinner bristles. Of course they are good for any airbrush brand, not only H&S .They come as a set of six brushes of different sizes, and some of them are long enough to clean every part of the airbrush. I need them to be long enough because I learnt (the hard way) that some dried paint also accumulates on the internal portion of the airbrush which is back of the paint cup (at least this happens in my airbrush, which is a Badger Renegade), so I need a brush long enough to reach there. Before I did that cleaning, I had some flecks of this dried paint coming out, every now and then, during my paint job, that was horrible and I had to redo some paint jobs for that. That happens when you do not clean your airbrush thoroughly (it's more subtle and dangerous than simple clogging).
That’s the best airbrush guide ever! Thank you, Marco.
I'm a Grex guy, but this video will save me time. I see I've been overly zealous about cleaning and I need to keep it more simple and to use those dental cleaners! THANKS!
You're completely correct with Ultrasonic cleaner, I've personally wrecked Grex Airbrush Twice(had to test on replacement of course) and then an Iwata SBS Side cup.
Avoid prolonged ammonia exposure as well, really just don't use Windex to clean an AB, Fantastik cleaner diluted worked, Iwata cleaner is cheap for large amount etc.
OMG for now on I was putting my finger to push the pressure back in the airbrush... seriously you're a godsend mate :D
😁😁😁😁😁
My favourite Italian used to be Andrea Pirlo. Now it is Marco 😂
Lolll!! This is THE missing manual from Iwata! Hahah- the one Iwata themselves never include. Thanks for this ... this would be GREAT for all newbies (I figured mine out long ago) - wish I had this when starting off!
every tip in this video is the opposite of almost every other video ive seen of this topic
This gives you the idea of the quantity of misleading information there is around this topic!
This is correct information! I been using an airbrush for almost 60 years now, first original real Thayer and Chandler AA series, ( not the new ones made by Badger) and later, Iwata... This is CORRECT information!
@@jenniferwhitewolf3784 😍😘
Yes, but you will be amazed to find out how many people have not read the instructions for their airbrush.
Shocking how bad the information from others has been! So glad I found this. No more milk consistency or back flow cleaning!!!
Nice topic. I was picking my brain exactly about that in the past two weeks. Thanks man!
Great timing!!!
I know this is a bit late, but this is a great tutorial. The lube part especially. I had an issue with my airbrush trigger "clicking" when I pressed on it for air. Now I know the importance of lubrication! Also, I was cleaning my airbrush too much and soaking the parts too long....such a noob...hahaha
It's never too late! Thanks a million man 😊
Dear Marco, very informative & great tutorial. All I need now is to practice my airbrushing techniques! Kind Regards Johnny
Very useful tips. My first day with the airbrush and I use almost all of them. jejeje
Good video - Lots of things different for me, I found that once I'd been using the airbrush long enough o figuring out paint and thinner ratios I rarely had issues with needing to clean a lot, I think that's the biggest factor - Thanks for another great one :D
Totally agree! If you have a proper workflow and you know your paints and how to dilute them, cleaning becomes a quick, marginal thing
YES!! I agree completely👍
Your content is so informative and excellent. You're definitely one of my favorite miniature painting UA-camrs; perhaps even the very top one. Looking forward to your future videos. Greetings from Norway
Thank you sooooooooooooo much!!! 😍😍😍😍
Another excellent video, my friend! Great info for a nooby like myself.
Great video this week... great type about the cleaning brushes, definitely going to change them... thanks again.
Good timing as I've started smashing stuff out with the airbrush!
I've been using my Iwata for about a year now and I totally agree with everything you say here. There are a lot of great painters on youtube that do some really dumb stuff with their airbrush (like leaving it in cleaner all night.) My only surprise was how much Iwata lube you put on there, I think I maybe am not using enough now. I'll make sure to get it nice and juicy next time :)
There's AB Restore which is intended to soak in overnight, full Createx product intended for that.
Again, this is the best airbrush series for newer airbrushers. Great work! I need your help though. My biggest issue is that when I'm doing assembly line painting with my airbrush and the paint in my cup is being sprayed out it leaves a film around the cup as it dries. I try carefully to clean it out so the dried paint doesnt get sprayed out the nozzle and clog it but it wastes a lot of time. Am I using too much paint in my cup or the wrong type of paint? It feels like even when I use smaller amounts with airbrush paint it still drys and sticks the cup. It's a huge headache, especially when priming a group of minis.
