ImpendingDuff is here to show us how to clean an airbrush for painting miniatures- don’t miss these tips and tricks to keep yours working!
ImpendingDuff may be somewhat new here, but he’s actually been doing this for a while now. He does great painting tutorials and is definitely worth checking out. This week he go a solid tutorial on how to keep your airbrushes working smoothly for as long as possible by cleaning them properly.
Tips for Cleaning Airbrushes: Impending Duff Tutorial
This is not just for deep cleaning but to actually keep those deep cleans further apart. On top of that, he shows how to be able to swap paint faster when you’re in the middle of painting, just like he did while working this Marine here. Check it out.
Changing Paint Colors
He uses a tattoo cleaner (gooseneck squirt bottle) to wash out the color from the pot. Then he closes off the airflow from the front with an old glove or something and creates a backflow. Once he does that, he then washes it out again with the freshwater. He does this two or three times to make sure it’s totally clean.
Then just blow out the residual water. If it’s been a week or so, he uses a little isopropyl alcohol and uses a plastic bristle brush to clean the end.
Ultrasonic Cleaner
He then uses an Ultrasonic cleaner to get everything fully clean. He doesn’t use the basket to keep the vibrations full. He only does this when it’s time for a deep clean. He breaks apart the airbrush and puts it in. Just be sure to not put in the air valve ever! This isn’t good if you do it every day, just when you need a deeper clean.
After that, he uses a little brush to clean out anything that could be left in there. This just ensures no paint is left in the airbrush while it’s not in use. Dental brushes are nice because they can get in all the tiny little pieces.
Reassembly
He starts by screwing in the air valve and the trigger flap. He does it this way to keep things from bending. He uses the petroleum jelly then and puts a tiny dab on the regulator. This keeps the airbrush from leaking air. It’s a super cheap way to keep your airbrush working the best.
The Needle
To keep the needle working well, he uses some oil to keep it working. You can use gun oil here. This keeps the needle working well and lasting longer. Basically, it acts like Teflon tape to keep it all airtight and working for far longer. But you only have to apply the oil to the very front part as it’s the only thing that actually comes in contact with the paint.
Cleaned Airbrush
There you have it, a super clean airbrush that will last much longer!
If you liked this feature, be sure to check out his channel for more great tutorials!
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
