Hi All,
I've done some research here already, and found folks have said that water works well for thinning Vallejo Primer. I just got a 60ml bottle of the gray color primer, and tried it for the first time. i actually tried using alcohol, which seemed fine for thinning, and I loved the way the primer set up on my model.
HOWEVER, when cleaning my airbrush, I usually use Windex, which does a fabulous job of cleaning my airbrush with Tamyia acrylics. However, when the WIndex hit this Vallejo primer, it turned the stuff into sheets of solid gunk. Is this normal? A piece of this material clogged the airbrush, and I had to use the ultimate...lacquer thinner, which broke up the clog. But I REALLY would rather not use lacquer thinner. Has anyone experienced this primer turning into thick gunk when exposed to Windex? Should I not use Windex with Vallejo primer? The primer shot really nicely, as I've always heard about this stuff, and am very happy with that aspect, and I can see using it a lot, but cleanup is a big part of the process for me, and I DID NOT LIKE what happened here. Any ideas?
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Vallejo Primer - Airbrush Cleaning Problem
cabasner
Joined: February 12, 2012
KitMaker: 1,083 posts
Armorama: 1,014 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 03:48 PM UTC
viper29_ca
Joined: October 18, 2002
KitMaker: 2,247 posts
Armorama: 1,138 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 04:50 PM UTC
Can't say as I have....
I use the Vallejo Primer straight from the bottle, no need to thin. And clean it out with Vallejo Air Brush cleaner. No problems here.
If you do need/want to thin the Vallejo Primer, best not to use alcohol, as it isn't an alcohol based paint. Best to use either Vallejo's own thinner, or just water if you don't want to buy the thinner.
I use the Vallejo Primer straight from the bottle, no need to thin. And clean it out with Vallejo Air Brush cleaner. No problems here.
If you do need/want to thin the Vallejo Primer, best not to use alcohol, as it isn't an alcohol based paint. Best to use either Vallejo's own thinner, or just water if you don't want to buy the thinner.
Militarymodeller80
Joined: March 19, 2012
KitMaker: 117 posts
Armorama: 90 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 06:21 PM UTC
Hi
Its is quite common for Vallejo Paints to turn to goop when alcohol is used as a thinner or a cleaner, so its odd that you wound Alcohol ok to thin but not ok to clean, is the Windex you used Alcohol or Ammonia based, they do both.
Personally I find Vallejo primer sprays fine out of the bottle with no thinning, but I do use a large needle setup in my airbrush and that may help.
For thinning and cleaning Vallejo Paints I can highly recommend their own airbrush cleaner, yes you read that correct, I use their cleaner as a thinner, I do use their thinner but only when brush painting as the built in retarder helps to reduce brush marks.
I have never found anything else other than plain water works reliably as a thinner.
Paul
Its is quite common for Vallejo Paints to turn to goop when alcohol is used as a thinner or a cleaner, so its odd that you wound Alcohol ok to thin but not ok to clean, is the Windex you used Alcohol or Ammonia based, they do both.
Personally I find Vallejo primer sprays fine out of the bottle with no thinning, but I do use a large needle setup in my airbrush and that may help.
For thinning and cleaning Vallejo Paints I can highly recommend their own airbrush cleaner, yes you read that correct, I use their cleaner as a thinner, I do use their thinner but only when brush painting as the built in retarder helps to reduce brush marks.
I have never found anything else other than plain water works reliably as a thinner.
Paul
imatanker
Joined: February 11, 2011
KitMaker: 1,654 posts
Armorama: 1,565 posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - 09:26 PM UTC
Curt...I use a product called Simple Green to clean My airbrush after spraying Vallejo primer and model color.It works really well for me.You should be able to find it at any hardware store or Wally world.After cleaning with the simple green I will shoot a little of their airbrush cleaner thru my AB to be sure and that's that!
