Question On Iwata compressors.

Apom,

I haven't used that Iwata but it is a pretty good unit.

There are lots of choices in the price range you have given.

The Silentaire Scorpion 2 is also $179. and is a good unit:

http://www.dixieart.com/Silentaire_Scorpion_Compressors.html

Createx also markets a couple of compressors that are supposed to be good. The Intruder 2000 is the same price, looks nice and comes with a lot of goodies for the price:

http://www.dixieart.com/TC2000.html

Moving up in price is the Createx Stealth TC5000 which runs $269 from Dixie Art and comes with a 2.5 liter air tank and several other nice things like the Intruder 2000 comes with:

http://www.dixieart.com/Stealth_5000_Compressor_from_Createx.html

Next one up would be the Iwata Power Jet which runs $299 from Coast Airbrush:

http://www.coastairbrush.com/pages/74.html

It all boils down to what you want to spend really. All of these compressors should be of high quality since they are names that are well known in the airbrush world.

All of the above ones I mentioned are oiless and are fairly quiet.

According to my Airbrush Action compressor buying guide the noise levels are listed as follows:

Scorpion 1- 20db
Silentaire Scorpion 2 - 30db
Iwata Smart Jet IS-850 - 50 db
Iwata Power Jet - 55 db

The Createx compressors are only listed as "minimal" for decibles. so I don't know where they fit in.

The oil lubricated silent compressors are even better for long-life but they jump in price dramatically for the cheapest good ones.

You might keep your eye out at Ebay also as there are several good compressors for sale there every week from Badger, Iwata, Silentaire and a few others.

I hope this helps.

Mike

I own the Createx TC2000 (purchased from Mike's link at Dixie Art) and it has been great. Like MikeV said, it has a lot of great extras, I needed to buy NOTHING else to get things working with my Iwata Eclipse. It is inexpensive and does a great job. The foot pedal is a really nice thing to have, especially when your hands are full with an airbrush and a model piece and you need turn the compressor on or off.

Nailz,

Those are a nice looking setup. I'm glad it's been a good compressor for you. I would rather spend another $100 and get the Createx Stealth 5000 which has a 2.5 liter tank to prolong the life of the compressor motor. That would be sweet.

I am thinking of building my own silent from a refrigerator motor but it may take a little looking to find a good, cheap motor somewhere used.

Mike

MikeV,

Yeah, had I known then what I know now, and had the extra $100, I would have done that I think. So I guess I will just have to abuse this one until it breaks. =) In all seriousness though, it does a really good job for me and I am definitely not sorry I purchased it.

Nailz,

Actually the Stealth 5000 has such a small tank that it is still going to run more than I would care.
You have a nice compressor there my friend.

If I had my choice I would rather have a Silentaire 50-T-Aire, but I don't have $999. to dump into a compressor. [:0]

http://www.dixieart.com/SilentaireTShirt.html

These compressors will last a lifetime and they are only 40 db of noise. Plus I can use them for T-shirt airbrushing at 60-80 psi. Very nice!

Mike

Nailz:
Are you still happy with the noise, performance and durability of your Createx TC2000? I like the idea of the foot-operated power switch a lot.

On the other hand, the Iwata Smart Jet looks a lot nicer in the pictures (not sure if that translates into better quality or not). Then the Silentaire Scorpion II has a 1/4hp motor (30db) vs 1/6 for the Createx TC2000 and only 1/8hp for the Iwata Smart Jet (50db).

Apom:
What have you chosen for compressor and spray booth solutions?

Mike, the price for the powerjet isn't 269. that's the one without the tank. the one with is almost a hunded or more dollers.

I don't particularly like the smartjet, I prefer the sprint because it's $20 cheaper, and it doesnt have the annoying auto turn off switch.

Also, the Medea Shark series is quite expensive, but nice.

if you are willing to pay a around $400, you can get a Badger Millionaire (great name, I know) that i believe is refurbished, and there is a waiting list.

Look on evil-bay for some jun-air compressors, or any other one of the above mentioned. a Jun Air is the ultimate compressor, but they are (a lot) more expensive than the others.

Greetings,

I have a Iwata Smart Jet that is a couple of months old and I love it. It is quiet and is a nice combo to my Iwata airbrush. Iwata also makes a Sprint Jet which is identical to the Smart Jet except that the Smart Jet has an auto cut off. The problem wiht the cut off is that when you dial down the pressure to where us modelers are working, the cut off does not work. What does this mean, get the Sprint Jet because with the Smart Jet you are paying a little more for a fature you will not be using for our applications. I wish I would have known that. I could have saved a little money. BTW, with the Iwata you get a regulator and moisture trap. It is a very nice unit.

