Choosing The Right Airbrush Compressor
December 9, 2014 by warzan
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I had to stop watching… You can use a real (oil-free) compressor if you have one. The only real downside is the hellish noise. If you need to buy one and the noise is not an issue, a real compressor is probably still a better deal. You can also put outside and just run the hose in. Unlike the weeny desktop variants, real compressors come with a large air tank. The compressor builds pressure in the tank and only runs when the pressure drops below a set limit. So in effect mine runs maybe every 30 minutes when I’m painting.… Read more »
It’s a pity you stopped watching you will never know know if I said exactly the same thing at the end of the video 😉
Beware the Dunning–Kruger effect – things that come easy to you may not be already in the minds of others – and sometimes we may not have the skills to diagnose an issue if we set stuff up wrong 🙂
RIGHT! I finally found it. The cheapest of the cheap set ups.
This is how I started. This is Buypainted’s video on a $20 Airbrush start up.
Buy making a compressor out of a car tire. Please don’t be discouraged buy the blurry letters at the end, this is what you want, for the blending of color etc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0rCXW2sjq4&list=UUsVtZ8SRClYf4tPzy8HjNtA
Oh, that reminds me, I need an in-line moisture trap for my airbrush. Once I’ve been using it for more than 15 minutes, it starts blasting out water even though the there’s very little in the compressor’s water trap. To Anarchy!
Yep, as mentioned in one of the other videos, you can have water build up in the hose, so its always a good idea to have an inline moisture trap at the end, even if the compressor has one.
My 50 Liter Compressor can give me up to 2 hours of painting before topping up. The trick is to turn the thing off. I don’t let the tank keep auto topping unless it actually get close to dropping past the pressure I need. Also big normal compressors store colder air. Some desk compressors can blow out some really hot air sometimes. AND! I will say this now, if sound is an issue. Those desk compressors though not as loud can be annoying with there more frequent sound and may actually annoy other people around more than a single one… Read more »
How long does it have to run for to fill the tank?
A question about pressure: if running a brush at 15PSI (Vallejo website says to use 10-15PSI for Model Air), will you get a consistent 15PSI output until the tank pressure drops to 15PSI?
Yes, but you need a regulator. The way it works is this.
The tank holds normally about 120 PSI, but the regulator sits between the brush and the tank and only lets 15psi out. As long as the pressure inside the tank is higher than the setting of the regulator you get 15psi
Also Vallejo states 15psi for a 0.5mm tip I believe, most fancy airbrushes come with smaller tips (that I recommend replacing to a 0.5 for starters)
Personally I blast undiluted air out a 30 psi. (because I’m lazy :P)
I said this on another thread, and purely talking from my own experience here, but Iwata Neo’s are awful. Bought one as a 2nd airbrush to go alongside my Badger Patriot 105, I spent more time cleaning / adjusting to try and make it work than actually painting with it.
(Oh and Badger also have lifetime warranties too 😉 )
I’m wondering if it was the tip difference you were noticing, Neo’s come with a very unique shape 0.35mm tip, this requires a lot of thinning, Cake decorators use them with eatable ink. The badger by default has a 0.5mm, better suited to miniature painting.
I and a couple of my mates have used Neo’s with no issues, so i’m not sure why you had issues, maybe more thinning as Zezadecio said.
Do the Airbrushes our the compressor come with the hose that connect them our do you have to buy that extra?
Compressors come with hoses (mostly) and you can get different types!
Its too bad the question of air compressors didn’t include some discussion around entry level purchases. Believe me, I understand getting what you pay for, but I’d tend to agree with what @maxxon said in his post. I have a Campbell Hausfeld compressor (2 gallon tank) that I use for small chores in the garage (filling car tires for example). I don’t find the noise on the compressor problematic (certainly if I was in an apartment, I’d feel differently). I plan on using that for my initial entry into airbrushing (likely getting a Bagder Patriot 105 AB). I hope this… Read more »
Yup I’m with you on this, as we find out more we’ll keep reporting back 🙂
But if really would like to see/try these things before recommending them, I am very cautious on the safety/quality thing at the moment.
Of course big boys from hardware stores are fine (they push air after all) but ultimately that will come down to space and noise etc.