Why do you think paint is getting on the outside of your cup? Is it spilling? Is it bubbling up from back-pressure?
This is a common issue with fast drying acrylic paints especially with primers! You can try using a bit of retarder or simple flow improver to slow down the drying time on the walls but the most effective thing is to work and load the airbrush with smaller quantities of paint
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM Thanks Marco. Appreciate your replies even though you're famous now :)
@@joshuahorchler644 hahahaha I always try to reply to everybody! It's starting to be difficult because of the number of comments but It's just a matter of waiting a bit longer 😉
Great video as always, man. I think I can second your sentiments about ultrasonic cleaners since regretfully I bought into the meme and I can already see some damage on the outer finish of my H&S Evolution. Oh well, at least this stuff will keep my wife's jewellery squeaky clean.
I dont have an H&S but they are notorious for their flimsy chrome finish
Thank you for such a concise and easy to follow guide!
Ok non ne facevo una giusta! grazie Marcuzzo, sempre consigli preziosi!
Hahaha è un piacere!
I love this video! I watch it often to refresh how I should keep my airbrush clean. I do actually have a question for this one as well :) When cleaning the airbrush with airbrush cleaner, is it important to rinse the surface with demineralized water afterwards? Lets say I've cleaned the outside of the airbrush housing with cleaner, should I then run some demineralized water over it before drying it? Drying is another thing I've thought about a lot, especially when cleaning the inside of the housing. I have used q-tips a lot for this, but unfortunately they often leave behind small threads of cotton that you have to get out after. What would you recommend when it comes to drying the different airbrush parts Marco?
Thanks man!!!
You don't need to rinse after using airbrush cleaner; it's mostly made of water and created to be gentle on the metal of the airbrush.
To dry the internal parts you can use make up q-tips or the ones used to clean glasses, they are basically the same; they are extremely dense, almost like little sponges and don't leave threads behind. You can also use kitchen towels, the ones with a good absorbing power, to make a "drying probe"
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM You a very welcome :) It's nice to know about the composition of the airbrush cleaner. I try be really good and gentle with my expensive equipment, but you can also go too far, and just make things really inconvenient for yourself! Since I'm often overly meticulous in my approach to this kind of thing, I have to figure out where I can make things a bit easier :) That is actually a very good idea with the makeup q-tips! It's not often that I actually feel the need to clean inside the housing, but when I do, I just hate having to go look for small threads of cotton that I have to get out with a pair of tweezers. I have sometimes used a microfiber cloth for cleaning my glasses that I have rolled up, but it's not super great and it's not possible to put it all the way inside of the housing. Now I have a better solution for this problem!
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM When it comes to drying the airbrush internally, like inside the housing, or where the paint is pulled from the cup inside the airbrush, how important is this after a day of painting, or maybe after a complete cleaning of the whole airbrush? I don't have that much time to paint, so my airbrush can easily sit still for several weeks/months at a time. Is it a problem spraying demineralized water through the airbrush after a cleaning, and then leaving it to dry in the box?
Great video!
You said do not leave any airbrush cleaner to long for the parts.
Does it damange parts or what will happen?
As always very informative video with a lot of useful tips compressed in a short time. Thank you for sharing this :)
Hello Marco. I still visit this video every now and then, just to refresh my memory, and it's still great! I was wondering, how do you clean your airbrush after using it for spraying varnish? I've heard lots of people saying that you have to do a deep clean after using varnish in the airbrush, but it just takes a very long time to do every time I want to make a "safe point" on a model. What is your take on this? :-)
SO INFORMATIVE. Thanks, man!
If a needle tip is bent, it's rubbish, right? Like, there's no point in trying to paint with it? (Each project I try, a small amount of paint comes out, then the flow of paint stops. Trying to figure out if it's the needle, dirty brush, incorrect pressure or all of the above... X_x )
Thanks! Yeah you can't paint with a bent needle but you can try to fix it rubbing the point between two pieces of hard, flat plastic. Most of the times this is sufficient to fix a small damage at the end of the tip!
