SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Compressor Question...

1683 views
7 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2012
Compressor Question...
Posted by KindKiwi436 on Thursday, January 26, 2012 11:23 PM

Alright, sorry about all of the recent topics I've made, but I want to get things right for my first models! Anyways, I already have an airbrush, and I'm thinking of hooking it up to a big Porter & Cable Pancake Compressor I own. It already has a regulator built in, so I'm just wondering if I really need a moisture trap, or if it already has one built in. I already own the moisture trap, but I would return it if I didn't need it.

Here's the link to the specs of the compressor I own, so any help would be awesome.

http://aircompressorbot.com/p~Porter-Cable~CPFAC2600P.html

Thanks a ton.

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: NW Washington
Posted by dirkpitt77 on Friday, January 27, 2012 12:48 AM

     It's gonna depend on where you are located and how dry the air is naturally there.  By your nickname, I'm assuming you're in New Zealand.  Correct?  How humid is it there?  The more humid it is, the more likely you'll be to get water into your air lines since the compressor will condense the water into liquid and drive it out to your airbrush.  I'd be inclined to go ahead and install the moisture trap and keep 'er there.  I myself do not run a moisture trap as I live in Colorado and it is already very dry here.

 

--Chris

    "Some say the alien didn't die in the crash.  It survived and drank whiskey and played poker with the locals 'til the Texas Rangers caught wind of it and shot it dead."

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Windy city, US
Posted by keilau on Friday, January 27, 2012 7:11 AM

KindKiwi436

so I'm just wondering if I really need a moisture trap, or if it already has one built in. I already own the moisture trap, but I would return it if I didn't need it.

If you live in an island or coastal area, yes, you need a moisture trap year round. You probably has mild climate and rain year round in New Zealand if it is your home. Just guessing.

If you model in year round air-conditioned room, you probably will not see  much water in the moisture trap.

Even if you don't NEED it, it will not hurt you. So, it is better safe than sorry. Besides, if you get a good quality regulator/trap combo, the fine pressure adjustment and accurate reading is a very nice bonus.

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Illinois
Posted by wjbwjb29 on Friday, January 27, 2012 7:28 AM

I use the same compresser and run mine through a seperate regulator and moisture trap.

 

Bill

On the Bench:   Trumperter Tsesarevich on deck Glencoe USS Oregon

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Friday, January 27, 2012 9:32 AM

Water traps are a very good idea.  If you can't see it, it probably doesn't have one, since they need to be accessible to drain periodically.  They are not that expensive. 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    January 2012
Posted by KindKiwi436 on Friday, January 27, 2012 9:00 PM

Alright, so I get the kind of moisture trap where you have to cut your airbrush hose and attach it to either ends. Now just to cut it!

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: Windy city, US
Posted by keilau on Saturday, January 28, 2012 7:10 AM

KindKiwi436

Alright, so I get the kind of moisture trap where you have to cut your airbrush hose and attach it to either ends. Now just to cut it!

Have a picture of it?

Iwata makes a pistol-grip filter that will not require you to cut the hose.

 

But I am thinking of a full size moisture trap when I made my comments. It works much better than the in-line ones and do not require you to cut the hose.

  • Member since
    February 2015
Posted by Bick on Saturday, January 28, 2012 7:35 AM

I like the Iwata Pistol grip filter (Harbor Freight sells a similar one for lots less). Got mine after reading Don Wheeler's comments on his site about where moisture condenses. See his comments HERE. I haven't had much problem with moisture but the HF copy of the Iwata is fairly cheap insurance.

 

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.