Clogged airbrush

joey_d1119 · Post by **joey_d1119** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:15 pm

The air comes through fine, but the paint doesn't come out at all. What do I do? I'm pretty sure the needle is not bent, I had it sitting in paint thinner for a day....still no paint.

DX-SFX · Post by **DX-SFX** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 7:14 am

It would help if we knew what airbrush it was.

There are only two options. The paint pathway is blocked or there's an air leak that prevents the airflow from creating a suction to draw the paint in.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 9:50 am

I dunno...I'd hate to come across like an armchair quarterback...

Are you running from a bottle or cup? Sometimes the little vent hole for the bottle will get clogged and the airbrush won't be able to draw the paint up.

Or the nozzle has some build-up inside that's blocking things.

Frankly, knowing how airbrsuhes work, I'm stunned that I get mine to work at all. I abuse the nheck outta mine.

Kenny · Post by **Kenny** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 2:09 pm

joey_d1119 wrote:The air comes through fine, but the paint doesn't come out at all. What do I do? I'm pretty sure the needle is not bent, I had it sitting in paint thinner for a day....still no paint.

Same, I have a couple of generic double action, I think the paint is drying inside the mixing chamber and I just can't seem to get it out.

Post by **TER-OR** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 8:07 pm

Are you using acrylics?

Anyway, it's usually paint stuck in the tip/cone. That can be tough to get rid of, but you should be able to see it. You should probably dismantle the whole front end and examine all the bits.

joey_d1119 · Post by **joey_d1119** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 3:58 am

Hey guys,
Its an Iwata Revolution BCR, bottom feed airbrush. I'll take it apart and see what I can do.

Im using only enamel paints. I sat my it in Easy Off all night....just the end of the brush....and still no paint comes out.

Im taking it to my LHS to see what they can do.

Lonewolf · Post by **Lonewolf** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 4:15 pm

And it worked fine before this? Or is this the first time you've used it?

joey_d1119 · Post by **joey_d1119** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:11 pm

It worked fine before this, but I think I shot myself in the foot because I think the last time I used it I didn't clean it. My damn fault, I had it soaking in easy off for a full day, and a day before that in paint thinner. Still clogged.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:25 pm

Have ya tried shooting some lacquer thinner through it?

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:03 pm

What about soaking the metal bits (only metal, nothing with any type of gasket!) in Castrol Super Clean? That should fix it without hurting the brass parts.

Kenny

joey_d1119 · Post by **joey_d1119** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:27 am

Figured it out...I feel stupid.....All I had to do was adjust the spring for the trigger....I didn't even think about that fact that the trigger had no tension.......

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:46 am

Done that mysel. Even more fun is re-assembling the airbrush and forgetting to tighten all the head componants. That can get messy.

talon · Post by **talon** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 12:56 pm

that same exact problem happened to me last night, except for the not cleaning after use part. I haven't used my brush in about a week and I went to test some paint for color and the trigger draw was loose with no tension and the needle wouldn't draw back to release paint. I ended up disassembling it and cleaning some dried acrylic off the needle and after I put it back together it worked again. I have an Iwata Eclipse and so far it seems to take abuse pretty well. I just wish swapping the bottom feed bottles was less messy.

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Clogged airbrush

Clogged airbrush

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