Just finished 1st airbrush session

I just finished my first airbrush session and loved it alot. I got an iwata hp cs and i am using it to spray my gt 350. I just sprayed the white wich will be the colour of the stripes and i will wait a while before i mask and spray the silver. Anyways i cleaned my airbrush thouroughly with some winde/distilled water mix and distilled water when putting it back together the tip seemed "sticky" (as if there is a thick coat of grease on it) going on to the assembly and the trigger also seems somewhat worn out as if there is no grease, and the trigger action is not smooth. Is this normal? the finish is also somowhat dull i guess polishing would bring out the shine?

I just finished my first airbrush session and loved it alot. I got an iwata hp cs and i am using it to spray my gt 350. I just sprayed the white wich will be the colour of the stripes and i will wait a while before i mask and spray the silver. Anyways i cleaned my airbrush thouroughly with some winde/distilled water mix and distilled water when putting it back together the tip seemed "sticky" (as if there is a thick coat of grease on it) going on to the assembly and the trigger also seems somewhat worn out as if there is no grease, and the trigger action is not smooth. Is this normal? the finish is also somowhat dull i guess polishing would bring out the shine?


I guess not, not normal. I also got the HP-CS: I haven't trouble with solvent (nitro, a toluene based thinner): just remove gaskets and place in bath for an hour. I think this procedure isn't reccomended from the supplier and for the long life (BTW it's a great steel airbrush with soft gaskets, no nylon so is good for hot colors and hard thinners).

I do it before use mine and I had ever best results: only I found out acrylics is a bit critics for this kind of AB, more than with others I own (ex. Badger): hard to clean well after and hard to spray trought: different things with professional automotive acrilics (2part and matt base) with quetly hot solvent that flush perfectly trought the Eclipse.

Congratulations on your first airbrush session. Once you get used to it, there is no way back to rattle cans. I don't know your brand of airbrush but it sounds like you need to clean a little more. I assume some paint has settled on the outside of your AB and causes the stickiness.
I always spray appropriate "cleaner" through the AB after spraying, ie. window cleaner for acrylics or lacquer cleaner for automotive lacquers. In addition, I recommend that you take the AB apart at the end of the day and soak it in airbrush cleaner. But be careful, the rubber seals might mind some of the solvents over a longer period of time.
I found a product called airbrush cleaner in a local art supplies store. It's very mild and water based, yet after an over-night soak, the AB is nice and clean.

well i deffinitly cleaned it well. I used widex and water and took it all apart. I am reluctant to soaking it though because i heard some cleaning products have a certain chemical i believe it is ammonia that tarnishes crome. Anyways the problem is not very serious. The thread is a bit "gunked" up but not with paint. And yes i love airbrushing!

What kind of paint were you airbrushing?

Also, Iwata make a lube for their airbrushes, I recommend you pick some up.

tamiya acrylic paint. Thinned with tamiya acrylic thinner. Ya i cannot really do that since there is no store near me that sells iwata is there any other lube or grease that u guys recommend?

There are online stores you can get the lube from - it's specifically made for the airbrush. I don't recommend using anything else.

There are online stores you can get the lube from - it's specifically made for the airbrush. I don't recommend using anything else.
Sorry, but just curious. Is the lube for only the screws parts of the AB? Or everything including the needle and what-not?
Could you name a few online stores that carries it? I can't seem to find it on most of the modeling supplies sites that I have b'marked.
TIA
Steve

Steve, this is the stuff I use it's from Iwata
http://airbrushes.com/product_info.php?products_id=41&osCsid=98884e581d39036781d310cba23c766e
If can't get any PM me and I'll sort you out somehow.