I agree with Frank on this. Regardless of the type or brand of paint I use, I always clean my airbrush (Paasche VL) using lacquer thinner.I also use the lacquer thinner to clean the empty paint bottles, as Floquil, Polly S, Pollyscale and some Testors bottles all fit the siphon cap which comes with the VL. This allows me to mix and store custom colours for specific projects and save them in either original form or as thinned-and-ready-to-use versions. I also took the siphon fitting from another Paasche bottle cap, and, using brass tubing, lengthened the pick-up tube to use with the taller Floquil and Pollyscale bottles. It would also be possible to do so for use with Scalecoat's wider and taller bottles.
Wayne
Going on 43yrs. I have My model H and in that time I have never had to replace any part but the needle. Which I use a number 3 for just about everything I paint. That needle (the small hollow hole in the side) is the most critical part in cleaning. More so if you use a lot of water base paints. They have a tendency of being hard to clean when they become almost cured in that needle. If you do not use anything stronger than Alcohol to clean and flush your brush, you will have problem's just like the OP had from the get-go. Setting the brush aside with Acrylic water base paint still in the needle plugged it. When done painting and or stopping for a coat to set up. You should immediately take your brush off the paint jar assembly. Then put in on a dedicated flush jar and do a high on spray until clear solvent comes out and then back flush. That is done by holding a paper towel over the very tip and pressing the flow button. Do that until big bubbles form in the flush jar. Careful, it could get messy. Solvent could come out vent hole in top of jar.
I have been doing the above with not only air-brushes but My pro-guns that I have used painting vehicles for about 45yrs. and have not had any problem's. In all that time, the only cleaner I ever use is Lacquer thinner, no matter what kind of paint. I found that it does the best.......My opinion of course.
Take Care!
Frank
And there is indeed a nut on a needle.....
On a single action external mix airbrush, according to Paasche...
Good Grief Charlie Brown.....
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
wdcrvr I just bought a new compressor and decide to try it out wih my old Paasch model H airbrush. I used it to paint a large HO structure that I need to assemble. Everything worked fine. Then I shut it down an went thru the process of cleaning everything. While I was cleaning the airbrush it worked fine at blasting water/alcohol through it. Put it all away and then went back to check on my structure. Realized that a couple of parts needed more work. (Don't ask why I didn't notice this before shutting down, I just don't know) When I tried to get my airbrush working again it just refuses to do anything except blast out air. I cannot get it to suck up any paint. Also won't even suck up water or alcohol. I took the tip assembly apart and super cleaned it. No help. Anybody have any ideas? Thanks wdcrvr
I just bought a new compressor and decide to try it out wih my old Paasch model H airbrush. I used it to paint a large HO structure that I need to assemble. Everything worked fine. Then I shut it down an went thru the process of cleaning everything. While I was cleaning the airbrush it worked fine at blasting water/alcohol through it. Put it all away and then went back to check on my structure. Realized that a couple of parts needed more work. (Don't ask why I didn't notice this before shutting down, I just don't know) When I tried to get my airbrush working again it just refuses to do anything except blast out air. I cannot get it to suck up any paint. Also won't even suck up water or alcohol. I took the tip assembly apart and super cleaned it. No help.
Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks
wdcrvr
I have an H. I've had good luck with it, but one time I didn't clean it well enough and it got clogged in both the needle and the tip. I soaked it in lacquer thinner and cleaned it out and all was well.
What size tip? Can you blow through it? How about the needle?
Gary
Apparently the "thingy" I referred to is the needle according to Paasche.
.
I hope the OP is still with us.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
ricktrains4824And, in my defense, I don’t have a Paasche H, and an earlier post referenced having extra needles... Something not used in single action external mix airbrushes...
—and, in MY defense, the part diagram from Paasche lists part #3 as the tip and needle assembly. The link I provided leads to a tip and needle assembly for under $10.
Paasche by Edmund, on Flickr
Their description, not mine.
SeeYou190I just didn't want the OP to become confused looking for a nut to tighten down.
The nut I refer to is the packing follower, part #6. It is threaded like a nut but is not hex shaped. Paasche calls it a packing NUT.
I suggested a new tip and needle as, in my experience, the packing, part #5, can get dry and leak air (vacuum, actually) and not draw paint.
