Compressor question

zackesch wrote:

I do not have a name brand air compressor, but an older atm air compressor. It works fine. Its 1/8 hp, not too much larger then what a standard compressor is. My question is that will I be able to attach a 1/2 or a 1 gallon air tank to it?

If the compressor works fine, why bother? If the compressor has pulsation problem with your airbrush, it is an indication that the compressor is not powerful enough (pressure and airflow) for your airbursh. The compressor may take longer than a reasonable length of time to fill the 1/2 or 1-gallon air tank.

For the small airtank to work well, it should be paired with a reasonably powerful compressor with automatic on-off switch. Unless you regularly do copper tubing type work, finding the right parts for the airtank project may not be cheap. And getting the whole setup leak proof will need attention to details, But it is entirely doable. 

The TCP Global does sell a 1/2-gallon tank add-on kit. Search for "Item Number: ABD ET-20".

keilau wrote:

If the compressor works fine, why bother? If the compressor has pulsation problem with your airbrush, it is an indication that the compressor is not powerful enough (pressure and airflow) for your airbursh.

Not necessarily. Pulsation is caused by a diaphragm compressor and not a piston driven one.

Any small airtank can smooth out the pulsation as that is how I built my very first setup with a Paasche D500 and an old air tank my dad gave me.  

MikeV wrote:

keilau wrote: If the compressor works fine, why bother? If the compressor has pulsation problem with your airbrush, it is an indication that the compressor is not powerful enough (pressure and airflow) for your airbursh. Not necessarily. Pulsation is caused by a diaphragm compressor and not a piston driven one. Any small airtank can smooth out the pulsation as that is how I built my very first setup with a Paasche D500 and an old air tank my dad gave me.

The Paasche D500 is a piston driven compressor and can deliver 0.4 CFM at 20 psi. It can fill the tank in a few minutes and shuts off automatically. Whether the D500 has pulsation problem and needs an airtank is another question.

Many older design, diaphragm driven compressor has far less power than the D500 and will have a difficult time filling an airtank. I don't know what compressor zackesch has. My comment is generic.

Mike, I really appreciate the inspiration you gave me through the old posts to start my airtank project for the Paasche D400. It is a fun journey and overcoming all the difficulty is a hobby project all about. I spent months looking for a check valve with 1/4" pipe thread. (All substitute solution caused me leak problems.) I tried all local hardware and plumber's stores and the major internet suppliers like Grainger without any success. I finally found one at a beer brewry supply store. Along the way, I learned all the different pipe thread specifications. Since then, I recommend the Airbrush-Depot ABS ET-20 tank add-on kit whenever I hear someone who wants to add a tank.

keilau wrote:

The Paasche D500 is a piston driven compressor and can deliver 0.4 CFM at 20 psi. It can fill the tank in a few minutes and shuts off automatically. Whether the D500 has pulsation problem and needs an airtank is another question.

Well apparently it has changed since I had mine keilau as mine was not piston driven. Interesting. 

MikeV wrote:

keilau wrote: The Paasche D500 is a piston driven compressor and can deliver 0.4 CFM at 20 psi. It can fill the tank in a few minutes and shuts off automatically. Whether the D500 has pulsation problem and needs an airtank is another question. Well apparently it has changed since I had mine keilau as mine was not piston driven. Interesting.

Ditto. Some big changes must have happened as mine was diaphram too. And junk to boot. Wore it out in two years.

I just checked the link and that is definately not the D500 I had. That one is auto shut off, too. I'd look at one of them if I didn't have my Iwata.

hkshooter wrote:

MikeV wrote:  keilau wrote: The Paasche D500 is a piston driven compressor and can deliver 0.4 CFM at 20 psi. It can fill the tank in a few minutes and shuts off automatically. Whether the D500 has pulsation problem and needs an airtank is another question. Well apparently it has changed since I had mine keilau as mine was not piston driven. Interesting.  Ditto. Some big changes must have happened as mine was diaphram too. And junk to boot. Wore it out in two years. I just checked the link and that is definately not the D500 I had. That one is auto shut off, too. I'd look at one of them if I didn't have my Iwata.

Yet, you still can see the old D500 diaphram compressor manuel at Paasche. It was an 1/10 HP diaphram driven compressor. Paasche switched to a Chinese manufacturer for a slightly more powerful piston design. It seems like a change for the better.

The old D500: 

The new D500SR: