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Iwata cleaning kit: Question to Dick Montgomery.


PeteJ

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Dick - I saw your review about the above kit and it looks like a wonderful kit, especially if your LHS doesn't carry a lot of airbrush stuff. I was wondering if you felt there were some things that one could do without. My experience is that when you get a "kit" often there are pieces that replicate regular tools that one would have around the shop or you can buy elsewhere to create your own kit. I ask because I was up at Coast Airbrush last month and got a nice set of generic cleaning brushes and a big tube of airbrush lube for under $15. What was in the kit that you would use with sufficient frequency that I should have them around? I think the studio wipes are a good idea and at $2.50 a pack may get them on my next trip. Thanks for reviewing this kit and I look forward to your further opinions.

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That's a good question. The LED magnifying light and the small nozzle wrench have come in very handy. I've found that the LED light (sold separately from the kit) has become a very useful tool as I work on things like the instrument panel, nav lights on the wing tips and landing lights, and also very useful to work on canopy masking. I've also found myself using that light just like a small flashlight in the car, office area, and some home repair projects. Its great to have a nice bright light that also has a mag lens handy.

 

The nozzle wrench is a wonderful little tool and it fits one of my Grex airbrushes. I was using a pair of small needle nose pliers to remove and reattach that nozzle but the Iwata wrench fits perfectly and will not damage the nozzle.

 

I also like the fact that the box, which snaps closed, contains all the items I need to clean my brushes and keeps those items in a neat and orderly space. I am notoriously messy and unorganized and having a box that easily opens and snaps shut makes a world of difference. I know it seems like at little thing but it has helped me be more efficient to store my cleaning supplies in that one little box.

 

As each of the consumable items is used up, such as the pipe cleaners, micro brushes and the Super Lube, I will, of course, replace them with locally obtainable replacements. My airbrushes represent major investments and I've found this product makes it easier to clean my brushes and to do a more thorough job of it then without the contents of the package.

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Thanks for the reply Dick. I am also notoriously messy (according to my better half :smiley2: ) so the idea of a container for all the parts sounds like a really good idea. I also have a lot invested in airbrushes, two Tamiyas and an Iwata and the cleaning brushes have been very handy. The Tamiyas came with a nozzle wrench and I am forever misplacing it. The cleaning brushes came on a key ring so I drilled a hole in the end of the wrench and put it on that. Now the brushes and wrench are together. I was wondering about the little bottle of cleaner fluid. Is it significantly better than say acetone?

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I've used the cleaning solution with good effect. It does seem to clear out the fluid passageways nicely and I've noticed that even after a good brushing and pipecleaning, there is something still "color" when I shoot the cleaning solution thru the airbrush. Give it about a 20 to 25 sec shot and the color disappears.

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