Need help identifying compressor and need advice on new stuff

LOL No, but I READ the articles and have great recall!

You can probably let it run for ten minutes or so without it seizing up. My first compressor was similar to yours ('cept mine was a Brown) and it got REALLY hot, but never seized. I bought a foot switch for mine so I didn't have to keep flicking the switch. Tap the foot to turn on, spray a bit, tap the foot to turn off, etc. The foot switch I bought was a heavier duty style and had the ground plug, but I can't find a link to it. 

It's a fact of life that paint gets left behind in place you don't want it to. That's one reason I tend to build similar kits at the same time and try to group my painting so I don't waste so much.  I use the small diameter drinking straws and cut them to 3" lengths. Then I dip one end into the thinned paint, cover the other end with your finger and let the vacuum hold the paint. Then I just chuck out the straw! Still wastes paint, but saves time washing up.

Bgrigg, do you write articles for magazines like FineScale?  You're just a wealth of information

So I have this thing running with my shiny new Badger 150. One thing though, you were right in that it gets really hot. I've been turning it off after 4-5 minutes of continuous running in fear I might damage it (not like it'd put me out in money, but it'd be inconvenient). Am I being paranoid and can leave it on a bit longer without it blowing up?

Also, is it normal that I am losing a bit of paint transferring it around to mix it up or thin it? Every time I want a couple drops of paint, I use an eye dropper. But then paint gets up in there and lines the inside and there goes that much paint for a couple drops. Then cleaning those eye droppers is a real pain. Especially, I'm using those little 1/4 bottles, so they run out fast!

I ordered some MM from testors.com though, so I only have to suffer these little things a little longer. Testors seems to be a little slow on shipping, it's been a couple days now and they haven't even sent it out yet.

 Thanks again for the advice.

Blaise

Blaise,

Regulators are important, as you'll need to control the amount of airflow. Very important for detail work. If you've ever tried spraying into a small area at high pressure you'll understand what I mean. The moisture trap is less important as the compressor you have would have a hard time squeezing the water out of the air. But if you live in a humid environment it's more likely to have water in the line. Water and paint do not look good together.

You don't have to buy expensive regulators and moisture trap from hobby stores. Check out Harbor Freight or some such discounter of tools. I bought both for less than $20.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90590

For some reason my search powers aren't working for a moisture trap, but here's a combo unit:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43242 

Added some stuff about paint!

As for paints, Testors enamels are tried and true paints and will work just fine.

IMHO I find acrylics slightly better for airbrushing. Since they also only require soap and water for cleanup, they are my paints of choice.

Thanks a ton for the great info!

 Do I need a regulator and watertrap for my compressor? Are they things I can pick up from my local auto finishing store? (like I said, our hobby shop just closed)

 Also, as a quick note, should I be looking into better paints (in terms of quality) than the Testor enamels I have now?

Blaise,

I suggest doing a search for Airbrushes on the forums, there have been hundreds of posts about which is the best. And I'll just end up repeating what has been said before. I'm a fan of Badger airbrushes (I have both a 150, 100LG and 350 clone), and so I'm biased. I know Paasche make good airbrushes. Personally I find the handles a bit too thick for my hands.

I've already posted Dixie Art for a good source of airbrushes and compressors, and I will point out that they have free shipping within the US on orders over $50. BTW the Paasche VL set with 3 needles, hose, color cup and bottles is only $68 there, and includes shipping!

There is little incentive for buying a D500. You'll just end up with a new and shiny beginner compressor, so save your money for kits! A good intermediate compressor will likely ding you more than $200. Myself? I use an El Cheapo brand garage style compressor with a 3 gallon pancake tank. Noisy as all get out, but it lives outside in a box so doesn't bother me at all. The bigger the tank means the less the compressor has to work. I'm planning on replacing mine eventually with at least a 10 gallon tank in the future.

Thanks for the info!

I'm thinking about getting a Paasche VL Set off Ebay for around $70. Would that be a good choice with this tank for now? Later could I get a Paasche D500?

That's an old Paasche Air 1/10HP compressor, the forerunner to the more modern looking D500. It's an adequate compressor and it should put out between 20-25PSI. You'll need to get a fitting to reduce the output to whatever your Testor AB requires. One problem with that style of compressor is that they have to work pretty hard to power an airbrush for very long. They get quite hot! They are also a very simple diaphragm compressor which will cause pulsations in the airflow. Those pulses will limit you to fairly large areas and fine lines will be very difficult to control.

I consider it to be a decent starter compressor, until you save up enough money to buy a larger, more comprehensive model.

Check out http://www.dixieart.com/ for airbrushes and compressors. They also stock hoses, fittings and instructional books and videos for the beginner.