Here's something else I have found out.When I first started using Vallejo paints I was looking for a "homegrown" thinner.I started looking at labels and found that Expo White Board Cleaner had some of the same stuff in it as Vallejos paint and primer.I tried it and it works like a dream
I use it for brushing and spraying.It slows the drying time down,and makes the paint flow really well.I have brush painted for as long as 15 minutes with out having to clean My brush.When used to thin the paint for spraying it makes the paint lay down nicley with no tip clogging.Hope this helps.Jeff T.
Here's something else I have found out.When I first started using Vallejo paints I was looking for a "homegrown" thinner.I started looking at labels and found that Expo White Board Cleaner had some of the same stuff in it as Vallejos paint and primer.I tried it and it works like a dream
I use it for brushing and spraying.It slows the drying time down,and makes the paint flow really well.I have brush painted for as long as 15 minutes with out having to clean My brush.When used to thin the paint for spraying it makes the paint lay down nicley with no tip clogging.Hope this helps.Jeff T.
GALILEO1
Joined: April 18, 2006
KitMaker: 1,794 posts
Armorama: 1,431 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 07:06 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Hi All,
I've done some research here already, and found folks have said that water works well for thinning Vallejo Primer. I just got a 60ml bottle of the gray color primer, and tried it for the first time. i actually tried using alcohol, which seemed fine for thinning, and I loved the way the primer set up on my model.
HOWEVER, when cleaning my airbrush, I usually use Windex, which does a fabulous job of cleaning my airbrush with Tamyia acrylics. However, when the WIndex hit this Vallejo primer, it turned the stuff into sheets of solid gunk. Is this normal? A piece of this material clogged the airbrush, and I had to use the ultimate...lacquer thinner, which broke up the clog. But I REALLY would rather not use lacquer thinner. Has anyone experienced this primer turning into thick gunk when exposed to Windex? Should I not use Windex with Vallejo primer? The primer shot really nicely, as I've always heard about this stuff, and am very happy with that aspect, and I can see using it a lot, but cleanup is a big part of the process for me, and I DID NOT LIKE what happened here. Any ideas?
In my case, I wasn't the primer that reacted with Windex, it was Vallejo's flat varnish. As soon as I hit the thing with Windex, it turned into a gooey, almost impossible-to-remove substance. Like you, I had to use lacquer thinner to get it all out. Since then, I've learned that to clean Vallejo from the airbrush, nothing is better than it's own cleaner or Medea's airbrush cleaner. I only use these products when I shoot Vallejo. It's Windex and distilled water any other time for me.
Rob
GALILEO1
Joined: April 18, 2006
KitMaker: 1,794 posts
Armorama: 1,431 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 07:12 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Curt...I use a product called Simple Green to clean My airbrush after spraying Vallejo primer and model color.It works really well for me.You should be able to find it at any hardware store or Wally world.After cleaning with the simple green I will shoot a little of their airbrush cleaner thru my AB to be sure and that's that!
Here's something else I have found out.When I first started using Vallejo paints I was looking for a "homegrown" thinner.I started looking at labels and found that Expo White Board Cleaner had some of the same stuff in it as Vallejos paint and primer.I tried it and it works like a dream
That's interesting, Jeff. Expo cleaner, uh? Where do you get the stuff?
Thanks,
Rob
Petro
Joined: November 02, 2003
KitMaker: 984 posts
Armorama: 846 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 09:57 AM UTC
I use acetone on dried paint in my airbrush. It'll wipe anything out.
SgtRam
Contributing Writer
#197
Joined: March 06, 2011
KitMaker: 3,971 posts
Armorama: 2,859 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 10:40 AM UTC
Ok, here we go. I have a Paasche and an Eclipse. I use the same cleaning method for both, and have NEVER had a problem with either. When using Acrylics (Tamiya, Vallejo, MM, Vallejo Primer, etc) I use the following at about 40psi:
- fill cup up with a mix of water and ammonia mix(4:1), use a q-tip to swirl it around, dump out mix.
- refill cup with water and ammonia mix(4:1), spray through airbrush
- fill airbrush with Simple Green, spray through brush, repeat about 3-4 times.
- fill cup half way with Media Airbrush cleaner, spray through airbrush(this step is optional)
- fill cup with straight water, spray through, repeat about 3-4 times.
