Shopping for a new Compressor

rob44

You may want to try an acrylic flow enhancer if you are having paint that appears to dry to quickly.

 

As for compressors, my son uses this one it is very quiet and well within your budget. You will probably need an adaptor to connect it to your air brush hose.

 

https://www.amazon.com/California-Air-Tools-CAT-1P1060S-Compressor/dp/B01LYHYHEA/ref=sr_1_24?dchild=1&hvadid=78065379331216&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&keywords=3000%2Bpsi%2Bair%2Bcompressor&qid=1619549832&sr=8-24&th=1

 

 

That's the one I got last year. Very quiet and works great. Yes you'll need an adapter. NPT to BSPP.  Amazon has them for $20 but I got two for $7 from China on eBay. At first you think the hose will connect because it does, but it will leak and you'll ruin the threads. 

Okay!

        You are going to think I am nuts! I have a W.R. Brown carcass around somewhere. That was my first compressor after my De-Vilbiss went turtle up. Now I have a New one, Works great for what I bought it for, Model use. It came all neatly boxed up with a Cup style A.B. from Harbor Freight!!

     The A.B. has the same exact parts as my De-Vilbiss A.B. which I still use! Now Iwata and all the others. I don't know.I say if you have an A.B. you are comfortable with any compressor you can control the P.S.I and has a moisture trap you're good to go!

      No sense spending scads of cash for another that's just fancier. Mine doesn't even make much noise. I have to check sometimes to make sure it's running! 

Another +1 for Sparmax.  I moved up from a tankless to this one:

https://www.rexart.com/product19355.html

It's quiet and the pressure gauge is visible from the top, keeping the compressor on the floor.  A little pricey though.

Review:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYOrrLLz3-o

Dave

I've been using this Sparmax compressor for over a year with an Iwata HP-CS and it works flawlessly. 

https://spraygunner.com/sparmax-tc-501n/

You may be able to get away with the next smaller model too since we spray low PSI anyways. 

In Tamiya acrylic I use denatured alcohol to thin it, sometimes put in a little Liquitex retarder to control tip dry in warm dry weather. LT works good too. I've never used their acrylic thinner. I shoot it at around 23 psi before the drop, so flow or working pressure is probably 20-21 psi.

Thanks for all the replies, I've heard of acrylic flow enhancer but never tried it, sounds like that might help a lot, I'm definitely going to get some. The CAT compressor looks like a great deal and just what I'm looking for. Got to order it now so I can try that flow enhancer.  

All you'll need, works for me......   about $50 bucks.

I have no idea if this is even a possibility in your home, but you can get a pretty decent "real" compressor that lives in the garage with a line running to your hobby area for not much more than that.  You will never run out of air, no noise at the bench and it's useful for other tasks.

You may want to try an acrylic flow enhancer if you are having paint that appears to dry to quickly.

As for compressors, my son uses this one it is very quiet and well within your budget. You will probably need an adaptor to connect it to your air brush hose.

https://www.amazon.com/California-Air-Tools-CAT-1P1060S-Compressor/dp/B01LYHYHEA/ref=sr_1_24?dchild=1&hvadid=78065379331216&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&keywords=3000%2Bpsi%2Bair%2Bcompressor&qid=1619549832&sr=8-24&th=1