Multiple Airbrush Setup

After years of using all kind of different setups, I have finally found one that I'm feeling almost satisfied with. :)

I have a fairly large, but decently quiet compressor. It has its own regulator, but I have a desk mounted regulator as well, that I use for setting the pressure. This is in my opinion a better solution than the Mac valve variants, that I've been using earlier. Not only because it is larger, but also because it will not make the airbrush heavier or clumsier as all the hose mounted or between the hose and airbrush versions are.

I have five different hoses, each with a quick connect, that connects to the desk mounted regulator. This way I can switch between up to five airbrushes, and nothing heavy or clumsy on the airbrush side, and full control and easy access to the air pressure.

Scott,

Give it a go. I have only one pressure for the Eclipse, TR and TH. But for the CM-SB, as you can see there's a MAC valve connected to the QD.

JunJon,

That seems to be the consensus, that it is no trouble adjusting pressure. That being the case, I might only have one air hose with a MAC valve having a QD. Maybe I'll just rack my brushes by the regulator on the bench and plug them in one at a time. I probably will find that I only need two favorites :-)

On my part. I always have one project at a time. So its very rare I use more then 2 airbrush. On one time I will start with my Iwata HP-TH for priming. Then on the next day, I will use my Iwata Custom TR for base color. And the following day, I will use my Iwata Eclipse for any accent color. And lastly using my Iwata CM-SB for weathering.

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All using one regulator. But what I found out. I bought 2 piston Iwata Compressor for longer spraying ( like the Polar Lights 1;350 Refit  Enterprise. ) And a smaller 1 piston Sparmax for shorter spraying for 1:72 scale models. This compressor can be interchange with my single tank reservoir with a single regulator. And I don't see any hustle in changing the air pressure every time. I change my airbrush. IMHO.

That's where I bought my Infinity, and Paasche QD nipples. I should have added the manifold.

Chicago Airbrush Supply sells the "T" adapters. I have two airbrushes hooked up to one compressor. You can turn one off at a time or just leave the valves on for both, allowing you to rapidly go from one brush to the other, down line from the regulator, and moisture trap.

Don Stauffer

I can reach the adjustment knob on my compressor/regulator (built in regulator) from the chair I airbrush from.  I can see the gauge. I think it might take five seconds to adjust.   My manifold is on the output of the compressor (a Silver Jet).  I sometimes adjust the pressure when painting because I have missed my normal thinning ratio and can compensate by a slight change in pressure.  I also spray flats and glosses at different pressure, so am changing that pressure quite frequently.

That makes sense and I should at least try that first. I would probably wind up fiddling around with individual regulators anyway, due to changes in paints and viscosities.

Scott Chapin

Don,

That's why I'm asking. I'm curious to know what others are doing. I was just thinking that adjusting the pressures would be time consuming. Maybe it would be easier to use just one hose and plug the airbrush to be used into it and adjust the pressure every time you switched brushes/applications.

I can reach the adjustment knob on my compressor/regulator (built in regulator) from the chair I airbrush from.  I can see the gauge. I think it might take five seconds to adjust.   My manifold is on the output of the compressor (a Silver Jet).  I sometimes adjust the pressure when painting because I have missed my normal thinning ratio and can compensate by a slight change in pressure.  I also spray flats and glosses at different pressure, so am changing that pressure quite frequently.

Don,

That's why I'm asking. I'm curious to know what others are doing. I was just thinking that adjusting the pressures would be time consuming. Maybe it would be easier to use just one hose and plug the airbrush to be used into it and adjust the pressure every time you switched brushes/applications.

Thank  you, Groot.

I have a CH 2.5 gallon pancake compressor that cuts in at 85psi and out at 135psi, so I think my air supply is good. It will be in the garage which is on the other side of the room I will have my bench in. I'm hoping to find wall plates that I can use to route the air supply from the compressor into the room. That way, I won't have to be bothered by it running and it shouldn't run that much any way.

The Harder and Steenbeck braided hose that I have is very nice and has the small QD in the MAC valve. I bought some Paasche sized nipples for those brushes and they work nicely with the H&S hose.

I have lots of Teflon tape around here somewhere, so I will use it!

Why not merely adjust for the pressure of the brush and paint you will be using?  You can only use one at a time.  The pressure regulator should be handy, but that is usually not hard to arrange.

Here is what I have found through attempting to do something similar.  I have a couple airbrushes (2 Badgers and 2 Paasche's), that I wanted to connect to my Badger compressor.  I found a cylindrical manifold with three output holes that I screwed knife valves into to turn air flow off and on.  I put the entire thing on the output side of my regulator coming off the compressor and tied it all up with Teflon tape.  The whole thing ran me maybe $20 so it's easy to do it yourself.

