got this brush for my birthday, and while it is a great brush i'm having some difficulties cleaning the nozzle and the canal where the needle sits. so if anyone has some tips on how to clean it, they'd be much welcomed

Get a set of Micro sized cleaning brushes... They make a difference!!



Most supplies stock or can order them

thanks Matt. tell ya the truth, I'm kind of intimidated from cleaning it - first time I tried I broke the nozzle (yeah, even my ma' says I'm gifted )

I usually wipe out the cup then shoot a few cups worth of thinner thru.... then teardown...

Matt I was advised not to use metal brushes. But to use softer bristle brushes. Just what I heard from Jerry's were I purchased the brushes. They said the metal ones chew up the chamber.

That was the first pic...lol I have both myself but I have sereral larger spray guns I use for woodworking & other painting.

I wipe the cup out and spray through some thinner.
I take the needle out.
Then I use a small paintbrush and I give it a wiggle around in there and spray more thiner through. BY now it should look pretty clean in there.
Strip front end. Use that small paintbrush and thinners to get in all those small bits and through the nozzle.. I using lot of toilet roll to clean up through stages and by now everything should be looking clean inside and. Dont forget to clean the needle before re assembly.
Dont be rough putting the needle up to the nozzle to get a tight fit. You can easily split a nozzle with more than finger tightness.
I wouldnt go near my Iwata with those metal brushes.Far to big for the .3mm nozzle of an Iwata . A cheap firm bristled small brush is all you need.

I have an Iwata HP-C Plus. Apart from the suggestions above, a retailer put me onto this. I picked up a length of .5mm steel wire from a LHS. I think it was from the K&S range of metal products. I cut a length about 5cm longer than my stipped down airbrush. I take a small piece from a cottom ball and twist it around one end of the wire. Dip this in thinner and slide it through. Less is best with this method as you don't want to jam that cotton. I don't use any real pressue at all and it just slides through taking paint with it. Two or three of these and I'm happy I've removed most of the gunk that collect. Clean the needle and pot as suggest above.

Cheers