Compressor Recommendation for Paasche VL

RadMax,

  Thanks for the suggestion.  I'm probably too lazy to get the tank refilled when I need it and the airbrush would sit idle.  I think I'll go in for one or the other compressors I referred to above.  If it ends up not being what I want or need, rest assured I'll be back at the forum!

You guys will probably think i'm stupid, but i use CO2 to work my AB. It cost about $80 to actually get the tank, plus another $50 for the AB regulator. You'd also have to buy a tank regulator (I already had one) and tank rent is $7.47 a month. Air fills are about $16. Air lasts a long time. You can get it at any welding suppy place

You are welcome Arch.

I am glad to help others in any way that I can.

I know it was a lot of research and I drove my wife nuts.
Sometimes you just have to take a chance, try something and spend the extra few bucks to get a better quality product. Heck, you look in my rollaround and you'll find Craftsman sitting right next to Snap-on.

Jhande,

     Thanks much for the response, exactly the kind of information I was looking for.  Fridge / acquarium pump loud is not a problem - I just wanted to make sure I didn't plunk down $150 on some monster that would shake the timbers.  On migraines, I can sympathize.  Noise doesn't trigger anything for me, but any sudden change in the weather (particularly from sunny to rain) makes one almost inevitable. 

   b/t/w, your numerous other posts in reponse to others' inquiries have been tremendoulsy helpful as well, so double thanks.

 

 

I can only help shed some light with the info that I found from my months of research and listening to all types of compressors.

First of all, super quiet, powerful and cheap don't mix very well. It's a difficult combination to find. Even my local hobby shop had little compressors that "looked" similar. But they cost $399 without the regulator/water trap, max PSI was around 35 or 40 and they were too loud. Actually those compressors you are asking about are the best combination that I could find.

How quite is it? Humm... about like a refrigerator cycling on or a fish tank filter. I had a concussion not too long ago which now causes me to get migraine headaches easily and I can watch TV in the same room while my wife is spraying and I'll fall asleep with no problems. When she vacuums, I have to leave the house. The sewing machine is in another room with the door shut and that still might bother me (just to give you an idea of my noise tolerance).

Can it pump paint through your Paasche VL? I don't see why not.
According to the Paasche specs, if spraying acrylics you would probably be using a #1 or a #3 head with no more than 30 PSI's. Even 60 is a normal T-shirt pressure, they're not recommended for production work, but an occasional seems ok. The compressor in question cranks out a steady 60 PSI (max 80). Don't forget, the lower the PSI while spraying, the higher the CFM's get.

If your like Tim the Toolman Taylor and want just a bit more power, you could always try the Air Shuttle.

Hope that info helps and was kind of what you were looking for.