Now the downside.  I found that my compressor ran constantly (tough on a small airbrush compressor).  I also began to have issues with my output pressure and my pressure switch.  I do not know if these are related.  So first, I would recommend a more heavy-duty tank-style compressor if you want to make a manifold, an airbrush compressor is likely to struggle.

I also found that Paasche and Badger airbrushes have different sized air input connections (you can't use a Badger hose on a Paasche and vice versa, they are different sizes).  So while the QD idea is a great one, you will need to find some kind of universal female end that has the male ends available in various sizes if you use brushes from different manufacturers.

Ultimately I ended up scrapping the manifold and using QDs because my little compressor couldn't handle it.  I have since obtained a porter heavy duty compressor that I will likely attach my manifold to as I think my Badger compressor is on its last legs.

My suggestion -

If you want to have a manifold system, it's easy to do yourself.  Just make sure you watch your valve handles to make sure they are clear to swing freely (aren't hitting other parts).  If you want to use multiple regulators, they are a piece of cake to simply screw into the output side of one of the manifold vents.  You wouldn't need anything else to step down the pressure, just the regulator.  I would recommend staying away from a circular-style manifold, it was more problems than it was worth.  If I had to do it again, I'd do a T-style or several in a line.  The big things are to plan it out, use Teflon tape at EVERY joint, and use a bigger compressor.  Keep in mind the big ones are noisier.

Groot

I know I can only use one brush at a time, but I'm thinking they would be at widely different pressures. Wouldn't it be a pain to have to adjust the regulator every time you change brushes? I'm thinking one brush will run at 24 to 28psi for general painting. The gravity fed brush would run at 5 to 11psi for detailed work? At least that's what all the literature would suggest and I might wind up being surprised.

I guess I can see using one regulator at about 30psi or so and using MAC valves on the brushes to cut their pressures down individually to where I would want them. A multiple regulator setup would seem easier to repeat settings if necessary.

The Harder and Steenbeck manifold looks nice, but also looks like it would only hold their brushes, or at least not the Paasches. I also wonder whether it's an accident waiting to happen, since it's not clamped to your workbench and might get pulled off the bench, if you got caught on a hose.

The Harbor Freight carousel has caught my eye too. How do you manage the hoses when you turn it?

You can pick up a triple manifold/splitter at most any auto parts house or big box store.  Get your adapters for the hoses, and put a dial pressure gauge on each outlet with quick disconnects and away you go.  Mount the triple split on the downside of your water trap.

Harbor freight has an airbrush set that includes a six position manifold, brushes, and hoses.

Pretty nice.

I did color code both ends of each hose for identification.

You can buy the manifold separately but that is all you get. It kinda boils down to if you think the HF versions with hoses and brushes is a better bargain.

The manifold is like $45-ish. Nor sure what the HF set is now. I paid about $100 a few years ago. Sale plus coupon.

 

 

 

 

I like the idea of screwing a universal attaching device to all of my brushes once rather than having to fiddle with those tiny, easily damaged threads anytime I want to use a different brush.  Plus, since I have little kids I keep my brushes packed in their boxes and the compressor put away. Quick connects makes it easier to set up, clean and stash my gear.

Since the airbrush doesn't use air when it is not being used, why worry about disconnects?

I, too, use quick connects but H&S make a nice manifold that is expandable and would fit your needs. Part No. 110193.

I was thinking that swapping them out one at a time, using quick disconnects, would force you to always have to readjust your pressures.

I use the quick disconnects too. Those thing are sweet.  I've seen guys on youtube with four or five brushes plumbed all at once and I never could figure out why.  They only ever used one at a time.

I have the same set up on my Master system using the Iwata quick disconnect accessory on all of my AB.

I use three Iwata AB's (HP-CS, HP-B+ and occasionally CR).  Each AB has a quick male connector, and the hose from my tank has a female quick connector with a MAC valve.  Switching among the three AB's is a breeze.

Well, until I am set up, I guess I won't know. My thinking is that the required pressures would vary a lot and I didn't want to have to readjust the regulator every time I switched brushes.

I've never used a double action yet, let alone a gravity fed one. From reading, I was under the impression that operating pressures between the two (one being a siphon fed single action) could vary by as much as 10-15 psi.

Unless there will be multiple, concurrent users (& you have excess compressor output)  I don't think that there would be much benefit from multiple regulators.

Most users go down the route of single regulator & hose with quick connects or a single regulator, manifold & hose per airbrush. If your compressor isn't located close to you work area, you could consider mounting your regulator remotely for easy pressure adjustment.

I use Iwatas and they have a quick disconnect accessory which allows me to quickly change airbrushes from a single host/regulator. Not sure if that will be an option for you since you are using multiple brands.

I use two brushes on a single compressor/regulator now. I just used a simple t-fitting on the output.  Works fine. Of course, I only use one brush at a time.  I assume I could add another T and use more, but I only generally use those two.