i want to change my sparmax AC-100

Hi.

In a word, yes, a tank will keep pressure constant and also you wont get moisture problems because the air cools in the tank. I have been using one of those ebay ones for donkeys inside and the 40 liter when I'm down the shed. As for paints, its what your happy using and there is plenty of opinions all over the web about acrylics vs enamels and brands but get a tanked compressor first and try what you have because you will notice a big change from 8 psi and no moisture.

Hope that helps.

Cheers from Mick.

I'm curious.  What is the pressure before you press the trigger?  What pressure are you trying to spray with? 

Don

thanks Mick, actually i went to the local sparmax store, they had plenty of different types of compressors, i tested TC-501 ast (650cc tank, 16 lpm) not good at all, tested TC63 tc with (5 liter tank, 47 lpm) much better and quite expensive (300$)  but still i have a problem: the on/off switch works between 40/60 psi, so how can i use it at 20 psi consistent pressure? should i turn it off manually when it reaches 20 psi? cheers

Don, it does come with a pressure gauge and moisture trap, if I adjust the pressure at 30 psi for example, it will come down to 20-22 psi after holding down the trigger for 3 seconds or so.

From what I can see with the utube video you just use that big black knob to adjust to what pressure you want and it will keep it there if it has a tank, for general model painting something like this will be fine:

www.ebay.com.au/.../140903827581

Iv'e been using one like that for years inside and its "very" quiet and never missed a beat, if your down the shed and noise isn't an issue then a $50 24 litre shed compressor from the auto shop is even better.

Turning off and on at 60 psi or so is not a problem as its just keeping the tank pressure up, it will still deliver what you set it to at the outlet.

Cheers again from Mick

Hi Don.

Fancy seeing you here, just bought a HP-M2 and will write it up on the webpage soon.

All the best from Mick.

snibs.net/airbrushpage.html

Matt - Your compressor looks like the diaphragm type, and they don't put out a lot of air.  I have something similar and it will just about hold 25psi with my Badger 155.  Make sure you aren't losing some at the hose connections.  But, for pre-shading and detail work, 15 to 20psi should be enough, especially with a small .35mm nozzle.  If you are using a bottle, try a metal 1/4 oz cup instead, a Badger cup should fit, and try setting the pressure lower.  You may need to thin a little more.  Practice on scrap plastic and experiment.

Mick - I look forward to seeing your review.

Take care,

Don

The Sparmax AC-100 is a starter level piston compressor comparable to the Iwata Sprintjet in price, power and feature. Because it lacks an auto-on-off switch, it runs constantly. It should be power enough for most precision or detail work in modeling, but lacks some of the convenient features. The pressure reading can drop instantly when you pull the airbrush trigger, but should not be excessively. A drop of 3 psi or less is acceptable.

Like Don asked, how much did the pressure droped? If it drops after a few seconds, it indicates a pressure leaks. The leak could be from improper hookup or from a worn compressor. I suspect the former. Even if the AC-100 runs constantly, it will take many years of high usage to wear it out.

Since you have a local Sparmax store, why don't you take it to the service department and have them check it out for you.

I went to the Sparmax website today and found it completely changed. It seems to have been bought out by another company. It has a lot more emphasis on medical equipments (hopefully good) and cosmetics (usually means high price and low quality). It will be interesting to see how it evolves.

With the ones you mention above they have no tank, the compressor has to be running to supply air, if you have a tank the motor will only run automaticaly to top of the tank when it drops below its threshold, Have a close look at the Achieve TC-610H, if the other one was $300 this one will be more from Sparmax i guess, do you know where there made? that one looks an awful lot like the one's on ebay. I got mine in Australia in 2007 for $79 delivered from memory and I should mention that I upgraded from a AC100 and will never consider  a tankless compressor again. Cant hurt to demo one with a tank at your Sparmax store with your brush.

Mick.

hello and many thanks everyone,

about my airbrush, i use a sparmax DH-115 and it clogs very much when i want to do preshading or post tinting, no problem while  spraying the base color.  is it just about my airbrush? the paint i use? or also the compressor can cause it as well? i only have access to revell and italleri paints, any suggestions? thanks again in advance.

My guess is that you are getting tip dry, which is common with acrylics, especially for fine nozzles like yours.  I doubt whether the airbrush or the compressor is the problem.  There are retarders that help. I never use acrylics, so I can't give specific advice.  But, there are members here who are very knowledgeable about paints and maybe they will join in.

Don

I'm not a paint expert but I use acrylics for most of my ABing and, as Done mentions, tip dry is a common problem with them. I have an 0.2 mm nozzle on my most used AB, I use retarder and "Flow Aid" when I have the problem and, more important, also keep a Q-Tip, Cotton Bud etc handy. I retract the AB needle, use the Q-Tip saturated with a thinner (water, iso alcohol, paint brand or Purple Power etc) and clean the nozzle frequently with the Q-Tip, then I slowly let the needle return to normal while the Q-Tip is in the nozzle (removes any 'dry' on the needle). You need to be careful when you do this but it helps a lot and only takes a second or two. Also, I usually thin acrylics with Airbrush medium - this helps a lot in that it slows drying time somewhat. Note that the acrylics I use are CRAFT acrylics so I don't know if Airbrush Medium is compatible with Itallieri or Revell because I haven't used them.

In so far as your compressor, the AC100 has a bleed regulator/moisture trap. It is common for a pressure drop with this type. When you release the AB trigger after spraying, there is a slight increase in pressure within the moisture trap which dissipates as you resume spraying. I think it's just the 'nature of the beast'. A non-bleed regulator doesn't do this although some small drop in pressure is normal. A tank on the compressor helps a lot.