I am not sure what the Jun-Air like I posted sells for nowadays as they don't seem to sell like they used to. I bought mine used for $250 from someone on Ebay. I called a Jun-Air repair place in southern CA and was told that the head assembly like I have is $800 new. [:0]
The most popoular one right now is probably the Silent Air and they run between $700-$900 for one like the Jun-Air picture I posted. These compressors are designed for T-shirt airbrushing really as they have 5-6 gallon tanks on them.
A silent compressor for modeling wouldn't need any more than a 1 or 2 gallon tank and these units tend to be a few hundred dollars cheaper, although still too much for most of us.
I think buying a used one if it is in good condition is the way to go as these compressors if cared for will last 10 years easy.
Keep an eye out at Ebay as I have seen some great deals there at times.
Gip, yes they are still heavy as always because one of the things that makes them so quiet is the heavy, cast iron head on these compressors, along with the oil in the head that cools them. The oil is expensive too and runs $18.50 a bottle from Dixie Art. Jun-air oil costs close to $30 a bottle if I am not mistaken. Talk about ripping off the consumer.
Mike
“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not
to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools
for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know
how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon