Compressors

jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Compressors

Posted by jdavidb on Saturday, August 14, 2004 6:40 AM

Does anyone have any of these? Any comments on them? They're all oil lubed and under $200.

Makita Mac700 2 hp 2.6 gal

Microlux 2hp / 2.5 gal (the one Micromark sells)

Grizzly H4517 2.5 Hp Pancake

Craftsman 15210 1.5 hp 2 gal.

Those oil-lubed Central Pneumatic compressors from Harbor Freight.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 14, 2004 10:34 AM

I would think the grizzly would be the best choice, but knowing how bad/medeocure their lathe's are, i would go with hte harbor freight

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jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Posted by jdavidb on Saturday, August 14, 2004 4:06 PM

Grizzly seems quite proud of that pancake.

The one I'm having the most confidence in is the Makita. The specs on it are almost identical to that Microlux one. The Makita is probably the quitest since it is 1700 rpm. I live near a Makita service center too.

All of these seem to be fresh new guinea pig models that haven't been put through end user life except for the Craftsman. There's also that breed of Coleman-Powermate invectors (no oil) that the airbrush world hasn't tested out yet.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 14, 2004 4:47 PM

I bought the cheapo from Lowes. It was 70 bucks and works for everybit of airbrushing I need. I keep it in a cabinet below my spray booth and plug it in when I need it.. It's only 2 gallon, but I don't need huge volumes of air. I even used it to blow up my son's little swimming pool. Just my $.002

Ted

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jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Posted by jdavidb on Saturday, August 14, 2004 5:11 PM

I bet the $70 one is real loud. It's not an oil-lube, right? The Sears one for $99 is 2 gallon oil lube. I don't know if it's quieter though.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 14, 2004 8:44 PM

I keep it under the counter in an insulated cabinet, so I don't really notice. But, yeah it's loud. I have a little Airbrush compressor, just never really like it.

Ted

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jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Posted by jdavidb on Friday, August 20, 2004 5:44 PM

The Harbor Freight Central Pneumatic ones... I've read a few times now that they have 1/8" hose attachment where you have to add an assembly to the end of the short hose that comes on the air compressor before being able to attach airbrush stuff to it. I haven't read anything good about airbrushing with those in all of usenet or anywhere.

I thought the Makita would be here today according to UPS tracking. Maybe tomorrow.

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MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Posted by MikeV on Friday, August 20, 2004 7:17 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by jdavidb
I haven't read anything good about airbrushing with those in all of usenet or anywhere.

I know a girl on another forum who bought a Harbor Freight compressor for T-shirt airbrushing and she said it was very reliable. She used it for a weekend straight of T-shirt airbrushing and it didn't fail her. That is pretty good considering how tough this type of painting is on a compressor.

Mike

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Posted by jdavidb on Monday, August 23, 2004 2:58 AM

QUOTE: That is pretty good considering how tough this type of painting is on a compressor.

Do you remember how big the tank on it is?

It is almost depressing waiting for that Makita to get here. 10 days since I bought it now. Let's see if UPS can find my house today, Monday.

When it does get here, I have a job to paint 20 interior doors in a house. I think I'm gonna put it to the test right away & spray them with this compressor.

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MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Posted by MikeV on Monday, August 23, 2004 7:24 AM

David,

I am not positive but I believe it was one of these two models:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90385

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40400

If you want I can ask her in the other forum she posts in and see how it has held up and which model it was.

Mike

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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knight667

Member since
January 2004
From: Philomath, OR, USA

Posted by knight667 on Monday, August 23, 2004 4:27 PM

I got the cheaper of the 2 Harbor Freight compressors, but returned it in favor of a Paasche 500SR because of the 1/8" fitting on the HF compressor. Couldn't find an adapter to save my life (but that could just be in my area...you might have better luck).

John "The only easy day was yesterday." - US Navy SEALs "Improvise. Adapt. Overcome." - US Marine Corp. "I live each day/Like it's my last/...I never look back" - from "I'm A Rocker" by Judas Priest

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 23, 2004 10:05 PM

hi guys, im new to the forums. I dont have a compressor , i want one but i dont have the money, although my father has a large one for working on cars i dont know about atachments for it to be used with my airbrush, any advice?

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MusicCity

Member since
January 2004
From: USA

Posted by MusicCity on Monday, August 23, 2004 10:08 PM

QUOTE: hi guys, im new to the forums. I dont have a compressor , i want one but i dont have the money, although my father has a large one for working on cars i dont know about atachments for it to be used with my airbrush, any advice?

Welcome to the forum Charles. Glad to have you.

Your father's compressor will probably work just fine. It should already have a regulator on it, and possibly a moisture trap. If it doesn't have a moisture trap you will probably want to add one. If it is a good sized compressor it probably has 1/4" NPT (or larger) fittings so you may have to get an adapter to adapt it to your airbrush hose. Run it down to about 15 psi and paint away.

Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 23, 2004 10:18 PM

thank you for the information MusicCity, my dad does have a moisture trap on his compressor, if i need an adapter where could get one?

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MusicCity

Member since
January 2004
From: USA

Posted by MusicCity on Monday, August 23, 2004 10:38 PM

QUOTE: if i need an adapter where could get one?

Glad to help. As to your adapter, it depends on what you need. Typical garage-type compressors have 1/4 NPT or 3/8" NPT threads on them (1/4" are much more common). Airbrush connections vary by manufacturer although they are typically 1/4" NPT or 1/8" NPT threads. If your hose end has a 1/4" connection you are probably good to go or you can get a 3/8" -> 1/4" reducer at Lowes or Home Depot. If your hose has a 1/8" connection you might be able to get one at a hobby shop (Badger makes one) or you may have to order it.

Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page

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jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Posted by jdavidb on Monday, August 23, 2004 10:42 PM

This is a pretty common coupler: it has 1/4" npt threads on one side, and the other side fits into the airhose's quick disconnect output. Any place that sells air compressors is probably gonna have those. Once you have that, its threaded side will bolt into your airbrush regulator/filter. You don't have to do it that way. You could take off the hose attachment from the compressor's output and work from there, but safety precautions when spraying flamable paints advise to keep the compressor out of the same area as the spray fumes.

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