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Tools & Supplies: Airbrushes
Talk about airbrushes.
Hosted by Matt Leese
MEK to clean your airbrush
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Member Since: June 29, 2009
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Posted: Thursday, October 07, 2010 - 12:15 PM UTC
I recently ran out of paint thinner and desparately needed to clean my airbrush. After ransacking the garage, the best I could come up with was MEK. It does not damage the teflon o-rings in the brush and you won't need to run much through it. About 15 seconds of spraying and your brush will be happy.
-Matt
SSGToms
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Connecticut, United States
Member Since: April 02, 2005
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Posted: Thursday, October 07, 2010 - 04:00 PM UTC
Matt,

This may have worked in a pinch but it is a really, really bad idea to do as a regular practice. Have you ever read the MSDS for MEK? I would never atomize that stuff under any conditions. If you breathed this all the time, you couldn't count on healthy children, a steady hand, or a cancer free life. No kidding.
retiredyank
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Arkansas, United States
Member Since: June 29, 2009
entire network: 11,610 Posts
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Posted: Thursday, October 07, 2010 - 09:42 PM UTC
I wear a protective mask. As for cancer, I am already a chain smoker. But, safety first, wear a protective mask.
-Matt

Quoted Text

Matt,

This may have worked in a pinch but it is a really, really bad idea to do as a regular practice. Have you ever read the MSDS for MEK? I would never atomize that stuff under any conditions. If you breathed this all the time, you couldn't count on healthy children, a steady hand, or a cancer free life. No kidding.

seb43
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Paris, France
Member Since: August 30, 2005
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Posted: Thursday, October 07, 2010 - 10:26 PM UTC
As Chemist that use MEK on a daily life, depending on the paint you are using. Ethanol or IPA will be better for clean up purpose.

Be careful
Cheers
Seb
beefy66
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England - North East, United Kingdom
Member Since: October 22, 2007
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Posted: Friday, October 08, 2010 - 03:20 AM UTC
Matt I also use Mek for work and modelling may I suggest that you use a rag cloth or old towel up to the nozzel of the airbrush when cleanning out this helps reduce the vapour getting into the air around you and with the mask is twice the cover
Keith
panzerbob01
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Louisiana, United States
Member Since: March 06, 2010
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Posted: Friday, October 08, 2010 - 03:46 AM UTC
Wow! Don't folks use that stuff to thin model-cement and in place of "Tenex"?

Atomizing MEK into any sort of even remotely constrained air-space sounds like a big leap in glue-sniffing, to me!

SSGToms has noted the MSDS for MEK: It is worth looking at... things emerge from this like "do not breathe gas/fumes/vapor/spray, wear protoective clothing, .... use self-contained breathing apparatus...".

I use it inside only with really good ventilation. PLEASE be careful with it. IF you go with MEK in the AB: outside and shoot down-wind would probably be safest. Of course, your neighbors may take it badly...!

Bob
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