dyowelb Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 hi, i'm in market looking for airbrush and compressor but have no idea what i should look for. anything i should know about before buying? i got only <$150.00 to spend. thanks, d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007-vf1 Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 Is hard to find a "perfect" set of compressor and airbrush since everyone who uses them has a favorite of each and therefore different oppinions... The best thing to do is search on the net for art sites to compare styles and results. Some of them have art forums were they describe their experiences. I did about a month research on ebay, the internet in general and modeling sites to compare prices; keep eye on what's available and how much truly pay for them. But most important, see what results people had and what they use to get the results they want. I would stay away from the $20-50 range of compressors. E-bay has some good deals on them but carefull to buy one without warranty( wether is new or refurbished). In that case you might be better off buying one at walmart. Use one that has at least 2 or more gallons and more than 1 HPs, if you use it to paint a lot. Although some might think is a bit too much for a beginner, on my case I got the handle of an airbrush relatively quick and realize the compressor would only last 20-30minutes before shutting down for good. When you paint a hasegawa battroid you'll spend about 1 or more hours between painting it with changing colors. Is always a drag to have to wait 1 hour for the compressor to cool down and start all over. The one I have is 6 HPs and costed me about $140, I have painted 3 hours straight without a problem. The airbrush, well, any type with a high atomization ( particles x cubic cm {or inches})?? and the ability to get thin lines, interchangeable nozzles will do fine. I have a 2 types of paschee, because I found them cheap and wanted to have a feel of them they have survived over 3 years of use and they are getting old but still useful one of them costed me $35 on e-bay. I also have an iwata ( which I haven't used at all in over 2 years) because I thought it would be the best and a long lasting tool (which is true); but since the paschees have done fine all this time I have no need for the iwata, at least for now but is always good to have a back up. I have bent about 3 niddles on accidents by now. You'll realize the grade of the results is up to your ability to do what you want with the tools you have, not necessarily how expensive the tool is. Hope that helps a bit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechleader Posted January 19, 2004 Share Posted January 19, 2004 Dixieart.com free shipping for over $40.00 Iwata!!! Check it out. Got my Smart Jet from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfunk Posted January 19, 2004 Share Posted January 19, 2004 hi, i'm in market looking for airbrush and compressor but have no idea what i should look for. anything i should know about before buying? i got only <$150.00 to spend. thanks, d heres another place to get a compressor that will handle both double and single action and an impact gun its $69, they have a few more, but that one is really good for the money. I would go to dixieart for the airbrush though http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Disp...temnumber=47407 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyowelb Posted January 19, 2004 Author Share Posted January 19, 2004 thanks guys for the replies... anyways, i'm leaning toward badger 200 but don;t know what to choose. i'm seeing one w/ bottle and one that have cup. w/c one is better for beginner like me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007-vf1 Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 the airbrush with bottles has the ability to make it easy to change colors while painting. The ones with the cups attached makes it easy to clean up afterwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wm cheng Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 I personally use my old (15yrs old) Badger 200NH single action - its been great! Its really simple and easy to clean. With the fine head (IL) attachment, you can get a fairly fine light line which I use for my post-shading. The NH is bottom feed which allows me to use a colour cup as well as small bottles which is a plus. I would invest in a good quiet compressor with a top notch regulator though. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyowelb Posted January 21, 2004 Author Share Posted January 21, 2004 thanks guys for the replies... mr cheng, any suggestion what brand should i get for the compressor.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VF-19 Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 thanks guys for the replies...mr cheng, any suggestion what brand should i get for the compressor.... I'm not WM, but if noise isn't a big deal for you, go and get a compressor at your local hardware shop. Some teflon tape, a moisture trap, regulator, bits and pieces (adapters extenders), should run you about 130-150 Canadian. You don't have to get one of the hobby compressors, but the bonus with those is that you don't have too much noise when you're using it. I'm using a generic compressor for my airbrush (the same one as WM Cheng), and while it's not that loud, it's not quiet either. Check for a sale at the local hardware shop to save money too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wm cheng Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 I've used a crappy old refridgerator compressor I bought at the junk yard for $5 and retrofitted it with a decent moisture tap and regulator for a good 10yrs - boy they really made me hate my airbrush (mind you I didn't use my airbrush all that much then!) However, I have an italian made SilAir silent compressor now with a gallon reservior and auto-shut-off. It is like night and day, like moving from an KIA to a Mercedes now - and I must admit, I enjoy using the airbrush and in fact do airbrush more than I did when I had the crappy old compressor. Mind you, I spent over $600cdn on this puppy - but its designed for the artist/illustrator use. I do not recommend the hardware type of compressor since they often use oil as a lubricant in the pistons (in fact the illustration models use a diaphram type mechanism - less "puttter" vibration in the airflow than pistons) which can occassionally travel out through the airline. Good if you have air-driven tools that need the occassional lubricant - bad if you are doing detail model work! Additionally, the reservior type (which is essentially a holding tank - you airbrush out of the air in the tank, the compressor automatically senses pressure loss in the tank at a given threshold and kicks in silently to replenish the tank) allows absolutely even "non-puttering" consistent airflow essential to eliminate splattering and maintaining even lines. In fact, sitting next to the compressor, I don't even know when its on (I've accidentally left it running for days). I know that its a pricy hunk of change - but you get what you paid for! There are smaller cheaper ones, but I would recommend ones designed for illustrator's purposes with enough capacity to provide even airflow from 10-30psi. Remember to get a moisture tap with the air-regulator if you live in a hot or humid part of the country (I live in Toronto Canada, and often see condensation in the clear window of the moisture tap) and I would recommend a oil trap if the compressor is oil driven or lubricated. