Compressor Suggestions?

john087

Not to thread jack, but for those of you with the Harbor Freight compressor, I have a question.

I saw in an eariler post that it comes with an optional 1/4"male in - 3/8" male out.  How do you removed the factory fitting to install the adapter.  I want to use my nicer hose but it has the 3/8" female fitting.

With the regulator/trap assemble plastic and the fitting brass, it looks like it is sealed some how.  I used a 13 or 14mm wrench and the sucker wouldnt budge. I didn't want to crack the regulater.

 Thanks!

 

John

I just looked at mine and I attached the coiled air hose that came with the compressor to the regulator outlet and then attached an adaptor to transition from the coiled hose to my Paasche H hose (not sure of the fitting sizes).

For John087: Don't worry about the thread jacking thing. I would call that contributing. I can tell you what I would do, and maybe that will help. If you look at the photo I posted earlier in this thread of my H.F. compressor you can see that I left the quick disconnect on the compressor, just like it came out of the box. I then used a 1/4 NPT male q.d. fitting in the input side of the filter (right into the fitting that's already in the filter) so it just plugs into the compressor. I then  added a 1/4 NPT male to male coupler in  the output side, right into the adaptor that's already in the filter when you buy it, and screwed another female q.d. cooupler into that (all that can be seen in the photo). If I were you, I'd do it the same way and then get a 3/8 female to 1/4 male adaptor and put that on the end of my airbrush hose. Then you attach a 1/4 female to male q.d. fitting to the end of that adaptor and it will plug right into the q.d. connector on the output side of the filter. That way you can just unplug your airbrush hose when not in use, and if you want to use the compressor for anything else it's all set with the q.d. coupler from the factory.

A little off topic here icer22x but I couldn't help but notice a distinct resemblance in your avatar and the truss rod cover on my Carvin DC-127 guitar.

Nice Mike! The Punisher is my favorite comic book hero. He lacks super powers/fancy gadgets yet he still is able to rid evil. Just a man and his arsenal.

icer22x

 That AC-500 only has a 2.5L tank on it. That's ALMOST a gallon. I have zero experience with air depletion when using an airbrush, but say I get my Badger 105, how long would it take to deplete a 2.5L tank of air while just holding down the trigger? I'm trying to see if I should get a cheaper tank-less compressor and just buy a bigger tank for it.

Here are some numbers from a Revell Master Class unit, which is a re-branded Sparmax unit with the same spec as the AC-500. These numbers will be similar for most compressors with the same HP rating & tank size.

The variable here will be the airbrush & nozzle size used, as one manufacturers 0.? nozzle set will not have the same flow as another's 0.? one. These figures come from a H&S airbrush with the 0.2 & 0.4mm nozzle sets - for what it's worth I would imagine that the 105 would be somewhere between the two (all figures for 20psi output);

25 Seconds to fill from empty,

55 Seconds to restart with 0.2mm nozzle set,

15 Seconds to restart with 0.4mm nozzle set,

8 seconds from restart to full (no flow),

2 Min. 35 Seconds to drain tank to 20psi with 0.2mm nozzle set,

45 Seconds to drain tank to 20psi on 0.4mm nozzle set,

18 Seconds from 20psi to refill (no flow).

These figures can only be used as an approximation, as your airbrush, nozzle size & usage will have a fair impact on performance, these figure were also worked with the compressor gages, which although accurate enough for their intended use, are not perfect. As a rough idea, I do mainly 1/72 large aircraft & spend most of my time working with an 0.2mm nozzle set at 20psi. Also remember that for any given job or session that you will only be using the airbrush for a percentage of that time, between start/stop, moving parts, paint changes & fiddling I would say that I am only on the trigger 50% of the time on average

On the question of noise, this compressor isn't by any means silent, but it is not noisy. I keep mine in a kitchen type cupboard, & it's pretty quiet in the room it's being used in & cant be hear anywhere else in the house.

icer22x

Keilau: Nice thread! That's what I am leaning more towards. No sense in spending $100 more for a 2.5L tank. I'd rather get the TC-2000 and get used to it first. If I feel I need a tank later on, I can always get some brass tubing.

