Being new to the airbrush scene… I wanted to know if it was a must to have a water trap connected to my air compressor for brushing, and what happens with or without one attached?
Any time air is compressed the moisture in it is squeezed out. This moisture can , and frequently does, travel down the air hose to be blown out of the airbrush along with the paint. It isn’t a real seroius problem with acrylic paints since most of them are water based anyway and the water droplets are just atomized along with the paint (although it does make the paint much thinner for a second). With oil-based paints such as enamels, laquers, and some acrylics the water droplets will not mix with the paint . It gets blown onto the surface and the paint will not adhere at that spot.
In areas of high humidity it is a real problem. I captured almost a quarter ounce of water in my moisture trap in one afternoon of painting last month. So, to answer your question: Is it required? No. It is recommended? Highly.
[#ditto]
I second that… I live down in the Bayou City… humidity here stay pretty much 50% and above… (except this summer for some odd reason, but I digress…)
I tried an inline drier when I very first got my compressor… BIG mistake, about 3 minutes into a detail job my brush spit a water droplet right on top of the paint… and being acrylic it just made a nice big streak across the wing.
For the $20.00 you’ll pay at Lowes or Home Depot it’s well worth it… and depending on where you live… maybe mandatory! just make sure you have an extra 1/4 to 1/4 male fitting if you don’t already, you’ll screw it in the outlet of your compressor, then add the fitting on the other side of the trap to attach the airbrush hose to.
well worth it if you use enamals or lacquers. not AS helpful but still extremely helpful if u use acrylic