A portable air tank. I am slowly getting beter with my air brush but I hate the little cans of propellent. They are expensive and tempermental and I am sure I could do a better job with a better source of compressed air. I have access to compressed air at work and was wondering if a 5 or 10 gallon air tank could be addapted for and air brush. Has anyone tried it? Any thoughts?
You are on the right track. I did this for years until I could afford to purchase
the compressor I use now. I found it to work very well. There are adaptors
available through any good hardware retailer. You would want to put a
pressure regulator in the line-that’s about the only special requirement.
Have at it and good luck![tup]
I used a five gallon tank for a while. They work OK, but you’d be surprised how fast they run out. And usually when you need air to clean your airbrush. I got frustrated with it and bought a one gallon compressor. You can pick one up for about $50 and you’ll be much happier. You can use it for a variety of things, not only airbrushing. What ever you get, make sure it has a regulator on it.
Good luck
loathar
If you’re not gettng a compressor yet, but can get a tank it may be helpful to play it safe and go with a 10 gallon tank. Loathar is correct. As small as an airbrush is, it consumes air. You can hold your own reasonably with a larger tank. Remember, just like tires, air tanks “very gradually” lose air pressure over time.
Peace.
The cheapest, best (IMHO) source of air for an airbrush short of an actual compressor was put forth in an MR article many years ago. Run down to Home Depot, or similar, and purchase the largest plastic garden sprayer you can afford. Put on an air regulator and a water trap (necessary with a compressor as well), pump up the tank and spray. Low pressure? Pump up the tank. I used this setup for several years before I could afford a compressor. I could airbrush about 3 average freight cars with each pumping. I still have the setup and use it on the layout. It is portable in the extreme. No power cords to drag around or over things.
I am sorry I cannot find the exact issue of MR this article was in. I am reasonably certain it was sometime during the 60’s. Perhaps MR can provide guidance to the article.
Tom
WOW! I never thought of using a garden sprayer. Thats a great idea!Guess I missed that issue.
loathar
I think the issue showing how to build a compressor from a garden sprayer was from the 1970s or early 1980s. There was a description of a similar setup in Floquil’s “Painting Miniatures” brochure.
Resist the urge to use a sprayer that may have been used for its intended purpose. Use a new sprayer and avoid any contamination issues.
Not really sure if some of the newer all plastic( economy) sprayers will work that great. They may work for the 25lb for solvent paint, but may not hold the pressure needed for acrylics. The cost of the better steel and brass tanks (Hudson sprayer) will start to approach the cost of buying one of the inexpensive compressors from a big box store or like one just purchased from Sears for $70. This little mini, light weight has even been used for my nail guns, when I didn’t want to drag out the heavier beast.
If you go the air tank route, make sure you don’t exceed the max pressure, some inexpensive tanks will not hold the max pressure from most service stations (150lbs)
Check out these cheap compressors first, then make the decision.
Bob K.
I’ve used a tank for at least 10 years now, and have never regretted it. I have never run out of air in the middle of a project or worse, a car. You have to watch the gauge, though! I think the ‘plumbing’ and water trap probably cost about as much as the tank (about $10 ten years ago!) .
Many years ago a friend used a car tire on a wheel as an air source for his airbrush. Since he didn’t have a car, every Saturday I’d take him and the wheel down to a local service station to have it pumped up. It would be the same using a tank, dragging it back and forth all the time to have it filled up.
With the inexpensive compressors with tanks these days, it is a lot simpler and easier just to get one of them. Most come with dual air gauges and regulators for around $100.00 or less. I love the one I have, it runs for a while and pumps up the pressure in the tank then shuts off. It usually runs a few times during a painting session, but it doesn’t make a whole lot of noise. My previous compresssor did not have a tank, and would run all the tiime. Sure is strange using the airbrush in silence.
A home use utility compresor with a tank is the only way to go!
Bob Boudreau
I forgot about the fright factor.My Cambell compressors LOUD!!! I’ll get all intense on painting somthing and it kicks on and scares the crap out of me!I’m thinking of putting it outside my train building and putting a little encloser around it.
Thanks for all the input. I was thinking of converting an empty R134a canister to a tank but when I saw how cheap the tanks were that seemed the way to go. The regulator and filter will cost more than the tank. Lugging the tank in to fill it won’t be a problem. I am in the shop 5 days a week.
The garden sprayer is a great idea but as already mentioned a good one with a decent sized tank would cost about as much as a compressor.
The noise is an issue I had not considered. I would really hate to bring that into my home. Hearing 8-9 hours a day at work is bad enough.