Have decided to put away the cans an get a compressor. Any suggestions for the smallest, quietest and, of course, low price. Will have to go mail order. Micro-Mart lists several and fair prices. Any help would be appreciated.
Bud[:)]
Hi Bud.
The Silentaire Scorpion I and Scorpion II are both supposed to be pretty good compressors.
http://dixieart.com/Silentaire_Scorpion_Compressors.html
The Createx (SimAir) Intruder TC2000 is also supposed to be very good:
http://dixieart.com/TC2000.html
Iwata also makes the popular Sprint Jet and Smart Jet:
http://dixieart.com/Iwata_Studio_Series_Compressors_Main.html
These are probably your best bet for cheap, well-made compressors that are fairly quiet.
I hope this helps. [:D][;)]
Mike
Mike…Many thanks. Big help. I like Dixieart. I think i’m going to have alot of choices.
Bud
Mike,
What compressor do you use? I’m planning on buying a Campbell-Hausfeld compressor. It’s only $60 + at Wal-mart. Doesnt have a filter or regulator though. You think its a good deal? It has a tank and some accessories for inflating balss, and tires. The compressors you mentione do you know if they sputter or pulsate?
I bought a C-H compressor (big one, 7 HP, 25 gal tank) to run some air tools in my garage, with the side benefit to run airbrushes with. However, now that I’ve moved into a new house, my model area is in the basement, and I didn’t want to lug the compressor up and down stairs. So, I bought a 7 gallon air tank at Wal-mart, fill that from my compressor, and then run the airbrushes from that. Had to buy another regulator, moisture trap, and air hose, but it cost less than $50 total.
You could probably do the same, and then just fill it from a local gas station. The tank lasts quite a long time, and is completely silent. My spray booth makes more noise. [:)]
HTH,
Dan
I have a “garage” compressor I bought at lowes but it was too darn loud so I bought a silentair 20a. It was expensive but worth every penny. The airbrush spray is louder than the compressor.
Ditto for the Silentaire 20a. I’d say it might be as loud as a cat purring. I can’t think of a finer or more reliable compressor. It is in the luxury cars price range. OK, not that expensive but more than your average compressor. But for its money it would be the last AB compressor you will ever need to buy. The only compressor that will outlast it would be a compressor that is not turned on.
I recently acquired the testors mini-blue compressor. True, it’s not a full-blown compressor like the ones mentioned above, but if it’s your first compressor, the price and reliability are great. Virtually no maintenance!
I haven’t told anyone but before I bought the Silentaire 20a I used a little medical compressor for years. It was a constant running little machine and it was slightly more noisy than the Silentaire but it worked for painting models.
I still use a med compressor, wanna upgrade to a power/sprint/smart jet or a mako shark… i like the sprint most, cept its still ******* expensive
How about Jun-Air? [:D] [;)]
Mike
Jun-Air would be good too! I forgot about that one.
jun air is mighty hot where im from, i prefer november air![:-,][:P]
OH, bad pun! [:)]
on the silent aire Scorpion compressors one is available with a tank. Is the tank absolutely necessary, I assume not, but what are the benefits of having the tank?
A tank absorbs the pulsations an airbrush pump makes. The pulsation cause the paint to come out of the airbrush in spirts. You would notice the pulsing airbrush mostly when you wanted to spray a large area and you have your airbrush wide open. The pulsing does effect the paint spray.
That is only true with a diaphragm compressor, the Scorpion is a piston compressor and does not apply.
The advantage of an air tank is that it gives the compressor motor a rest as you use the air in the tank. What kills a compressor over time is heat and the more it runs, the hotter it gets and therefore the faster it wears out. If you can keep a compressor cool it will last much longer and that is what an air tank does.
Most silent compressors like my Jun-Air have a 50% duty cycle, which means that the motor should be at rest as long as it works to fill the tank. If it takes 60 seconds to fill the tank and shut off then the motor should also be at rest for 60 seconds. If it runs more than it rests then it will get hotter than it should and will consequently last a shorter life. [;)]
Mike
thanks for filling me in guys.
mine is i think 100 percent duty cycle: no airtank