Questions on tying airbrushing again

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**The Power Cosmic**

I've had an airbrush sitting in my box of tools, unused, for years now (an Iwata Neo). It's been used a couple times, but every time it seems like its not worth the effort to get out and set up (let alone learn to use) due to me not having a dedicated space for it. Well, after getting a paint scheme recipe from a friendly dakkite, and dropping a bit too much cash on paints for it, I'm determined to get it to work.

A few questions I have for the group.

I keep getting dried paint buildup in the nozzle part. Is this something I just have to deal with, or am I not thinning my paints enough? The color i was spraying today seemed to go on very thin as a basecoat, and it did eventually layer up to a solid color, but there was quite a bit of paint crust.

I'm going to be using enamels in this process. I've got thinner and spirits to clean up afterwards. Anything else I should know about airbrushing enamel paint?

**DV8**

Dried paint in the nozzle can happen over long airbrushing sessions, especially if you're not constantly pushing paint through and it's left to swap (you're changing models, swapping out colors, etc.).

I highly recommend getting used to adding in periodic cleaning steps into your airbrushing workflow, especially if you're going to be doing long sessions.

You also need to make sure that you're properly cleaning your nozzle and airbrush body of all debris during and after each session (deep clean after each session especially!)

With regards to enamels, you need to be absolutely careful not to let paints dry in your airbrush, and especially after you're done, you need to 100% clean that sucker out. If you let enamels dry in your airbrush, it's a goner. Enamels are meant to dry hard and provide a durable finish.

**Flinty**

I’ve not been using an airbrush for very long, and I found the following video to be super useful in explaining how to get great results from a range of different paint types.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WezhNoebA2Y

**tauist**

I started with an Iwata Neo as well. The nozzle size is a bit on the small size for acrylic paints, I dunno if they thought Neo would be primarily used with inks or something? 0.35mm on the Neo is actually much less than that IRL

I recommend getting the bigger 0.50mm nozzle replacement kit, it should help with tip dry.

more info here
https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/neo-for-iwata

**Mr. Grey**

I keep getting dried paint buildup in the nozzle part. Is this something I just have to deal with, or am I not thinning my paints enough? The color i was spraying today seemed to go on very thin as a basecoat, and it did eventually layer up to a solid color, but there was quite a bit of paint crust.

I'm going to be using enamels in this process. I've got thinner and spirits to clean up afterwards. Anything else I should know about airbrushing enamel paint?

It's called "tip dry" and it's pretty much inevitable. You should frequently be cleaning the tip of your needle, yes.

If you're airbrushing enamels, you absolutely will need a proper respirator, a spray booth, and outside ventilation. While most acrylic miniature paints are non-toxic, enamels are a whole different animals and you need to take the proper precautions.

**jivardi**

Also with acrylics make sure to release the paint flow first before stopping the air flow.

So trigger forward, then up to turn off air. It won't help with tip dry so much as prevent splatter.

When you pull back for paint and then let up on the trigger repeatedly so that the paint shuts off you will cause paint buildup; do that enough times and next time you pull back the trigger for air you blow all that chunky paint out and it splatters all over your lovely model.

Enamels don't suffer tip dry as often but do require more PPE to use safely. A simple dust mask is enough with acrylics; for enamels or lacquers you want to go with a charcoal filter mask/respirator (or just sit near an open window with a good fan or spray booth).

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Not all acrylics behave the same as far as tip dry. Some seem to dry faster than others. If you can, make a mix of about 90% thinner/reducer/ (or water if you are going the super cheap route to thin paints) and 10% slowing agent. Slo-dri by Liquitex is what I use. Glaze medium from Vallejo also works. Basically anything that's designed to increase open time for acrylic paints. Reducers/thinners are designed to dry super fast, which allows you to paint one layer and literally seconds later its dry to the touch and can be layered again. Slo-dri doesn't effect drying time of the surface paint, it just prevents it from drying so fast on the needle.

It's not a vital ingredient but it does help.

**Rob Lee**

You mention dried paint build up in the nozzle.

One thing I've learnt is between sessions to leave the airbrush in a jar of water, take off the air valve so it doesn't get wet, fill the jar so that the water is half way over or completely covers the paint cup. Probably best to not fill the water as high as the trigger area as most airbrushes have an o-ring seal there.

That way the airbrush and left over paint can't dry out and in theory you should get less blockages in the nozzle as there's no detritus building up between sessions.

Since I had that lightbulb moment (only a few months ago), after watching a youtuber, I've had less of the blockage problems I struggled with since buying an airbrush in 2015.

I can't recall the last time I had to strip and clean it during a session, so it's been months since I had to - the only things I've had to clean is occasionally the tip and the paint cup, and that's just a quick wipe over job.

I've also started to leave water in the airbrush between colours after I've flushed out the previous colour, that helps reduce/stop blockages also.

Although I use water based acrylics like Vallejo/Citadel and alcohol based acrylics like Tamiya/Gunze so I can't offer any advice regarding enamels.

Another thing to note, that helps with tip dry, and I'm not sure if it applies to enamels, that no-one seems to have mentioned yet, is flow improvers. Where I've been adding Vallejo flow improver to paint I've thinned during recent airbrushing sessions has eliminated some of the problems I've had in the past.

