So a while back my wife got me an older Paasche VL from a thrift shop. It came with the #3 needle, tip, head, and aircap. I added the #1 and the #5 needles and tips, but they don’t seem to be working right.
My question is: do I need to add the #1 and the #5 head and aircap to get them working correctly?
I figure that I do, but want to make sure before I go ahead and get them.
Thanks in advance
Doug
Edits: I’m an idiot and overwrote the original post in a reply, so putting back together.
Don Wheeler has an excellent interactive website for all things a/b. He hasn’t been active for a bit here, but try there.
I had a VL for a while and my own opinion is that the less I took it apart and put it back together, the better.
Can you make the #3 work for all of your set ups?
Bill
In modeling I’m not real sure why you would need the 5 at all, maybe in large scale models or just to have it I suppose. But to answer the question, yes you need the tips and aircaps to go with the needle changes.
The #1 tip size is .55, that in itself should cover most modeling needs. The #3 is .7 and the #5 a 1.0. Amazon has the tips or the complete sets fwiw. I buy from them for both my Paasche and Badger airbrushes when the items are on prime ( through Amazon Smile a portion of my purchase money goes to the bre*st cancer foundation which my mother died from and my wife has a tumor in one).
Bill,
I discovered an issue when I was just playing around with it using water. The #3 worked, but the other two weren’t working right, so I figured there was an issue and the closest thing I could pin it down to was the aircaps/heads.
Oldermodelguy, I agree I probably won’t need the #5 for much. I figure for priming or some of the larger kits I have (I have a good selection of larger kits in my stash like the 1/128 Seaview, the 1/96 Constitution, the 1/48 B-1B, the 1/72 B-36, etc.) so I figured I would get it now and have it.
FWIW, the spousal unit got the airbrush in the original box for me through a thrift shop. When she gave it to me, the trigger was stuck and I knew it wouldn’t work. Probably because the last time someone had used it, they never cleaned it. So the needle was welded to the airbrush by ancient, dried paint. An hour or so later after taking it apart and cleaning it (and a couple of Twilight Zone episodes for background), it worked fine with a low power compressor and water. So investing in parts to make it more utilitarian for me is not an issue.
Thanks for the quick responses, I appreciate it!
Doug
Doug, my spousal unit ( she who must be obeyed) gave me my Badger 200 with 3 needles and tips in a set in 1976 or there abouts. New but well used now lol ! There ain’t nothin wrong with old airbrushes, especially from a US maker where you can still get parts ( as opposed to some Chinese junk with no parts available). Don’t ever let it go, there is no reason to.
Oldermodelguy, no worries there, I plan on keep SWMBO and the airbrush for a long time. She’s a strong supporter of me and my hobbies.
Doug