LSP_Kevin Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Not long after I started using my Iwata airbrush, my cat pulled it off the bench and sent it crashing to the floor (he was wrestling with the hose). This is before I had a dedicated airbrush stand, and is in fact what prompted me to get one! Anyway, the airbrush itself was largely undamaged, except for a flat spot at the top of the colour cup, forcing it out of round. The cup lid no longer fits, and I lived to regret that fact while painting my Matchbox Spitfire last night. Does anybody have any suggestions for fixing it? I thought about maybe taking it to a jewellers, as they'd have experience in manipulating metal into shape, but I'm open to any other suggestions if you have them! Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krow113 Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Kevin: Find a wooden dowel slightly larger than the cup and taper the end of it , push this into the cup and tap it with a hammer, this will round out the end again. Dont grip the edge with pliers etc , that will prolly crack the chrome finish. The dowel or a curved tool to tap out the dent should work , the outside of the edge must be supported on a curved surface or whatever you use will transfer to the cup. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Hi Kev, Sorry to hear of your current paint and spray plights. Most airbrush cups are generally made of chrome plated brass, so you should be able to make it true (round) again without too much difficulty? Cheers Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted December 13, 2012 Author Share Posted December 13, 2012 I hope you're right Derek! Steve's idea seems sound, although I don't have such a dowel handy. It's a top-quality HP-C Plus, so it's definitely worth fixing. I also have a really good H&S brush (I forget the exact model), so I guess in the interim I should be using that in situations where I may need to put a lid on the paint cup. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Out2gtcha Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 yeah, forgot about cracking the finish.............Steves Idea prolly would work best if one had the dowel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_K2 Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 Some general contractor types have a tool that will expand tubing (not a flaring tool), and that would handily solve your dilemma I'd think, assuming you know someone that has the tool. My next door neighbor is a general mechanical contractor, and we've used it on HVAC jobs before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted December 13, 2012 Share Posted December 13, 2012 (edited) I hope you're right Derek! Steve's idea seems sound, although I don't have such a dowel handy. It's a top-quality HP-C Plus, so it's definitely worth fixing. I also have a really good H&S brush (I forget the exact model), so I guess in the interim I should be using that in situations where I may need to put a lid on the paint cup. Kev Steve's method should work fine Kev. Look inside the feed tubes (or if it has a screw bottom, inside the threads if it is a double wall cup - there may be an unplated part that will confirm the type of substrate material). Good luck Derek EDIT: BTW Kev, I just remembered that I had a similar problem 25 years ago with a Badger airbrush paint cup after I dropped it onto a concrete floor - I used a smooth round rod on the inside of the cup and laid the outside of the cup on a firm rubber mat (I may have used an eraser for this purpose?). I then gently rolled the rod on the lip edge until it was round again. I think that the trick is find something large in diameter as the roller and use gentle but progressive pressure carefully so that you don't over do it. Edited December 13, 2012 by Derek B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted December 13, 2012 Author Share Posted December 13, 2012 Thanks for the tips and advice fellas. In some ways this is no big deal, as I've been using it this way for a couple of years now. The inability to fit the paint cup lid has really only become a problem right now. But it has made me keen to sort it out if I can. I start a 3-week break from work at the end of next week, so I'll have some more time to have a go at sorting this out. Kev Derek B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssculptor Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 You can't contact the manufacturer to buy another cup? As much fun it is to repair something like that yourself, wouldn't it be easier to just buy a replacement? You might be able to find a new part on eBay. I always look to eBay for parts. Although eBay has a bad rep with some of the guys on this forum, there are many resellers of new and used items who vend on eBay and who are quite reputable. Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krow113 Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Kev ;You did not mention the cup has a cap. That could make it difficult to do the repair properly. Those caps fit tightly, if you get it on ,after the repair, you may not get it off again. I think I would go to replacement pretty quickly as there is a precise fit there. Betcha use that hanger alla time now eh?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daywalker Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 I thought about maybe taking it to a jewellers, as they'd have experience in manipulating metal into shape, but I'm open to any other suggestions if you have them! We do, but working with gold and platinum is quite a bit different than AB parts. I doubt that course would be fruitful, but hey- you never know! I'd be happy to have a go at it if you wanted to bring it to Wisconsin! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_K2 Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 You can't contact the manufacturer to buy another cup? As much fun it is to repair something like that yourself, wouldn't it be easier to just buy a replacement? You might be able to find a new part on eBay. I always look to eBay for parts. Although eBay has a bad rep with some of the guys on this forum, there are many resellers of new and used items who vend on eBay and who are quite reputable. Stephen If I'm not mistaken, the Iwata HP-C has an integral color cup (probably silver soldered in place), and is non removable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Matt Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 I like the dowel idea. In addition, what about making X 2 C-shaped collars of wood to go around the outer diameter of the airbrush cup. ( leave a gap like a piston compression ring) Insert the dowel customised to fit the inner diameter of the cup, apply the C-shaped wood to the outside and then clamp it up? Maybe/maybe not some gentle heat. Bad moggy. Failing that I reckon you wouldn't go wrong getting it sorted by a brass musical instrument repairer. I'm sure they face similar dilemas with trumpet bells and pipes all day long. Cheers Matty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Ron Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Failing that I reckon you wouldn't go wrong getting it sorted by a brass musical instrument repairer. I'm sure they face similar dilemas with trumpet bells and pipes all day long. Cheers Matty I'd say that is the best suggestion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daywalker Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 What about using a piece of thin clear plastic (like Saran wrap) over the top of the cup (with a small hole punched in it to help with the pressure) secured with a small rubber band? That would work as a temporary fix until you sort out the other issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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