HG AIRBRUSH NEEDLE

A needle for the trigger version of the airbrush

The needle is the most sensitive part of an airbrush and at the same time the one a modeler damages most easily. It is enough to rest it against the bottom of the cup while cleaning, to leave it in dried paint or to pull it forward through the nozzle, and the tip bends. Yet a bend of less than a tenth of a millimeter is enough for the pattern to stop being symmetrical and for the paint to start drifting to one side.

What it fits

This replacement part belongs to the trigger version of the HG range airbrush, that is the version controlled by a lever under the body, including the variant with a fixed cup. A protective tube is part of the delivery, in which the part travels and in which it is worth keeping it later as well. The classic button version of the same range takes a different piece, so check what type you have in your hand before buying.

Replacement and maintenance

The procedure is short: loosen the rear locking nut, slide the part out backwards, insert the new one in the same direction and tighten it only to the moment when the tip seats in the nozzle without force. It is exactly the pressure when tightening that decides the working life of both parts. Before inserting it, rub the taper with a drop of oil meant for airbrushes so that the seal does not work dry. After every spraying session, draw the part out backwards, wipe it with a soft cloth and only then put it back. Dried paint on the taper is by far the most common cause of an airbrush starting to spit or no longer responding to smooth feed.

A small thing that decides

Just as important as replacement is not leaving the airbrush overnight with paint in the cup. The dried residue settles exactly where a cleaning brush cannot reach.