airbrush cleaning brushes

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
1

I’m looking for pipe cleaner type brushes to clean my airbrush. There is a store nearby that has the small type pipe cleaner brushes with stainless steel and brass brush heads on them. Would these be too abrasive for an airbrush. I have badger airbrushes.

Thanks

Craig

2

Craig,

I wouldn’t use steel or brass bristled brushes in my AB but maybe that’s just me - I’d worry about damage. I use inter-dental brushes I buy at the local WallGreens pharmacy. Usually i can find straight and 90 degree angled ones. They work well and can be cleaned in thinner and re-used but they’re not very expensive anyway.

3

[dto:]

Or if there’s a Harbor Freight near you they sell a set of brushes for a couple of dollars. They range from a size that will pass through the needle bearing to probably 3/8 of an inch. Nylon bristles on a twisted wire core. 4 or 5 inches long. All captive on a split ring.

Tony

4

Thanks Guys,

I thought the stainless and brass tips sounded a little harsh, but wanted to check. Thanks Bick.

Tony, I saw the brushes you are talking about a Harbor Freight on line. There is a store not too far. I will swing by and pick up some of those.

Thanks again, to both of you

Craig

5

You’re welcome Craig. I use both the interdental brushes and the set from Harbor Freight. Both work great and will last a long time.

Tony

6

Paasche makes a nice cleaning kit that has nylon bristle brushes of various sizes to clean your airbrush. I use them on mine. The smallest one has less diameter than most pipe cleaners, while the largest round brush is similar sized to a.45 caliber bore brush.

http://www.paascheairbrush.com/Cleaning-AC-7.html

7

I have a set of the Airbrusher’s Brushes which are a nice set although I rarely use them.

I see no need for these cleaning brushes except for maybe using them on the color cup of a siphon-feed airbrush. I never have and never will run a brush down the needle tube of the airbrush as some do as it is unnecessary and can actually cause problems if paint is dragged back into the air valve.

8

You don’t want to use SS or brass brushes to clean your airbrush. I just use regular pipe cleaners. I also have some small dental brushes that I bought at the local pharmacy (my dentist has also given me some in the past when I’ve asked).

Mark

9

[quote user=“stikpusher”]

Paasche makes a nice cleaning kit that has nylon bristle brushes of various sizes to clean your airbrush. I use them on mine. The smallest one has less diameter than most pipe cleaners, while the largest round brush is similar sized to a.45 caliber bore brush.

http://www.paascheairbrush.com/Cleaning-AC-7.html

!http://site.ehobbies.com/googleimages/pasac7.jpg

The smaller brushes on the ring look like the Harbor Freight ones I bought for under $3 a while back. They work great.