Is there something wrong with my airbrush?

[ryanstraw]

So far everytime I paint using paynes gray it has sucked back into the airbrush itself and it would take hours to thoroughly clean before I could change to another color. I thought the tip might be damaged but it seems fine with the other colors. Could it be the paint? It shouldnt be because I bought it about 2 months ago. Can anyone help? Thank you.

-Ryan

[Old Fart]

What kind of airbrush is it? Brand of paint? Water or lacquer? Those are details that could be important to getting answer.

[ryanstraw]

the brand is Eastwood which isn't very known, and I am using polytranspar water based paints.

[FishArt]

Well, I think you answered your question yourself. I'm not familiar with the airbrush or that brand and exact color of paint, but if every other bottle of paint is working through your airbrush then I'd say it's the paint. I do know that the regular WB Paynes Gray is fairly heavily pigmented. So, perhaps thinning a lot and using a fair amount of retarder (10% or maybe even more) should fix the problem? Maybe even straining the paint too? Either way, isolate it for certain to the paint by trying other colors through your air brush and then buy another brand of Paynes Gray next time if the thinning and retarder doesn't help. I like both the Hydromist Paynes Gray and Candy Paynes Gray (runs easily though, you have to put it on in thin layers and build up to alleviate running) along with the Woods and Waters Kranes Gray. W&W has a more bluish tint to it whereas the HM ones have more purple-ish tint to them. I like both brands depending on the application...

[Old Fart]

I don't use the same airbrush or paint, nor do I use Payne's Gray very often. When I do use the candy PG I do find that the cleaning was more extensive than with other colors, but that applies to almost all the candy colors.  At least that's my experience, I have to "flush" the color cup a few more times than with other paint. I suspect that Marty is right, a little more retarder will keep your paint from drying in the airbrush, making it less likely that the pigment will come out with the color you use after the PG.