I have a 7 gal. portable air tank in my trunk for tire emergencies. Anyone ever used one as an air source for an airbrush? Would need some kind of adapter, maybe remove the hose, install a nipple and screw the airbrush hose on. Anyone ever done that? Tank has a butterfly type valve that might even be used as a regulator. Thoughts? Paul D
Paul,
Those can work and many use them successfully. Yes, you’ll need proper fittings to fit your airbrush supply line. No, you can’t use the valve, you need a proper regulator that you can adjust precisely to get good performance. You’ll also need a oil and water trap/separator. With the proper fittings, can be done pretty cheap at HF or the big box store. Basically, hook it all up, fill and experiment. The source air can really vary in quality, that’s why you need the separator, just clean and empty the little glass catchbasin after all the air pressure is all discharged, as needed.
That’s good news, Mike. Thanks for the quick answer. Brings the cost way down. Think I paid $17 for it yrs ago. Source air would be my plug-in compressor in the garage. Looks like I could back the hose out of the little manifold, install a short nipple, and attach the airbrush hose. Looks like 1/4". Thanks for the other tips. Your thoughts on an airbrush? I have 30 City Classics type bldgs to do. Single action looks best to me. Like the looks of the Paasche H or the Badger 200 if the bottle doesn’t get in the way. Appreciate all help.
Yeah, a good single action is what you want as a starter. Just easier to use. I’ve heard good things about the Azteks, but no real experience.
Truth be told, I rarely break out the airbrush for anything except the top shelf models anymore. The new formulations and spray nozzles on rattlecan paints work so well that’s what I usually use it for things like buildings. I will handpaint trim and cornices, etc on buildings that have it cast in. Kind of hard to avoid that no matter how you spray unless you REALLY like masking tiny objects.
Just my 2-cents,I would save my money and time and buy a small air compressor,with tank,they come with air regulators,most do…The kind they use on construction jobs,brad nailler,or roofing nailler…Craftsman,or HF…The emergency thing sounds OK in theory,but I’d hate to always run out of .air,before I finished painting what I started. My choice,Craftsman,2hp,4gal,150psi,whisper quiet motor,Paasche,single action and double action,but I do a lot of air brushing…
Cheers,
Frank
Thanks Frank - Have had the tank for years so no new expense and it’s 7 gallons (can fill 2 car tires)so unlikely to go dry while painting, and won’t make a sound. You’ve both mentioned HF. Who’s that? Did you mean HD as in Home Depot? Kinda partial to the simplicity of the Paasche single action though never used one, just looks simpler in use and cleaning. Would need the regulator and moisture filter. Just received the Paasche paint booth, Looks great. Thanks for the tips, men. Paul D
Paul,
HF = Harbor Freight.
You were so close…[;)]
Yeah, leave the gauge plumbed into the tank side of your system so you can monitor supply pressure. Most regulators include a gauge to set output pressure with. The first time or two, don’t push your luck in terms of getting close to the end of your air, but with a little practice and attention to what the gauges are telling you, the tank will work fine and you’ll have a good feel for how far the tank will last versus how big your paint job is.
Not familiar with Harbor Freight. Live near Akron OH. Can fill the tank to 120 PSI and 7 gallons should be plenty a for night’s work. Shud prob bleed it off after every session. EZ enough to refill. Plan on repeated applications rather than one thick coat. Looking for final effect over getting the job done. No wife, no dog to walk, no pressure. nuthin’ but time. Can a regulator handle 120 PSI coming in? I can fill the tank to whatever works. You’ve been very helpful. Thanks!
Paul,
Typically, a regulator will go to at least 150 psi in order to suit the capacity of most compressor to achieve at least that high a pressure. Specs on the box should confirm.
Paul,
One more Tidbit,One key to using any air-brush,with great results,is keeping it clean,always…
Have Fun,
Cheers,
Frank
Thanks for the great info, men. Will gleefully spend money on a regulator, moisture trap, etc. having saved a ton on a noisy compressor. And I’m a big fan of clean tools of any kind. Looks like a single action a/b is simpler to clean too. Many thanks. Paul - Stow OH
I used a portable tank for air brush supply for quite a few years. Although I have a few compressors used for various job related (nail guns), they are just too large and noisy to run where I paint in the basement. The tank is rated for 150psi and would last through a painting session w/o any depletion of air supply. Cleaning of the airbrush always used more air than the actual painting. I already had a 1/4" “quick” connect fitting attached to the short flexible hose (main use is for air chuck for tire filling). My Binks regulator/ drier combination is a left over from auto painting. This is way overkill for just hobby painting but just hang it on a hook while painting. Much smaller and inexpensive regulators can be found @ Home centers or as mentioned Harbor Freight. You should find all the fittings and adapters needed there also. Most airbrushes come w/ a 1/4" pipe adapter to make things easier. The quick fitting to the tank, regulator and airbrush hose adds to the conveiniance of use.