Where did you get that tank by the way?

I got the tank as a surplus item on Ebay for $10. But I ended up spending a lot more on fittings, tubings etc. The most difficult part to find was the check valve. Not recommended unless you enjoy it as a project by itself.

If I were to do it again, I will just buy the cheap $40 compressor at Habor Freight and replace the compressor with the quiet dual piston unit and keep everything else. The TCPGlobal also sells a tank add-on kit (or they use to) for about $40. Either way, you get all the parts you need at one place.

If you are getting the TC-2000, it has plenty of steady airflow for the Badger 105 and another airbrush simutaneously. I have the Patriot fine nozzle, but don't use it much. My go-to airbrush for modeling is the Iwata HP-CS that I also got from Hobby Lobby. I like the Harder Steenbeck Evolution Silverliner too. I have a Badger Krome, but have not had much time to try it out thoroughly yet. All four of the above mentioned are good choice for modeling.

Milairjunkie

icer22x:

 That AC-500 only has a 2.5L tank on it. That's ALMOST a gallon. I have zero experience with air depletion when using an airbrush, but say I get my Badger 105, how long would it take to deplete a 2.5L tank of air while just holding down the trigger? I'm trying to see if I should get a cheaper tank-less compressor and just buy a bigger tank for it.

 

Here are some numbers from a Revell Master Class unit, which is a re-branded Sparmax unit with the same spec as the AC-500. These numbers will be similar for most compressors with the same HP rating & tank size.

The variable here will be the airbrush & nozzle size used, as one manufacturers 0.? nozzle set will not have the same flow as another's 0.? one. These figures come from a H&S airbrush with the 0.2 & 0.4mm nozzle sets - for what it's worth I would imagine that the 105 would be somewhere between the two (all figures for 20psi output);

25 Seconds to fill from empty,

55 Seconds to restart with 0.2mm nozzle set,

15 Seconds to restart with 0.4mm nozzle set,

8 seconds from restart to full (no flow),

2 Min. 35 Seconds to drain tank to 20psi with 0.2mm nozzle set,

45 Seconds to drain tank to 20psi on 0.4mm nozzle set,

18 Seconds from 20psi to refill (no flow).

These figures can only be used as an approximation, as your airbrush, nozzle size & usage will have a fair impact on performance, these figure were also worked with the compressor gages, which although accurate enough for their intended use, are not perfect. As a rough idea, I do mainly 1/72 large aircraft & spend most of my time working with an 0.2mm nozzle set at 20psi. Also remember that for any given job or session that you will only be using the airbrush for a percentage of that time, between start/stop, moving parts, paint changes & fiddling I would say that I am only on the trigger 50% of the time on average

On the question of noise, this compressor isn't by any means silent, but it is not noisy. I keep mine in a kitchen type cupboard, & it's pretty quiet in the room it's being used in & cant be hear anywhere else in the house.

Very interesting observations. It pits my curiosity and make me do some test with my Paasche DA400 compressor with a home-added 1-gallon tank.

It has the same size motor and dual piston as the Revell Master Class and the Iwata Powerjet, all of which came from the same Sparmax factory in Taiwan. The Paasche, being a older model, has a higher 75 psi on and 93 psi off auto setting. This is quite a bit higher than most current compressors at typical 60-45 psi off-on setting.

Here are the timings: All airbrush set at 20 psi with a remote regulator.

5 minutes to fill to 93 psi from empty,

65 Seconds to restart at 75 psi with 0.2mm nozzle set (H&S Evolution),

51 Seconds to restart with 0.21mm nozzle set (Badger Krome),

42 Seconds to restart with 0.5mm nozzle set (Badger 105 Fine),

48 seconds from restart to full (75 to 93 psi no flow),

4 Min. 25 Seconds to drain tank to 20psi with 0.2mm nozzle set (H&S Evolution),

2 Min. 40 Seconds to drain tank to 20psi with 0.5mm nozzle set (Badger 105 Fine),

4 minutes from 20psi to full (no flow).

