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I've been spraying stuff for a long time and only just recently figured out something that has made my life a lot simpler. I don't know why it took 20 years to figure out. When you're done spraying with that airbrush or spray gun, unscrew it and take out the tip or the needle or whatever, and plunk it in a jar of thinner till the next time you need it. The 20 seconds it takes to reassemble is far, far less than the time you'll spend cleaning out dried clogs or putting up with spitting and sputtering cuz you didn't clean it well enough before you put it away last time. This is so simple you'd think I could have figured it out sooner. Doh.
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Joe..Yer just a young pup! I, too, just figured that out. Just figured it out 25 years ago!
Seriously, THAT is the kind of thing that some of us take for granted that everyone does. Funny how we sometimes "assume" that things like that are "common knowledge".
OK..here's another one.. when you put the needle back into the spraygun/airbrush, rub a bit of vaseline on it first..It'll lubricate the "packing" and will help stop air leaks that cause "spattering"/"sputtering"
AND..if you are using an old gun to spray lacquer primer and you don't empty and clean it every time you use it...and it starts "spattering" just unscrew the air cap and turn it around and "screw" it back and forth over the end of the fluid tip. It'll clean up the end of the fluid tip and make the primer come out smoothly.
------------------ Dave Grundy AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@quadro.net www.quadro.net/~shirley
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I can give you an easier one Joe. If you will finish your last cleaning with lacquer thinner, and shoot until clear, you will not have to part clean your gun again. Leave the lacquer thinner in the gun. The fumes themselves, will keep anything from sticking to parts. Have been doing this with airbrushes for years and a devilbiss quart size. I have a friend that shoots only lacquer with one of his guns and just drops the gun into a bath of lacquer thinner. Hasen't even evacuated the lacquer for over 2 years. I wouldn't suggest this one because of the fire hassard, but it work's great without one minute spent on cleanup.....
------------------ Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801
Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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In addition; for keeping the paint mixed I would drop a clean ¾ inch nut in my spray cup and swirl it around while squirting a car or especially a motorcycle tank. Now that the guns I use are gravity feed I just stand on my head every now and then and it’s all mixed up, or is it me that’s mixed up? Gota love the smell of fresh paint in the morning.
------------------ Ken Morse Jamn Graphics Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 213 | From: Santa Cruz, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Joe, one thing I've found to be usefull as well is to not look directly into the nozzle when spraying out the excess paint with Laqueor..Lack-her Thinner. (But it sure cleans your glasses!)
------------------ Mike Meyer SignPainter 575 1st Street Box 3 Mazeppa, Mn 55956 (507) 843-5951 EMail-mikemeyer@sleepyeyetel.net http://www.markfair.com/mikemeyer check out this great web site..www.grainbelt.com
Posts: 3617 | From: Mazeppa, Mn usa | Registered: Feb 1999
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with the automotive spray guns(detail and devilbiss) i do the laqure thinner thing, the air brushes i run laqure thinner thru them them i run mineral sprites last, the laqure thinner cleans it real good but leave it dry, but the mineral sprites has some lubrication properties...and if you use water based paint...after cleaning run mineral sprites..will keep it lubed..
------------------ joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-944-5060 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND
Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Old Paint I do the same thing as the lacquers will clean out the gun and let it stand in some spirits until the next job.
I never heard of using Vasoline as a lube but sounds interesting.
I try to use one or to Airbrushes for water base products and the older Airbrushes for enamels and Lacquers. With the water Base products (Createx) they sell a lube to help stop jamming and clogs. But most of the time I use (Slick 50) as a lube Works great and doest interfer with the water based.
------------------ Raven/2001 Airbrushed by Raven Lower Sackville N.S. deveausdiscovery@sprint.ca
Posts: 4327 | From: Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000
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This tip concerns gravity guns.. While I like to leave some thinner in my syphon guns, I found that leaving thinner in the gravity gun not desirable. After cleaning the gravity gun, I unscrew the air cap and make sure the fluid tip and the inside of the air cap is clean. The I reasemble and store dry. THe gun is ready for the next use. And Ken, invest in an agitator cup and throw that 3/4" nut away..