I now use a small quiet Craftsman 1.5 gal unit for painting. The small tank is generally sufficient w/o the compressor starting which is a nice feature painting in those “wee” hours and not waking up the house when it comes on. Home Depot has a similar unit in the Husky line as well as the Porter Cable, Cambel Hausfeld and others. The cheapo Harbor Freight one works, but some have had issues w/ it’s dependability over time, better to spend a few extra $$ for a more quality unit that will work for many years.
Great stuff, Bob! The hose on my 7 gal tank is hard rubber with a small flip over lever to grip the tire valve. Does your chuck thread into the end of that or did you remove the hose and put it on the manifold on the tank? And would Home Depot/Lowes have a small regulator? Worked at HD in retirement but never noticed regulators. The 7 gal portable is a Campbell but looks just like what Coleman has on their site. My shop compressor is a 5HP 20gal 150PSI Coleman, likely also made by Campbell which I’ll use to fill the portable. Don’t have the airbrush yet so can’t test fit the hose on the portable, but likely 1/4"NPT. The puzzle is how to attach the A/B hose to the portable. p.s. Spent the first 35 years of life in Belmont, Neighbor. Paul D - Stow OH
Paul D,
Use the same kind of quick disconnect,on your portable like you have on your main comp,they have a adapter/reducer,so that your air brush hose screws on to,the other end has female threads that a 1/4’‘NPT screws into,then just plug into your quick disconnect,like you would any air hose…My Paasche Flex hose,has 1/4’’ coupler at one end for the brush and 1/2’’ female coupler at the other end that a 1/4’’ Male NPT,screws into…
Cheers,
Frank
Paul, my portable had that lever tire fill. The hose was cracking so just cut off to solid section of hose and used the barbed 1/4" w/ the female quick connect. I placed the male fitting on the regulator inlet and another female on the outlet of the “piped together reg/ drier assy”. The female 1/4" NPT airbrush adapter in on a small manageable section of hose that had the male fitting. There are many ways to set this up w/ all the fittings available. Most using a spray booth will mount the regulator/ drier close by and keep the airbrush hose attached. The compressor or your air tank can be quick connected as you need.
My tank has a swparate fill so no worry about figuring out a change over to fill in the outlet. If yours needs a fill place a 1/4"NPT “T” fitting using a tread in valve. You then can fill w/ an air chuck from the large compressor. Note, my reg has tank pressure combined w/ reg outlet, if you want a tank gage place it at the “T” or find a regulator that has one.
I genuinely appreciate everyone’s help, but there’s a piece I’m still not getting. Check out the tank pictured on this link: http://www.harborfreight.com/5-gallon-portable-air-tank-65594.html. That’s exactly what my tank looks like. Has anyone used a quick-connect in a hose end connection like that? I’m wondering if I have to remove the hose and tie directly into the manifold or will that existing hose end clamp tightly onto a quick-connect. It’s hard to tell without an adapter handy but that clamp device on the end of the hose might be threaded. Feels like it might be. Thanks for your patience, all.
(Just got this. Was slow gettin’ here.) It’s a comfort to know that, Bob. May take some screwin’ around but now I’m comfortable that it’s do-able. You fellahs have been very helpful & looks like my goal is within reach. I’ve even heard of people using a spare tire as an air supply. The tank’s a lot simpler especially with a fill source in the garage. Thank you all so much! Ol’ Paul
filler soource in the garage for the tank man you have it made! Just tell the wife to fill it up as you need and there you go! don’t tell them that1 rambo1…
Paul D
I use a small Porter Cable pancake compressor. I think the tank is only 1.5 gal. What I have found is that I can spray for at least a couple of hours at 20 - 30 psi and the compressor never comes on. It goes to about 140 psi before it cuts out, so with your much bigger tank your only problem may be forgetting to fill it!
I had no trouble adapting the 1/4" air brush hose to the bigger tank fittings. The parts were readily available.
One thing I did was to mount a second pressure regulator right on top of the spray booth. That allows me to see the pressure without having to walk back to the compressor. Its right in front of my eyes.
Here is the set-up:
The hose from the compressor is not connected in this picture but you can see the connection fitting right behind the regulator gauge. There is a quick-connect fitting on the air brush side of the regulator to allow the air hose to be removed for whatever reason, like transporting the spray booth.
Dave
Oh Geeez, man, havin’ a wife’s too big a price to pay just to get my tank taken care of, pardon the expression. It’s a short walk to the garage and five minutes later I’m back downstairs paintin’ buildings. Can’t beat that deal! It gets no better!