Ultrasonic clearner for airbrush

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Tools
1

I have decided to get an ultrasonic cleaner to clean the parts of my airbrush. My Airbrush is the Iwata HP C+.

For those that do clean airbrushes with an ultrasonic cleaner, I have seen on youtube people clean with water, water and soap, and some commercially available jewlery cleanter. What would you guys recommend.

I have mostly used my airbrush with Acrylics (Tamiya or Mr. Hobby - Aqueos). I have used enamals a bit last year, but I figure the hand cleaning that I have done should have taken care of 90% of that. I know that you cannot put enamal thinner in a ultrasonic cleaner so i am not worried about that.

2

I have the same airbrush stuart , I use windex , or the cheaper version , when I’m finished , I just decanter it back into the bottle for next time .

3

but doens’t windex have amonia…doesn’t that eat away at the plating of the pail of the ultrasonic?

4

I also have the Iwata, and have been using my ultrasonic tub to clean it for a long time. I just use a jewelry cleaner powder of some sort for ultrasonic cleaners. When I return home, if I think of it, I’ll advise the name of the product.

This may be obvious, but I disassemble the a/b before putting the components in the tray. And yes, I put the stripped a/b body in too.

I have no idea if this procedure is correct, and I am no airbrush expert (we have a couple of them here, but I’m not them), it’s just what I’ve been doing for over 10 yrs, and I’m still using the same Iwata, and it still works as new.

5

I have been doing it for roughly 8 years , and I see no ill effects , from what i have heard mr badger recommends it .

6

Thanks guys,for those with Iwata (although it probably is no different for any other AB), I was told to not put the air-valve (the thing at the bottom that the button pushes down on to let air flow) in the Ultrasonic cleaner. This makes some sense as the little plunger area seems to be greased.

Also don’t but in the tip sleeve (the very tiny sleeve at the tip of the A/B that the needle pass through. They say it can crack…

Anyway, what brand of Ultrasonic do you guys have / recommend.

7

I’m the same as greg , I strip it all down and throw the lot in , I then oil it up when reassembling .

8

As others have said, strip down, but do not put air valve assembly in, it gums up nicely.

US Windex may be fine, (active ingredient is ammonia)

UK Windolene isn’t (no ammonia, fine for windows though).

If you think you need more ‘oomph’ with your cleaning fluids, you can put small parts in a small container (23ml large Tamiya pot, closed lid) with your volatile cleaner, & put that in the ultra sonic bath.