We have a big boy and under no circumstances would I be allowed to run it in the house 🙁
I guess it depends on how big your “big boy” is … 🙂 😉
I am sorry i am like Maxxon i had to stop watching…..this really got my goat as a ex youtuber i have tried my very best to introduce people to this art form and to show people that it is NOT only for the rich and elitist hobbyist of which came to it pinnacle at Grumpy Con when i must have converted five people in row, By watching this i feel Brian has just turned a large amount of people back to the old ways of thinking (that it is only for the rich) and i am sorry £400 just… Read more »
Perhaps the issue here is that Brian has no experience of a successfully cheap set-up that he can recommend. He can only speak about what he feels will provide a good experience for a beginner, and he did mention the £50 brush as an intro (bringing the total budget down to £300). If you (or anyone else ) have a reliable way to get a good set-up at a lower price, please share it. I’d love to try airbrushing, but I can’t afford to drop £300+ on something I might not use much. I also can’t afford to drop £100+… Read more »
I’d like to belive that but he sells the bloody things so you’d think he’d have an idea. lol
Brian is talking about what he is familiar with, the range he sells. I don’t see that as a problem, he hasnt tried to hide that fact at all, and wee are free to carry on the discussion here for other options, which is just as important.
A good quality airbrush and a compressor with a tank (even the cheaper AS ones on ebay) is enough for anyone to get started. I’d say you need £50 for a brush, and £75 max for a cheap compressor, but spending a bit more usually gets a quieter one.
Oh don’t get me wrong. My tongue was firmly in my cheek when I typed that. 🙂
I don’t feel any the wiser after watching the video and reading the comments lol. I have an airbrush (a Sotar 2020-2F from Badger) and am looking to get a compressor. If I have to pay £250 for it then I won’t be buying it any time soon. On the other hand, nor do I want one which will either fall apart or not perform. Noise is a concern as I’ll be painting indoors in a small room and if its loud it’ll annoy the missus. Anyone got any suggestions?
How’s your DIY?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jOcLdZXRRs
Abysmally bad.
that looks sort of dodgy
Yup I feel your pain, I’m hoping we can start to test some out to give in idea of what works. I’m hoping to try out some of the cheaper ones to see. But as you can imagine it’s not possible to recommend what hasn’t been tried. Iwata and co do some ‘entry level’ stuff too. My chief concern (probably even more than quality) on the import stuff is safety these are pressurised tanks, how dangerous are they really, and how common is it for safety marks to be faked? So hopefully over the coming months we can find out.… Read more »
You could try rubber matting for the noise reducing most of the noise will be the hole think vibrating on the floor / hard surfaces.
hole thing vibrating not think.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Airbrush-Compressor-Kit-Large-Tank-Nail-Tatoo-Art-Nailart-Air-Brush-Gun-AS-186/400745289401?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D28111%26meid%3D9b8304c6a20a4e059c5418c05f0d2dc9%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D11472%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D200600974912&rt=nc
wtf why my reply pops out in random places?
I use a sparmax compressor from everything airbrush, 2.5 litre tank, reasonably quiet, I run 2 airbrushes off mine and its been doing that for 4 years without any problems at all. Not cheap, at about £150, but great. The cheap ones of ebay work OK for what most beginners would be doing, that is a few minutes spraying here and there, just get one with a tank. Ans I still recommend the Harder and Steenbeck ultra as a beginners airbrush. £50, The reason is that every single part is easily replaceable, they are easily stripped and cleaned and if… Read more »
I agree completely with everything in your post. 🙂
Thanks.
The AB compressors in your post will do fine for anyone getting into airbrushing.
One of those with a tank is a FAR better option than a brand name diaphragm compressor without a tank.
Haven’t had a chance to watch the vid as i’m at work but going off the picture used i’m going to say that Brian says get an Iwata compressor…?
Wouldn’t touch one of those if my life depended on it. Far to expensive, under powered and under specced.
If you want a decent set up for not that much money then this is ideal… https://www.everythingairbrush.com/special-offers/ab-as-186-airbrushing-kit-with-ultra-airbrush.html
This is the set I got… https://www.everythingairbrush.com/special-offers/ab-as-186-airbrushing-kit-with-infinity-crplus-2-in-1-airbrush.html
Personally I would have gone for a Sparmak 610 but as they weren’t in stock I had to go for a cheap AS186 setup…
He didn’t say to buy an Iowata over another brand. He did say not to buy a shit compressor that won’t do the job.
Fair enough. 🙂 As I said, I haven’t had the chance to watch it yet. I will when I get home. 🙂
I only mentioned the Iwatasas the videos usually invole whatever is in the pictures. 🙂
I’m working with one at the moment, I don’t understand your underpowered statement, if it says a particular pressure on the gauge is that not what you get?
And really how much power do you need to drive an airbrush, is there such a thing as wasted power?
Sorry. By underpowered I mean that their max psi isn’t as high as other cheaper compressors. Now I admit that i’m going off reviews that i’ve read/watched rather than personal experience, but it’s cropped up several times. I’d rather have more psi and not use it – than not have it and need it. Why would I pay twice the amount for a compressor that doesn’t come with a tank and can’t get as high a psi..? ( And don’t say that some of the Iwatas come with tanks as they hold practically nothing and don’t count. :p ) But… Read more »
I would imagine this really comes into play for the shotgun type attachments?
