Hi. Harbor Freight has a Central Pneumatic, 1/6 hp, 58psi, oilless air compressor for $69.99. Some of the reviews claim it to be quiet and capable for airbrushing duty. I am looking for opinions from the MR community. Thanks.
wdcrvr
I can’t speak to the one you are considering but I bought an oiless pancake compressor for under $100 for the train shop. Far better for airbrushing than airbrush kit compressors. It’s noisy but hardly runs and the pressure to the airbrush stays rock steady.
I bought it, and wish I hadn’t.
It sucks, and none of the fittings are compatible with ANYTHING else.
It doesn’t have a valve to adjust pressure either.
You get what you pay for.
I will replace it at some point.
They have 2 models, which look identical to me. This one has the most reviews, 2/3 love it the others have, leaks, overheating, failure. http://www.harborfreight.com/1-6-hp-40-psi-oilless-airbrush-compressor-93657.html
I was just looking at their pancake compressors. The regulators they sell in the store do not permit fine adjustment.
I’ll reiterate again, learn from my mistakes and buy something quality.
The harbor is a funny place. Go there enough and you may get soaked. Their tool boxes are outstanding. Air tools are junk as are the floor jacks. The jack stands are fine. And so it goes…
The online reviews tell a story. Read and heed and you can save some money on some good tools. Ignore the reviews and you will end up with junk.
I purchased this Central Pneumatic (1/3HP, 3gal 100psi) model several years ago (or one very similar to it), works pretty well with no issues so far. I’ve only used it for airbrushing, I have a different heavy one for air-powered tools and inflating tires.
Lightweight and seeming pretty durable; yes it is somewhat noisy (but not Jet Engine loud).
I drain the air after use to prevent rusting of the tank. Takes standard quick-disconnect fittings, no problem.
Although I do not own this particular one it looks—to me—like a better choice than the Harbor Fright one (yes I spelled it correctly)
I bought a different C-H compressor that is VERY quiet but it is no longer offered by C-H but instead by Dewalt:
I highly recommend it but again, at twice the price but it will last ten times longer and will DO the job:
I have never purchased a single thing from Harbor Fright but from many conversations from people who have, I’ll pass thank you.
Good Luck, Ed
My friends and I joke that Harbor Freight tools are one use only. If you just need a tool to use once, buy it there. If you want a tool that you are going to use over and over again get a professional quality name brand.
Their corner clamps are crap as well. Loose and don’t stay clamped.
Rather than the tankless model for the same price or less buy a model with a tank such as Chutton01 linked or a pancake style such as http://www.harborfreight.com/3-gallon-100-psi-oilless-pancake-air-compressor-95275.html . Tanked models give you a smoother air flow and the compressor doesn’t run continuously. I have the pancake model and have had no problems with it.
Joe
I just looked and the pancake compressor I bought is an earlier version of this one from HD. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Porter-Cable-6-Gal-150-PSI-Portable-Air-Compressor-C2002/203162815.
I added a fine adjustment regulator/dryer to one of the outputs to attach my airbrush hose, and left the other output the standard disconnect so I can also use a brad nailer, air blowoff, etc. At $99 its a little more expensive than HF, but a whole lot more air for the money.
Stuff from HF is a mixed bag. Some of it works great and some is absolute junk. The little compressor that came with my airbrush kit worked poorly and kicked the bucket after just a few months. No regrets on buying a “real” compressor to airbrush with.
I use the exact same one with my airbrush. Works very well.
It is on the loud side, but, works extremely well.
It will also get enough PSI built up to inflate auto tires, and smaller items.
I also drain excess air from the tank, and added a moisture trap.
Works very well, and I highly recommend it.
BTW, mine is about 3&1/2 years old and still no issues.
I have that model - far quieter than the W R Brown model that it replaced. It turns off when at full pressure, and back on again when I press the trigger on my air brush. They come with standard 1/8" NPT fittings. My Badger hose has 1/4" NPT fittings. I picked up a reducer/coupler over the Internet for around $5. I have had it for about 6 months, it is still chugging along. I use it 3-4 times per week. Jim
I can’t speak on behalf the HF compressor but in general I haven’t had a problem with any purchase from them. As stated above you have to pay for quality. I take that in to consideration when I shop there. I have several of their cheapie single stage airbrushes and they work as good as any I’ve used. I prefer the HF airbrush hose over any other hose I’ve used. It’s super flexible and the 10’ length give me a lot of working room.
I run in spurts when I paint with my airbrush, that’s about all I did last week. I painted my new and old E7 fleet (18 units) using my HF airbrushes. I have four airbrushes setup on a manifold so that I can paint with four colors in one session without having to clean tips between colors.
If my Airbrush City compressor takes a dump (it’s about 15 years old and still going strong) I’m going to give the HF compressor a shot.
I like quality tools but when they’re for my hobbies I rarely need them, when I feel the need to go with quality tools then I go else ware.
I have the HF $70 air brush./compressor and am quite satisfied with it. When I first purchased it the air brush was assembled incorrectly. Once I figure that out I haven’t had any problems with it.
Tom
I wanted to get a compressor since my ex made my Sears compressor disappear some years back. About year ago I started reading reviews of compressors which weren’t top shelf, including semi-modest priced Sears, Home Depot etc. along with the HF variety. Bottom line is there were random complaints of compressors not lasting more than a period of months so I bought an HF compressor for $40 on one of their big sales. If I can get a year or two out of it, I won’t complain.
Edit: as Chutton pointed out, HD and HF are in the mediocre category if you read the reviews. So yeah, my feeling was why pay $1xx for a mediocre which could fail after 12 months when I could pay a fraction of it and hopefully get a similar life. I can’t really afford one of those wiz bang higher cost ones that the folks with lots of disposable income say are really worth it. Sure, if you’ve got the scratch, why not? If painting is a main stay for a person, they the investment of extra $$ may be too. Just depends on your needs etc. For the occasional painter…
I did forget to mention the point that Ricky W. (who has the same HF 1/3HP 3gal compression as me) made, which is get a decent moisture trap if you live outside of a desert. It is helpful.
The HF compression resides in an uninsulated garage, and it does get freezing cold here in the depths of winter, but so far 3 winters have not affected it’s performance (the winters do, however, affect any paint that I forgot to bring in after the last paint session - oops).
HF seems to do (well, source) compressors right; other things (such as a tap set - taps were dull and deformable) are junk. I guess do your reseach first…
As I have said in the past, Harbor Freight was founded to sell mediocre-quality imported tools and equipment at really low prices (OK, maybe not specificially, but I do recall those ads in the back of Popular Mechanics and Popular Science decades ago).
Sadly, Home Depot and Lowes have gotten the “sell mediocre-quality imported” stuff part down, but not the “really low prices” part.
In general I think everything quality wise has gone down hill or maybe more correct would be isn’t as good off the boat as it was when it was manufactured in the States.
I guess if it’s not high tech stuff it’s just mediocre and we the consumer don’t count anymore.
Mel
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I agree it’s not worth spending a bunch of money just to airbrush. That HD compressor was on a super sale at the time- think I paid $79 for it. Otherwise I would have looked at HF too.
I do a good bit of car painting too and the HF “purple” spray guns are a great deal and cheap enough to be throw-aways. Just depends on what you are buying When it comes to HF. But my garage compressor is a big 220V craftsman that I bought in 1985 and it’s still going strong. I wouldn’t expect that sort of life from anything these days no matter where I bought it.