Some may notice that I left out my favorite Iwata HP-CS with 0.35mm nozzle. Yes, I measured it too. The timing was 30 seconds to restart and 1:43 minutes to 20 psi. These numbers seemed too quick. I heard hissing sound when I bring the CS closer to my ear which indicates a leak somewhere, like the trigger or connector. Well, back to bench for cleaning.

I was obviously aware of the fact that a larger needle/nozzle combination have a higher flow rate than smaller ones, but I was quite surpised to what degree!

Milairjunkie

I was obviously aware of the fact that a larger needle/nozzle combination have a higher flow rate than smaller ones, but I was quite surpised to what degree!

I am surprised how small the change in time with different nozzle diameters.

The Patriot's 0.5mm nozzle is 6 times larger than the 0.2mm nozzle of the Evolution in openning area. But the Patriot did not drop the pressure anywhere near 6 times faster. It is more like only 40% faster. Obviously, how far back the needle retracts is a factor.

I don't know what all this numbers you and I measured mean. It tells me that a small 1-gallon tank does not reduce the number of motor on-off of a compressor that much if the compressor has auto on-off to begin with. I also found the the airflow from these dual piston compressors to be very steady and the tank did not improve the performance in that regard.

I was thinking about this & asking myself why does the 0.4 use nearly 4 times as much air as the 0.2, as it's only twice the size & should only use twice as much.................

Being a dumb ass I was looking at the difference in nozzle diameter rather than nozzle area, the 0.4 having 4 times the area of the 0.2. So 15 seconds for an 0.4 compared to 55 seconds for an 0.2 reasonably represents the larger nozzle set's size & consequent flow rate.

keilau

 

If I were to do it again, I will just buy the cheap $40 compressor at Habor Freight and replace the compressor with the quiet dual piston unit and keep everything else.

Which compressor is this? I found a $60 one on their website. But nothing cheaper.

The Harbor Freight $40 compressor is lot #95275, but you need a coupon to get that price. You can usually find the coupon in magazines like Car Craft or Hot Rod, and sometimes they'll be in the mail flyers. If you want to get one and can't find the coupon I have one that expires 10/26/11. Contact me by clicking on the "start a conversation"  button of this post and I'll get your info and mail you the coupon.

icer22x

keilau:

If I were to do it again, I will just buy the cheap $40 compressor at Habor Freight and replace the compressor with the quiet dual piston unit and keep everything else.

 

 Which compressor is this? I found a $60 one on their website. But nothing cheaper.

Gary Lee answered your question af HF directly.

Here is another $40 option at Northern Tool. You can try the compressor as is. If you want more powerful motor, then, replace the compressor with the dual piston one. Not bad for $40.

Wow thanks Gary. Great suggestion too. I think I am going to go with that strategy. Airbrush + the Northern Tool compressor. That way I already have a tank and compressor to use and if I want to the TC2000 later, I can purchase that and transfer it onto this 3/4 gallon tank. Excellent idea I do say.

Plus, both comments are 5 stars. One buyer actually uses it for airbrushing models and loves it.

Icer:  The northern tool suggestion wasn't me. Normally I try to hog all the credit I can get but not on this forum. This is the first time I've seen that particular unit. It sure does look good, though. I hope you'll post a thorough review if you get one. And in case anyone's interested, I just ordered the brand spankin' new 1/32 scale Heinkel HE 111 Revell kit from Europe. I'll do a thorough in the box review as soon as it gets here (with photos of course) because I know a lot of guys have been waiting for this kit.

I definitely will post a review on it. I've just ordered that and my BRAND NEW BADGER VELOCITY! I switched to that instead of a 105 - did more research on it. :)

You all will get a review of this cheapo compressor when I get it. From the reviews on the site (both from "professionals"), they gave it 5 stars. One was a modeler. So I am excited.

This is a forum I actually FEEL like contributing back too. :)

icer22x

I definitely will post a review on it. I've just ordered that and my BRAND NEW BADGER VELOCITY! I switched to that instead of a 105 - did more research on it. :)

Did you consider the Badger Krome instead? Here is some background of it.

You know that both the Velocity and the Krome use very fine (0.2mm) nozzle and are designed for artists in mind. Good for modeling too, but you need to be patient with the paint release.

