how to clean air brush after chocolate?

W.DeBord · #1 12-06-2002, 07:54 AM

I finally bought a cheap air brush like I mentioned Norman Love reccomended in my chocolate demo thread. It work really well, totally auesome.

BUT THEN....I was using canned air and the can started to freeze up and so the chocolate in the feed bottle got firm. SO now I have to figure out how to clean that out and for the next time I do this (using a compressor) what is the technique for cleaning out the nozzle after air brushing with chocolate?

I've never seen anyone mention this, even when using a wagner sprayer....how are you supposed to clean up afterward?

TIA

W.DeBord · #2 12-06-2002, 07:56 AM

Just incase...I should explain this type of air brush doesn't spray the chocolate thru it's nozzle/needle at all. It comes from a feed bottle and then that sprays air on it to propell it. htms

angrychef · #3 12-06-2002, 09:27 AM

Wendy, I've only worked with the Wagner paintgun for chocolate. The pastry chef built a cabinet with a light bulb to keep the chocolate warm in the paintgun receptacle. So we just had to shake the chocolate a bit before using and spray away. It was a pain to clean the nozzle if it got stuck with hardened choc. Unscrew everything, run in warm water to clean(can use soap) and then dry very very well. The other airbrush I've worked with is the standard one found in bakeries to draw onto cakes.
Where did you find this cheap airbrush, does it work well?

pjm333 · #4 12-07-2002, 02:21 AM

wendy
Do you strain your cocoa butter chocolate mix threw a fine strainer before spraying..? Then after spraying, run very very hot water threw the container and insert the filter part of the sprayer and spray away till it sprays clear..

pat

W.DeBord · #5 12-08-2002, 07:57 AM

Thanks pmj and angry.

The cheap brushes don't suck the liquid thru the brush, they do thru a feed bottle and then the brush blows on it. It's not for "fine" work....but then thats fine. I really don't know how this compares to a wagner brush. My best guess is the wagner does more volume....?

I found out about this at a demo I went to featuring Norman Love. If your interested Dana you could look up that thread where I shared my notes...lots of detailed info. from him including the brush number. The brush was about 20.00 at a local craft store.

I don't want to use the canned air you can buy....it's got a list of what cancers it causes a mile long....and your not supposed to breath it, like you can avoid it. So I'm working on hooking up to a compressor I bought years ago.

I bought the liquid chocolate colors from pcb creations and I'm playing with them. The possiblities are endless! I didn't strain them...but neither did Love or Piffer in the demo....?

So far I've only spray painted snowflakes on my ala carte plates. Then the brush got stuck.

But I plan on air brushing my whole cakes with patterns etc...instead of acetate tranfers like Herme does. All the same principals as other air brushes but with chocolate.