madcow Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 A few months ago, I bought an Iwata Eclipse HP-BCS. When I got it, I opened the box, got the airbrush out and attached the rather large plastic bottle that comes with it to check how it handled. I remember it attached rather well, as if it had a magnet inside. Remember... I had just opened the box. Then this happened: See the metal part I marked in red? It got stuck... Since I attached it there, it never got out. Sure, it turns around but it doesn't come out. The dents you see are my frustrating attempts to remove it using a set of pliers (at this point I was already thinking "I DON'T CARE IF I RUIN THIS!". That didn't work. That thing is stuck there. The airbrush works fine I can clean it, disassemble it... expect for that part. What the am I doing wrong here?!? TIA, Ricardo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arnobiz Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Have you tried getting oil or any lubricant into the contact area? Putting the airbrush in hot water might help as well, by slightly dilating the parts and increasing the play between them. Good luck, Arnaud Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madcow Posted July 29, 2010 Author Share Posted July 29, 2010 I tried a bit of the lubricant it comes with it. No luck. I'm not very keen about using WD-40 or a similar product. I don't know if it will affect any rubber o-ring or similar inside. I thought about heating this area with a lighter but, again, I don't know what's inside. I don't want to melt any rubber or plastic it might have inside. Ricardo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don Wheeler Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 I would contact Iwata support and see what they recommend. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick in Maine Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Iwata lube is pretty slippery. But, if it's not working, a small amount of WD-40 might work. If you clean it up immediately I don't think there will be any harm to the airbrush parts. I have an Iwata Revolution and there is no plastic inside and the seals are good quality and have not reacted to any paint solvents I use. I would be very frustrated if this happened to a new airbrush. Is it possible there was something up in there that was packing material to be removed before spraying? After that, I have no idea. Rick in Maine Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hollywood Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Hey Madcow, I'd put it in the freezer for a couple hours, The cold will make the parts shrink slightly. Works great on threaded stuff as well. Todd Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BlueNosers352nd Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 That was my exact thought too. Heating it will just expand the metal and make it worse. Hey Madcow, I'd put it in the freezer for a couple hours, The cold will make the parts shrink slightly. Works great on threaded stuff as well.Todd Quote Link to post Share on other sites
terryt Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 Break down the airbrush to get it to where there isn't anything attached to it just the forward barrel. Boil some water in a Micro Wave or in a pot turn off the heat or take the water out of the Micro Wave. Put the airbrush barrel in the water for about a minute, take out with tongs or something so you won't burn yourself. Take a ice cube and place it on the part that won't come out and hold it on for about 15-30 seconds. Then try to remove it with a pair of pliers. What should happen is the hot water will expand the metal airbrush barrel and the ice will shrink the stuck part, so you should be able to extract it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
arnobiz Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 That was my exact thought too. Heating it will just expand the metal and make it worse. Heating will expand all the parts, and hence the clearance. Or am I missing something? Just do it with boiling water, as Terry said, certainly not with a lighter!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hollywood Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 (edited) Let us know what happens. Todd Edited July 29, 2010 by Hollywood Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madcow Posted July 30, 2010 Author Share Posted July 30, 2010 (edited) Heating (with very hot water) didn't work... freezing didn't work. Next step: tie a rope to both parts, then tie the other end to two cars and pull............ Ricardo P.S. I'll try terryt's tip. It actually makes sense... heating makes BOTH parts expand and freezing makes BOTH parts shrink. Mixing the two could work, but this situation is just plain stupid <_< Edited July 30, 2010 by madcow Quote Link to post Share on other sites
terryt Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 If all else fails try drilling the part out with progressively larger sizes of drills. Once you get the wall of the jammed part thin enough the bit should grab the part and remove it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick in Maine Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 So, Madcow, how are you doing on this. I am very curious and hope you solved the problem. This thread got so interesting. Rick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madcow Posted July 30, 2010 Author Share Posted July 30, 2010 I haven't tried anything today, but this is probably the strangest thing it happened to me (in modelling). Ricardo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted July 31, 2010 Share Posted July 31, 2010 From what I can see of a parts breakdown, the part should be a friction fit. Try very hot (almost boiling) water again, only pouring it on the body of the airbrush, on the area where the stuck piece fits in. The idea is to get the area where the part fits in to expand and not the stuck part. I would also get some WD40 as it thinner than airbrush lube and will seep into any crack between the two parts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pep Posted August 1, 2010 Share Posted August 1, 2010 At this point I would stop any efforts and call iwata. They might be able to help or even replace the airbrush since this almost looks like it was caused by manufacturing problems. So call th up you can't lose anything. Just don't tell them you tried the boiling and freezing Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madcow Posted August 1, 2010 Author Share Posted August 1, 2010 At this time, the dents on the part that got stuck (don't know its name) are pretty evident, so Iwata would just probably tell me to take a hike, but I'll contact them anyway. Ricardo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
balls47 Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 If this is a new airbrush, I would contact the manufacturer before trying anything. You don't want to invalidate the warranty by doing something that you shouldn't. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Beary Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 Put a few drops of penetrating oil where that part goes into the airbrush. Liquid Wrench is one brand. It worked wonders on a corroded water pipe nut a plumber was trying to get apart with two large pipe wrenches for me recently. All the internal needle bearings and the like should be Teflon and not affected by the oil. And as others have said it is just a friction fit Let us know what works. Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madcow Posted August 4, 2010 Author Share Posted August 4, 2010 I contacted Iwata and they want me to send the airbrush to the US so they can fix it and replace the part that got stuck. I'll have to think about this, because I know about situations where Customs want to make you pay tax on something that you had already purchased (and paid tax). Basically, if you say that you send it to repair and now you're getting it back, they won't believe you. I'll contact Customs tomorrow morning. Ricardo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kei Lau Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 I contacted Iwata and they want me to send the airbrush to the US so they can fix it and replace the part that got stuck.I'll have to think about this, because I know about situations where Customs want to make you pay tax on something that you had already purchased (and paid tax). Basically, if you say that you send it to repair and now you're getting it back, they won't believe you. I'll contact Customs tomorrow morning. Ricardo Ask Iwata if they have a service center within EU which should avoid the import tax issue. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mstor Posted August 4, 2010 Share Posted August 4, 2010 Appears they do have service in the EU. Check the link below: http://www.airbrush-iwata.com/page.asp?Area=1&cod=23 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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