Best airbrush compressor for $100-$300

EliteModelling wrote:

Hi. I am looking for a airbrush compressor for $100 to $300. I don't want a low quality compressor like the testors mini blue. It does not need to be quiet. I'm interested in German armour and I need to get the right camo that brushes cannot do or rattle cans. Thank you. Adam

You will have to spend upward of $600 USD to get a "quiet" compressor. But most modern airbrush compressors are pretty good in quality and allow you to hold normal conversation in the same room. You just have to do the homework and shop carefully.

You may have to pay a bit more for a compressor in Canada because of shipping and custom fees. I saw the example of a Canadian dealer. The AS-196 compressor at $299 will just fit your budget. The same compressor will sell for US$170 in the US.

If you can buy from a US address and pick the compressor up in person, $300 can get you the Iwata Power Jet Lite or the Sparmax TC-5000 compressor.

Take a look at this Polar Bear 2000.

Zokissima from TO just bought one and should have it by this weekend, or early next week. Watch this thread for his review. 

Bgrigg wrote:

Take a look at this Polar Bear 2000. Zokissima from TO just bought one and should have it by this weekend, or early next week. Watch this thread for his review.

That compressor is sold under many names I believe. The Silentaire Scorpion II is one as well as the Sparmax (I think) and a few others. 

Another good bet is to watch Ebay for items like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Badger-Million-Air-Model-480-1-Silent-Compressor_W0QQitemZ110462022655QQcmdZViewItemQQptZBI_Air_Compressors?hash=item19b80cb3ff

This is the compressor I use and it's excellent and very quiet. 

EliteModelling wrote:

would you recommend both?

The Badger MillionAir 480-1 compressor is rumored to be the same as the Silentaire Super Silent 20A compressor. You can find more detailed info at the Silentaire web site. They are supposed to be imported from Italy. It is a wonderful buy if you can get them for under $300.

From the product brochure at the Silentaire web site, they seem to have change the model (or supplier) of the Scorpion line compressors recently. The newer ones with the "W" in the model number seem to have better spec than the old ones. Verify that before you buy.

EliteModelling wrote:

would you recommend both?

If I were to buy that type of compressor I personally would buy the Silentaire as they would probably back you up better if you have any problems. Ernesto, their compressor tech is from Italy and very knowledgable. I have spoken to him on the phone in the past and he knows his stuff. 

EliteModelling wrote:

Ok I will research the silentair compressors but I don't really need a silent compressor. It can be as loud as jet it just needs to be reliable. People are paying extra cash for a silent compressor. All I need is a reliable compressor and I do think the silentair compressors are reliable but you are paying the extra Hundred dollars to be silent. Is this true or am I just a confused person?

No sure about what you mean by "as loud as jet". Tools or garage compressor are inherently noisier and the oilless ones are even worse. I once tried a Dewalt D55140 tools compressor for airbrushing, thinking that it can double as a general purpose compressor for around the house nailing, framing etc. The 71 dbA noise rating is not too bad for household work, but too loud for me when I try to concentrate on modeling. Also, the Dewalt has plenty of power for airbrushing and too low for framing.

I ended up buying a Paasche DA400 for airbrush and a Sears oiled 1-HP tools compressor for other jobs. (I paid $130 + $80 after waiting for sales.) Most modern airbrush compressor has a noise rating between 55-59 dbA, which is low enough for most modelers in the same room. A loud noise level or the lack of noise spec is a sign of low quality for the airbrush compressor, thus low reliability. I will not buy a loud or hot airbrush compressor.

You will have to 2-3 times more for a whisper quiet compressor. Silentaire provides a handy noise level chart for the users. We can get the Silentaire 20A brand new for less than $500 shipped in the US. Let us know how much it is in Canada.

EliteModelling wrote:

Ok I will research the silentair compressors but I don't really need a silent compressor. It can be as loud as jet it just needs to be reliable. People are paying extra cash for a silent compressor. All I need is a reliable compressor and I do think the silentair compressors are reliable but you are paying the extra Hundred dollars to be silent. Is this true or am I just a confused person?

While Silentaire is known for their whisper quiet compressors, the Scorpion I and II are not "those" compressors. Expect them to be a bit quieter than a vacuum. The more expensive ones are slightly noisier than a fridge.

I'm quite familiar with Karl's (the Doog) work and stand in awe of his talent.

He uses a Badger 150 siphon fed airbrush, which is the airbrush I started with before I bought my 100LG gravity feed. I had the same compressor, as well, which worked pretty well. Mine didn't have an auto shut off valve, and so I upgraded my compressor a few years ago and bought a 3 gallon "pancake" 100psi compressor from the local hardware store.

Depending on the hose, you may need an adapter to reduce it down to fit most vinyl hoses. My Badger braided hose has the correct size (1/4" NPT) end to attach directly to my compressor, though I use an air pressure regulator to control the air flow, and that is what the airbrush connects to. Same fitting! I know people who use even larger compressors. The airbrush doesn't care, as long as the air is dry and oil free. And it's actually the paint that cares about the oil!

I chose the "garage" style compressor to appease SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed), as I can also use it to pump up our bike tires and run a pneumatic nailer. A multi-tasker is better for my use than a uni-tasker!