Great advice and just in time, too. Ti ringrazio!
Excellent video, thanks for the information
Hey Marco, I clean my airbrush pretty much every time, but I've noticed that I often get sputtering when using whites (mostly the liquitex ink). Any tips? Thanks for all your amazing video's!
Same here
Thanks for the great video, Marco! What do you do to prevent dry tip? And what do you do to clean dry tip when it can’t be prevented?
I am watching this to make bonbons ^^ I just fell in love with youre videos ^^ great content!!
😁😁😁 Awesome!!! I love when different arts and crafts mix together!
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM me too 😄 lets see what I can make, we use cocoa butter as paint 😁
Another amazing video Marco. Can you make a video on how to paint yellow with inks?
Thanks! Oh yeah definitely!!!
First awesome stuff! Leaned allot so thank you kindly. I have a bunch of stuff in my shopping cart and have a quick question before pulling the trigger. The dental cleaners. What size works best? Small? Standard? Thanks!!!
Thanks! Great videos!
Do you follow different steps for priming? That’s where I tend to get most clogs and most messy cleanups. I’ve tried both Vallejo primer and Stynilrez and though the latter is definitely better, they both do give me headaches still...
thanks, i didn't know how to use the lube tube that came with my Iwata. One thing I do is to put isopropyl alcohol in the cup and nozzle, leave it in there for 3-5 minutes then spray it out (safely), then I rinse with water by spraying because it's not too friednly to the rubber rings but at least it dissoves the paint.
Depending on how low quality the rubber is, over time this can cause the rubber o ring to break, FYI...
Numero uno!!! Grazie mille per i tuoi consigli! 😁
First comment and already a question for all of you:
My H&S - that I cleaned maybe TOO much - is, well, broken. I just tried it again after a complete cleaning. I used the official cleaning kit and Vallejo cleaning fluid. I always thinned paints with Vellejo thinner and Isopropyl alcohol (which might have dried out the rubber rings? Won't do that in the future in any case).
Anyhow, it leaks bubbles out of the part of the nozzle that's screwed into the body of the airbrush in front of the colour pot sometimes, so I guess the sealing ring is damaged.
It ALSO has paint sticking to the needle after a simple retraction without yet pressing down to add paint into the airstream. So every time I press down again paint splatters where I aim at. It also clogs super fast, probably because that paint on the needle tip dries right away.
Happens with both the 0.2 *and* the 0.4 needle, so if there's damage somewhere it has to be on a part that's not shared.
So the question is: throw the whole thing away in a fit of rage and get a new one/upgrade to an Iwata *OR* try a first needle kit with new nozzle, cap, etc. and a replacement set of sealing rings first?
If I do the first option I have the nagging feeling that I might have wasted a fixable piece of kit, if I do the second and still have to buy a new one I'm out 50€ more than I have to be.
Thanks, and keep up do good work and the nice community!
Hi! It's difficult to make a "diagnosis" without physically handling the airbrush but 99% of the times this kind of problems can be solved replacing few parts, and I'm extremely in favour of repairing tools.
You probably need a new o ring for the nozzle.
I don't think there's something wrong with the nozzle; if you pull back the trigger it's normal to load paint on the needle to the point in which you can have a full drop of paint after few retractions
Do you need to fill the pot with some water when spraying to change colour?
Just ordered an Iwata HP-BH though your affiliated link. Moving on from just priming with a cheapo Master, (which is great for primer duty.)
Thanks a million for the support man 😍😍😍😍😍!!! Super appreciated 😘😘😘😘😘
You'll have a lot fun with that beautiful unstoppable beast!!!
Marco I love your vids mate very inspiring and that accent is amazing ;) one thing that bothers me is: Isnt it bad practice to pull the needle back through the airbrush as it would bring residue paint? Keep up the great work!
😂 Thanks a million man! Yes, it is a bad practice in theory, but you have always to adapt to the real situation; most of the time people (myself included) clean the airbrush when it stops working and it's a big, encrusted clog of paint; in this case removing the nozzle with the needle on becomes more risky and complicated so I choose the lesser evil giving priority to the delicate point and the nozzle
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM ahh ok thanks for getting back to me so fast!! You are doing a great job!
you knew I really needed this one :joy: . Great and useful video as always . Thx!