Humidity/ambient temperature i.e. weather also play a part. Might sound obvious but the hotter the day the more likely you'll get tip dry.

Also don't thin your paint in the colour cup of the airbrush. I've mixed in the airbrush colour cup before and you're just asking for trouble.

EDITED for clarification/corrections.

**mrFickle**

Get some airbrush cleaner or maybe some nail varnish remover and some cotton buds (are they called q tips in USA?) . Dip it in the airbrush cleaner and wipe it over the tip if you think you got try tip. It’s a quick way to clear it. Also put you finger over the end and press the button so the air blow back into the paint pot which will remove some build up.

Ultimately using an airbrush comes with the pain of having to clean it regularly during use and there’s no avoiding it. Some paints cause dry tip more than others. Some metallic paint will block up your airbrush because of the metallic pigments.

Airbrushing gives great effects but it’s labour intensive

**Rob Lee**

mrFickle wrote:
Also put you finger over the end and press the button so the air blow back into the paint pot which will remove some build up.

I wouldn't advise that.

All you're doing is pushing whatever detritus is blocking the nozzle at the time back into the paint cup, and that will then be moved forward, towards and down the nozzle when you start spraying again and you'll probably end up with a further blockage.

I used to do it. Never solved anything.

Best airbrush practice is to only let paint, other liquids or anything else, flow in one direction - forwards and out the nozzle

**The Power Cosmic**

Wow, thanks for all the tips, everyone. Now I'm going to be very proactive about the enamel.

I'm doing the airbrushing outside, but I'll still throw on the respirator.

I think I'll start doing smaller batches of paint so I empty the cup out more and then will think to clean it out and wipe the tip off.

Good idea about the dry retarder. I have some that I use for regular brushing. I'll just add some to my airbrushing.

For the record, I'm painting Necrons, and using

Turbo Dork - Afterburner colorshift
MSP Bones - Dragon Bronze (though I may change this out for a different gold color. We'll see how it is in the airbrush)
Vallejo - Duraluminum
AK Interactive - Streaking Grime (this is the enamel. Its being used more as a wash, so it will be light coats and I'll have to take time to clean between applications)

**jivardi**

Rob Lee wrote:
You mention dried paint build up in the nozzle.

One thing I've learnt is between sessions to leave the airbrush in a jar of water, take off the air valve so it doesn't get wet, fill the jar so that the water is half way over or completely covers the paint cup. Probably best to not fill the water as high as the trigger area as most airbrushes have an o-ring seal there.

That way the airbrush and left over paint can't dry out and in theory you should get less blockages in the nozzle as there's no detritus building up between sessions.

Since I had that lightbulb moment (only a few months ago), after watching a youtuber, I've had less of the blockage problems I struggled with since buying an airbrush in 2015.

I can't recall the last time I had to strip and clean it during a session, so it's been months since I had to - the only things I've had to clean is occasionally the tip and the paint cup, and that's just a quick wipe over job.

I've also started to leave water in the airbrush between colours after I've flushed out the previous colour, that helps reduce/stop blockages also.

Although I use water based acrylics like Vallejo/Citadel and alcohol based acrylics like Tamiya/Gunze so I can't offer any advice regarding enamels.

Another thing to note, that helps with tip dry, and I'm not sure if it applies to enamels, that no-one seems to have mentioned yet, is flow improvers. Where I've been adding Vallejo flow improver to paint I've thinned during recent airbrushing sessions has eliminated some of the problems I've had in the past.

Humidity/ambient temperature i.e. weather also play a part. Might sound obvious but the hotter the day the more likely you'll get tip dry.

Also don't thin your paint in the colour cup of the airbrush. I've mixed in the airbrush colour cup before and you're just asking for trouble.

EDITED for clarification/corrections.

I just put a few drops of thinner in my ab cup in between sessions (unless I'm going to be a few days) like if I stop for an hour or 2 to do IRL stuff or eat dinner. Before I add paint I just shoot the cleaner out and resume.

**Rob Lee**

Yeah I've used thinners for that task before. When I've been building and painting scale model aircraft.

I found that using thinners just to keep the airbrush wet between colours was starting to cost me a fortune. Especially when the thinners I was using was Gunze Self Levelling Thinners (a lacquer thinner for alcohol based acrylics and lacquer paints). IPA or Vallejo thinners wasn't much cheaper either.

**Graphite**

Flinty wrote:
I’ve not been using an airbrush for very long, and I found the following video to be super useful in explaining how to get great results from a range of different paint types.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WezhNoebA2Y

This video was really useful to me - especially the demonstration of how thin the paint should be and how little should go on each layer. Blowing air to dry between layers is also an excellent tip.

**techsoldaten**

Another thing to consider: what you use to thin your paints.

I use a mix of Tamiya X20A, Vallejo Airbrush Thinner and Retarder Medium. It's kept in a small squirt bottle, can put a few drops in depending on the thickness of the paint.

Dry Tip is not much of an issue. When it happens, the paint is easy to wipe off.

**tauist**

Just saying, after I switched to a bigger nozzle on my main acrylics airbrush (0.4), tip dry hasn't been a n issue for me. So definitely also try a larger nozzle if possible.