Sonic Cleaner - Question

[adampolo13]

Quick question here. I'm considering buying a sonic cleaner for my AB's. Does the sonic cleaner attack plastic or rubber. There are a few rubber gaskets on the airbrush I don't want to ruin.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

That really depends more on the solution you are using to clean them than the sonic cleaner itself.

If all you use is acrylics, then simple Windex in the sonic cleaner turn it on and away you go. Works awesome and no harm to any seals and such.

I had a Badger 200 that was so gummed up that I couldn't even get it apart to clean it. Couple of 8min cycles in Windex and it loosened up the crud enough to get it apart then 2-3 more cycles and it was like new.

Sonic Cleaner and Windex is also great for stripping chrome from parts, and alot safer than some of the other methods!

 

[adampolo13]

The windex and the cleaner won't hurt the rubber o-rings correct?

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Hasn't on my airbrushes yet. Windex is a pretty mild cleaner compared to most.

Most seals are actually teflon and not rubber anyway, not much will kill teflon.

 

[adampolo13]

Sonic Cleaner store (wherever you are) here I come! Thanks Scott!

 

[Ravhin]

Actually windex will in time ruin your airbrush. The ammonia in it will dry out the rubber which will loose it's flex crack and will need to be replaced, this is why it's always recommended that you strip the airbrush and remove the rubber seals. The needle packing which is most of teflon will not be harmed by ammonia or pretty much anything. That said I also use something similar to windex and I don't remove any rubber So far it's good but I know it will in time affect the seals.

Take in mind that most airbrushes don't have actually teflon but teflon coated rubber, which is the difference in saying that it's resistant to solvents or solvent proof. It depends on the airbrush brand and model.

 

[Ian]

Sonic Cleaner store (wherever you are) here I come! Thanks Scott!

I just ordered this one from Amazon, and it arrives tomorrow: http://amzn.to/TNJd3m

 

[Jeep]

I have been using a sonic cleaner for years. These are also sold as Technical pen cleaner, and Gem Cleaners, shop around you may find the same thing cheaper under a different name! Mine is Labeled as a ALVIN PEN-SONIC Pen cleaner, I got it when I was in architecture school many years ago so I have no idea what they run for cost now. As mentioned, it depends on what fluid you are using as a cleaning agent and what solution strength that agent is determines the risk of damage for your parts. I have a variety of solutions including 409, Windex, alcohol, and pest of all KOH-I-NOOR Pen Cleaner for ink pens and airbrushes. this gets diluted 1 part cleaner for 4 parts water and then rattled around in a ultrasonic cleaner. This stuff is advertised as safe for all airbrush parts and does a good job.

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

I don't think your airbrush is in Windex long enough to do any damage to the seals. Most of the time mine go through 2, 8 min cycles, and that is it. I don't let them soak in the Windex any more than that.

Been using mine for a few years, and hasn't harmed the seals. There is so little ammonia in Windex that I don't think there would be any harm.

Now if you were using straight ammonia, might be another thing. Then again, buy a bottle of Acrylic cleaner, like Vallejo's AB cleaner, and just use that bottle for your sonic cleaner. When done, pour it back in the bottle, and use it again next time. If you are worried about sediment in it, run it through a coffee filter first.

 

[adampolo13]

I Love Harbor Freight!!! Hahaha

 

[Ravhin]

I don't think your airbrush is in Windex long enough to do any damage to the seals. Most of the time mine go through 2, 8 min cycles, and that is it. I don't let them soak in the Windex any more than that.

Been using mine for a few years, and hasn't harmed the seals. There is so little ammonia in Windex that I don't think there would be any harm.

Yep, which is why I use it to clean my ab in the sonic cleaner. I do expect it to affect the seals eventually, but the convenience far outweighs the cost of replacing a couple of seals once in ten years or what it takes

 

[adampolo13]

Ok, seriously, I knew my AB was dirty but this is insane! I am watching old paint just flake off nd become particles in the windex. This is awesome!

 

[wyoroy]

I use enamels so how would this work and what type of solution would you use?

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

I use enamels so how would this work and what type of solution would you use?

That would depend on what ultra sonic cleaner you have. Mind has a metal tub in it, so I could I suppose use lacquer thinner or enamel thinner in it, although I don't know as if I would use the basket if I did, not sure what lacquer thinner in an USC would do to a plastic basket.

Honestly, I would like use something like Castrol Super Clean, or Simple Green cleaner. They do well stripping all sorts of paint from models, so it would be a reasonable assumption that it would also strip the paint out of an airbrush. I would definitely follow up whatever you were using with plain tap water, so the cleaner residue isn't sitting in the airbrush until next use.

Keep in mind, I don't use the USC to clean my AB every time, I only use it for a deep cleaning every 3-4 months, or when I start to feel the trigger starting to get sticky, and a regular brush cleaning isn't helping much.

 

[Ravhin]

Keep in mind, I don't use the USC to clean my AB every time, I only use it for a deep cleaning every 3-4 months, or when I start to feel the trigger starting to get sticky, and a regular brush cleaning isn't helping much.

It's what I do as well. One thing I noticed after I started using lacquers and lacquer thinner with tamiya and mr hobby is that though they stink they are also easier to clean.

I got one ab that I have dedicated to acrylics and I have to put that one through the ultrasonic much more frequently than the other which I just clean with the usual backwash and it just keeps going. I have no doubt that by now it should be pretty dirty as well but nothing that messes up it's operation. It's been some 2 or 3 months since I last opened it up to clean and it never even got an ultrasonic bath yet (it's new 4 months old )

This could also be something to do with the airbrushes themselves though, I'll have to test that out, better one day.

Also one tip for using stronger solvents. It is definitely not recommended to dump the whole airbrush in those in a sonic bath but pieces that are hard to clean like the nozzles you can put them in a glass bottle with lacquer thinner close it (metal lid preferably) and put it in the sonic cleaner with water and presto clean nozzles.

 

[wyoroy]

Thanks for the information.

 

[spud]

i had a cheap one. the top came off it with the vibrations i really need to get a new one

 

[Ian]

What kind of ratios are folks using for the mixture? Is it a mixture of windex and water or just straight?

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

I have just been using straight Windex.

My wife just uses plain water when she cleans jewelry, so just plain water might work for acrylic paints as well, but would likely need more cycles than just straight Windex.

 

[Glorfindel]

I've used both Windex and Simple Green then added some hot water to the vat as my SC has no heat function. I too clean out my airbrush every 2/3 months using it. It really is crazy what comes out of these things after several painting sessions. I usually do three or four 2 minute cycles since I don't have a time selection option. But hey, it was $20 bucks and well worth it.