To Co2 or not to Co2 that is the question.

I do. The tank & regulator can get expensive though. I Love it for Air brushing

Well I got a 20 lb tank from work and it works fine. It does not need a water trap like a compressor would. As far as regulators are concerned I only have one for measuring the PSI going thru the airbrush. Alot of people say that you should have another to read how full the tank is but from what I've seen sometimes it won't read the tank correctly . They will last a very long time but if you have to buy the tank I would rather spend the money on a compressor.

I use a compressor and tank but the CO2 idea is feasible. You do not need to buy a tank, just go to your local supplier of welding and hospital gases and rent the freaking tank - $5.00 a month is fairly standard for a really big tank and you never have to worry about the integrity of the tank itself.

I agree with balta1 about the regulators. You only need to know the pressure going to the AB. When they fill CO2 tanks, they go by weight. The output pressure of the tank is affected by temp. Good luck.

Some thoughts.... Over the winter, I switched from comp air to nitrogen. Through a little research and asking around, I was able to buy a new 20lb bottle, a double gauge regulator, and some high pressure line from bottle to workbench for $112.50. Your better prices for equipment seem to be homebrewers and a well stocked welders shop. Most industrial gas shops here in OK cater to large volume clients and industrial operations, so the gear they have is far more pricier than I needed. A N2 refill costs exactly $12.80 here in OK which will occur once in a blue moon. Yes, over the long run of years the cost is probably higher than comp air, The aggravation and noise is the priceless factor. This is a hobby, not a Fortune 500 bottom line. Safety wise, a N2 gas bottle is just as safe as compressors. Each requires different care and feeding. Off the soapbox now!

I thought about it for a long time before finally settling on a compressor. I have a good friend who is totally sold on the CO2 (he lives in an apartment). But it seemed that when he ran out, it was almost always at the beginning of the week end and he would have to wait until Monday to get a refill.

I finally settled on the compressor because I could use it for other things besides airbrushing and had a location to put it. In other words, it works best for me.