Air brush issues

[PappysLeather]

I have a compressor I bought from Harbor Freight and two pneumatic air brushes. I also have an old badger air brush. I bought a air hose from Hobby Lobby. None of the air brushes will spray. Air comes out but it does not pick up any of the fluids from the jar. The hose leaks a little where it connects to the air brush. Would this cause this issue? I have tried cleaning all of the air brushes and tried adjusting the pressure. So far the only thing I have tried to spray is resoline.

[TomG]

If you're using bottles, make sure the little bleeder hole in the lid is open, if you have one.

[billybopp]

Good advice from TomG - also play around with spraying water until you get it working - its much cheaper and eliminates some variables - once you've got a good mist of water then try other things.  You mentioned resolene - be sure to thin and filter it since it can develop blobs over time that will clog.

 A small air leak shouldn't cause problems, but you don't want to leave that situation permanently as it will bleed down your air tanks and make the compressor run more than necessary - not dangerous or anything but pretty annoying with the noise that most compressors make.  

If your airbrushes are double-action, make sure that the needle is moving out of the nozzle freely when you pull the trigger backward.  If something the needle doesn't pull back and open up, it won't move fluid.  They can stick if they've been driven too hard into the nozzle - and the nozzle can be damaged.  Also check that the needle point hasn't been damaged - they are very thin and can be easily bent.

The fluid passages can get clogged - Try backflowing them - with the paint cup detached or empty put a finger over the nozzle and push the trigger down and back and then see if you can feel air coming out where the fluid would normally go in.  If not, it's probably clogged.

Hope that helps.

Bill 

[PappysLeather]

Thank you for the replies. The little bleeder hole is clear.  I thin the resolene, but how do you filter it? I will have to check the needles to see if they are moving. Will reply again once I check these things out.

[billybopp]

I use old pantyhose or similar to filter stuff that's going into my airbrush.  That seems to be fine enough to prevent any clogging issues.

Bill

[PappysLeather]

Not to sound dumb, but where do you put the panty hose

[billybopp]

Just stretch over the top of the paint cup as you pour the paint through.

[PappysLeather]

I was looking at my air brushes and the ones I am trying it use for the resolene sealer are single stages. The badger will not even spray water. The pneumatic sprays water but will not spray the resolene. I just doubled checked and I am using satin sheen in the air brush. The pneumatic will start to spray it then it stops picking it up. Does it need to be filtered also? I am using a bottle on the bottom not the cup.

Edited February 10, 2017 by PappysLeather

[Andy]

Filter everything. Give your guns a good clean up and needle the ports, orifices and such. 

See if they spray paint thinner/reducer. This'll be thinner than a water based product. Adjust out from there for water and try it.

The local hardware store sells cheapo paint strainers, get a pile of them and use them every time you go to fill the cup/feed bottle.

Andy