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VF-19 Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 Hmm... Thanks for the heads up WM. I'll have to check and see if mine's piston driven, and if my moisture trap will trap oil... But, I haven't noticed oil in my paint so I don't think I have a problem. Naturally, if any problem will arise, it will rear its ugly head when I'm working on something that was difficult and time consuming... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfunk Posted January 23, 2004 Share Posted January 23, 2004 Exactly what WM said, you want an oilless or a filter that cleans the oil/water out of the air, as far as the pulsing, you should have a 1 gallon or bigger reserve. Dont buy a cheap regulator, it will pulse with the compressor (this is from my days of painting cars) a good filter/drier/regulator will cost about $50 or more. The compressor that I showed ya in my previous post will deliver plenty of air for even a double action brush. I would buy a filter/regulator for it though and run the one mounted to the tank wide open. One other thing to do (trick in painting cars) is to run 10-20' of hose before the drier and regulator, it lets the air cool down from the compressor and the filter will take more water out of the air. then run a maximum of 10' out of the regulator. Thats the setup Im running in the basement, but I dont care about noise and that compressor is probably noisy, if you want quiet, youll pay for it. This unit is actually a very good regulator/filter/drier for the price http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Disp...itemnumber=1118 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyowelb Posted January 24, 2004 Author Share Posted January 24, 2004 what about this? any comment http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=28111 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wm cheng Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 These little compressors are cheap and cheerful - they do the job for the price and are a good beginner. However, they do heat up, and cannot be used continously, depending of capacity, they must be turned off every 15 minutes or so - its a bit of a hassle to pause your work if your compressor overheats or constantly bend down to switch it off when you have a model in one hand and an airbrush in the other (best to get a compatible foot pedal). Plus if you pause too long, the paint in the airbrush dries and gums up the internal workings of the airbrush. But for small jobs, they are great, and a good way to start - especially that they are oiless. I would invest in a really good regulator though - and that idea of a really long hose sounds like it might take some of the "putter" out of the airflow from these little compressors. Thayer and Chandler airbrushes are good, they are the same makers as Badger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfunk Posted January 24, 2004 Share Posted January 24, 2004 what about this? any commenthttp://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=28111 Yeah, that will be running too much IMO and isnt as powerfull as the ones that are listed in Harbor frieght as far as SCFM per PSI, so its going to be working harder and has no tank,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Basically what wmcheng said,,,,for a few extra bucks, id get a nicer one from the get go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dyowelb Posted January 24, 2004 Author Share Posted January 24, 2004 (edited) thanks guys..really appreciated.. pfunk, with this compressor that your posted earlier what else do i need to buy beside this regulator/filter/drier. sorry about all the question, i really don;t know anything about these things. thanks, d Edited January 24, 2004 by dyowelb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macrossmerrell Posted January 25, 2004 Share Posted January 25, 2004 thanks guys..really appreciated..pfunk, with this compressor that your posted earlier what else do i need to buy beside this regulator/filter/drier. sorry about all the question, i really don;t know anything about these things. thanks, d Hi bud, Go to ebay, do a search for "Airbrush City", then do a list all sellers items. They have really good packaged deals. I got one awhile back with a craftsman 1.5gallon compressor, regulator, evap filter, a 3 airbrush hookup, 2 cheapy single action brushes, 1 Badger copy, and a Passche VL for like 176. they have new ones with a blue 1 gallon air tank compressor w/ airbrushes in your price range. Merrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfunk Posted January 25, 2004 Share Posted January 25, 2004 thanks guys..really appreciated..pfunk, with this compressor that your posted earlier what else do i need to buy beside this regulator/filter/drier. sorry about all the question, i really don;t know anything about these things. thanks, d I would run at least 15-20' of hose (3/8" fittings) before the regulator, you can coil it up if your working close to the compressor. After the reg/filter, run your standard airbrush hose at a maximum of 10' of hose to your brush. The reason for doing this is the compressor heats the air after long run times in the tank like a car engine and when you decompress air, it will create moisture as it cools (extra hose before regulator) and you need to capture that moisture (filter). For example, when I paint a car, and the gun runs at 30PSI I have the compressor regulator set at about 60 psi and the compressor shuts off at 125 psi then it runs through a 1/2" hose (about 25') to a filter/regulator thats set at 30 psi, then to a hose that will reach where I need it to go. thats the way the pro's get a $10,000 paint job with those high volume/low preasure guns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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