You all will get a review of this cheapo compressor when I get it. From the reviews on the site (both from "professionals"), they gave it 5 stars. One was a modeler. So I am excited.

This is a forum I actually FEEL like contributing back too. :)

Note the dates of those 2 reviews? Wait to give us your own take of this shipment. At the low cost tools site, the product may be from a different source in China each time. Hope that this is as good as the older ones. But for $40, what could have gone wrong, right?

When you get it, turn it on and check around for leaks. Most of time, it just needs some tightening and the compressor will work fine.

garylee

Icer:  The northern tool suggestion wasn't me. Normally I try to hog all the credit I can get but not on this forum. This is the first time I've seen that particular unit. It sure does look good, though. I hope you'll post a thorough review if you get one. And in case anyone's interested,

Who know whether this $40 compressor with tank is a wonderful deal or a dog! Better not to get the credit for bringing it up.

keilau

 

You know that both the Velocity and the Krome use very fine (0.2mm) nozzle and are designed for artists in mind. Good for modeling too, but you need to be patient with the paint release.

 

The fine nozzle is what attracted me to it. If you've ever seen SMConsortium's channel on YouTube, he uses the Velocity for a majority of his modeling (scale and figures). Here has this massive (11 part?) video walk-through of him assembling a Tamiya Corsair. Here's the link for those who are interested:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SMConsortium#p/u/43/bBspb4kO6L0

I watched him demo his Velocity and I was happy with the amount of paint that you're able to spray with the trigger pulled all the way back. He also uses the Velocity on that build and came with amazing results.

icer22x

keilau:

You know that both the Velocity and the Krome use very fine (0.2mm) nozzle and are designed for artists in mind. Good for modeling too, but you need to be patient with the paint release.

 

The fine nozzle is what attracted me to it. If you've ever seen SMConsortium's channel on YouTube, he uses the Velocity for a majority of his modeling (scale and figures). Here has this massive (11 part?) video walk-through of him assembling a Tamiya Corsair. Here's the link for those who are interested:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SMConsortium#p/u/43/bBspb4kO6L0

I watched him demo his Velocity and I was happy with the amount of paint that you're able to spray with the trigger pulled all the way back. He also uses the Velocity on that build and came with amazing results.

The choice of an airbrush is often personal. The Badger Velocity is definitely a very good airbrush for modeling. The skilled modeler can use almost any airbrush and get excellent results.

For years, I watch the Bret Green's Testors Scale Workshop and is facinated with his work. I bought an Aztek A4709 kit in 2008, but got rid of if within a few months. It just did not work for me.

I got an Iwata Eclipse HP-CS from the local Hobby Lobby because it is cheap and easy to get parts. It is my main modeling airbrush since. I also found that this airbrush helped me to build up skill faster. Obviously, it got me to feel more attached to it emotionally.

I also saw the wonderful video by Phil Flory who uses an Harder & Steenbeck Evolution with 0.2mm nozzle. I bought one of the H&S, but still use the Iwata most of the time for modeling.

I also have the Badger Patriot Fine and Krome. All are wonderful tools for modeling. Let us know how you like the compressor and airbrush after you use them for awhile. Good luck and have fun.

Wow, thanks for that link! I've been searching for SOMEONE who uses Testors paints in airbrushes. It seems everywhere I look, people are either using Tamiya or Vallejo. Testors for me, like your airbrush, is more of a personal/emotional attachment. I've grown accustom to their color names and have been afriad to switch because I don't know what Testors Dark Brown is in Tamiya or Vallejo (among other colors). Besides, they've always been good paints for me. I'm interested to see how they handle in an airbrush.

icer22x

Wow, thanks for that link! I've been searching for SOMEONE who uses Testors paints in airbrushes. It seems everywhere I look, people are either using Tamiya or Vallejo. Testors for me, like your airbrush, is more of a personal/emotional attachment. I've grown accustom to their color names and have been afriad to switch because I don't know what Testors Dark Brown is in Tamiya or Vallejo (among other colors). Besides, they've always been good paints for me. I'm interested to see how they handle in an airbrush.

