An improperly maintained airbrush leads to uneven, blotchy sprays.
Although they're seen as entry-level airbrushes, Paasche devices are just as complicated and engineered as higher-grade models. Like any other airbrush, proper maintenance is essential for it to function properly, and operators of Paasche airbrushes must know care for, use and clean their airbrush to achieve the effects and light touch the tool provides. Because airbrushes may be tempermental, precise care and storage procedures are critical to keep artists focused on their work, not diagnosing airbrush problems.
Instructions
1. Clean the reservoir. If you haven't diluted your paint to thin it for airbrush use, pour it back into the bottle. If it's been thinned, discard it. Fill the reservoir a quarter full with cleaner, soapy water for water-based paints and cleaning solvent for oil-based paints, and using a paintbrush, scrub the paint off the walls of the reservoir. Do not discard the cleaning solution from the reservoir, as it's used to help clean the airbrush's interior mechanisms in the next step.
2. Clean the airbrush. Using the solution in the reservoir, run the bottle dry by spraying the mix through the airbrush. You may need to run several reservoirs of cleaning solution through your airbrush to reach the point where it sprays only clean water. Paasche offers cleaning kits that come with a variety of brushes designed for scrubbing out the interior of an airbrush without damaging it. These kits are very useful as an additional tool for cleaning your airbrush.
3. Protect and store your needles properly. Leave point covers on the needles at all times when they're not in use to help preserve their tips, and store unused needles in a safe place. When a needle is loaded into the airbrush, always cover the tip with the provided tip cover.
4. Turn on your compressor properly. If your air compressor doesn't come equipped with a tank, only turn the compressor on when its bleed valve is open to avoid any damage to the airbrush and the hose from rapid pressure changes. After the compressor is operating, slowly close down its bleed valve to divert pressure into the hose and slowly pressurize your airbrush.
5. Store your airbrush in a safe place. The airbrush hanger provided in your airbrush kit should only be used as a place to store an airbrush while you work. To avoid damage to the needle and internal mechanisms than can be suffered from a fall from the hanger, dismantle your hose and airbrush and store them in a protected, safe location.
