Hi everyone!!!
ok, i justbaught a new compressor and airbrush. The airbrush is a Paasche VL, and when i went to use it for the first time, it would spit paint when I startand stop…
any ideas why???
That will happen because of paint build-up on the tip.
The way to remedy that is to learn to always spray with air only away from the model before you begin a pass with paint. When you finish your pass with paint, repeat and push the trigger down only for air and it will blow the paint particles off of the tip. You can also soak a Q-tip in thinner and stick it into the tip of the airbrush to clean away the paint.
The Q-tips with the hollow stem are best if you can find them.
Also, remember to always push the trigger all the way down for air as that is the correct way to use an airbrush. Some people try and push the trigger down slightly for less air which is basically impossible to do.
Mike
Sounds like water is getting through your hose.
Do you have a water filter between the compressor and the brush?
yes, i have a watertrap/regulator unit…
Give us some more details. Does it spit when you start spraying and spit again when you stop? Or does it spit after stopping and then restarting?
Mike
ok, i found i had a slight air leak, so i fixed it!!!
started to spray and i work wonderfully!!!
Then it started spitting again…
mostly starts off fine, then startsto spit…
is the Paasche VL noted for this???
i thined out my paint alot, to no avail!!!
can it be i’m just not mixing it properly???
I am new to airbrushing
The Paasche VL is known at times to leak air around the head of the airbrush. Spray a little windex or 409 on the head area and push the trigger down with air coming out and see how badly the Windex bubbles around the threads of the airbrush head. If it is bubbling badly then you may have the head too lose, but don’t tighten it too tight as it is brass and will strip. If it is leaking after tightening you may need to unscrew the head and put a little teflon tape around the threads and then re-tighten the head. Make sure you keep the teflon tape around the threads alone and not into the hole where the tip goes as that will give you troubles.
Also, did you thin your paint enough and did you strain it? A clump of paint could be in there interrupting the paint flow.
Have you tried different pressures also?
Let us know what you find.
Mike
strain it???
never thought of that!!!
thanks!!
Yep. Mix the paint and thinner in a container and then pour it through a piece of women’s nylons into the airbrush cup. [;)]
Mike
Probably a daft question, but are you spraying silver paint?
I thought I had a problem with my Badger 155, but all it was was a the damn silver paint I was using, ALL other colours spray fine except silver - and that spits. No ammount of thinning would make any difference. Increasing pressure was no help, but reducing the pressure to about 12-15 psi and opening the paint release further helped a lot.
Silver is my arch enemy - I used to own a silver car and I could never spray that properly either!!
Thanks for the help guys… could i be using to high of a pressure???
and no, no silver!!! LOL
Actually paint atomizes better at higher pressure than lower pressure so I doubt that is the problem.
Did you try straining it yet? Did it help?
Mike
i kinda got it to stop spittin, but now the paint is bubbling around the slits in the tip of the brush… the tip of the brush has a cover on it, that just pulls off, and on that cover is liitle slot, i’m getting bubbles from out of that!!!
this freakin thing is driving me nuts!!!
rattle cans are strating to look good right about now!!!
Please help.i’m about ready to through the thing out the window!!!
Huh? Are you using the airbrush with the cover on it?
That cover that has the slits in it is to protect the airbrush tip when in storage, you DO NOT paint with it on the front of the airbrush.
Have you been painting with it on there? [:0]
Mike
ummmmm oops???
ok, just call me STUPID!!!
This is my first brush!!!
the kit came with 2 other rods and tips, what do the numbers mean??? all i got with the brush is a lesson book, but it doesn’t explain it well, plus i doesn’t explain how to take it apart or adjust it!!!
HELP!!!
[#wstupid]
ok…only because you asked for it. [:)]
Doh!! At least Mike recognized what you were doing wrong.
Uh oh! [:-^] Haha. Just kidding bud. We all make mistakes like that with our first airbrush. No wonder it was spitting. It was getting a bunch of wet paint built up inside that aircap cover and then when air came through the airbrush that wet paint was being pushed out the aircap protector in drops.
Well at least we have that nailed down now and we can get you up and running. [;)]
There are three tips and needles with the Paasche kit if that is what you have.
There is a #1, #3, and #5 tip and needle. The #1 would be used the most with modelling and the #3 will work fairly well too. The #5 is only used for thicker mediums like varnish for wood projects, etc.
The #1 needle usually has one groove cut around the needle end, the #3 has three grooves cut around it and the #5 has a ‘5’ on it I believe.
To take it apart you unscrew the handle and remove it, and take the head off the front with the wrench included with the kit. Be careful not to drop the cone (tip) that is inside the head as it will dent and then won’t work properly. Loosen the needle chuck which is under where the handle was and has lines cut into it for gripping. Unscrew it slightly and the needle will move when you push it. Push the needle from the back of the airbrush forward and pull it out the front, but be careful of the triggger on top of the airbrush because with the needle out the trigger will fall out. If it does fall out you can put it back in again but it is a pain sometimes to get back in because it swivels where the trigger meets the air valve in the body of the airbrush.
After you clean the parts and want to put it back together then do it this way:
Put the tip back into the aircap body and screw the aircap body back onto the front of the airbrush. DO NOT tighten it too tightly on the airbrush as it is brass and will strip if too tight. Just hand tighten it and then use the wrench to make it good and snug. Put the needle back into the airbrush from the back end and push it forward slowly until it comes into contact with the tip. Do not push it hard once it touches the tip or the needle will deform the tip and you will have to buy another tip. I usually just push it forward gently until it comes in contact with the tip and then lightly tap the back of the needle with my index finger so that it is seated well. Tighten the needle chuck again and make sure it’s snug or the needle will slip and not move well when you move the trigger back.
Put the handle back on the back, or you can leave it off as some airbrush artists prefer for easier access to the needle chuck.
Let me know if I have left anything out that you may need. [;)]
Mike
PS Here is a schematic of the VL for reference:
at Coast Airbrush’s web site:
http://www.coastairbrush.com/pages/21.html
Mike
Check carefully with a magnifier to see if the needle and nozzle are seating correctly. A mushroomed nozzle from careless handling would allow paint to build up on the nozzle tip and when the build up is big enough the air pressure would throw the paint and spit.