Rejuvenating a Paasche Model H

[tatocorvette]

Hello,

The Paasche Model H is most likely the most popular and famous single action external mix airbrush. While it has evolved over the years, this model has been in production for over 100 years in the same basic design! Due mostly to its reliability and simplicity, it has a strong cult following as a workhorse. This airbrush can flow a lot of material and use a lot of air. It is not the right tool for the smallest ultra fine detail. Many consider it a "fire hose".
I've never had a Paasche before, but many modelers rave about the H. So when I found this tired puppy online for less than $10, I had to rescue it!

The serial number on the box matches the airbrush.

Only the airbrush itself, the bottom tray and the warranty card were included. No other accessories like the cup or wrenches were included.
The warranty card says 1977. I guess it is a print year so I think it is safe to assume this is from the late 70's.

It looks dull and upon closer inspection, it evidently needs a good cleaning. I wouldn't call this exactly a restoration, but more of a seriously deep clean. This simple design is easy to take apart.

This sample has the #3 setup. The box label also indicates Type H #3. This is the medium setup. Available is a smaller #1 setup, this #3 and #5 which is THE Fire Hose

Every part was carefully cleaned inside and out. Then polished and polished and polished some more. The plastic handle was polished with automotive polishing products.

Eventually everything went back together.

Peek a boo!

At the same time I ordered an adaptor to use my Badger hoses.

Now all I need is the time to test it! I'll keep you posted.
Hope you like it.

Thanks,
Ismael

 

[Kingpin]

That cleaned up really well, nice job

 

[Nessus]

What's the little wheel in front of the trigger? My early 2000s model H doesn't have that.

I have to admit I was really disappointing in my own model H, but IDK if I was expecting too much from it. It's OK for solid coats and masking, but if you have a good double action, it doesn't really compare in any respect. I kinda suspect its reputation for a long time was more of an indictment against DAs of a particular era than it was a statement on the H.

It was basically a side-grade to my old mid-90s VL, but my ealy-2010s Eclipse is significantly better in every area, including ease of cleaning (the H can't backflush, and the needle/nozzle design has internal hard angles that make it fussier than the simple chromed slopes of an Eclipse's paint path).

When it comes to modeling, most of the hobby actually only has really basic needs when it comes to airbrushing. 99% of modelers just need to do priming, solid base colors, clears, and occasionally some very basic gradients for weathering or camo edging. Something that's just 1 rung up from a rattlecan in terms of air pressure ranges and paint availability is all it takes. If it can do those basics well enough, a lot of people will declare the very first airbrush they got as being "the best" without ever actually trying anything else (I have seen this behavior myself MANY times, and not just with airbrushes).

The H's popularity in the FX industry feels kinda similar to me. Most of it is... modelling, so the above applies. The H won out I think because it could do those basics at a super-low price point (you could outfit a shop with "beater" brushes really cheaply). Creature effects are a bigger test, but during the era when the H was at its peak (70s-90s), the standards for painting were not HD. If you've ever seen screen-used masks and puppets from that era in person, the paint work is A LOT grittier and less subtle than you'd think from what you see in the movies. Since the mid 00s the H has been completely replaced with Iwata DAs in the practical effects world, I think partly because HD filmmaking and home media raised the bar paint jobs had to meet up-close.

I know that both Iwata and Badger saw downturns in quality during the 80s-90s, and this was before the boom in Chinese cheap tools and the internet. The relatively simple type of painting a brush had to do, combined with the DAs available to a 20-year old FX geek in CA during the 80s-90s maybe needing more fuss to maintain than modern ones (and definitely being much more expensive), is I suspect what made the H the industry workhorse.

If you watch Adam Savage's videos on youtube, it's an interesting case study in this. He came up in the quick-and-dirty, git-'er-done environment of 90s special effects houses, so all his methods, standards, and preferences are EXTREMELY influenced by that. Up until recently he was a big proponent of the H, because that's what was economical for fast paced "it only has to look good enough at a glance on camera" FX work back then. He only recently switched to an Iwata Revolution. According to him, he never considered modern ABs until a colleague had him try one in their own shop, because the public review/recommendation space was too full of contradictory noise.

 

[2Diverse]

The little wheel is the stipple adjuster. It limits the trigger travel which in turn reduces the airflow. That causes paint to be spattered by the varying degree to where it's set at. Paasche discontinued putting them on in the early 2000s I believe.

I have a couple where it was mounted on the trigger.

 

[Nessus]

A couple mods I highly reccomend for th H:

Fill the handle with ball bea

 

[Nessus]

Okay, ignore the above. The forum decided to "helpfully" auto-post as I was just starting to type. I don't know why, but it does that sometimes. It won't let me edit or delete it, so it's just there forever now, I guess.

A couple small mods I highly recommend for the H:

Fill the handle with ball bearings or something similarly weighted. It improves the brush's balance in the hand substantially. Paasche used to make an alternate handle that was chromed brass (now OOP, unfortunately), so if you can find one of those second-hand, it might be worth getting one and filling it. But even with the stock plastic handle, filling it with weight makes a really big difference.

Replace the grub screw used to retain the needle with a thumb screw. There are brass thumb wheel screws made for lamp building and modding that are perfect. This just makes it so you can service the needle entirely by hand, eliminating the need for the allen wrench. It makes removing and replacing the needle assembly way more efficient.

 

[Nessus]

Here's what I mean w/ the screw:


The masking tape is just because I was getting some skin oil etching of the nickel plating (It's right where the pad of my thumb rests), so I put some tape there to protect it from getting worse.

The blue o-rings are something I do on all my brushes now to improve grip. They're silicone rings sold for computer keyboard modding.

 

[tatocorvette]

Hello,

That thumb screw idea is just BRILLIANT!

Thanks,
Ismael