Paasche Model H airbrush review

Olde airbrush of times past

My Paasche Model H is quite old, getting on 25 years.  It is a single action, siphon feed type airbrush.  Due to the simplicity of single action airbrushes and the well maintained condition it still works perfectly today.  It still even lives in the original cardboard box :)  It has three nozzles (0.3, 0.5, 1.0mm labelled as 1,3,5), and both bottles (big/small) and a side paint cup (which I use most of the time).  I purchased a Paasche M32 to 1/8 connector so I could connect to the 1/8 air line I have.  The connector cost $4.  Ebay is a wonderful source of connectors between all the various size connectors  that the airbrush manufacturers use.  I recommend standardising on 1/8 inch as most airbrushes have connectors to 1/8 inch and most compressors are either 1/8 inch (hobby) or 1/4 inch (garage).

My Model H being the older model gives me a bit more control on air flow than newer H models.  I can get approx a 1/3, 2/3, full control on the air flow.  Newer models seem to be much more full on or nothing.  Mind you this is in a travel of a few millimetres on the trigger so you need a light touch.

For most occasions I use the small side cup as that enough paint capacity.  There is more than enough capacity to spray a dozen or so figures for an undercoat for example.  For nozzles I found the 0.5mm size best for cheap craft paints as they tend to be a bit lumpy.  For better quality model paints the 0.3mm nozzle was ok.  For ugly paint like metal primer I use the 0.5mm or 1.0mm nozzle.

Like the majority of single action air brushes there is no adjusting the needle on the fly.  You have to stop painting, turn the needle adjuster which is on the underside of the airbrush, spray some more, readjust, etc.  Also the air flow and pressure impacts this.  So early on there was a lot of trial and error (and splattering and running of paint) until I got to a few known setting combinations that work.  Ie paint type X thinned down with Y amount of water means the needle adjustment should be turned 1.5 turns from the closed position.

The best part of this airbrush is the cleaning (very easy), ease of disassembly and the large nozzles you get with the set.  No tiny needle nozzles to drop and lose.  The large nozzles allow you to spray things you wouldn't normally (e.g. metal primer, PVA glue) spray easily.  Also if you want to put down a large amount of paint the bottles can be used (instead of the side cup).  The biggest downside is that to swap paint you have to do a fair amount of cleaning.  Disconnect and wash out the side cup, rinse and spray out the remaining paint in the nozzle, etc.  You could reduce this by having two side cups.

I wouldn't recommend this airbrush if you were only going to buy one.  The defaco standard dual action gravity feed models are much easier to use.  However it make a great second airbrush for all those jobs you don't want to use your 0.2mm fine detail airbrush for.  The robust nature of this model may make it good for a shared use environment in that it can be cleaned easily and all the parts that come in contact with paint can be removed simply.