pressure regulators?

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
1

Hi again, just wondering if these pressure regulators are suitable for my compressor and my badger 155.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90590

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=1118

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42035

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44938

the reason i looked at harbor freight is because i don’t feel it’s worth it to spend $30+ for something that I can get for cheaper. if anyone has any more recommendations, remember to post them. [:o)]

2

The first one should work fine.

The second link has a 1/2" NPT inlet. It would not work without an adapter.

The third link has an oiler on it for air tools that require an oil supply. You probably don’t want oil blowing out your airbrush.

The fourth one looks like it has plastic threads. I’d stick with aluminum or brass threads.

3

Thanks.

I thought there was a kind of regulator that simply reduced the pressure AFTER your first blast of paint…

4

Not that I’m aware of. You might see a slight shot of air that is a little above the normal flow pressure, but it usually isn’t much higher. To get 15 psi when air is flowing I have to set my regulator to about 18 or so.

5

music city: so what ur saying is that some psi is lost when the air goes from the compressor to the hose?

6

It’s not really lost. Static pressure (the pressure when no air is flowing) is usually slightly higher than when air is flowing. It’s just the way regulators work. It really means nothing since the only pressure you are concerned with is the pressure when the airbrush is actually in use (trigger down, paint flowing, air flowing). It’s just that the gauge will read slightly higher when there is no air flowing.

7

what kind of compressor do you have? Just asking cuz I have a Paasche one I bought a few weeks ago and it has a bleed valve on the hose connector. I think the comp puts out about 30-40 psi, which seems sort of strong for airbrushing, at least to me, but by adjusting the amount of bleed, you can pretty much get any result you like.

8

one that’s not intended for airbrushing but is quiet and provides approx 25-30 psi