Air Compressors

Air Source Solutions For Airbrush Artists

While this page is about air compressors, their make, mechanics, repair and maintenance, there are also other air source choices for your airbrush. There are air tanks like the ones welders use and also propellant cans.

This page will focus on various types of air compressors. I do not recommend propellant cans because they are very un economical except for perhaps hobbies and don't put out the psi needed for most other applications. Let me however say a bit about the air tank.

Alternatives To Air Compressors: Air Tanks

Pro's and Cons of Air Tanks

Pros

* Air tanks (actually CO2) are completely silent.
* Because of its high air pressure output, more than one airbrush can be run off of the same tank at the same time. This is useful for things like air brush painting on leather or on tshirts since the paint viscosity is much higher.
* Also unlike a diaphragm air compressor, there is a steady stream of air with no "pulsing".
* No power source required.
* Perfect for locations that have no power source available .

Cons

* There is the initial cost of the tank itself.
* The tank is large and therefore requires a large amount of space
* The tank is very heavy. Much heavier then a good silent compressor made for airbrushing.
* If you are running more than one airbrush at the same time the tank can ice up and requires the use of a heat lamp to prevent this.
* There is the additional cost of the other accessories, welding regulator and gauge, CO2 indicator.
* The tank must be refilled.
* You will probably need a stand with wheels to move it around.

Air Compressors: 2 Types

The much more practical and economical way to go is the compressor.

There are two types of compressors. Diaphragm and piston . If you are doing light work which does not amount to any more than an hour at a time and is only occasional, then I recommend a diaphragm compressor. Paasche as well as Iwata make a good diaphragm air compressor.

General considerations and accessories

All compressors are prone to moisture build up in the air line. This can be eliminated by implementing a moisture trap. For air compressor models that require oil (silent compressors) an oil filter will be necessary. Also a pressure regulator will need to be installed if the compressor does not come with one. You can purchase these accessories at any hardware store or airbrush supplier. Some other optional accessories are quick disconnects, manifolds and adapters.

Diaphragm Models

Diaphragm compressors use a fan to pull in air and then compress it and expel it right into the air hose. If they have a tank then the air is expelled into the tank. If you are thinking about purchasing a diaphragm air compressor then definitely purchase one that has a tank. Without a tank the air will pulse and cause pulsing in your air brush spray as well. For applications like hobbies and models you need not worry about this so much.

One other consideration is the limitation of application for a diaphragm compressor. You could not use a diaphragm compressor for anything that requires a high psi output. So air brushing tshirts is definitely beyond its capability. This is really the best choice for the beginner and not recommended for anything other than occasional airbrushing and hobbies. Diaphragm models are also fairly inexpensive and require no maintenance.

Finally, these compressors cannot be run for long durations or else they will overheat and burn up. And by the time you purchase the other accessories necessary to regulate them and eliminate pulsing and moisture, you are approaching the purchase price of a small piston compressor made for much less limited airbrush applications.

Piston Models

The other type of air compressor is a piston drive. Piston drive is for heavier and more prolonged applications. If you go this route I recommend getting one with a tank that is made for airbrushing. The reason is that they are much quieter than your sears special and are set up with fittings for airbrushes. The tank will prolong the life of the air compressor motor because the motor won't be running all the time.

Piston air compressors use a motor driven piston to pump air into a holding tank and from here the air exits and passes through the line (and any filters) into the airbrush. The tanks can range from .5 gallon on up. The industrial type of compressor is not specifically made for air brushing but will work. These types are usually very loud but will last a good many years. They come in both oiless and oiled. The ones that use oil are what are referred to as silent compressors. These are very expensive but well worth the money. They are true air brush compressors.

Horse Power

Pay careful attention to the horse power of any compressor you are thinking about purchasing since this directly effects what type of applications the compressor is capable of. Air compressors made for the air brush generally range anywhere from 1/12 hp to 1 hp.

PSI

Piston compressors are capable of very high as well as very low pressure out put. Because of this they can simultaneously supply air for up to eight airbrushes depending on how high a psi being used.

Noise Factor

When choosing a compressor for your air brush, don't under estimate the noise factor. It's generally true that an industrial piston driven air compressor is less expensive, but these compressors also run at a very high decibel although there are models that run very silent as well. For years I painted with one of the more noisy ones and ended up purchasing a long air hose so that I could separate the compressor in another room in order to eliminate this problem. If noise bothers you then pay the extra money for a compressor that is made for airbrushing. These air brush compressors are virtually silent. They are powerful and are made for airbrushing. You just cannot beat them.

Air Tanks

Having an air capture tank on your compressor is very important. It is this that enables the compressor to shut off for small amounts of time automatically. Once the tank is filled the motor shuts off until the pressure reaches a certain point then it turns on again and replenishes the air supply. This saves wear and tear on your air brush compressor and prolongs the life significantly. If you do not have a compressor with this automatic shut off feature then you can fix this by implementing a foot switch to turn the compressor on and off as needed while working.

Air Hoses

There are a number of types of air compressor hoses available for your airbrush. There are the thin plastic ones that are made especially for and often times come with air brushes. These are both straight and coiled and are fairly inexpensive. Also available are nylon braided hoses.

There are also the larger diameter rubber type which you can purchase at hardware stores which are used for HVLP Automotive type guns. Whatever your choice of hose, make sure and purchase the proper thread adapter at the same time to save yourself another trip to the store. I find that a simple thin air brush hose works just fine for most applications.

Airbrush Air Compressors Quick Guide- get a quick view of price, usage, and maintenance.

My Personal Airbrush Recommendations- looking to purchase an airbrush or compressor? Find the cheapest prices and the perfect set up here. Get the low down on what you will need.

Custom Airbrushing - How to airbrush urethane pearls, kandies, metallics. Your custom airbrushing questions answered here. All the questions you want to ask and their answers.