 forsigmar wrote: |
| I am slowly building up all of the items I need to properly airbrush. I currently have a 2 gallon air compressor that will be fine for the job after I add a regulator/moisture trap. I was just wondering about how much airbrushing can you do with a full 2 gallon tank of air? Noise is an issue and should not be a problem if I can fill up my tank and paint for a decent amount of time. The problem would be if the compressor has to run every 5 min. I am wondering if I should stick with this or just purchase an airbrush specific compressor? |
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If noise is an issue, you will need something else because a 2 gallons tank will not last long enough for a typical AB session and needs several refilling. You can get a 7 or 10 gallons portable tank. If you get a good quality, oil lubricated type compressor, it should not take very long to fill the tank to 120-140 psi, which should give you a good time for AB. If you have one of those cheap oilless type compressor, it may take too long to fill the tank to be practical. A good portable garage compressor should have 2-4 SCFM at 90 psi or better.
Personally, I prefer the convinence of a airbrush compressor. You don't need the $600 super quiet type. Iwata, Paasche and Sparmax has some model with tank for about $300. Or you can get the house brand from Airbrush Depot or BearAir for even cheaper. There are some models without tank for under $150, which are good enough for most modelers. They typically have a noise level of 56-59 dbA, good enough to hold a conversation without raising your voice. Make sure to get a model with with the auto 0n-off feature, which keeps the noise down and prolong the life of the compressor. Remember the good old saying: buy cheap, buy twice.