Absolute cheapest compressor recomendations?

There are ones that are cheaper, but they're likely going to be crap.

This is the cheapest I'll recommend:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92403 

Another idea is to use a tank you can refill at a gas station, should be enough for one model between refills:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=41712

Don't Ebay, so you'll have to search that by yourself!

Bgrigg wrote:

There are ones that are cheaper, but they're likely going to be crap. This is the cheapest I'll recommend: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92403

I have one very similar to this one which I've had for the past 2 & 1/2 yrs or so now. i believe this one has the adjustable air regulator already installed. Not very loud & runs my Badger 175 quite well.  You'll find them on sale often in the store several times a year.

Eddie 

"Absolute cheapest compressor recomendations?"

Step one: Attach hose to airbrush

Step two: Insert other end of hose in mouth

Step three: Blow vigourously until the model is painted or you pass out

LOL

jwb wrote:

"Absolute cheapest compressor recomendations?" Step one: Attach hose to airbrush Step two: Insert other end of hose in mouth Step three: Blow vigourously until the model is painted or you pass out LOL

Campbell-Hausfield "garage" compressor: $69 

Paasche D500: $107

Silentaire DR500: $629 

Image of Jon passed out after spit painting a B-29: Priceless! 

Bgrigg wrote:

jwb wrote: "Absolute cheapest compressor recomendations?" Step one: Attach hose to airbrush Step two: Insert other end of hose in mouth Step three: Blow vigourously until the model is painted or you pass out LOL Campbell-Hausfield "garage" compressor: $69  Paasche D500: $107 Silentaire DR500: $629  Image of Jon passed out after spit painting a B-29: Priceless!

If you wanna get excrement for your moneym buy the Mighty Mini. It's so mighty, that it makes my airbrush spit paint at mid position (Aztek dbl action, mid air, mid paint, did make sure that paint was thinned properly).

for 50 bucks, you get a lot. an A270 (I understand that you have that already though), some paint and the Mighty Mini, not to mention a pair of blown out ears.that thing sounds like it can grind coffee, possibly rocks. Oh yeah, it does work with badger brushes, with or w/o the adapter/regulator fitting. w/o, then you will experience unimaginable shock in the middle of your painting session because when the compressor heats up, the mount for the hose will expand causing the hose to come shooting out.

in other words, I'd go with something else

hey, does anyone know if the 5gallon tank mentioned above can fit aztek brushes? it's silent, and where I am going this summer for the next four years, silence is golden.

Jin,

The tank comes with a 1/2" NPT fitting, you should be able to get an adapter to fit any airbrush. 

The Campbell Hausfield is about the cheapest you can get and still get a quality air compressor. It does work well with just about any DA or SA airbrush. Here in Okieville our Wal Marts sell them for around $50.00.

Air Master

AirMaster wrote:

The Campbell Hausfield is about the cheapest you can get and still get a quality air compressor. It does work well with just about any DA or SA airbrush. Here in Okieville our Wal Marts sell them for around $50.00. Air Master

I would recommend putting a fan near them to keep them cool as they have a tendency to die young when worked very hard.  

Wow, everyone is worried about noise lol. I believe I use a industrial 4 gal. 2hp compressor lol, it is loud for a min. but then with the regulator, it can do a whole model without recharging.

Guess what! I can do car tires and airguns with it too!

Noise they say....;) 

Anthony14 wrote:

Wow, everyone is worried about noise lol. I believe I use a industrial 4 gal. 2hp compressor lol, it is loud for a min. but then with the regulator, it can do a whole model without recharging. Guess what! I can do car tires and airguns with it too!   Noise they say....;)

Sacriledge I say!!

Before I semi-retired in 1991, I had a Badger airbrush and tried using the cans of propellant.  They gave poor results and cost a lot, so I decided to do what someone (forget who) recommended - I hooked my airbrush up to an old spare tire that didn't have enough tread any more.  I never got a chance to use it, so I don't have any idea how well it would have worked.  But it sure was cheaper than buying a compressor - and at the time the cheapest I could find was around $120.

alumni72 wrote:

Before I semi-retired in 1991, I had a Badger airbrush and tried using the cans of propellant.  They gave poor results and cost a lot, so I decided to do what someone (forget who) recommended - I hooked my airbrush up to an old spare tire that didn't have enough tread any more.  I never got a chance to use it, so I don't have any idea how well it would have worked.  But it sure was cheaper than buying a compressor - and at the time the cheapest I could find was around $120.

I did use the spare tire to use my badger airbrush as well back in the days (well, I was only 13 at that time) and it worked pretty well.  Only problem was that I never had enough air to finish a model before the refill.  I read an article in one of the modeling magazines in Korea that some people build their own air compressors by using old refridgerators' compressors.  Again, this was a common practice in some parts of the world due to pricing/availability of modeling tools.