done some searching, but just get conflicting info. Can anyone tell me if I can clean my airbrush using denatured alcohol after using enamels?
Tks for any help
No, not for enamels. Denatured alcohol will work for cleaning most acrylics though.
Generic hardware store lacquer thinner will work for cleaning both enamels and acrylics. It may be harsh on rubber O-rings and seals though.
I use the same turpentine or mineral spirits I thin the enamel with. For disassembly cleaning, I do occasionally use lacquer thinner on the all-metal parts, but worry about seals as previous poster mentioned.
I use stuff sold as airbrush cleaner, Vallejo & other brands, for cleaning acrylics.
I also use Tamiya Thinners or distilled H2O for most of my Acrylic thinning.
I’ve tried various home-made mixes with 66% IPA +retarders+extenders, which worked to a degree, but consistency and repeatability is harder to achieve.
Most of my spraying is with Vallejo, so…
NEVER use alcohol of any description to thin or clean Vallejo turns it into a gloopy mess, though it’s ok with some other brands. (always test outside airbrush first)
I also use Humbrol branded enamel or cellulose thinners for cleaning enamel, as I rarely use it, the nominal high cost per ml doesn’t bother me, whereas having larger amounts of not-pet & lung friendly thinners does!