Cautions about using Testors Model Master Acrylic in airbrush:

1. It should be thinned. Do not believe Testors recommendation that it can be airbrushed out of the bottle.
2. Use Testors brand of thinner only. It can gump up with other brand of thinner.

I use acrylic only in airbrush because I do not have a spray booth. I had the MM acrylic gumped up one time, but was able to limit the damage since I mix paint in small plastic cups first. Wow.

This is one of the color conversion charts and you can find many more that includes Testors paints.

I still use Testors MM, but ofter need other brands for some of the colors.

Hey Icer,

I hear ya on being attached to Testor's paint. Me too. The color reference chart is cool, but I've got one you're gonna love. Go to www.paint4models and play around in there for a while. It's free and it allows you to cross reference between brands. The best part is that if you click on a particular brand you can drag it around, so say you're kit lists only Humbrol colors and you want to use MM, all you do is drag the Humbrol column next to the MM column and there they are, side by side for conversion. You can use the chart at the site or download it. I don't think there's a charge to download, but I know for sure that using the chart at the site is free. Let me know how you like it.

Once again, I screwed up the link. try this: www.paint4models.com

One more thing about paint4models: if you download the chart it's not the same chart as you get when you use it at the site. It still works, but you can't move the columns so it can be a lot more work. I usually just use it right at the site.

Keilau: Thanks for the warning. I would never just pour the paint into my airbrush from the jar anyway. But about the thinner - I can't even use distilled water on their acrylics? I've heard distilled water or IP alcohol work as good thinners for acrylics. But this was for Tamiya. Bleh that sucks... I was wanting to avoid spending money on acrylic thinners when I could just use water or IP.

Gary: The funny thing is I linked that same chart the other day in this forum. Haha Thanks though! :)

icer22x

Keilau: Thanks for the warning. I would never just pour the paint into my airbrush from the jar anyway. But about the thinner - I can't even use distilled water on their acrylics? I've heard distilled water or IP alcohol work as good thinners for acrylics. But this was for Tamiya. Bleh that sucks... I was wanting to avoid spending money on acrylic thinners when I could just use water or IP.

 

I have never used a company's thinner with any paint as it's unnecessary. Try your own thinners first before wasting good money on overpriced thinners. Iso alcohol or ethyl alcohol works fine for me usually. I have not tried the newest MM Acryl paints as I too use Tamiya but I had no problems a few years back with Acryl when I used it.

Acryll can be some strange stuff. Open one bottle and it's already thin as water, open the next and it's so thick you could turn it into 4 bottles. And then there's all the ones in between. I've thinned it with distilled water, or even tap water, with no problems but normally I use Testors Acryll thinner. I don't use alcohol with it, it dries to quickly as it is.

This spring my Iwata Sprint Jet quit building pressure so I went over to Harbor Freight and got one of their 1/5 horsepower airbrush compressors and it works great. A small bonus was, it came with an extra compression ring which is what failed in my Iwata and they're exactly the same. Also, the Harbor Freight has auto shutoff. Came with a free airbrush too. hehe

Tony

Hey Icer,

You and I talked briefly the other day about seams, so I thought I'd let you know I bought one of those seam scrapers from Micro-Mark (Item #80801) and I just tried it out on this FW 190. It works great. I used it as a first step and then I just needed a couple passes with a medium and then a fine sanding stick and I do believe with a little primer the seam won't show at all. My little Kodak doesn't have the best resolution, but maybe this will give you some idea.

Tony: I bought one of those cheap $12 airbrushes from Harbor Freight and it makes a pretty good primer gun. Saves wear and tear on the Iwata, ya know?

garylee

Hey Icer,

You and I talked briefly the other day about seams, so I thought I'd let you know I bought one of those seam scrapers from Micro-Mark (Item #80801) and I just tried it out on this FW 190. It works great. I used it as a first step and then I just needed a couple passes with a medium and then a fine sanding stick and I do believe with a little primer the seam won't show at all. My little Kodak doesn't have the best resolution, but maybe this will give you some idea.

That's impressive, did you use CA or cement for the fuelage bond?