Any good opinions of the Iwata 850 compressor

By all accounts an excellent performer. Here's a review where the new owner thought something was wrong as it wasn't making much noise:

When I first turned it on, I thought something was wrong. It was so quiet that I couldn’t comprehend that it was producing 35PSI so quickly. It shut-off after hitting the proper pressure. I thought I had seized something by not following the directions. No, it was just ready to go. I just couldn’t get over how quiet it is. Even my wife noticed it by NOT hearing the usual clamor coming out of my room when I was airbrushing. She said she heard the actual airbrush for the first time!

As long as the price is fair on eBay, you should be good to go.

Arespontus

Hello

Does anyone have good things to say about the Iwata 850 Air compressor. I'm thinking about buying on ebay

In particular how do you find the noise level. Apparently it turns on and off when you use the airbrush.

Thank you,

Scott

You cannot go wrong with the Iwata 850.

If you have a Hobby Lobby store nearby, you may want to check out the Sparmax TC-2000 twin piston compressor. They have the 40% off coupon this week. An more powerful alternative to the 850. Both come from the same factory.

These compressor make very little noise when running, but not super quiet. The automatic on-off is a "must have" for better compressor that lower the overall noise, and more importantly, reduce the wear and tear on the motor and piston. The on-off is not too noticable, but can be heard.

I went to a hobby store in my local area and they have an Iwata 850

They want to sell it to me for $395.00 plus Tax which is close to $461.00

they created a layaway plan to pay as I don't have all the money up front. I paid them $50 to start

and I can keep paying until it is paid off.

I then found a Iwata 850 on ebay for $227.30 Canadian with US $35.75 USPS Priority Mail International

For a grand total of $263.05

The difference in price is $197.50

Do you think it is better to go with the local store just in case something malfunctions.

Or should I go with the one on Ebay being sold with Omni Models Positive Feedback:  99.8%

The reason I ask is cause I used ebay before and was sent The TC-16 Air compressor and it was supposed to be quiet but is to loud for my Apartment..

Thank you,

Scott

Went and checked them out. They seem reputable and it can be returned within 30 days and eBay has their new protection plan on it. Sounds like a pretty solid deal. You can buy a lot of kits with the difference!

I use a Sprint Jet. Same as the 850 without the auto-shutoff. I live in an apartment and no one has ever complained. The walls are pretty thin too. I've had it for 5 years with no problems. I did notice some pulsing at very low pressures, like 5 - 10psi. I had an old CH compressor with a dead motor so I removed the pressure regulator from the Iwata and ran a flex line to the tank of the old compressor and run the brush from the tank. Before I hooked the compressor to the tank I found that it could maintain just about 40psi with constant spraying. One thing I didn't like about it and another reason I ran it to a tank was that the sound of the air bleeding off at the regulator was much louder and annoying than the sound of the compressor running. In case you didn't know, that's how the pressure regulators on these compressors work, they bleed off anything above the pressure you're using. As far as I know the Smart Jet will do the same thing. Even though you may only be using 15psi it will generate close to 40 so the excess bleeds off through a valve in the bottom of the regulator. When you stop spraying and the pressure builds it will shut off but while you are spraying it bleeds air.

I haven't priced one for a while but that $395 and $461 sounds awfully high.

Tony

Wingman_kz

I use a Sprint Jet. Same as the 850 without the auto-shutoff. ........  One thing I didn't like about it and another reason I ran it to a tank was that the sound of the air bleeding off at the regulator was much louder and annoying than the sound of the compressor running. In case you didn't know, that's how the pressure regulators on these compressors work, they bleed off anything above the pressure you're using. As far as I know the Smart Jet will do the same thing. Even though you may only be using 15psi it will generate close to 40 so the excess bleeds off through a valve in the bottom of the regulator. When you stop spraying and the pressure builds it will shut off but while you are spraying it bleeds air.

Very interesting description of the compressor without an auto on-off switch. One more reason that the auto on-off feature is a "must have". How long does it take for the Sprint Jet to fill your tank?