I think these type of purchases have to take a balance of budget with noise, footprint, usage type etc.
If you have a garage I can’t see why a big hardware store compressor would be an issue, however if your in your bedroom or dining room then perhaps a big noisy compressor is not an option.
It has given me a cool idea for comparing the noise of each though 🙂
That was meant to say air gun lol
I understand what you mean about the noise of the industrial ones. Those can be really bloomin noisy. lol The ones I was compairing the Iwata to actually have pretty much the same motor as the Iwatas and are about the same noise wise. You can go the no name route and get a generic AS186 – for about a quarter of the price of an Iwata. Or, if you want a decent branded one, you can go the Sparmax route which is pretty much the same as the Generic but with better build quality – for about half the… Read more »
Go ahead and drop links in the comments guys, this is well worth sharing and discussing 🙂
At the end of the day though. It’s personal preference. 🙂
I’ve been a happy owner of that AS series compressor with a tank for about 6 months. I ordered mine from Germany and paid less than 100 euros for it, including shipping. Previously I had a similar one without a tank, which worked ok but had some issues with consistency of the pressure. As an airbrush I use Iwata Eclipse HP-C.
I’ve also heard good things about Sparmax. I remember reading somewhere that it is Sparmax that manufactures the compressors for Iwata. They definitely look very similar!
man this is what I have 5 years no complains – now they sell it on ebay for 60 pound – bargain
As an aside, in my years when I did smart repairs in the auto industry, I used airbrushes to make a living (which is why I have a Harder and Steenbeck Infinity), and if you have a large garage type compressor you can easily run an airbrush off one. Just set the regulator down in the 20psi range, 30 tops, and yopu will be fine. You would need a water trap as well, if a long hose, on eon the regulator, and a small one that sits at the airbrush connection too. The only other thing you need is reducers… Read more »
This is exactly what I was referring to in my earlier post. Here’s the compressor I purchased 5+ years ago for those interested. Granted this is a US brand so I’m not sure what options you guys have “across the pond”. 🙂
http://www.chpower.com/productdetail/2-gallon-air-compressor_fp2048
Screwfix in the UK do a couple of cheap ‘shop’ compressors, but they wouldn’t be quiet so their usefulness would depend on where you want to put them and how often they would turn on while using an air brush.
http://www.screwfix.com/p/impax-vento6-6ltr-compressor-230v/15316
http://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-b6cc304scr004-24ltr-air-compressor-240v/85834
We used one of this type in the old workshop for spraying gaming tables, at the end of the day it’s just air, some folk use inter tubes!
Running an airbrush of the inter tubes?? Do you attach the air hose to a USB port??
The only problem with most industrial compressors is a lack of moisture trap so you would need to add a separate one. Also you would likely need a reducer to fit airbrush hoses. As said a lot by others, the upside is, you could probably paint for a full session on one tank of air so noise may be less of an issue with them.
I would not recommend using those at all! They are designed for cleaning! They aren’t designed for airbrushes!
Why would you not recommend them? If they can provide air at the PSI the brush requires, is there something that still makes them unsuitable for using?
They aren’t designed for cleaning. They’re designed to produce compressed air. Whether for powering a spray gun, air tools (e.g. motor mechanic’s tools) or just a blower tool for cleaning. I agree they’re not “designed” for airbrushes but they’re not, not “designed” for airbrushes. They’re perfectly usable for them with the addition of some moisture traps and smaller hoses.
Sounds like some sort of airbrush rental scheme to let people try out decent kit would go a long way to getting more people to take the plunge.
Hi gents watched the airbrush sessions and think that what is required is a little bit more on the safety side of things. its alright for the older generation to quote you tube homemade compressors and other diy projects but what about those who just want to charge in? They through Ebay can get machines well capable of various injuries air related, burns from the heat generated or if messed with a pressure vessel acting like a small bomb. the basics and etiquette when dealing with said machines cannot be overstated enough and should form the baseline from which the… Read more »
For all that effort you made and money spent, you could have simply spent £200 on an Iwata Studio Smart Jet Pro and nullified all the problems you’ve gone out of your way to avoid. When something is engineered properly, you don’t have to worry. I paid £200 for my compressor and it was the best purchase I’ve ever made when it comes to any art materials or hardware that I’ve ever bought. My advice to you and anyone is to buy something that’s going to last. Don’t go cheap just because your budget at the time isn’t what you… Read more »
Not bad a video as others have said its personal taste / requirements as to the gun & compressor to get.