Hope this helps,

Chuck

QUOTE: Originally posted by cbreeze The problem wiht the cut off is that when you dial down the pressure to where us modelers are working, the cut off does not work. What does this mean, get the Sprint Jet because with the Smart Jet you are paying a little more for a fature you will not be using for our applications. I wish I would have known that. I could have saved a little money.

Great. Just ordered a Smart Jet and then saw this... Just my luck, I guess.

How low do you dial the pressure to?

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1337 if you are willing to pay a around $400, you can get a Badger Millionaire (great name, I know) that i believe is refurbished, and there is a waiting list.

Actually they are about $300. You can get one new for $411 from my source.

QUOTE: Look on evil-bay for some jun-air compressors, or any other one of the above mentioned. a Jun Air is the ultimate compressor, but they are (a lot) more expensive than the others.

Actually Jun-Air used to be cheaper until they got out of the T-shirt airbrushing market.
They used to sell the Maxi-6 for around $700 back then and it is a 1/2 hp with a 6 gallon tank. I have a 1/2 hp Jun-Air and it is goodm but it is not as quiet as my Million-Air.

Mike

Just to let you guys know those Iwata compressors that are being mentioned without the airtanks are made in Tiawan given a eyecatching black paint job and Iwata name plate and then given a nice price tag. A very experienced airbrush guru on the Airbrush Online forum who services these compressors amoung others pointed this fact out to someone asking the same question on that forum. The Iwata compressor isn't of any better quality than the createx or scorpion compressors mentioned.
John

mike: what about that 6 1/2 hoursepower filling 1 tank? the $999 on ebay a whiel ago?

Ryan,

That is total overkill.
Just buying the oil for those six 1/2 hp heads would cost you a mint.

Mike

Ditto what Chuck said about the Iwata Sprint Jet. I have owned one for several months and really like it. Bought one new on EBay for just over $100. I believe www.dixieart.com has them for about $150.

Mike M

$159

mike, Thats the point. If i had the chance, I would get that JUST for bragging rights (and a need to spend money)

Came home yesterday and find that UPS truck has left my Smart Jet at my door. It does come with its own airbrush hose and all the adapters needed for ones of most other brands. So the Badger hose is not really needed. But I will keep it anyway.

Now, I haven't got my Omni yet, but Iwata's own airbrush hose acts somewhat strangely. When I connect it to the moisture trap, with the other end open, the air coming out of it is so low. And the pressure gauge rises up to 40psi and the auto shut off kicks in. Then the pressure drops, and the compressor turns on again. It does this on and off thing all the time.

With Badger's hose or not connecting any hose to the trap, the compressor runs continuely, as expected. Blocking the air flow shuts it off, too.

Do I have a bad hose? It's no big deal since I have a working one anyway. Just want to know if it's normal.

BTW. Any one has any experience with DixieArt? Other than the 2 order acknowledgement e-mails right after I placed my order on 7/15, I haven't heard of anything from them. They charged my credit card right then on the same day. Not really what I expected...

Stephen,

I think the compressor acts like that because there is no back pressure from the airbrush being connected. When the airbrush is connected it will stop when you stop releasing air from the airbrush and start again when you press the trigger down.
Regarding Dixie Art, that is pretty much how they do things.
The prices they charge are good but their service is not that great.

Mike

I've ordered several things from Dixie and haven't been disappointed yet. I found them very accommodating when I ordered a Iwata HP-C and thought that the CS would be better. I wound up keeping both.

stephenju,

Regarding your on and off problem with your Iwata Smart Jet. The compressor is going on and off because you have an airleak somewhere in the line. When I got mine, it did the same thing. Wrap a little teflon tape around the connector fittings and that should do the trick. It worked for me.

Chuck

QUOTE: Originally posted by cbreeze Regarding your on and off problem with your Iwata Smart Jet. The compressor is going on and off because you have an airleak somewhere in the line. When I got mine, it did the same thing. Wrap a little teflon tape around the connector fittings and that should do the trick. It worked for me.

Well. I understand it will go on and off if there's leak in the line. But what happens with the Iwata's own hose is it is doing that with the the hose open (unblocked). It's supposed to continuely run. The same problem doesn't happend with Badger's hose.

Anyway. I am still waiting for my air brush. I am sure DixieArt will deliver it. But more communition on the order status will greatly help. Especially when they charged my credit card almost immediately.