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JTBuckley

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice.

As far as compressors go, Don, is this the one you were referring to?     http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/oilless-compressors/1-8-eighth-hp-40-psi-oilless-airbrush-compressor-93657.html

 

Is this a good choice or should I find one that has a tank also? Thanks in advance

Yep, that sure looks like it.  I didn't have my Iwata with me, but the Harbor Freight unit sure seemed to be in the same neighborhood as far as quietness.  I would have saved money if I had listened to those folks telling me to get that unit.

Don Stauffer

BTW, a recommendation on a compressor. I recently bought an Iwata quiet compressor.  At a club meeting recently the topic was tools, and one guy brought in a compressor he had recently purchased from Harbor Freight for 70 bucks. It was as quiet as my Iwata compressor that I paid twice that for!  People had been extolling that harbor freight unit, but messages could not convey the actual quietness. I was impressed!

This recommendation and comparison is misleading. You pay Iwata for the brand name and the quality control that goes with it. At Habor Freight, you roll the dice and hope that you get a unit that would last.

It is true that Paasche and Badger both go to China to source their low end compressors. That does not mean that the quality control of made-in-China airbrush compressors had caught up.

You can buy Iwata quality at much lower price if you do the home work.

JTBuckley

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice.

As far as compressors go, Don, is this the one you were referring to?     http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/oilless-compressors/1-8-eighth-hp-40-psi-oilless-airbrush-compressor-93657.html

Is this a good choice or should I find one that has a tank also? Thanks in advance

Compressor is one of those item that you get what you pay for. You want one that runs quietly and cool. A cheap compressor may run quietly when new, but may not last long. You can tell by letting it run continuously for 20 minutes. It should no more than warm to the touch. If it is hot to the touch, not so good.

If you want the Harbor Freight compressor, they do have one that is slightly better: http://www.harborfreight.com/1-5-hp-58-psi-compressor-and-airbrush-kit-95630.html

If you want something cheap, check Northern Tools for price reference. They had this $40 one in the summer: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTEUnpublishedItem?storeId=6970&langId=-1&rfno=200354872  Unfortunately, it is currently out of stock and not sure when they will restock. I got one to test. It was very quiet, but ran hot after awhile. There was a long thread on the compressor topic in August. /forums/p/139701/1476276.aspx#1476276

Good luck and let us know what you get.

ordered!

JT: if that's the compressor Don was talking about, I have the same model.  Very quiet and works great.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice.

As far as compressors go, Don, is this the one you were referring to?     http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/oilless-compressors/1-8-eighth-hp-40-psi-oilless-airbrush-compressor-93657.html

Is this a good choice or should I find one that has a tank also? Thanks in advance

Don Stauffer

Someone else has answered your immediate problem with the "regulator" issue. I'd like to address the use of propel.

I agree that you will soon discover the disadvantages of Propel as a substitute for a compressor.  But you may not have the money for a compressor right now.  You do not need to give up modeling just because you can't afford the compressor.  Use the propel and learn a lot about airbrushing.

Airbrushing takes a lot of practice and experience to learn.  You won't be getting the worlds best finishes, as a new airbrush user, even if you had a compressor.  As you gain experience, the compressor becomes more desireable.  I used an airbrush with Propel for over a year before I got a compressor.

BTW, a recommendation on a compressor. I recently bought an Iwata quiet compressor.  At a club meeting recently the topic was tools, and one guy brought in a compressor he had recently purchased from Harbor Freight for 70 bucks. It was as quiet as my Iwata compressor that I paid twice that for!  People had been extolling that harbor freight unit, but messages could not convey the actual quietness. I was impressed!

 

Don, I personally think is the other way around. Propellant is not the best when one is learning to airbrush. I started with food colorings to practice, practice, practice. At $10 per can, it was an expensive way to learn to airbrush. One has to put the can in a bowl of warm water in order to get consistent pressure for a minute of two. The first strokes when the can is new comes with liquid propellant mixed with the paint. I wish someone told me that when I first started to use an AB. Every $10 one spend in a can of propellant can go to the compressor funds. Again, my humble opinion.

Someone else has answered your immediate problem with the "regulator" issue. I'd like to address the use of propel.

I agree that you will soon discover the disadvantages of Propel as a substitute for a compressor.  But you may not have the money for a compressor right now.  You do not need to give up modeling just because you can't afford the compressor.  Use the propel and learn a lot about airbrushing.

Airbrushing takes a lot of practice and experience to learn.  You won't be getting the worlds best finishes, as a new airbrush user, even if you had a compressor.  As you gain experience, the compressor becomes more desireable.  I used an airbrush with Propel for over a year before I got a compressor.

BTW, a recommendation on a compressor. I recently bought an Iwata quiet compressor.  At a club meeting recently the topic was tools, and one guy brought in a compressor he had recently purchased from Harbor Freight for 70 bucks. It was as quiet as my Iwata compressor that I paid twice that for!  People had been extolling that harbor freight unit, but messages could not convey the actual quietness. I was impressed!

[Buckley, by experience my most sincere advice. Save the $ on the adapter, return your cans and wait a bit longer 'till you get a compressor, even those made in China are better than compressed air. I hope you don't take it wrong.

I too started with air cans. At almost $10 after tax by then, I felt I wasted the initial savings for an small air compressor. I  purchased 3 cans at Hobby Town. That's $30 I could have used to finance my $99 Badger Compressor which almost 13 years later works like a charm. I had to put the air cans in warm water to get descent constant pressure for a minute or 2.

Buckley, by experience my most sincere advice. Save the $ on the adapter, return your cans and wait a bit longer 'till you get a compressor, even those made in China are better than compressed air. I hope you don't take it wrong.

Thanks! I know I'll get sick of them soon. but they'll do for now.

Thanks again.

There is another bit that you will need. There is a shut-off valve arrangement they call the Propel Regulator (#50-200) that fits the top of the can and has the fitting for the hose.

http://www.badgerairbrush.com/Acessories_5.asp

You will tire quickly of these cans, and be looking for a more reliable air source.