I also feed my Paasche D400 compressor to a 1-gallon tank. At startup, the compressor runs for about 3 minutes and shuts off when the pressure builds up to just over 90 psi. I airbrush in complete silence in a few minutes (at 12-20 psi). The compressor motor runs again when the tank pressure drops below 60 psi. (Most other airbrush type compressor has on-off at 40/60 psi.)

Without the tank, the motor runs when I start air of the AB and stops when the AB air shuts off. There is no bleeding hiss at the regulator which set at airbrush pressure.

Arespontus

I went to a hobby store in my local area and they have an Iwata 850

They want to sell it to me for $395.00 plus Tax which is close to $461.00

they created a layaway plan to pay as I don't have all the money up front. I paid them $50 to start

and I can keep paying until it is paid off.

I then found a Iwata 850 on ebay for $227.30 Canadian with US $35.75 USPS Priority Mail International

For a grand total of $263.05

The difference in price is $197.50

Do you think it is better to go with the local store just in case something malfunctions.

Or should I go with the one on Ebay being sold with Omni Models Positive Feedback:  99.8%

The reason I ask is cause I used ebay before and was sent The TC-16 Air compressor and it was supposed to be quiet but is to loud for my Apartment..

Thank you,

Scott

HLJ has a sale on Iwata compressors right now. Shipped Fed Ex they are at a quite decent price level.

 http://www.hlj.com/product/AIWIS-875HT?r=gej0jzms

http://www.hlj.com/product/AIWIS-925HT

denstore

 

 

 

HLJ has a sale on Iwata compressors right now. Shipped Fed Ex they are at a quite decent price level.

 http://www.hlj.com/product/AIWIS-875HT?r=gej0jzms

http://www.hlj.com/product/AIWIS-925HT

Iwata does not import these "hanle tank" models to the US. It will be interesting to hear some user feedback on them.

keilau

 

Iwata does not import these "hanle tank" models to the US. It will be interesting to hear some user feedback on them.

I havn´t used the Iwata models of "handle tank" compressors, but I´ve tried the Sil-Air variant, and it worked perfectly. I find the idea of using the handle as a tank to be very good. Saves space and makes it lighter.

keiau, I haven't really timed it. I think it's a 2.5 gallon tank, don't believe it's a 3. The pop off valve lets go at around 120psi so I usually fill it to between 100 and 110. When I first rigged it up I seriously considered attempting to wire the compressor switch to the pressure switch on the tank but was afraid I'd mess it up so I didn't try. Plus it was still under warranty. I'm guessing that to build from 20 -25psi to around 100 will take it 5 minutes or so. If I'm painting small parts or doing a lot of stopping and starting then I'll leave the compressor off and let it refill when it gets down to 25 - 30psi. If I'm doing a lot of continous spraying I just leave the compressor running all the time and it will generally maintain 60 - 70psi.

I thought of mounting mine on top of the tank but left it separate. I screwed a male QD fitting into the compressor cylinder with the female end on a coil hose with a permanent connection on the tank.  What kind of regulator did your compressor use originally? It didn't use a bleed valve?

I've been happy with it. It's been used a heck of a lot over the last 5 years and is still going strong.

Tony

Wingman_kz

I thought of mounting mine on top of the tank but left it separate. I screwed a male QD fitting into the compressor cylinder with the female end on a coil hose with a permanent connection on the tank.  What kind of regulator did your compressor use originally? It didn't use a bleed valve?

I purchased the old Paasche D400 (no R) that was made by Sparmax in Taiwan. The D400 model does not come with a regulator. I connect the compressor with compression fittings through a check valve (from the brewery supply store). The 1-gallow tank is from a Campbell Hausfeld compressor that I found at Ebay for $10 which comes with a drain valve underneath. The tank outlet is connect to a multiple "T" with a 120-psi pop-off, tank pressure gauge and a quick disconnect for the remote regulator. I got the regulator-filter unit from TCP Global years ago for another compressor. It has the diaphram valve to provide very fine and stable pressure control for the airbrush. 

thanks for the help and advice Everyone

I bought the Iwata 850 last night. Can't wait to try it out.

Scott

Hello

I received my Iwata 850. It was even more quiet than I thought it would be. The automatic on/off is fantastic.

I am very happy with my buy

Thank you,

Scott

Congratulations, and thanks for coming back and letting us know how you liked it!