Hey folks. I just picked up an airbrush setup, and I was wondering if there are any other tools that utilize the low pressures and smaller diameters of airbrush hoses and fittings? Like mini die grinders, etc? Can’t seem to find anything online. Thanks!
An airbrush is used for one thing only - painting. You can buy smaller needle sizes for different spray ranges.
There are other special air tools that are used exclusively for sandblasting but not with an ordinary airbrush.
I think he was asking more about other air tools that could use the compressor/hose setup.
As an auto body tech, I have not run across any other tools that would use the small volume of air that most AB compressors generate. Not saying they are not out there, but haven’t run across/heard of any.
Although I have not done much research into it, most dentists use a variety of air tools. I imagine the cost would be really high as any medical tools usually are pricey Our local habitat restore had a dental compressor for sale. They wanted some serious dollars for it. It was supposedly really quiet but it was about the size of a room radiator unit. Bob Gregory Ruining one kit at a time
Goldhammer -
Like you, I also think he was asking about miniature air powered implements, not about using an airbrush as a grinder, sandblaster, etc.
He might even have known that airbrushes can use vaying needle sizes, but a good thing to know anyway.
Patrick
I run my airbrush off of a small household/shop compressor. It has about a half gallon tank and runs up to about 80 - 90 PSI. it came bundled with an 18 gauge brad nailer. I have used the compressor for all sorts of DIY jobs around the house, the aforementioned nail jobs, toy and tire inflation, blowing dust & dirt off of surfaces and out of pipes. I have added a second stage regulator to get the air pressure down to airbrushing range
I bought a small air grinder which does work but due to the lower airflow from the small compressor it tends to stall under load
Using the compressor for inside airbrushing is noisy but once the tank fills the motor cuts off and you keep spraying
I have often recommended a small household compressor since it is a multi-task tool, not just for airbrushing. Nail driving, tire filling, etc
Check the specs on air tools such as grinders for their flow (CFM) requirements. You may find a household compressor which fills the bill
Micro Mark sells a miniature sandblaster that I gather from the ad can be used with an airbrush compressor. It seems to be basically an airbrush with a large nozzle.
I use a Craftsman compressor for precisely that reason-it can be used with air-powered tools on my 1:1 workbench, too, such as box nailers, staplers, etc.
As far as tiny tools go, you might want to start by having a look at Micro-Mark, http://www.micromark.com/ and seeing what they may carry.
Just like Edgrune, I also use a shop Campbell Housefeld compressor fitted with a moisture trap and pressure regulator. I run air nailers and other air tools and comes in very handy for automotive tire pressure maintenance.
Any of those dentist tools, they all run on air
I now have a quiet compressor, but for those of you who still use GP compressor and it is very loud, here is something that helps.
My lawn mower/tractor is very loud, especially with the blades going. It makes cutting the lawn more of a chore than it should be. Last summer a hardware store had a sale on a headset/earmuff that was a solution. It is a 3M health product. I forget how many dbs the muff is supposed to attenuate the noise, but it is a bunch. There is an FM radio inside, and an aux input for audio from media players. The sound from the tractor, with the blade going, is a gentle hum now, and listening to good music makes it a lot easier doing the lawn chores now. I had previously tried a tape player with a full headset (cover the ears type). There is no comparison. This headset really does muffle the noise! I had also tried the music player/regular headset in the shop when I used a pancake compressor and it wasn’t enough. I’ll bet this 3M machine would work with that compressor, though.
Also, if you don’t mind wearing earmuff style hearing protection, and if you don’t care about the music aspect, there are sound deadening muffs worn by shooters. These muffs have an automatic dampening system that is adjustable, that when a sound gets to your set level, dampens the sound to very low levels, when the sound stops, reverts back to ordinary levels. Works instantly when a sound is emitted. Works much like the auto darkening welding face shield except for sound instead of light.
Another thing about dental tools is that they run really fast. It would probably melt the plastic, or work so fast that there will be no room for error. You are a lot better off with a dremel type tool hooked to a step down controller.
Not for me. My hearing has been shot for years since birth because I’m hard of hearing. XD.
I have a battery Dremel with the lithium battery, and the speed control is fantastic with the built-in controller. Even the newer AC models have pretty good speed control built in, but the battery models are even better. If your building is mostly with plastic, the battery ones are the best.
Since I also work with wood and with metal, I have one of each.
I have a 2 hp compressor, I use it often. Got it for free at work, I am an industrial air compressor mechanic for a living with Ingersoll Rand 
Yeah I was mainly asking if there were any modeling-specific tools that had been made that can run off of an 1/8 hose with 20 PSI. Scale modeling is an old hobby, and I’m only a year into it so I didn’t know if there had been any innovations in that area.
It is not a new tool, but repurposing an old one. I use my airbrush to clean/dust my more fragile models. Make sure there is no paint or thinner in brush, then dust away. It is particularly handy on my sailing ship models, but anything with PE also needs very gentle cleaning.