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Cleaning my Paasche H single action airbrush (how often, etc.)

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  • Member since
    February 2021
Cleaning my Paasche H single action airbrush (how often, etc.)
Posted by ScaleModeler_1973 on Sunday, June 13, 2021 7:02 AM

Hello folks. I am not finding the 'Care and Cleaning:' (manufacturer) instructions for my Passche H to be adequate for keeping my airbrush 'clean'. I still see paint/discoloration on the outside of my color adjusting part assembly (especially the screw that big screw along which the tip rotates) after I pour solvent and spray the airbrush at a downward angle (as instructed). I also find paint inside the aircap. This makes me wonder: should I be taking apart the airbrush (aircap, color adjusting part assembly, etc.) after every painting session (and at least soaking these parts in cleaner or thinner and scrubbing them with (soft) cleaning brushes and such)? I know seasoned hobbyists have shared the tip on other threads that using an ultrasonic cleaning machine works very well. And I might invest in one at some point. First, I just want to see if I can reasonably clean/maintain my airbrush with hand cleaning. If I airbrush more frequently, I'll probably go the ultrasonic method. Thanks for maybe commenting about cleaning frequency with this external mix (Paasche H) airbrush.

  • Member since
    April 2020
Posted by Eaglecash867 on Sunday, June 13, 2021 7:10 AM

Just copying and pasting this from another thread I posted it in:

With my Paasche H, I just drop the color cup, needle, and needle cap into an old relish jar with MEK in it and run the jar in an ultrasonic cleaner.  That cleans any type of paint out of it.  I normally run that for about 30 minutes, but I have 3 matching color cup/needle/needle cap sets, so I can immediately get back to painting while one is being cleaned if I want to.

Edit:  After the cleaning, use latex gloves (don't use vinyl gloves, the MEK will melt them) to remove the parts from the MEK.  Then rinse them under hot water and let them air dry.  I usually blow into each part just to purge as much water as I can before leaving them to dry.

"You can have my illegal fireworks when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers...which are...over there somewhere."

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Sunday, June 13, 2021 12:03 PM

Hi;

 I am not going to bore you with a long story. I clean All types of airbrushes I have after every use in Lacquer Thinner and and severely Hot Water and Dawn. Then Once for a rinse in a Specialty Home-Made basket in the dishwasher for a rinse and dry.

  • Member since
    February 2004
Posted by dhenning on Sunday, June 13, 2021 10:02 PM

I take apart and clean my Paasche H after each use.  Really not very difficult.  I use a mix of window cleaner, simple green, and distilled water for cleaning after acrylics and then a final rinse with Testors Acrylic Cleaner (hard to find now).  For enamels, I use regular hardware store paint thinner (mineral spirits).

First I take off the color cup and dump any left over paint, wipe out the cup, and then use either the mix for the acrylics using a small squirt bottle to back wash the stem on the cup.  If cleaning up from enamels, I use an eye dropper to do the same.   I then fill up the cup with the appropriate cleaner and shoot one or two cups through the airbrush in a cleaning container from Harbor Freight Tools.  I turn the paint control cone to different positions while flushing it.   After this step, I take the set screw out and take off the tip (cone) and needle and flush both with either the cleaner mix or the paint thinner.    Only takes a few minutes and prevents problems in the future.

If cleaning up after shooting Future or clear flat acrylic, I use straight windex followed by ammonia.

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