Bought my airbrush ..now for compressor

QUOTE: Now on to a compressor. I went to my local Lowes and Sears and NONE of them had regulators (both on compressor or that you can put in line) that were graduated in less than 5 psi increments.

Regulators aren't graduated at all. I assume you mean the pressure gauge.

Gauge readings are all relative. I used a 5 psi increment gauge for a long time and it never bothered me. The PSI that you set it for is just a starting point anyway because you will frequently have to vary it. If it doesn't spray right give it another pound or two. Besides that, gauges are notoriously inaccurate. Unless you splurge for an expensive gauge you can connect a dozen in series and every one will show a different pressure. I ran across a 2" gauge incremented in 2psi recently for $15 so I got it. I didn't have a plug so my old gauge and the new one are both connected at the same point right now and they both read differently.

You'll enjoy the brush. I'm not familiar with the compressor but if Paasche makes it then it's probably a good one.

Claude - great!!! glad to hear you got your brush... a lot of people here use that one and think it is good..

as far as the regulator what Scott said is right, if you want one that does smaller increments go to Hobby Lobby and they should have one in the case with the airbrush stuff (by the paint brushes and stuff) if you dont have a hobby lobby you can get one from Testors online for about $25 more... my suggestion is try the one you have, dial in approximate pressures until you get something that feels right with you... you probably will become used to it, if not there is the pressure gauge I mentioned...

let us know how it goes!!!

as ive started to get into this modelling stuff again i too am thinking of a compressor. Paying each time for gas is a bit much. Is there a basic compressor that one can buy instead of all these fancy ones i keep hearing about.
Sorry for jumping in the post :) just while the conversation is here...regards gordon j

No problem jumping in Sasar.... we can all learn something here and thats the point right :)

I ordered the Paasche D3000 w/regulator and moisture seperator..... Just couldnt see folks in the modeling club appreciating a "quiet" 77 dB home compressor. My wife also wants to use the airbrush in her hobby also (scrapbooks and card making)...so I couldnt see her in the garage do this stuff, and I definately cant see a 77dB aircompressor running in the house.

Besides ...that now gives me the excuse to buy that BIG 50 gallon compressor I had my eye on for my pneumatic tools :-)

Back to Sasars question.... after looking and searching I found dixieart.com to have the best prices around (thanks again to tom and Musiccity for the reccomendation). I would think any of the Paasche or badger compressors to be a decent compressor. I just got the D3000 because I feel like if Im going to learn to do something, I want a mid range quality product to do it on. Elminates a lot of frustration of "am I doing this wrong or is it just a poor quality product". Now I can only blame myself it things look bad

Gordon - if noise is not an issue the compressors at Wal Mart and Lowes work fine for modelling. I have a Campbell Hausfield I got at Lowes for $70 and not a problem! As you read above some of them have gauges in larger increments than hobby gauges but this doesn't mean it's a problem. If it bothers you, you can use the same regulator and buy a different gauge.

If noise is an issue you can get a reconditioned Thayer and Chandler AirStar V for $99 from Badger Aibrush web page... here's the link, it's toward the bottom.

http://www.badger-airbrush.com/garagesale.htm

QUOTE: If noise is an issue you can get a reconditioned Thayer and Chandler AirStar V for $99 from Badger Aibrush web page

If noise is an issue you could also investigate using compressed gas such as CO2 or nitrogen. They are dead silent, just a hiss of escaping gas, and from what I understand a refill will last from 6 months to a year and costs around $25.

Congrats on getting your AB and compressor. Remember to get a good respirator too.

QUOTE: Originally posted by FAAmecanic Also in speaking with the manager of the hobby shop, they have a scale model club that meets every third thursday. I figured that no one in the club would appreciate me bringing a 15 gallon compressor with its LOUD motor

Are you sure you need to bring equipment like that to the model club meeting? My club meets 2 times per month but we only bring models to drool over. it's great fun and you learn alot at meetings.

QUOTE: Originally posted by FAAmecanic My wife also wants to use the airbrush in her hobby also (scrapbooks and card making)

Might want to rethink letting your wife get her hands on your airbrush. You're never gonna get any spray time in once she starts using it Just kidding. Pick up an airbrush action magazine for her to get ideas from. It's a great mag I highly recommend it - be careful though you might want to start painting your car after reading it.

thanks for all your opions/hints...Are compressors that loud 77db? lol jesus....
A can of compressed gas that lasts 6months to a year. that must be some size of can? i pay £6 for a 400ml can. not used it yet, using the 200ml i got free with the airbrush (painted bottom of uss enterprise 1/800 and f14 1/72, got about half left). So these cans can be bought in bigger tins? Interesting, but a bit expensive. Na i want a compressor lol 77db i dont like my neighbour anyway :)

thanks again gordon J

no I think he means, tankl size? IE diving tank sort of size

QUOTE: no I think he means, tankl size? IE diving tank sort of size

Yes, they are tanks. Sorry about that. They are commonly used for the carbon dioxide in soft drink dispensers.