Again, having a spare needle and tip on hand is cheap insurance when in the middle of a critical painting project.
Sorry for the confusion if I didn't explain things very well.
https://dixieart.com/H_Single_Action.html#parts
Good Luck, Ed
I just didn't want the OP to become confused looking for a nut to tighten down.
That is if I didn't confuse him too much by calling a part a "thingy" in an earlier post.
On the single action models, the nozzle heads might be causing the same symptoms if the are not quite as tight as they should be. Same issue could also be caused if the little "weep holes" are clogged.
And, in my defense, I don’t have a Paasche H, and an earlier post referenced having extra needles... Something not used in single action external mix airbrushes...
ricktrains4824Make sure the nut on the needle is tight,
This is good advice on some double action internal mix airbrushes, but the Paasche Model H the OP asked about does not have use needle valve or the nut.
Something I have done after cleaning.... Make sure the nut on the needle is tight, otherwise the needle does not move, and therefore no paint will flow...
I know it sounds silly, but, sometimes we skip the simple stuff when we are working on a project...
A few years ago, I ran into a modeler on the forum that was having issues with his H model Paasche airbrush. He said that if I wanted it, I could have it. He gave it to me for nothing. I sent it to Paasche and they repaired it for free. It seemed that the Teflon seal was damaged. When I got it back, it's worked great, ever since.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
BroadwayLion SeeYou190 Do not soak airbrush parts in Muriatic Acid! I learned this the hard way. . -Kevin . Yeah.... His finger fell off. ROARING
SeeYou190 Do not soak airbrush parts in Muriatic Acid! I learned this the hard way. . -Kevin .
Do not soak airbrush parts in Muriatic Acid! I learned this the hard way.
Yeah.... His finger fell off.
ROARING
LOL.......................
Shadow
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
If none of the above works, you might check the Paasche website to see if thay offer a cleaning service for badly plugged brushes. I have Badger, and have sent my air brushes to them, for a small fee they clean up teh brush like new. Their folks know all the nooks and crannies where paint can gum things up; they will also replace parts if necessary at an extra cost.
If you have a stronger solvent availabe like laquer thinner or acetone you could try soaking the parts of the brush that may be plugged overnight, followed by some more pipe cleaner scrubbing
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
I don't know what the thingy is called, but the part the color cup presses into, that the cone thing screws onto, has a small passage on the Paasche model H. Mine has clogged a couple of times.
I have cleaned it successfully with a small bamboo skewer and brake cleaner. I put the brake cleaner in a small saucer that will cover the thingy and work the bamboo skewer around until eveything is cleared out.
wdcrvrI think I wil try working on that packing nut you are talking about.
Be careful as the follower nut is brass and easily nicked. Also the packing ring will simply dry out and can not be snugged any more.
I keep several needles and tips on hand. You can find them on eBay, Amazon or any of the larger hobby outlets.
https://tinyurl.com/yy5d7kqh
I mostly use the #3 set.
Cheers, Ed
Ed
I tried the small color cup also. No good there either. I think I wil try working on that packing nut you are talking about. I have no idea how old this airbrush is. Someone gave it to me (already used) at least 15 years ago. What boggles my mind is that it was working fine during the first painting session. Then I cleaned it. Ten minutes later set it back up again and got nothing.
Sounds like a possibility since I did use a pipe cleaner (rather vigorously) when I cleaned it. So if that is the case, how do I get the fuzz out?
Try attaching the small color cup and see if that works. That will tell you if the problem is in the brush or the bottle parts.
Then you can look at the suction feed tube. Is the end bottomed out in the jar? It should be cut at a slight angle. Is the small vent hole open in the lid? Does the tube fit snugly onto the lid?
Pipe cleaners are handy for wiping out the passages. A model H is pretty basic so a problem should be easy to spot. I have had to snug the packing inside the tip using the proper-sized flat blade screw driver on the follower nut. If this is loose it will not draw paint very well.
Put a toothpick into the needle opening and be sure the small hole isn't blocked. You should be able to see the tip of the toothpick in the small opening.
Read tips here:
https://www.paascheairbrush.com/product/h-user-manual/
I recall clogging the suction port on my bottom feeder brush with pipe cleaner fuzz when cleaning. Needless to say I now only use small brushes made for air brush cleaning.
good luck, Peter