Product Review: Creations Unlimited Hobby Products Item Number 7011; Air-Br= ush Cleaning Kit ; price US$16.00
Advantages: all basic items needed to clean an airbrush in one box; mixing = vials included as well as a pouring funnel
Disadvantages: no hints or directions provided
Rating: Recommended
Recommendation: for anyone using an airbrush from any manufacturer
It is one thing to be able to afford an airbrush (and then a compressor) a= nd another thing entirely to maintain them. Too often they may become clogg= ed with dried paint, suffer damaged tips or seals, or simply not be suitabl= y clean for general use. While most modelers who own an airbrush understand= that you use a water trap to eliminate moisture buildup and those nasty sp= lats of water on your nice fresh coat of paint, it is essential to maintain= the brush in a clean condition.=20
Creations Unlimited =96 the people behind the excellent series of Flex-I-F= ile sanding products =96 now offers a nice little maintenance kit for a rea= sonable price in one go. The kit includes: one pair of rubber gloves; lint-= free wiping cloths; pipe cleaners (the old fashioned kind without the plast= ic =93routers=94 used by pipe smokers today); four eye droppers; a funnel; = wooden (tooth) picks (the round type); cotton swabs with long wooden shafts= ; a small bottle for cleaning fluid; two metal (=93library paste=94) type s= oft brushes; and four graduated measuring cups with readouts in milliliters= and fluid ounces (15 and =BD respectively).=20
The set provides not only the basics for cleaning a brush but also a nice = set of accessories for use in painting, such as the funnel and the measurin= g cups. This permits precise measurement of mixes so the modeler can keep t= he =93right=94 formula for his particular style of painting once he finds i= t. The small bottle and eyedroppers are useful for measuring out paint and = thinner when formulating a mixture.=20
The toothpicks are good for getting dried paint out of tips and tip holder= s, and the long swabs are great for cleaning out the general bore of single= or double action brushes. Ditto the old-fashioned pipe cleaners - using th= e =93router=94 types tends to leave paint inside the brush and =93kiddie=94= art project ones tend to be colored and shed very easily. The cloths are a= ctually high grade paper towels but will do a good job of general cleanup.= =20
The gloves are plain blue latex and will need some talcum powder for easy = on and off if used over a long period of time. The soft brushes are useful = for general cleanup before painting to get rid of any loose dust or plastic= on the model =96 nothing worse with an aircraft model than blowing all tha= t crud up into the sealed cockpit!
Overall, while it seems a bit expensive at first the kit concentrates ever= ything you need except for a lightweight lubricating oil in one place (I us= e a few drops on the piston arrangement in a double action airbrush to ensu= re smooth operation and no jerking).=20
Cookie Sewell