okay, so i'm airbrushing, w/ the gray nozzle, (general purpose) and the paint spray starts to get smaller to the size of about the tan (fineline) nozzle spray, is this a problem of me not cleaning it or soaking it in cleaning solution enough or what?? cuz after that happened i have to take out the nozzle, clean and start back over

no i didnt take apart the nozzle (thats a no no)
and yes i do clean after every use

My guess would be yes that the nozzle is getting clogged while your painting it could be from not soaking it or the paint is too thick.

As for taking the nozzles apart. I know that they say not to but I usually do take them apart after two or three sessions. ..

It is very easy to do. If you pull the needle housing out of the back. Then gently pull the needle out of the housing. You can soak all three pieces in cleaner.

The main problem could be the you have a build up on the spring around the needle. Thus clogging it while you spray.

To clean the spring I just take and old paintbrush and genlty rub the spring with the brush in the cleaner/thinner. You would be amazed how much paint will come off.

To reassemble. Simply push the needle gently into the white housing until it clicks. Then gently push the housing into the gray nozzle body and you are ready to go.

Hope this may help. Any other questions just give a shout.

Paul

I had the same problem when I was shooting acrylics thinned with windwashing fluid.

I also do the no no with the nozzles, it voids the guarantee but I have thought that I probably will never see the day that I would try to make Testors cough-up a new nozzle for me anyway...

guys!! ahhh, you're tempting me to do the no no!!! must resist, ahhhh cant resist, i'll try it today after i work some guts and courage up, after you put it back together, does it ever spray different? i soak my nozzles for a while, prob 2-3 times after every session, i think my paint is to thick though, cuz it was starting to spit a little

The nozzles spray the same everytime I have done it and sometimes better.

The spitting can be that the paint on the nozzle itself is drying while the session is going on. It happens to me sometimes.

I usually keep whatever thinner I am using at the time with the old brush I mentioned and when it starts to spit. I dip the brush in the thinner and rub it in the nozzle itself while it is on the A/B..

Push the button down to blow off the excess thinner and that usually removes the paint from the needle hole and the spitting stops.

HTH
Paul

warlock, what thinner do you use? i use regular paint thinner and rubbing alchohol to clean any of the paint that dried on, off. think i should use something better than rubbing alchohol?

Usually what I do is thin the paint.. Enamals I use regular thinner. Acrylics I use alcohol. So you should be fine there.

While spraying if the needle gets clogged and starts to spit. I take a clean brush and dip it in the same thinner that I used to thin the paint. Clean the hole off do a couple of test sprays to see if it cleared and motor on with the job at hand.

When done spraying I'll clean the cup out of the paint and fill it with what I used for thinning again and run the whole cup through the A/B in a milk jug or some type of closed container. Just to get any remaining paint out of the nozzle.

If it is the third session or so after I run the thinner or alcohol through the A/B. I usually take the nozzle apart and drop all three pieces in Paint thinner. The turpenoid will clean both any enamel or acrylic paint that may be built up on the spring. While it is soaking I'll take an old brush and gently brush the spring while it is in the thinner just to get a scrubbing action and clear any build up on the spring.

I know it uses alot of thinners but with the cost of them and only doing it about every three sessions it keeps the nozzles clean and really doesn't cost that much.

Sorry so wordy and HTH

Paul

Hi there Mech-Maniac,

i've been using aztek ab for years now...at the beginning i faced similar problem with u....

the instructions say that i must not dismantle the nozzle....but i cant help it..so i took the needle apart...found color build up along the needle and the spring.......

i used a couple of thinner as cleaning medium...but after a couple of try and experience, i found out that by soak it into a liquid detergent, all the paint residue will be removed...since then i only soak the needle with it...

but after each spray job, i always run 2-4 cups of Windex ..........

hope this helps...

Thanks for the info, guys

I just store my nozzels in a jar of thinner at all times. Pull them out when I'm ready, blow the excess thinner through, and I'm painting. Never have to take them apart (thought I have and do on some occassions)