help cleaning a nappy airbrush

[truthseeker]

i got an airbrush from somebody who left paint sitting in it for a couple of years. thinner doesn't seem to work and i want to use an ultrasonic cleaner, but i'm not sure what solvent to use. anybody do this before? i need something that won't blow my ass off the map, preferably.

 

[Candyman]

Depends on what paint is in it. What did he use the airbrush for?

 

[truthseeker]

i believe models or r/c bodies. it should come out but the thinner just won't break it off the internal parts without some help. i'm just a little too chicken to put thinner in the ultrasonic cleaner 'cause i don't want thinner vapor floating around. i thought maybe simple green or something like that, but i don't want to experiment too much. i'd rather do it right the first time if possible.

 

[beason]

put thinner in tupperware tub with lid? no fumes.. put whole tub in utrasonic cleaner, and let marinate..

 

[RatzoRC]

You might be able to do a good job if you use a pipe cleaner.
Try to get it into the tight spots.

Are you sure the paint wasn't water based?

 

[4u2nv]

Try some greased lightning. That stuff will take anything off. Id probably try to avoid the seals though. What kind of airbrush is this?

 

[Candyman]

Are you sure the paint wasn't water based?

That's what I was getting at, too, Ratzo. Thinner won't do a thing if water based paint was used. I'd clean it up and then soak it in water overnight. Then us a pipecleaner to see if it has loosened any up. That may be the ticket.

 

[truthseeker]

ok, this crap seems to be a mix of the regular stuff as well as water based. dude never cleaned the thing i guess. between the thinner and some hot water, it seems to be coming off. i'll try the tupperware thinner trick next. this is a paasche millenium brush, double action type. don't have to worry about the seals as they aren't on the parts i'm cleaning. when i get done with this one, I have a single action to clean too. its been a lot of work but the price was right (freebie). thanks for the tips, guys.