EliteModelling wrote:

The polar bear 2000 is a two piston compressor and the price is real cheap and it does have very good reviews and ratings! Have you heard of the doog? He is a very good modeler on this site and uses a Badger model 80-2 wich is a very cheap compressor with only one piston but he seems to make very good use of it.

The Doog is a very talented modeler. But I seem to remember that he uses the airbrush in some very special way, such as pulling the trigger fully open all the time. That may be the only way to use a very low powered (1/20 horsepower, diaphram) compressor such as the Badger 80-2. For the same price, you can buy a much more versatile compressor of piston design. The Paasche twin piston DA400 (my compressor) and Paasche D-3000 with tank (Gerald Voight's favorite) come to mind. The Polar Bear 2000 is only $10 more and a good choice too.

Would it be possible to use a compressor from home depot, lows, ect... And just connect a airbrush? I see no difference just size.

The biggest difference is the noise level. If you get a tools compressor, make sure to get one with a regulator that can reduce the pressure at the outlet and get an airbrush filter/regulator for use near your workbench. All of them have plenty of air flow and too much pressure for airbrush. A oiless compressor that is powerful enough for remodeling around the house will set you back close to $300 or more. I define that as nailing without having to wait several seconds inbetween nails. The cheaper ones are good for pumping tire or light duty nailing only. Home Depot and Lowes has good return policy. Try it at home to determine if it is too noisy for your family. If so, you can return it.

At about the same price, an airbrush compressor is a more elegant solution. But it is good for airbrushing only.

i went to my local hobby shop today and they have the testors ac100, ac200, ac500. i dont know if its a good idea to buy a testors compressor. what do you think? the store has a site so i will post it.    http://www.modellerschoice.com/        go to supplys and than go to airbrushing and than compressors. you will see them there. i think they are all only one piston compressors.

I've never heard good things about Testor's compressors, and I think you can get a better quality compressor for less money from almost any of the online airbrush suppliers (Coast Airbrush, Dixie Art and Bear Air).

For instance the AC200 at your LHS is $324.99 and looks suspiciously like the Polar Bear 1000 which is only $119 at Bear Air. The Silent-Aire Scorpion II-TT is only $299.00 at Bear Air, comes with two pistons and a tank!

I'm all for supporting the LHS, but when I can get a comparible compressor online for a bit more than a third of the price, I know what I would do!

EliteModelling wrote:

i went to my local hobby shop today and they have the testors ac100, ac200, ac500. i dont know if its a good idea to buy a testors compressor. what do you think? the store has a site so i will post it.    http://www.modellerschoice.com/        go to supplys and than go to airbrushing and than compressors. you will see them there. i think they are all only one piston compressors.

The Testors Aztek AC100 is one of the low power airbrush compressor on the market. It is an typical single piston design that has limited air flow and relative low pressure. It can work fine with a gravity feed, internal mix airbrush, but not much else. Take out your July 2008 issue of FSM and you can see how it compared with other compressors. Even the cheap BearAir single piston compressor ($120 retail) from China has better performance than the AC200 at 1/3 the price.

See the spec at the Testors site.

The Aztek AC200 is the AC100 with moisture trap. The AC500 is the AC200 with a 0.5 gallon tank. The compressors seem to be well made, but priced 2-3 times more than other equal performance compressors. Again, it all depends on what you can get locally. The Testors price may compare more favorably with others than in the US.

Honestly, after receiving my Polar Bear 2000, I can say that it is a great product, and will server me (keeping my fingers crossed) for many years to come, and will power anything I need.

I will post a full review sometime this week after I've had ample time to use it on one of my current builds.

EliteModelling wrote:

Hi. Can you tell me were you ordered you polarbear 2000? I think in going to get this one. Thank you.

http://www.bearair.com/

EliteModelling wrote:

Thank you! It costs only $7 to ship it over to Canada! It's a really good price for what you get. What air brush should I get? I think bearair gives some good prices on their airbrushes!

I bought the Polar Bear 2000 with the Peak C-5 airbrush combo. Yes, the shipping charge to Canada is reasonable. Alright, downright cheap. But be forewarned (as Bgrigg did this favour for me). Be prepared to pay A LOT for the UPS brokerage fee. To be exact, I paid $87 for the brokerage fee when the item arrived at my door. Which, to be honest with you, didn't make any sense in the world to me, since their site clearly states that the payment amount should have been half of that, based on the value of the item carried. You may wish to contact them and clear that fiasco up prior to ordering.

Having said that, even with the brokerage fee, I ended up with a fantastic product, and an airbrush I am only too pleased with, all for a price that could not be matched for anything I could find locally.

Here is a link to what I purchased. I also suggest you get an extra airhose. The set does come with everything, but I did not order a hose, and had to use one of the shorter ones provided. It is very aggrivating, and I ended up going onto ebay immediately to order a longer one.

 Check out the link, imo, even with the brokerage fee, it is a good price. The airbrush alone retails for $100 USD at the same site.

http://www.bearair.com/Polar-Bear-2000-w_Peak-C-5-Combo/productinfo/660613/

do you enjoy that peak c-5? it looks good! i will purchase a longer hose even if it was long enough. just if the hose breaks. are you on any projects lately?

-Adam