My penny about topic – I have cheap no name compressor and airbrush for 89 quid bough it 4/5 years ago and still works fine, it has all the fancy options and cool stuff like to p shelf stuff its quiet and I’m using it on my painting classes to show that using it is fun AND CHEAP – I do agree with brian to some point but you don’t have to spend 300 pounds for airbrush at all. as I mentioned It was 4 years ago It was purchase for year to learn use airbrush and I stick to… Read more »
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AS-186-Complete-Airbrush-Kit-Compressor-With-Tank-/200600974912?pt=UK_Crafts_DrawingSupplies_EH&hash=item2eb4bff640
here is link to airbrush I mentioned.
here is even cheaper only 60 pounds –
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Airbrush-Compressor-Kit-Large-Tank-Nail-Tatoo-Art-Nailart-Air-Brush-Gun-AS-186/400745289401?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D28111%26meid%3D9b8304c6a20a4e059c5418c05f0d2dc9%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D11472%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D200600974912&rt=nc
I have that exact same set and that’s how I got started. A great little set for the money. Bought it 5 years ago and its still all just fine. Upgraded the airbrush about 2 years ago to an Iwata Revolution and got some additional quick release hose bits and that’s that. Great little setup to get you started for not a lot of money and easy to upgrade too.
I just I would point some things out. Beginner mistakes that no one mentions. You need to use plumbers tape when joining houses, compressors and most times even at the airbrush connection. Normal one loop around of the thread will do the job, you really don’t need much. But if the join is not air tight you can get many issues. Also depending on the compressor consider having at least 10-20 feet of pipe between you and the tank (air travel distance) This will help with any hot air issues from the tank as the air will cool down the… Read more »
Yeah, I really like this series but I have to agree – it’s priced me out of this side of the hobby – compressor, brush, cleaning set-up, paints…we’re talking an entry level of 800-900 CAD… that’s many, many months of hobby budget for me… for something I’m not convinced I would use regularly (I think I would, but for that money, I have to be positive) – air brushes are rapidly fading left of center on my interest radar.
The only thing you need to clean your airbrush is isopropanol alcohol and you can reuse it. You only need to spend around £400 on a permanent set-up and if you decide to commission paint then you will EASILY get that money back.
£400 for a start-up on a business is nothing! 🙂
I’m not sure if you’re being ironic or not… Just brush and compressor – that’s $725 CAD… and I am not able to do commissions, I could maybe collect money to base coat 🙂 I mean, when I first looked at it – $100CAD for the compressor, $150 for the brush – that’s expensive but worthwhile – maybe another $100 for a good portable spraybooth – I’m in the game. But now we’re talking like scuba gear prices – and to put that in perspective – that’s gear with the tolerances to keep you alive under 50 meters of water…… Read more »
You don’t need a lot of stuff to try it out. An entry level brush and a cheap compressor will do fine, just as long as it has a tank, as that equalises airflow even if the pump is not that high a quality. The AS-186 compressors you find all over ebay work fine for thee sort of use most people will have. Paint and cleaning, the cleaning pots do help, but you dont need special paints.1 200ml bottle of vallejo thinner, 1 200ml bottle of valljo airbrush cleaner. 1 thins whatever paint you already use, whether that is vellejo… Read more »
I’m now 29 and I’ve been using airbrushes for well over 10 years. The market has become VERY accessible for the average consumer compared to what it used to have when I first started out in my late teens. I suggest to anyone starting out to spend around £400 on an airbrush AND a compressor – you won’t ever have to buy anything again unless they obviously get damaged. Check out Iwata’s Studio ‘Smart Jet Pro’ and check out like Harder & Steenbeck Infinity 2-in-1. The best thing to get is a compressor that’s an all-in-one and an airbrush that… Read more »
I suggest this – brand new or used;
https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=iwata+studio+smart+jet+pro+compressor&newwindow=1&tbm=shop
I have my setup already, and am very pleased with the results I get. But, I do have a question about paint and paint application if you don’t mind. I live in an extremely arid part of the world, maybe 3″ of rain a year. I do have a problem with paint gathering around the outside of the nozzle tip, and sometimes dried paint making it onto the object I’m spraying. I have to constantly stop and check and wipe the nozzle tip. I have tried maximum dilution and even a little beyond, retarder, a humidifier. None of these things… Read more »
Actually seeing compressors in the video about compressors would’ve been handy, lol, especially for those concerned about having the room for all the necessary gubbins. I was lucky that the compressor I got online was in a box that I’d seen a shop a while ago, and was fairly sure it would fit on my shelf (it did). Mine cost about £113-odd from Ken Bromley http://www.artsupplies.co.uk/cat-airbrush-equipment.htm and I’d bought a Neo for Iwata £50 airbrush. Although I had to buy the air hose separately (of which the shop shows you which one to buy). I’ve also got a cleaning pot,… Read more »
If I were to spend that money on a compressor I would definitely get something like bambi bb15
It’s a lil bit more expensive, around £300 mark. Neo for Iwata is a decent brush, I got one and have no problems whatsoever.
http://youtu.be/XNoSy56W8iQ