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Some good replies here. Seems like lots of folks aren't having the kind of trouble I've been having that led me to start removing the tip when I was done with a spray job. Maybe this is why -
About two years ago I started getting into more automotive paints, epoxys, two-part primers, and adding hardeners to my enamel finishes. That's when the trouble started. Seemed no matter how much clear thinner I ran through the guns, or how much thinner I left in the gun while stored, they would operate poorly next time out. After taking apart my HVLP gun to ream out orifices for the dozenth time, that dim light of inspiration began to glow. Since disassembly seemed like it was going to be a forgone conclusion, I just started making it the final step in the spraying routine. I still spray clear thinner through the gun, but unscrew the atomizer and remove the nozzle as well. Zero trouble since then.
So maybe this only applies if you add hardeners to your paints. Now that I'm in the habit I'll keep doing it for all paints anyway. Whatever works for YOU, right?
Special thanks to the Mazeppa Maven for clearing up that other problem that had been plaguing me.
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I think it was some one in Mazeppa that told me to always take off the tip and pull the needle out thru the front. Every time I do this there is a little paint on the needle. I wipe it off and insert it back in thru the back. This keeps from pulling paint back into the body.
------------------ Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 ICQ: 21604027 sherwood@up.net
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I don't know who told me this, but I'm sure that it was here in Letterville.
After cleaning, spray the gun with WD-40. Lasts longer than mineral spirits.
------------------ Pat Neve, Jr. Sign Man, Inc. 4580 N. US 1 Melbourne, FL 32935 321-259-1703 signman@signmaninc.com Capt. Sign Letterville Constituent constituent: "One of the individual entities contributing to a whole"
Posts: 2284 | From: Melbourne, FL, USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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Ladies and Gentleman, Jack Davis brings up another good point.....Grain Belt lubes up anything that moves. It also is a Great Hair Tonic and I.....well.....I should'nt really tell you all this but.......oh what the heck, I splash a little under my armpits when I see a pretty girl approaching the shop! (If it's a pretty girl in Mazeppa, it's gotta be a tourist.) WHy would I say that? Thanks Jack and watch your Mailbox for your Free 12 pack of GRAIN BELT!!!!
------------------ Mike Meyer SignPainter 575 1st Street Box 3 Mazeppa, Mn 55956 (507) 843-5951 EMail-mikemeyer@sleepyeyetel.net http://www.markfair.com/mikemeyer check out this great web site..www.grainbelt.com
Posts: 3617 | From: Mazeppa, Mn usa | Registered: Feb 1999
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I think it's easier to clean a gun while the paint is still wet, I squirt laquer thinner throught till it comes out clear, i pull the pin, wipe it snd put it back in. Done. I leave a little thinnah in the gun. hey Mike, I hear grain belt makes a great floor wax, and a delicous desert topping too. what happens when you mix it with Pelucid, and Rapid tac... emmm....yummy!
------------------ -------------------------------------------------- "A wise man once said that, or was it a wise guy?"
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I think they also use grain belt to wash dishes at the breakfast diner
I keep a tube of chap stick in the paint room to "wax" the needles of my paint guns, its less messy. Also, I never leave the needle out of the gun except when cleaning it, if you do, the cork packing ring will dry up and swell, and wont be a good seal for the needle.
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Bernice, what did you think of Grain Belt? Come on, be honest! You liked it didn't you? Huh...come on!
------------------ Mike Meyer SignPainter 575 1st Street Box 3 Mazeppa, Mn 55956 (507) 843-5951 EMail-mikemeyer@sleepyeyetel.net http://www.markfair.com/mikemeyer check out this great web site..www.grainbelt.com
Posts: 3617 | From: Mazeppa, Mn usa | Registered: Feb 1999
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