😂😅😂 yeah you need to give some love to your poor airbrush!!!
Marco thanks for this excellent information friend. Let me ask you I am a barber that uses my airbrush to enhance my clients. Is it OK to clean the unit at the end of the day. I do remove the excess paint tho. i just dont want the unit to clog. By the way I bought everything in this video. Let me know your thoughts.
Much Success
Great advices ! Thanks :)
Legend. Thanks so much man
This is very helpful, especially since I have the very same airbrush as you do, thanks! :)
Thou I have a question: what does this valve under the cap do? In which situations and in what position it is better to be used?
I believe that's another way to modulate the amount of paint you're spraying; tightening it gives you a much finer spray, even when you fully pull the trigger back, whereas loosening it gives you much wider spray. Its basically another built in system to make it easier to control the amount of paint you're laying down on whatever surface you're spraying.
Thanks!!! It's a pressure gauge! From there you have a finer regulation over your pressure and airflow without touching the compressor 😉
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM I believe I have it in the middle at all times and my abrush is getting clogged even if the paint is like a water (1 drop of paint to 3 drops of athinner and 1 drop of flow imp.) and psi is at 30. :(
I guess I should just maxout it open for now and come back to it when I get some more experience.
@@PijamasGagarin I work around 35, but if you have this problem at 30 the secondary gauge is probably lowering the original pressure from the compressor. Also try adding a bit of flow improver to your mixes to stretch the drying time!
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM will do, thank you. :)
So... is step 1 in the cleaning to blow out all the paint that was remaining in the cup through the front of the brush? Can't that result in paint drying on your needle as the paint runs out and it starts sucking air from the cup? Or did you put something in the cup first (like an abundance of water or cleaner?)
Amazing as always. I owned an Iwata Eclipse now for 6 years and I can´t recommend it enough. I made like 75% of the mistakes that Marco pointed out during the process and the Eclipse just keeps on giving. I have a question though; lately, I noticed that a gurgling sound comes out the airbrush when I spray, I wonder, is it the O-ring or did I messed up badly some valves? Also how often would you suggest to change needle?
AND lastly, do you use the same method spraying metallic paint, or do you use another, cheaper airbrush?
Cheers Man
Awesome! The gurgling sound usually happens when air finds an obstacle in its way and comes back where there's paint. It's difficult to really damage an internal part so most of the times is just a little lump of dry paint or (less frequently) a damaged nozzle.
I use the same airbrush for metals but I add more flow improver both to stabilise the suspension of the metal pigments and to fight their tendency to stick to the walls 😉
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM 🙏🙏🙏
quick question I was told there was two different settings for the siphon and the gravity feed but i can not find any info on the that setting i use siphon cause i change colors alot while i do my drawings but just not quit sure at what pressure to run. I run 30 psi for the gravity feed.
I have a problem with my airbrush having paint pull back into the needle bearing which causes sticking after it dries. any advice on that?
Wonderful video Marco. I'll stop using Windex immediately! Question: In the instructions for my Iwata Neo it says to never remove the nozzle. Because of that I never have and I'm seeing some paint buildup (especially Vallejo crimson - hate that paint!). Should I remove the nozzle? Is it safe to do even though the instructions say don't? I've been pulling the needle out the back because it won't come out the front while the nozzle is insitu. Sorry, I'm definitely a noob :)
Thanks! That's strange 😅; remove and cleane the nozzle is a classic part of a deep clean of the airbrush! You need to be careful because it's a delicate part (this is true for every airbrush) but if you see/feel paint residues and resistance is better to disassemble and clean
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM Thanks Marco, I'll do that!
Thanks for this great video! What are those little metal dishes you use to mix paint in? I would like to get some. Can they be found online? I could not find them.
