Advanced users know that an air valve assembly is the first to wear in the airbrush. So, at some point, you will have to take it apart in order to clean or replace. And as it one of the essential parts of the airbrush, you need to be very careful in the choice of the right airbrush assembly. It should be compatible with the brand and type of your spray paint tool. Some users even recommend keeping a few extra air valve assemblies for the long-term trouble-free operation.
This airbrush part is directly involved in the airflow management. By pulling and releasing the airbrush trigger you open and close the valve and let the air go through the tool or stop it.
What air valve assembly includes
Commonly, an air valve assembly usually consists of
- Air valve casing or body
- Valve spring
- Plunger with airbrush O-ring
- Valve screw
How to clean airbrush assembly
When cleaning an airbrush, not all parts need to be unscrewed and disassembled. For example, you can carefully remove dirt, dust, and paint from the air valve assembly even without taking it apart. Otherwise, you will have to face all the hurdles of getting the trigger back and correctly positioned into the airbrush body. And, of course, you should in no way immerse the whole airbrush in solvent. Because it may cause the O-ring inside the air valve assembly to get swollen.
How to resolve the issue with airbrush trigger sticking
In case the O-ring got swollen, the spray paint trigger can feel mushy or sticky. That is when it doesn’t return to its original position. There also can be some other signs of the defective ring, such as the air delivered to the airbrush isn’t coming out of the gun. However, it may happen not only because of the improper cleaning but also in case paint leaks into the air valve during operation.
Sometimes after cleaning and drying, a bit of lubricant applied to the O-ring can do the job. But you need to be careful in the choice of the lube: follow the usage instructions to prevent further issues. Besides, the leaking generally might indicate other problems. That’s why it’s better to change the ring or even the whole air valve assembly. For this reason, we’ve selected here a wide range of airbrush valve assemblies and accessories to them for different spray paint tool models.