Hello!
I have been looking for a small air tank that will safely fit my Paasche D500 compressor…I ordered one from a taxidermy supply house, but just found out they no longer carry them. Does anyone know where I can obtain an air tank that would work with my compressor–preferably online? I’m somewhat desperate…well, maybe not “desperate” exactly, but I sure would like to find one! Thanks!
Rory
here’s one that might work for you, with some fittings & adapters, etc. If the link doesn’t work, (never posted one here before…) then look at www.sears.com for air tanks
PS - one thing it probably doesn’t have is a water drain spigot, like a good aircompressor tank would. You might have to occaisonally turn it up so the air fitting is at the bottom and drain any water that accumulates.
Thanks! My compressor has (or soon will have) a regulator and moisture trap (they are on order)…should water accumulation still be a concern? I really don’t know anything about compressors and such.
Rory
put the regulator and moisture trap between your tank and your airbrush, not between your compressor and your tank. The tank makes a storage resevoir to reduce or eliminate the pulsing you can get with a compressor with no tank - sort of the air pressure equivalent of an electrical filter capacitor - storage. The moisture trap is actually more effective after the air has had a chance to cool down (it can get pretty warm at the output of a compressor) and it will do a better job at the output of the tank, too. For car (full size) painting, etc, they recommend running quite a few feet of metal pipe between your compressor and your water trap for that reason - the air cools down, the moisture condenses, and the trap can remove it.
I’m not all that familiar with the D500 - does it automatically cycle on and off like the Badger 180-11 does, or does it run continuously, even if you have an AB hooked to it and no airflow? If it cycles automatically, you should just have to hook the compressor output to the tank with a “tee” type fitting, and hang the filter/regulator on the other port of the tee. If the D500 doesn’t cycle, you’ll want to figure out how to get a pressure gauge on the tank side of the regulator, so you can cycle the compressor yourself. That auto air bottle I posted the link for is rated to 135 lbs of pressure, so you should be ok with a D500 - but it’s still worth keeping an eye on the tank pressure to make sure you’re safe.
LOL - I guess I should practice what I preach, eh? When I was a kid (many years ago…) my Dad set me up with a compressor from an old freezer and a freon bottle (30 lb size) for a tank, so I could use my airbrush without having to buy all those cans of propellant. He told me not to go over about 50 psi in the tank. Heck, he even set up the freezer compressor with a spring loaded switch so I had to stop airbrushing and hold the switch on if the tank got low. Being a “bulletproof” teenager, I quickly found that a rubber band would hold the switch on, and that old freezer compressor would put 125 psi in that freon bottle… not real smart, eh? I’m not sure what old freon bottles are rated for pressure wise, but I think today I’d listen to my dad’s advice and stay around 50 or less… 
Well, maybe 60…
the D500 has a bleed screw that must be open at least a little during operation. If you fit a tank and have this closed you will quite quickly damage the compressor, it was never designed to feed a tank as you intend. The best you can do is add a tank as slight buffer, it will be at running preasure so won’t be very much use.
I use the D500 without any tank, why do you think you need one? the compressor is only rated at about 18psi(flow) 35psi static.
Water accumulation inside a pressure vessel is a concern. Any time air is compressed the moisture that is in it is squeezed out , however in areas where the air is very dry this is less of a concern. The condensation inside the tank causes rust. The rust, over time, causes the walls of the tank to weaken which, in turn, can eventually lead to a failure of the tank.
This one is small but it is a tad expensive.
It doesn’t have a drain on it either I don’t believe but I guess you could tip it to drain it once in a while.
http://www.taxidermy.com/cat/06/dcompressors.html
Mike
Thanks, Mike–actually, that is exactly the air tank I ordered, but the company called and said they no longer carried it (it would be nice if they updated their website!), so the order was cancelled. But it is exactly the sort of small tank I am looking for…unfortunately, there are not alot of places around that sell such things. That tank is produced by a company called Silentaire, I was told, so I have contacted them but have not heard back. I’d like to avoid a massive, 5 gallon-plus beast if I can.
Silentaire makes great compressors.
Call Ernesto who’s number is at this website:
http://www.silentaircompressor.com/default.htm
He is the compressor tech for Silentaire and knows his stuff.
He is from Italy which is where the Vannini pumps are made that are used in Silentaire, and many otheres.
Mike
Thanks, Mike–I’m pretty happy with my compressor, I just need a small tank…I have emailed the “SilentAire” company and asked if they sold tanks separately, but have not heard back–I presume it is the same company as “Silentair”–I guess Ernesto is a distributor? The model names are the same. I will contact him and ask if carries air tanks…he doesn’t seem to have an email address, though.
Yes, that was what I was implying.
Ask him about an air tank and see what he says.
Thanks! Hey, nothing gets by me…always a firm grasp of the obvious. [^] I shall give him a call.
Actually it was my fault as I didn’t convey my meaning very well. [;)]
Mike