Airbrush Help

I can use some tips on Airbrush use.
I have a Paasche VL double action airbrush. Every time I use it I end up having to clean it out several times for each small amount of detail work I attempt. Frustrating!

How much dose everybody thin Brodak clear & colors for airbrush work?

Any other tips would make my day. (Shading, Layering, Weathering, etc.)

Hi Pat,
I run cheap lacquer thinner ($7-$8 at Wal Mart) through the gun as soon as I am finished with one color until it is clear. Then do it again at prety high pressure when I am finished. I will do this again before I use color the next time I'm painting.
Since the airbrush allows so much control, I thin the dope 60%-70%. I also spray at about 15-20 lbs. at the brush.
I only use the airbrush for clear when I am doing touch ups/small repairs.
I do tear the AB down about once a year and throughly clean it. In fact, the parts are in lacquer thinner right now.
Bill <><

Seems like when an airbrush is used with these laquer type paints, the a/b will clog very easy. This is because the paint has to be thinned so much to go through the nozzle. I have learn for most art work that is detailed or has to be thin lined, to use water colors. Its thin to start with and I never have thin is much at all. When it does need thinned, use water. Even the yuppie bottled water will work. Since I clear over all my art or graphics, water color is there for the life of the plane/motorcycle/car. Just rememember not to wipe with a watered cleaning wipe. I use a damped cloth with turpintine, very lightly to remove any dust or oils before clearing.
Lee TGD

<<<I keep watering, but it don't grow

Generally speaking any media (paint) that you can thin to the consistence of milk will spray through an airbrush. This doesn’t mean you may not have related problems. One of the most common is tip drying. This accurse when paint builds up and semi dries on the needle tip reducing, altering, or stopping the spray. The addition of retarder or flow improver to the paint will help the situation, but may not eliminate it. The simple fix is to keep a cotton swab wetted with the appropriate thinner/cleaner handy and wipe the tip/nozzle every so often or as needed.
The Paasche VL is happiest if kept clean (like all airbrushes). This is the procedure I follow when spraying and cleaning up. 1- The VL likes to have an air pressure of 25 to 35 psi for most applications depending on tip size and media viscosity. Many T-shirt artists use 50 to 65 psi. Remember, this is a siphon feed brush and it relies on air flow for consistent paint delivery. 2- between colors fill the color cup about half way with appropriate thinner/cleaner. Use a cotton swab to wipe the paint from the insides of the cup, flush this paint/thinner mix through the brush till empty. Refill the cup about half way and flush again for a few seconds. Next back flush the brush. This is done by placing a finger over the nozzle cap and at the same time drawing the trigger back all the way and gently pressing the trigger part way down for air. This forces air to bubble back into the color cup along with paint residue. WARNING to much air in back flushing will spray the contents out of the cup back at you, your work, and all over the place, Always clean your brush away from your work. Repeat this back and forth flush a few times as needed. When the thinner/cleaner blows clear (check it by spraying into a white rag or on to white scrap paper) you’re good for the next color. 3- The final clean up requires the previous procedure as well as a partial disassembly of the airbrush. First remove the color cup, then unscrew and remove the handle. Loosen the needle chuck nut. Now unscrew and remove the nozzle cap/ air cap assembly, this will require an appropriate wrench, the nozzle itself may remain with the assembly or stay on the needle. Remove it (don’t drop and loose it) for cleaning. Now push the needle FORWARD and out of the airbrush. Do not draw tee needle out the back as this tends to wipe excess paint off at the needle bearing leaving build up inside and possibly dragging paint into the trigger/air valve area. Wipe the needle clean with a rag or cotton swab. Use a cotton swab dipped in cleaner to clean inside where the color cup attaches. Next use a pipe cleaner (Dr. Garbow works well) dipped in thinner/cleaner to reach the area inside the airbrush body where the needle passes in front of the needle bearing. The same pipe cleaner can be used to clean the color cup feed tube. Gently use a pipe cleaner on the inside of the nozzle. Now you can reassemble the airbrush, insert the needle from the back and push it forward until about 3/4 of an inch is exposed. Set the nozzle on top of the needle and place the air cap /nozzle cap assembly on top of the needle and nozzle. Gently push the combined parts home and screw the nozzle cap snuggly in place. By reassembling the airbrush in this manner you will get a more natural alignment of the floating nozzle. Tighten the needle chuck and check for smoothness of operation. You can now add the remaining parts. Failure to maintain you airbrush leads to sticky operation, clogs, and erratic spray. I hope this is somewhat helpful.

Thanks Bob,

"Failure to maintain your
airbrush leads to sticky operation, clogs, and erratic
spray. "

This sounds like my problem + trying to spray at to low pressure.
I'll keep working at it.

Fly stunt