Can you leave airbrush paint in the glass airbrush jars?

[motomania]

This may be a super-noob question to airbrushing, so be gentle.
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I just started airbrushing this week and am addicted! I've got several glass jars I bought from Michaels/Hobby Lobby for my siphon fed airbrush, to ease the color change transition. (have the little snorkel on top of the jars)
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Here's my question:
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Not to sound lazy, but can you leave commonly used colors in the airbrush jars; to be readily accessible/useable next time you paint? (assuming you put them in something airtight, to keep paint from drying up)
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What I'm getting at is the time saving angle of cleaning out the jars every time; when most of the colors I'll just be using again in a few days. I'm just very limited on time I get to paint, and any time saving angle is helpful. (although I thoroughlly clean out the gun everytime)
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Fire Away!

[asipes]

I wouldn't leave it in the siphon feed jars because they have the holes in the top of the jar (not only the siphon tube, but a small needle size vent hole as well). I mix colors in baby food jars and keep my colors in those.

My advice... keep notes of colors you mix so you can reproduce them later on.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[motomania]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by asipes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I wouldn't leave it in the siphon feed jars because they have the holes in the top of the jar (not only the siphon tube, but a small needle size vent hole as well). I mix colors in baby food jars and keep my colors in those.

My advice... keep notes of colors you mix so you can reproduce them later on.

Hope this helps. Good luck!</TD></TR></TABLE>
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You mention baby food jars. My thoughts were to actually put the siphon feed jars with paint in them, into the taller baby food jars; and seal 'em up tight. Then they would be read to go, next time around. What do yah think?
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Just the commonly used colors.

[tomsljr]

I started out as a t-shirt painter some 25 years ago. I kept all my paints in the jars. If you aren't going to use them for a while put them in some thing more permanent. Otherwise you can tape up the neck and bleed hole when not in use. It is the same as keeping it in any other jar at that point. Every now and then you will want to pull the top and clean out the siphon tube and bleed hole. If you start having trouble getting the paint to draw, first check the bleed hole is clear and then run a pipe cleaner with airbrush cleaner down the whole siphon assembly.

[Ky 520c]

Crankbaits use so little paint if your using a siphon feed I would buy a couple of color cups and just pour what I need in them, Usually on my siphon feed unless I'm base coating(need alot of paint) I turn the brush upside down and pour straight in the stem(where the paint is drawn) natural vacuum usually is enough to hold it in there will I shoot the color

[yellow gambler]

Check some of the airbrush sights. I think I have seen lids somewhere for the jars. Then all you would have to clean is the tubes.

[motomania]

Thanks for all the info guys, I greatly appreciate it. All great thoguhts!
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I think I'm going to put them in the larger baby food jars. The small siphon tube jars fit perfectly, and the jar seals up air tight. (and we have plenty of baby food jars; hence the reason for my time crunch when painting:-)

[weighinalimit]

Go to an auto parts store & get some vacuum port caps (look like tiny condoms, lol) you can put them on the siphon tube top, tape the vent, and your paint will be fine.

[motomania]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by weighinalimit &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Go to an auto parts store & get some vacuum port caps (look like tiny condoms, lol) you can put them on the siphon tube top, tape the vent, and your paint will be fine. </TD></TR></TABLE>
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I've got a bunch of vacuum caps already, that's a great idea.

[asipes]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by motomania &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">(... we have plenty of baby food jars; hence the reason for my time crunch when painting:-)</TD></TR></TABLE>

+1

[motomania]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by asipes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

+1</TD></TR></TABLE>
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Glad to know it's not just me sipes. I'm not complaining, fatherhood is awesome; just time consuming.
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I have an assembly line of baits hanging on my workbench in various stages of painting/modifying. One line for those prepped for paint, another of the ones painted and needing epoxied, another expoxied needing split rings/hooks, etc. etc.

[21XDC]

I bought a few of these and keep my paint in the bottles. I just put a piece of 22 gauge wire in the nozzle so it dont dry up or clog... Been working good for me.

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...93506

[jclark408]

I leave it in there and cover it with masking tape.........some of the H2O will evaporate over several days, but I just add more water and spray away after a good mixing

I do this a lot when I have mixed a cool color I really like and don't want to mix it later and try to match it again

[motomania]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ky 521 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Crankbaits use so little paint if your using a siphon feed I would buy a couple of color cups and just pour what I need in them, Usually on my siphon feed unless I'm base coating(need alot of paint) I turn the brush upside down and pour straight in the stem(where the paint is drawn) natural vacuum usually is enough to hold it in there will I shoot the color </TD></TR></TABLE>
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ky, just to conjure this back up for anyone new to airbrushing. I found this to be super helpful. I only paint a few baits at a time, and use such little paint; there's no point filling the jars with paint. It works great just dripping a little color in the siphon port, and hold the gun upside down. I've actually gotten pretty good at painting with it upside down.

[Ky 520c]

Glad it helped, the only thing I can add to it is keep your gun clean if you use this method if the tip dry starts to build up your gun will basically burp the paint back out and you'll have a mess however for eyes or shad spots something small it's the only way to go

[motomania]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ky 521 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Glad it helped, the only thing I can add to it is keep your gun clean if you use this method if the tip dry starts to build up your gun will basically burp the paint back out and you'll have a mess however for eyes or shad spots something small it's the only way to go </TD></TR></TABLE>
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Good point ky. I noticed a while back,I think I let some paint just barely start to dry, the spray pattern was kinda crappy. A quick lesson learned, to always clean it out shortly after shooting some color.
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I will say one thing. These airbrush companies need to do some better marketing. The results are really fanstastic, even for my $20 Harbor Freight airbrush, and for someone who never even touched an airbrush until I bought this one. I always thought it was something complicated and for serious artists. I can't draw or paint for the life of me, but these airbrushes work wonders on bringing out the smallest ounce of talent someone has in them! With a little practice the results are impressive.

[catsteven]

Wow,these guys are good.I'm going to try this trade sometime this year,it looks like fun and disapointment.Like anything though,it takes time.Enjoy reading these posts.