Airbrush Propellant (UK)

I am looking for some advice concerning using CO2 gas as an airbrush propellant.

My concerns are as follows:

  1. Pressure regulation: I believe the CO2 cylinders are pressurised to
300psi (or bar, I cannot remember which). What have people done to regulate the pressure:- I had thought about using two regulators, one connected directly to the bottle which is man enough to handle the 300psi and step the pressure down to about say 100psi, then a second regulator connected via a short length of hose to regulate the pressure to airbrush manageable pressures.

  1. Do people use bottled liquid CO2 or gas?

Reply to
Greg
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"Greg" wrote

I think they are typically around 1000 psi. There are regulators that go with the tanks that do just what you are looking to do.

At the pressures involved CO2 is a liquid. It becomes a gas when regulated down to useable pressures.

KL

Reply to
Kurt Laughlin

I don't often read about it, but please be sure that you are working in a well-ventilated area. If you have a leak, the CO2-level could possibly reach a level that makes you go to sleep and worse.

Rob

My models:

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Me 163B site:
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AQM-34 site:
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Reply to
Rob de Bie

I would think it most unlikely that you could ever come to any harm from a non-obvious CO2 leakage unless you were spraying in an airtight room. You should, however, have some kind of ventilation, a spraybooth, hood or even just an open window, to dilute paint thinner fumes and overspray mist.

Reply to
Alan Dicey

This might be a stupid question, but why not use a compressor?

Reply to
Gondor

Too easy...........

AM

Reply to
AM

it blows?

Reply to
e

Compressors supply a pulsating pressure feed, require electricity and are noisy. A CO2 bottle is silent, provides a constant pressure and can be used anywhere.

I use a compressor . . . :-)

Reply to
Alan Dicey

It blows compressed air cans away is what you mean....

AM

Reply to
AM

monetarily, too. maybe not as easy to use on the run, but who doesn't have 2 minutes to set up?

Reply to
e

I use the gas cylinder (Argoshield) and regulator from my MIG welder. BOC depots sell the regulators, and I expect many other places do as well, possibly a large Halfords ? It's a single stage so goes from cylinder pressure (which is what the guage indicates) down to airbrush in one go. You set the flow rate rather than the output pressure, just wind it up or down to suit the medium you're using.

I don't know if the thread at the top of all gas cyliners is the same, so this might not work for your CO2, you'll need to check. O2 and acetylyne have different threads for obvious reasons, but I can't see why inert gases would have that problem.

The push fit connector on the low pressure side was an exact match to the airbrush (plastic) feed tube in my case, again you'll need to check.

Cheers,

Phil Young

Reply to
Phil Young

Which is not what the OP was proposing to use.

Reply to
Phil Young

ok, how about fitting a reservoir tank between the compressor and the air brush?

Gondor

Reply to
Gondor

No, but in the long run, it is better than C02 as well. The compressor is very useful around home, and the small ones are getting quieter. I use a Devilbliss 90cfm avg. (tank pressure tops out at 135 psi) 1.5 gal tank, with a 25' hose to a regulator/moisture trap, to 10' Iwata airline. It's loud but in another room. It's VERY useful with air tools also ! (and just plain filling car tires...) With a 5 - 6 gal air tank starting at over 100 psi One can just about paint a 1/48 scale A/C @ 20 psi without the compressor coming on. (exterior/all) I build/spray with music on anyway... :)

Another option.... Get one of the small silent compressors. (similar compressor to refrigerator) Same noise level as your refer. Not cheap ! A friend has one, and it's amazingly quiet !!!!

AM

Reply to
AM

All very true, but it sounds as if the OP already has a CO2 cylinder (for another reason). If you were starting from scratch a compressor would be the best way to go (in another room as you say). Oddly, it seems a 'normal' sized one is not much more than a 'modellers airbrush' type.

I'll stick with the gas (since I do a fair amount of welding) - totally silent apart from the Psssssss... of the gas/paint mix coming from the brush.

To the OP, make sure you have a trolley, or chain the cylinder to a wall. If it topples and somehow knocks the regulator off you will have your own unguided missile lying at you feet, but not for long.

Reply to
Phil Young

A very good idea, many people do this and it damps out the pulsations. If the tank is big enough, the compressor only needs to run intermittently to top up the tank. The tank needs more space though, and increases the total cost of the system, of course.

With my little old Micon diaphragm compressor (a lot like the Paasche D500 shown here

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but twenty five years older) delivering a princely 1.8 cfm at 40 psi I use only a water trap, and have never had any problems with pulsating air. The only regulation is a bleed adapter, basically a brass connector with a small hole in it. Maybe I should add a pressure regulator.

But it is noisy.

Reply to
Alan Dicey

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