Can anyone help me with paint?

[wylde8]

I bought a Paasche airbrush to paint a lot of the smaller parts on my cars. The airbrush keeps clogging up on me though. I've been spraying auto paints, mostly PPG DCC urethanes. How do you guys clean your airbrush or spray guns after you finish? What can I soak the airbrush in to get the stuff out thats dried up inside?

[Drop Top]

Run lacquer thinner through it when your done. Then soak a Q-tip with thinner and run it inside. Kind of like cleaning a shot gun or rifle.

[wylde8]

Thanks.  I'll try the Q-tip idea.  I always disassemble the airbrush completely and clean everything the best I can, but have had issues with the body of the airbrush getting gummed up. 

[bill440rt]

You'll need to thin the paint out thinner than usual to get it to spray right out of an airbrush. Thicker paints will clog an airbrush easily.

[plum500]

Yeah...thinner the paint (within reason) the better. I also disassembled mine and let the parts soak in solvent between uses...thinner/remover/acetone etc... During use I kept a small cup of cleaner on hand to dip the end in, give it a quick shot while submerged to get some up around the openning/needle, and if need be, take a *light* bristled brush to the end -- also work the needle while brushing here if between paint changes....attach a bottle/or feed some thinner/cleaner through at this point too...

[wylde8]

The Q-tip idea worked great.  Now it sprays like a dream.  Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.