I would suggest if you are having airbrush issues that you should check out the Model Paint Solutions website and reach out to the gentleman who runs the sit the man is a genius and a wizard if he can’t fix then no one can.
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Thank you for the suggestion! I have visited that website on a number of occasions and just reread all the articles on airbrush use.
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I did a one-on-one phone call with the owner (I have a problem remembering people’s names) and he is a great teacher. Another resource is go to the Plastic Model Mojo Podcast he ha done several episodes with them, and they are worth a listen.
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Doug, has the air brush been checked for damaged parts?
I’ve had hooked needle or split cone cause all sorts of random chaos.
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The airbrush has hit the concrete on multiple occasions. After the last impact, the airbrush needle no longer slides in smoothly from the back. The needle was replaced maybe two months ago. Both needles–original and replacement–and all other parts look fine to my eyes. It sprays pretty much the same as the day it was purchased–very erratically.
The person who runs that website is obviously very experienced. He went through various paint systems, settled on LifeColor and Vallejo, and found a reliable painting algorithm. He is many years ahead of me. I am still experimenting with acrylics, air pressure, individual paints, paint systems, thinning ratios, and the airbrush itself. Weather affects everything. He seems to use multiple gravity feed airbrushes. I use a single side loader. He uses solvent based products for cleaning. I refuse to do that. He uses LifeColor and Vallejo. I continue to experiment with 4 lines of Vallejo paint–Game Color, Model Air, Model Color, Panzer Aces–all with different characteristics. What I do varies from session to session, hour to hour, and even minute to minute. It is not like, “Golly, if I could fix this one thing, my airbrush would be super swell!” It is impossible to have an intelligent conversation on the subject because there are so many variables in play.
I need to continue the experimentation process or take up woodworking instead. 
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No physical damage, good deal. Two more questions if that’s OK.
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Moisture trap?
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Any air leaks in the brush?
My precision made Harder-Steenbeck leaks where its threaded just as bad as my Paasche VL. Both brushes greatly benefit from a little tiny dab of beeswax or chap-stick on the threaded parts.
One cc or so of Tamiya extra thin or similar shot through an airbrush after cleaning can also help keep the barnacles cleared out if a dedicated solvent isn’t acceptable. Tamiya Extra Thin is basically Tamiya airbrush cleaner. Testor’s Liquid Cement works too
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There is an Iwata moisture trap attached to the compressor. It seems to work quite well.
There is a very small air leak where the airbrush attaches to the flexible hose.
The airbrush is approaching 20 years old so I will pick up some wax (for the seals) and a new paint cup and see what happens.
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