Iwata HP-CS

[Av8fan]

From Airbrush Technique magazine

Nice of them to post it.

Sorry if this has been posted before.

Edited July 16, 2009 by Av8fan

[MikeC]

Very good, thanks for posting. However, I'd suggest that level of disassembly is only appropriate for very occasional deep maintenance.

My CS gets the following treatment after each session:

Take the back off, loosen the chuck, move the needle back so it's clear of the tip.

Now take off the tip as the video showed, then remove the needle forwards, ie through the front. Doing it this way, and particularly putting it back this way, almost eliminates the risk of damaging the needle tip, which happens (go on, ask me how I know! :unsure: ) when you try to put it in from the rear.

Clean the bits, then reassemble - essentially the reverse procedure. As I use acrylics exclusively I use an appropriate spray cleaner, very occasionally it needs a Xylene-based cleaner. Occasionally, the tip and needle get a "bath" in an ultrasonic cleaner.

Flush with water to clean out any residual cleaner and to make sure it's been reassembled correctly so it works. The next time you have a cupful of paint about to start spraying is not the time to find out it doesn't work right. Use a drop or 2 of Super-Lube on the needle and when needed on the trigger mechanism. I've never dismantled the needle chuck, spring guide, etc in three years of use. Also since I've started doing it this way I've not encountered paint contamination in the trigger mechanism.

Thanks again for posting some useful advice, particularly "put the bits in a tray" - again, ask me how I know!

HTH,

Edited July 17, 2009 by MikeC

[Jinxter13]

That procedure is almost identical to the way one breaks down a Paasche...with the exception of the way its built...the Paasche has one different styled part to do the same job.

[gotarheelz14]

Thanks AV8fan. I just got my confirmation email today that my Iwata Eclipse HP-CS has been shipped!

Can't wait to get it in my hands and see what it can do. Does anyone know if it can handle heavier type paints? Unthinned MM Acrylics?

[Av8fan]

Mike C,

Thanks for that.

I will have to print that out. So, how do you know all of these things? lol(just kidding)

gotarheelz14,

Remember, practice, practice practice. Oh and practice.

As for unthinned paints, well, it probably could. However, I wonder what psi you would have to spray at to get the paint moving. Even for a gravity feed brush I think that it could be "interesting"

A lot of the work here and elsewhere just leaves me amazed and inspired.

I have leaned a lot thanks to all of the great posts on the various boards. I wish these resources were around when I got my first Paasche brush. More years ago then I care to think about now.

Please keep us informed as to your progress.

[Wayne]

I have an Iwada Eclipse HP-CS and the main problem I have is the trigger sticking when I release it and this happens over a wide range of pressures. After what seems like a complete cleaning it works OK for a little while then starts to stick again, to the point where I have to push the trigger closed by pushing it up with my finger. I use mostly Xtracolour and MM. Anyone else have this problem, and what's your fix?

Wayne

[BradP]

Thanks AV8fan. I just got my confirmation email today that my Iwata Eclipse HP-CS has been shipped!

Can't wait to get it in my hands and see what it can do. Does anyone know if it can handle heavier type paints? Unthinned MM Acrylics?

I talked to a guy at the hobby shop where I bought my Revolution CR. He used his to paint signs and other large things. I can't seak for the HP-CS, but I know the revolution CR can spray unthinned ModelMaster Enamels. I just started trying that. Mind you, I think the HP-CS has a finer nozzle, so you might run into problems. The Revolution CR is also gravity fed, so I think that helps. I don't remember about the HP-CS. Iwata does make great stuff! :P

Best of luck!

Brad

[BradP]

Mike C,

Thanks for that.

I will have to print that out. So, how do you know all of these things? lol(just kidding)

gotarheelz14,

Remember, practice, practice practice. Oh and practice. :P

As for unthinned paints, well, it probably could. However, I wonder what psi you would have to spray at to get the paint moving. Even for a gravity feed brush I think that it could be "interesting"

A lot of the work here and elsewhere just leaves me amazed and inspired.

I have leaned a lot thanks to all of the great posts on the various boards. I wish these resources were around when I got my first Paasche brush. More years ago then I care to think about now.

Please keep us informed as to your progress.

You are certainly right about practice. I shoot unthinned Modelmast Enamels at about 20 PSI with the Revolution CR, which is gravity-fed. It works very well....at least for me, anyway...

- Brad

[GGoheen]

I have an Iwada Eclipse HP-CS and the main problem I have is the trigger sticking when I release it and this happens over a wide range of pressures. After what seems like a complete cleaning it works OK for a little while then starts to stick again, to the point where I have to push the trigger closed by pushing it up with my finger. I use mostly Xtracolour and MM. Anyone else have this problem, and what's your fix?

Wayne

Not quite sure what you might mean by a seemingly complete cleaning Wayne...as either you break down your Iwata fully or you don't to get this. Normally I can go upwards of a month, having daily use of my airbrush, whereas simply blowing lacquer thinner through it will do the trick. However, there does arrive a point where the trigger sticks a bit and this is usually attributed to paint residue sticking to the needle and essentially bonding itself to the trigger inside. About this time I will do a complete breakdown as follows:

Remove the needle cap

Remove the nozzle cap

Remove the head cap

Remove the nozzle tip

Place all of these in a small dish with lacquer thinner to remove any paint residue while you disassemble the rest of your HP-CS.

Remove the back body portion, loosen the needle chucking nut and carefully remove the needle. Soak the needle in lacquer thinner as well while you unscrew the needle chucking guide and finally the trigger. Again, all of these can and should soak in thinner as you begin to clean your airbrush. I use pipe-cleaners that I dip about 3" into lacquer thinner and run through the body, through the paint cup and out from the tip end of your airbrush. This is repeated 2-3 times, carefully removing reside from the pipe-cleaner or just using a new one. A Q-tip dipped in lacquer thinner will actually fit into the end of the needle chucking guide assembly and you'll probably note some reside on the head of the Q-tip. Likewise, a Q-tip dipped in lacquer thinner helps to really clean up the needle, nozzle and head cap assemblies that have been soaking in thinner. Finally, for the actual nozzle tip I use 28ga brass wire that actually fits almost perfectly into the tip of the .35mm nozzle for help cleaning. This is where most of your paint built-up will be. I will run the brass wire from the tip to the backside and vice versa....also using a pipe-cleaning run around in a circular motion on the backside that helps to remove the build-up of paint residue. You should be able to look through the backside of the nozzle tip and see daylight when it is properly cleaned. Then it's a matter of re-assembling your airbrush....using SuperLube on the base of the trigger as you slide it back into the front portion of your airbrush as well as along three-quarters of the needle length itself starting at the tip.

Again, the maintenance between this full breakdown is essential...meaning no matter if you use acrylics or enamels be sure to thoroughly clean the paint cup with appropriate thinner but ALWAYS finish off with a half cup or so of lacquer thinner. About once a week I'll pull the needle, lay in folded tissue I hold in one hand and soak with lacquer thinner to remove excess build-up on the needle. It's a good idea to re-apply SuperLube to the needle at this point too.

Anyway, some seem to think the process of cleaning Iwata's is overly complicated or even ill-advised but I can assure you that a full cleaning is simple and takes probably about 10-12 minutes from start to finish.

Greg