Air compressor vs. Air tank

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
1

Need some advise on air compressor vs. air tank.
I bought two air brushes off of e-bay from air brush city Inc. They are both single action and I have “played” a little with them .

I can’t see spending $100 + for an air compressor and finding out that it is not what I want. I have seen articles posted about refillable air tanks like what you use to inflate tires and such.

Is there anyone out there that uses these, and how do I adapt it for airbrushing.
I know the propellant cans that you get from testors get cold to fast and it splatters the paint due to inconsistancy.

Jim

2

I’ve never used one, but I know that many people do. What you will need is a tank (~$30), a regulator (~$20), a moisture trap (~$20), and an adapter to go from the outlet on the tank to your airbrush (the “Tire Chuck Adapter” pictured on this page MIGHT work, but I’m not certain: http://www.dixieart.com/Hoses.html#anchor287927)

Edit … Correction: Actually you’ll need an adapter to go from the tank to a 1/4" NPT thread for the regulator and moisture trap. You may then need an adapter to go from 1/4" NPT threads to your airbrush. Also throw in a roll of Teflon tape to make the connections air tight.

If you don’t mind some noise, you can get a decent compressor from Lowes, Home Depot, or WalMart for under $100. They will normally already have a regulator but you’ll still need to add a moisture trap. Look at the ones with a tank, not the little ones for inflating car tires and such. They won’t last long.

3

I bought a compressor a few years back that works great but within two weeks I couldn’t stand the noise. So I put together a air tank that is as quiet as a mouse. I still use the compressor for filling the air tank. Best of both worlds.

4

I’m still waiting on my airbrush (supposed to get it Thursday), but I went ahead about bought all the air equipment. Like you, I considered the air tank by itself. I already had an air compressor so I didn’t see the need of buying another one. Here’s what I got at my local Home Depot.

Husky 11 gallon air tank - $33
Husky Air Regulator - $15
Husky Moisture Trap - $12 (exact same as the C/H Air Filter except relabeled)
50 foot air hose - $10

I have yet to be able to test how long it’ll last during airbrushing, but my thinking is that if everyone is getting by with a 2 gallon tank, than I shouldn’t have too many problems with an 11 gallon one.

5

Jim;
I’ve got a Campbell-Hausfield 7 gallon tank, regulator and moisture trap with the afore-mentioned fittings and a quick-connect adaptor. The Quick-connect is for fast change-over between painting and inflating tires. I can probably paint non-stop for about an hour(?). When you fill the tank, take it to a repair garage instead of the local chain convenience store. The air pressure at the Kwikee-Mart won’t high enough to fill the tank all the way.
Steve

6

Do they charge you to fill it up at the repair garage?

My air compressor works ok for filling it up at low pressures, but starts really slowing down once it hits the high PSI’s (like it’s supposed to). But, it’s getting kind of old and I’m afraid if I fill it up to my air tank’s max PSI, the compressor will blow up.