- about every 4th or 5th use, I break down airbrush and clean with Simple Green, soaking needle and tip, and using pipe cleaner to clean out.
http://www.simplegreen.com/products_all_purpose_cleaner.php
Simple Green will remove dried on Acrylic, including Vallejo Primer.
Extra Tip: I keep two jars to clean my brushes on my desk, one with straight water, the other with a 50/50 mix of water and Simple Green.
- fill cup up with a mix of water and ammonia mix(4:1), use a q-tip to swirl it around, dump out mix.
- refill cup with water and ammonia mix(4:1), spray through airbrush
- fill airbrush with Simple Green, spray through brush, repeat about 3-4 times.
- fill cup half way with Media Airbrush cleaner, spray through airbrush(this step is optional)
- fill cup with straight water, spray through, repeat about 3-4 times.
- about every 4th or 5th use, I break down airbrush and clean with Simple Green, soaking needle and tip, and using pipe cleaner to clean out.
http://www.simplegreen.com/products_all_purpose_cleaner.php
Simple Green will remove dried on Acrylic, including Vallejo Primer.
Extra Tip: I keep two jars to clean my brushes on my desk, one with straight water, the other with a 50/50 mix of water and Simple Green.
imatanker
Joined: February 11, 2011
KitMaker: 1,654 posts
Armorama: 1,565 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 11:18 AM UTC
Rob... You should be able to get it at any office supply store,and maybe Walmart,although I have not looked for it there.
Kevin... I do about the same thing,but use the simple green for all steps. I use a very soft brush for the swabbing,I find it gets under the exposed part of the needle in the cup better.Then I spray a little vallejo airbrush cleaner through it.
Do any of you back flush your AB when you clean it?Jeff T.
Kevin... I do about the same thing,but use the simple green for all steps. I use a very soft brush for the swabbing,I find it gets under the exposed part of the needle in the cup better.Then I spray a little vallejo airbrush cleaner through it.
Do any of you back flush your AB when you clean it?Jeff T.
SgtRam
Contributing Writer#197
Joined: March 06, 2011
KitMaker: 3,971 posts
Armorama: 2,859 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 11:41 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Do any of you back flush your AB when you clean it?Jeff T.
Yes, sorry forgot that step, I do it with the Simple Green and water.
imatanker
Joined: February 11, 2011
KitMaker: 1,654 posts
Armorama: 1,565 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 12:21 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
Do any of you back flush your AB when you clean it?Jeff T.
Yes, sorry forgot that step, I do it with the Simple Green and water.
I think that is one of the most important steps.I can never get over how much stuff comes out when you do it.J.T.
wedgetail53
Joined: October 02, 2008
KitMaker: 658 posts
Armorama: 629 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 01:17 PM UTC
G'day guys
I've had good results with an ultrasonic cleaner using nothing but water for cleaning airbrush parts . . .
Regards
Rob
I've had good results with an ultrasonic cleaner using nothing but water for cleaning airbrush parts . . .
Regards
Rob
SgtRam
Contributing Writer#197
Joined: March 06, 2011
KitMaker: 3,971 posts
Armorama: 2,859 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 01:37 PM UTC
yeah I would like to use an Ultrasonic cleaner at my wife's animal clinic, but she won't let me. I tell her the paint has been tested on animals, and it is safe.....
viper29_ca
Joined: October 18, 2002
KitMaker: 2,247 posts
Armorama: 1,138 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 03:00 PM UTC
I use an ultrasonic as well, normally with a little windex, couple of 8 min cycles and it is good as new.
imatanker
Joined: February 11, 2011
KitMaker: 1,654 posts
Armorama: 1,565 posts
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2012 - 07:05 PM UTC
I've been thinking about getting one but can't find one I like.Jeff T.
SSGToms
Joined: April 02, 2005
KitMaker: 3,608 posts
Armorama: 3,092 posts
Posted: Friday, June 22, 2012 - 05:10 PM UTC
Harbor Freight Tools sells a perfect size ultrasonic cleaner for $29.99 that fits an airbrush assembled or apart. I have one and it's amazing.
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