Ahhh bottle tanks, i see. So how would i go about getting one of these? From which merchant would this go under for compressed gas. obviously ill need some kinda fitting from the bottle to the pipe for the airspray. Mmmm, maybe too much to have a big bottle of gas in the house lol I might enquire at local dealers and see how much they are and sizes. Or would i be better off with a compressor...Mmmm...ill be up half the night thinking about this now LMAO...

regards gordon J

NO2 is dirt cheap, most places give you the tank on the understanding you'll use a certain amount, it won't hurt to "exagerate" a little ,lol
Most tanks like that will come with a good quality reg, not your home depot cr@p,
Then it's a simple task of buying an adaptor from said home depot and your off and running.
CO2, is likely to be as cheap, but you'll need a bottle, try paint ball shops! they now use largish CO2 bottles

QUOTE: Originally posted by I-beam Are you sure you need to bring equipment like that to the model club meeting? My club meets 2 times per month but we only bring models to drool over. it's great fun and you learn alot at meetings.

It wouldnt be everytime, but one of the guys at the hobby shop that attends these meetings says they have a REAL good AB modeler that gives lessons and tips at each meeting. He also holds classes once every couple months.

Congrats on the brush enjoy - I just use the gauge as a guide and fine tune on the "feel" of the spray and whether it is appropriate to what I am trying to do. This is where having a test spray on an old model or plastic sheet can be very valuable. I don't personally believe there are hard and fast rules on pressure settings - i.e broad general coverage must be 18 psi and fine squiggle camo must be 6 psi because there are other variables that influence the outcome. Practice makes perfect - hopefully!

Simon... thats what I was thinking. Its just going to be a matter of experience and getting the "feel" for what I like to use to get my desired effect.

I look forward to learning... I bought a couple of $5 tubes of Acrylic just to practice with. I would love to find a deal on model parts (car bodies, fuselage halves...) to use for practice...been searching ebay for "spare part" models.

I don't get it, why does anyone need a regulator if your compressor puts out no more then 30 psi (such as most piston type compressors)? I use an Aztek A470 and a Badger Cyclone compressor. I've never seen a need for a regulator. I spray fine lines, large areas, Future, acrylics, enamels, you name it, and I never have problems with my set up. Don't get me wrong, I used a regulator but I didn't see any benefit from it so I took it off my compressor. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I think fancy tools are not a supplement to skill. Just something I learned as a carpenter.

My two cents,
Jesse

QUOTE: I don't get it, why does anyone need a regulator if your compressor puts out no more then 30 psi

For me, it's because I never spray at more than 15 psi and frequently go down below 8 psi. Of course my compressor runs at 150 psi to.

Not that I have ANY experience to talk to... but maybe its just what you have learned with. I imagine if I just had a 30 psi compressor, and started shooting paint that way, I would have learned to use 30 psi and adjusted my technique accordingly.

You have to excuse me.... but Im an aircraft mechanic/engineer (if you couldnt tell by the name) so I have two bad habits. 1) right tool for the right job. We dont use 5 lb mallets on a long handle wrench to get that 90 ft/lbs of torque on a landing gear wheel nut. :) and 2) the engineer in me makes me OVER analyze EVERYTHING (not a good quaity).

Thats why I did all this research and asked questions about regulators, different compressors, setups, airbrushes.....

see now, if you were not meant to use that 5lb hammer on the wrench, they would not have invented the 5lb hammer, it's all about fulcrums and pivot points! lol right tool for the right job is sometimes not so good in the hands of the wrong person

Agreed there Vapo....

Just give me some Visegrips, ballpeen hammer, slip join pliers, and some duckbill pliers and I can BUILD you an airplane

Hey "MusicCity",

The CO2 soft-drink-sized canister you mentioned lasting 6 months or so...how much PSI does it get pumped to?

QUOTE: Originally posted by FAAmecanic Agreed there Vapo.... Just give me some Visegrips, ballpeen hammer, slip join pliers, and some duckbill pliers and I can BUILD you an airplane

gimmy half those tools and I can it for you to fix!