They have all sorts of names but here’s a link to some on Amazon. Cabilock 12pcs Makeup Palette... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B085N1TDT9?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Yay... That cleaner is not on Amazon prime in my area, so I guess I'm gonna stick to my vallejo. Also I found pouring out the excess into a bowl I have just for that and having a paper towel ready to wipe the rim, is easy enough and since I often have way too much left, cause I don't know how much I really need, that is way faster for me. I usually also wipe the nozzle (with the needle retracted of course) with some airbrush cleaner cause there is always a lot still coming out. Have to try spraying cleaner through it and see if that works.
Great video as always, really simple to get my head around and dispel the fear of breaking my shiny new airbrush. I would love to know why Iwata made a nozzle wrench that can't be used on the Eclipse series though, seems like a bit of a dumb ass move...
thank you
Just a tip that I use to service my mountain bike. Place the parts in the reverse order of how they come apart. That way nothing goes back together wrong
Great tip for every kind of disassembly/assembly work!
Very helpful, is it safe to use IPA solutions for cleaning?
Thanks! Yeah, every airbrushing product has Isopropanol inside with different concentrations
Do you use the same cleaner when working with enamels or other than acrylics?
In those cases I use their own specific thinner to clean (white/mineral spirit for example)
@@MarcoFrisoniNJM thanks. Really dig your stuff. Color theory was awesome. Thank you for what you're doing.
That thumbnail picture will be giving me nightmares.
😂😅😂 and you'll wake up in the middle of the night screaming "I have to clean the airbrush!!!" This was all part of the plan 😂
🤪🤪🤪
That thumbnail is awesome
love your vids sir!!!
Thanks for the great video
I have two Iwata airbruses, a single action and a HP-CS dual action.
For years I used interdental brushes to clean it because it was more easily accessible to me in Brazil. I still use them today, even after having bought that keychain of airbrush brushes.
My single action airbrush is a bit older, and sometimes I get some leaking in the nozzle cap (it has no O ring). Do you recommend any product to use as sealant?
I never tried to fix a similar problem... The first thing that pops in my mind is to try with the rubbery thin plumber tape used to seal the screws between water pipes...
I've seen beeswax mentioned for sealing threaded airbrush parts several times. I tried liquid thread sealer on my cheap airbrush once and it did not work as well as I hoped, it got places it shouldn't be and caused other issues. I haven't tried teflon tape yet. (Liquid thread sealer normally works much better than teflon tape for sealing threads especially for gas and air line fittings. Teflon tape is good for the making the threads near compression fittings work smoothly, it also works on water plumbing due to the way the threads are formed but not as easily.)
@@LightCarver Cool!!!
I would like to see a three way debate between Marco, Vince Venturella and angel giraldez on this topic. You all advise against each other’s cleaning methods.
So do you never backflow (even a little bit) to improve the mix in the tank?
Nope, I pre mix everything outside
*hides my ultra sonic cleaner *
Great video as always!
😂😂😂
The video I've been searching for!
😁😁😁
Hi Marco, I am a Noob airbrush user. Do you have any base line PSI suggestions for certain colours especially white to avoid mottled spray. Thanks in advance!
Hi! Check my playlist about airbrushing for all these information, there's everything you need to know in there (and in the painting videos I show dilutions for every single colour I use!)
Thanks mate! Keep up the amazing work! Love watching your videos!
Hey Marco thank you so much for all your Videos. For cleaning a use a an alcohol based window cleaner xD works great so far but since i'm ordered my new iwata hp-bp im a bit worried :D.
Also could you make a video about cleaning a Harder & Steenback airbrush? I have water sometimes spraying from my EMPTY airbrush after cleaning it. Can this be a problem with the compressor and/or moisture trap or my cleaning process?
I have an H&S myself, and except for the part about the nozzle, I think everything else should work pretty much the same. It's also possible that you have one or more bad seals, which you can replace.
There's one seal that's inside the body of the airbrush that is difficult to replace without a specialized H&S tool. This seal is very easy to overlook.
@@SubversionArts Grazie per l'informazione Marco. When I'll buy the tool for cleaning the nozzle I'll buy a set of seals. I just hope I won't have to replace that seal inside of the body.
@@MentoliptusBanko I don't mean to imply that you definitely should replace your seals. It's just a relatively low cost thing that you can try that might make a big difference. Listen to Marco, not me!