Airbrush problem

Pull ... the trigger ... *back*.

Pressing the trigger *down* opens the air valve. Pulling the trigger *back* at the same time opens the needle valve to introduce paint into the air stream. That's the 'double' action.

A double action brush will take more practice to learn to modulate both the air and the paint at the same time. You might be more comfortable with a single action brush.

-- C.R. Krieger (Been there; sprayed that)

All the double action brushes I've seen so far (which admittedly is only 5 or 6) don't allow you to vary the air pressure. It's either on or off. Varying air pressure is done via the pressure guage on the air source.

I think C.R. Krieger meant it's a combination of air pressure, adjusted at the compressor, and paint flow, adjusted with the trigger.

In terms of Rob's original question, I agree with C.R.K. that you have to pull the trigger back as you push it down. If there's a small clog in the nozzle, you may have to pull the trigger all the way back and spray a few shots somewhere besides your model, just to get the paint flowing properly. Once you've got paint flowing, you can experiment (still against a throw-away surface) to see about how far you've got to pull the trigger back to get a fine enough spray and still have paint flow. Then you're ready to hit the model.

OTOH, if you've already pulled back on the trigger and are still not getting paint flow, and if there's air coming out when you push the trigger, I've got to think you've got a paint clog in the nozzle. I don't know about the AB airbrush, but my Badger allows me to unscrew the nozzle head. I use an old airbrush needle and lacquer thinner to swab out the nozzle. There are also swabbing tools available from airbrush supply houses.

Finally, you mention using alcohol to thin MM acrylics. I haven't sprayed this particular brand, but I know that Testors makes a thinner specifically for those paints. It might be worth trying some, because if the alcohol isn't compatible with the paint, it'll cause it to clump and clog the nozzle. Again, I don't know this to be true for this particular paint/thinner combination, but it could be part of your problem. Pip Moss I used to feel cheap 'cause I had no signature.

Check if you have the needle tightend up. If your needle stays put in the nozzle when you pull back the trigger. You don't het paint.

-- Dennis Loep The Glueing Dutchman

"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny ...'" Isaac Asimov

To clarify, if I push down on the trigger I have air flow through the nozzel. If I push down the trigger and pull back it blows air into the container. I took it to the local Hobby Town USA today, and they took it apart. He could not see a clog. We held it up to the light and looked through the fluid tip and the spray nozzel assembly and could see light through the little holes. The needle goes all the way through the tip and spray nozzel assembly. The needle is clean also. He sugested that the oring between the body and spray nozzel assembly might be bad. I don't see how though since it is brand new and last night was the only time that it had ever been used. Any suggestions would be apprecative. Is there anyway to physically tell if the tip or spray nozzel assembly is clogged? Thank you all for your time.

Rob

The needle retracts. I also let it soak over night and flushed it with a syringe. There is no paint obstruction. When I flushed it, the solution came through the tip just fine.

After carefully looking at the bottle I do get bubbles when the trigger is pressed down. They are not near as bad when you pull the trigger back. It is almost as it is trying to backflush constantly.

Take it back to where you bought it, tell 'em it's stuffed and you want a different one.

RobG (the Aussie one)

I think you are supposed to use 50% paint and 50% thinner.

Shannon

If thinner is coming through but paint isn 't, and if as you say the nozzle tip doesn't appear to be obstructed, then it seems likely you aren't thinning your paint enough. Don't get too caught up with numerical ratios. You want to mix enough thinner so that the mixture has the consistency of whole milk. If you dip a stirring rod into the mixture and then touch it to the side of the bottle, the mixture should flow quickly down the side, but should leave a certain amount behind. For sure, if the mixture isn't thin enough, you'll get nothing through the nozzle except air; and it often takes only a drop or two more thinner to get it thin enough to flow. Pip Moss I used to feel cheap 'cause I had no signature.