Air Compressor

I need to purchase a new air compressor for my air brush.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks, Dick...

Reply to
Dick
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Reply to
Ron Smith

Suggest instead a 20 pound bottle of CO2 from a welding supply place (~$45) and a CO2 welding regulator from Harbor Freight (~$35).

Tom

Reply to
Tom

Seconded. I have a Campbell Hausfeld as a backup but haven't used a compressor in years.

Reply to
Al Superczynski

Thanks for your inputs. I purchased the TC 5000 from Dixie. My location in a semi remote section of Maine precludes the use of a CO2 tank. Dick...

Reply to
Dick

I'd like to give it a try. But I know that the CO2 regulator is different than my air regulator (different threads? Higher input pressure?). What exactly must I get to have a regulator that works with the CO2?

Reply to
Don Stauffer in Minnesota

I have a Badger airbrush compressor and an air tool compressor. Nothing wrong with the Badger compressor, except I don't like the noise it makes while trying to airbrush. I recently bought a 7 gallon CH portable air tank at Walmart. It costs $20. I fill the portable with 120 psi from my air tool compressor and use the portable tank to paint. The tool compressor has a water trap and the portable has a pressure regulator, bought separately. The only noise it makes is the sound of the spray from the airbrush. It holds enough air to paint several models.

Reply to
Willshak

You touch on the only problem that I've had when I replaced my CO2 regulator after about 25 years. My original one had an airbrush compatible male threaded output of the regulator welded onto the regulator. When I bought a new CO2 regulator from Harbor Freight its output is "welding compatible". What I ended up doing was cutting off my ~ 1/8" ID 6 foot rubber airbrush hose up close to the input connector and using the spike adapter provided with the regulator along with a screw-tightened hose clamp. Since the jury-rig is on the low pressure side of the regulator, there have been no problems at all.

Tom

Reply to
Tom

I bought a bottle of helium to use with my airbrush. The only problem was that all the spray paint rose to the ceiling and made a mess. The above is all a joke!

Reply to
Willshak

My setup (which I've been using for about 12 years) is: CO2 cylinders (three) A CO2 regulator with pressure gauge (Tap Rite brand) A 2" long 1/4" NPT pipe nipple A air regulator with pressure gauge (Sears brand) A reducing pipe nipple from 1/4" NPT to 1/8" to accommodate the airbrush hose. Teflon tape throughout

I found the straight CO2 regulator (available at many welding supply houses or any 'on tap' beer retailer) couldn't regulate the flow of gas as closely as I wanted. It also couldn't show me the working pressure, just the remaining pressure in the cylinder, which virtually remains constant until the gas runs out. So, a $15 air regulator (with gauge) was installed on one of the side taps of the CO2 regulator, providing me control from 0-40 PSI and everything in-between. I have a twenty-pound cylinder (which I found!) and two five-pounders, converted from CO2 fire extinguishers for more short-term use. Pressure and internal inspections are mandated every five years and my refills are $12 for the big cylinder, $8 for the five-pound ones. Pics can be made available to anyone who'd like to see it but I'm pretty sure it's a common setup...

Frank Kranick

Reply to
Francis X. Kranick, Jr.

HarborFreight.com has very good prices on a variety of compressors. I bought one from them -- a tankless, diaphragm, 1/8 hp model manufactured by Central Compressor -- at least 10 years ago for $65.00. I figured at that price, what the hay if it only lasts a year or two. It's still running just fine and is just fine for airbrushing models. Virtually the same compressor (looks like it's been upgraded slightly) is available now for $79.99. Here's a link to the item; below it is a link to HarborFreight's home page. There's a keyword search field; just type in compressor and you'll get 6 pages of listings.

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HTH Pip Moss

in article lbSdnRj5IozaxpvYnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@adelphia.com, Dick at snipped-for-privacy@adelphia.net wrote on 9/12/06 3:01 AM:

Reply to
Pip Moss

Received my new TC-5000 last week. Works great, very satisfied with the selection. Ron, thanks a bunch. Dick...

Reply to
Dick

Reply to
Ron Smith

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