Recommendations for air brush compressor

[wazzou]

Bob,
You mention about using quick disconnects and a low pressure regulator for airbrushing. By your description, you have a big hose (with a quick disconnect) coming off the compressor. Then the old regulator with the actual airbrush hose and another water trap. Do I have this correct? Is the big hose secured anywhere? I just picked up the exact same 2 gallon Fortress compressor last night. Like you said, quiet, compact and should easily do the job. I wanted to remove the one horizontal quick disconnect and install the regulator/moisture trap. The fitting seems to be metric (it is made in China). I did not know if the threads were SAE or metric. My other option (something along the lines of what you did) was put the regulator/moisture trap on a quick disconnect. As always, your thoughts are welcome. Thanks in advance!

Not Bob, but if done the way I assume he has and the way I have mine hooked up;
The Regulator/Water Trap (mine is combined) would have a male quick disconnect on the compressor side and a female on the air side.
The airbrush hose, again with a mail QD would click into this.
This setup allows for quick connection or removal of the Regulator/Water trap from the compressor prior to or after airbrushing and the ability to leave this Regulator in a range of PSI you spray in without the need to open her up or shut her down after using some other tooling that requires more air.
In addition, you can leave the compressor with the two quick disconnects, as is.

[pedro]

I’ll second (or third) the advice to look at CO2 as an alternative to a compressor for airbrushing. The advantages as already pointed out are silent operation, pulse-free, and moisture-free. I won’t ever go back to a compressor, certainly not one meant for air tools. I will admit that some of the high-end airbrush dedicated compressors are very nice, but you’ll pay dearly for one of the good ones.


My 20lb tank was acquired at a Coca-Cola distributor over 20 years ago. You do not have to buy the tank; it’s just an open rental. When it gets low you take it in (to any beverage distributor) and pay a nominal fee for a recharge or exchange. (Maybe $10, but it’s been awhile) A full charge lasts a very long time, and sufficient flow for airbrushing is maintained until the tank is almost completely empty.


The Coca-Cola distributor was also able to supply me with the well-used dual gauge regulator. It isn’t pretty but it still works perfectly. All I needed to buy extra was a cheap male/male threaded fitting to attach the airbrush hose. Years later I added the two-hose manifold so I could keep my two different (Paasche/Iwata) airbrush hoses attached.





When the main tank valve is opened, the left gauge reads the tank pressure, about 800psi when full. The screw in the center of the regulator (I could really use a threaded knob here) adjusts the output pressure, which reads on the right gauge.

[OldEastRR]

Hmmm --- that CO2 tank is a little bulky for my cramped hobby work area.

[pedro]

Hmmm --- that CO2 tank is a little bulky for my cramped hobby work area.

Perhaps. Its about 32” total height with the regulator. 8” diameter tank. It’s a steel tank so it’s heavy too, probably 30lbs or more. The benefits far outweigh those issues for me personally; I mainly enjoy the silence.

[wazzou]

Well, to to be a contrarian, the Fortress Compressor Bob linked to is one of the ones I have and it is surprisingly quiet.
It’s hard to rationalize decibel levels unless they’re actually heard in comparison.
Compared to the one I used, replaced but still have, it is a night/day type of thing.
I worked for Pepsi in my youth and see the value in this tank concept in situ, but it’s not practical for moving around.

[robert3985]

For pure airbrushing a CO2 tank is hard to beat because of (1) the silence and (2) the dryness of the gas...meaning zero water condensation.

However, for general purpose, in-home pressured air usage, a compressor is much more practical because there's always a use for compressed air to be found other than powering yer airbrush.

Although the CO2 charge lasts a long time, I'm always doing paint projects late Saturday night or Sunday....or over three-day holidays, and I'd be running out of CO2 (FOR SURE) exactly when my gas supplier was closed.  I don't have to worry about that with my compressor, ever.

Back in my youth when I was working for the aerospace industry doing airbrush art, the graphics department airbrushes were powered by CO2, but there were always a couple more full cylinders waiting for the one I was using to empty itself, so running out of gas was not a problem, and the cylinder was on a wheeled cart too so that it could be put away easily and transported around without using the regulator as a handle.

If I were to consider using CO2 dedicated for home airbrush work, I'd invest in two CO2 cylinders so I'd always have a spare and get a cart for the cylinder I was using, but CO2 gas will never replace a good shop compressor for other compressed air tasks.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[railnerd]

My friend just replaced his compressor.  He went with this one— nice and super quiet, since his layout room/modeling area isn't far from the rest of the living space.

https://www.californiaairtools.com/ultra-quiet-series-of-air-compressor-contractor-grade/3-5-hp-air-compressor/cat-1p1060sp/

-Dave

[Steveruger45]

   
I went with this very similar but slightly larger one which I use not only for air brushing but also around the house (brad nail gun etc) and car tire inflation etc.

Makita MAC210Q Quiet Series, 1 HP, 2 Gallon, Oil-Free, Electric Air Compressor

Very happy with it, does all I need it to.  I place it on a movers dolly so I can roll it around.

[Mike Madonna]

Steve,

Good idea regarding the dolly. When the compressor is on, does it tend to "move around" a little??
Thanks...

[Steveruger45]

Steve,

Good idea regarding the dolly. When the compressor is on, does it tend to "move around" a little??
Thanks...

No movement due to compressor running at all.  The dolly was one from Harbor Freight and I screws a piece of MDF on it with lip mounted all around.  All very secure in operation.