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Medea Airbrush Cleaner question
GALILEO1
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 11:18 AM UTC
Hi all,

Do you normally have to rinse the a/b after shooting Medea Airbrush Cleaner? I ask because the liquid seems a bit soapy.

Also, is it a good idea to leave a bit of thinner/cleaner inside the brush just so parts don't get too dry while not using the a/b?

Thanks!

Rob
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 11:23 AM UTC
For cleaning my airbrush, I use Windex and water for the initial clean and finish with the Medea cleaner. If I am using multiple colors during a session, I will rinse with water, then a quick blast of medea before the next color.

As for leaving liquid in, I would advise against that. It is best to store it dry.

panzer_fan
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 11:33 AM UTC
Rob,
After a thorough cleaning of the airbrush, I usually rinse (shoot through) some distilled water. I've got a gallon a couple of years back from the local hardware store and still have about 1/3 left.
Blackstoat
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 11:54 AM UTC
I've used media cleaner myself. But for a great clean i use lacquer thinner from the auto repair shop. It'll pretty much remove anything, even hard dried paint.

try it, you won't use airbrush cleaner again
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ARMORAMA
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 12:28 PM UTC
Andy it is my understanding that lacquer thinner also attacks the teflon washers.

I always shoot some clean water through the brush after using Medea cleaner.
GALILEO1
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 01:46 PM UTC
Thank you for the useful replies so far.

Rob
chumpo
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 02:20 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Andy it is my understanding that lacquer thinner also attacks the teflon washers.

I always shoot some clean water through the brush after using Medea cleaner.


I have a Badger 100 and 150 had them for years and been running Home Depot lacquer thinner through them to clean and have no problems to date . I just pull the needle out and wipe it , there's always a ring of paint on it that won't disappear .
chumpo
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 02:23 PM UTC
Madea , it's iwata isn't it ? Will it affect the plastic of the models ? I'm thinking of the Winsor & Newton brush cleaner . It will eat the plastic .
GALILEO1
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 02:33 PM UTC
I'd like to normally clean the brush with lacquer thinner too but I've just had a major disaster with Vallejo Model Air clogging my airbrush completely and I think it was partly due to having used lacquer thinner to clean the brush from an earlier session. I'd like to start using Medea's cleaner with this one brush (which I use specifically with water-based paints like Vallejo and LifeColor) so I don't have any issues in the future.

Rob
chumpo
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 02:49 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I'd like to normally clean the brush with lacquer thinner too but I've just had a major disaster with Vallejo Model Air clogging my airbrush completely and I think it was partly due to having used lacquer thinner to clean the brush from an earlier session. I'd like to start using Medea's cleaner with this one brush (which I use specifically with water-based paints like Vallejo and LifeColor) so I don't have any issues in the future.

Rob

I've tried the Lifecolor cleaner , that works with Vallejo . So does the Winsor & Newton brush cleaner .
Chrisk-K
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 05:24 PM UTC
I have 2 bottle of Medea AB Cleaner and a bottle of Vallejo AB Cleaner. They are still unopened.

After a paint session, I shoot Windex or IPA followed by distilled water. I always store my ABs dry.
Chrisk-K
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 05:29 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I'd like to normally clean the brush with lacquer thinner too but I've just had a major disaster with Vallejo Model Air clogging my airbrush completely and I think it was partly due to having used lacquer thinner to clean the brush from an earlier session.

Rob


I don't think lacquer thinner was responsible. In my experience once Vallejo acrylics start to dry, only lacquer thinner can completely clean them. Using Windex or IPA with Vallejo results in a gooey mess. Even Vallejo's own AB cleaner doesn't remove dried Vallejo acrylics.

Vallejo acrylics dry super fast. If you want to shoot them, you better add Flow-Aid.
Blackstoat
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Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 07:55 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Andy it is my understanding that lacquer thinner also attacks the teflon washers.

I always shoot some clean water through the brush after using Medea cleaner.


i heard that too. Usually from sellers of AB cleaner! If you think about it don't spray guns used in auto repair have teflon washers? Everything they use is lacquer based.

Anyway, it hasn't caused a problem in my experience. My sonic cleaner however is a different matter!
GALILEO1
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Posted: Thursday, February 27, 2014 - 02:42 AM UTC
Really helpful answers here. Thanks much!

Never had any issues shooting lacquers through the brush and, nowadays, most airbrushes come with seals, etc that can be used with solvents.


Quoted Text

I don't think lacquer thinner was responsible. In my experience once Vallejo acrylics start to dry, only lacquer thinner can completely clean them. Using Windex or IPA with Vallejo results in a gooey mess. Even Vallejo's own AB cleaner doesn't remove dried Vallejo acrylics.

Vallejo acrylics dry super fast. If you want to shoot them, you better add Flow-Aid.


You're completely right about lacquer thinner being pretty much the ONLY thing that could remove dried Vallejo paint out of the brush. Lacquer thinner was exactly what I had to use this last time. Vallejo dried so fast I could not even shoot for 2 minutes without getting a dry tip. By the time I was done, the left over paint in the cup was completely dried and became almost impossible to remove without lacquer thinner. Vallejo's own airbrush cleaner did nothing! It took me a total of 2 hours to get the brush cleaned.

Rob
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