jetfght

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Hi all,

I finally did it....i just bought my first air compressor I got a twin tank 2hp air compressor for only $79.99, now the problem now is to get an airbrush set for this compressor...i would like to do fine airbrushing with it and paint large areas of the aircraft, what do i need to get started brand and model if possible, also do i need any part to hook up the airbrush to the air compressor?

Thank you all

jetfght

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forgot to add air comp model# 42321 Central Pneumatic

Flypaper 2

Water trap for condensation is a necessity and a pressure regulator for constant pressure and different pressure for different paint viscosities. Hope this helps.

t_man75

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An Iwata Eclpise is about the best airbrush out there. They come in gravity feed, bottle feed, or side feed. If your going to do a lot of one color the bottle feed would be your best bet. Check out [link=http://www.dixieart.com]dixieart[/link], they have good prices and service.

ballgunner

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I have an airbrush and a touch up gun as well. Use both but confine the touch up gun to large areas, wings, fuselage sides etc. The airbrush does the fine trim. A water trap and pressure regulator absolutely essential. Glad you got the 2HP. I've had mine for years and got it when 3/4 horse was big for home use.

jetfght

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Hi all, thanks for the responses....what's a water trap, and do they have one for my air compressor, or it's part of the airbrush? Sorry, never painted anything or used any painting tool..my compressor didn't come w/ a pressure regulator..so i bought one that's $7.99

linclogs

I spray dope, lacquer and enamel with my compressor and have NEVER had a water trap. Been doing it that way for over 25 years and have never had a problem. So what exactly is SUPPOSED to happen if you don't have one? 'Cause whatever is supposed to go wrong, apparently has never happened to me. But I've heard this is an absolute must from other folks in the past, too. Could it be the area where you live? Like if you live in an area that is exceptionally humid?

bakes65

Condensation/vaporization are a natural by-product of compressing air. (that's why you see a drain valve at the bottom of large air compressors). This drains the condensate from the storage tank.

H2O vapor in an airbrush system can result in tiny droplets of water being sprayed along with paint. This makes for a not quite so professional finish when spraying oil based paints.

Watertraps aren't an expensive add-on and are therfore cheap insurance. Mine was twelve bucks and is inserted in line between the storage tank and my air brush.

As far as recommendations for an air brush, it's Ford and Chevy's. Badger and Paasche are the two leaders in Hobby brush's. I bought the Paasche (two stage VL model I think, whichever has the actual draw tube from the bottom. The other single stage has a small cup on the top so you cant pull pain out of bottles)a few years back at the recommendation of the LHS. Haven't had any problems with it.

Good luck to you!

jetfght

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I think i'm going to purchase a paasche VL and water trap, is that good enough for me to paint large areas of a 1/8 scale airplane?or what kind of airbrush equipment do i need?

Thank you again..

linclogs

I'm presently using a 2 HP Campbell-Hausfeld with a 6-gallon tank (for about 15 years now). I've got the drain valve at the bottom of my compressor's tank for getting rid of the condensation, but I don't open it often. Sometimes when I open it a little moisture comes out - sometimes nothing. But I don't know the reason I've never had problems with water in my paint, just that I never have.

Before I got the Campbell-Hausfeld, I was using another compressor. Never had a water trap on that one either. So maybe I've just been lucky for 25 years!

One problem I DO have in the winter is dope blushing, but that isn't because of my spray rig as I sometimes get blushing even when using a brush to apply the dope. They say adding "retarder" to the dope prevents blushing but I haven't had good luck with retarder. It just creates a big "stink" and the dope seems to still blush anyway - just not as bad. I usually just wait a few days until the weather warms up a bit and the humidity goes down and spray then.

jetfght

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I just notice that my air comp manual states that the air intake filter doesn't come w/ it...should i get it also?

ballgunner

My Feedback: (1)

If you do plan to paint larger areas, wings, fuselage sides, etc. you will be much better off with a larger gun such as a touch up gun. It is still a small gun but will give you a much wider pattern that an airbrush. They are not expensive, between 20 and 30 bucks, but they hold a lot more paint and can put out a wider pattern but still be adjusted down to a narrower one if necessary. An airbrush over a wide area will require a very deft touch to prevent streaking. The streaks will probably be not too noticeable except in certain light, but you will see them every time you look even if others don't. Use the airbrush for striping and other detail work.

jetfght

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I just bought the paasche VL set for $49.99 =)....and purchase a pressure regulator but it didn't have a air intake filter for it.... do you think this is an acceptable one for my compressor? The one i got today and would like to return is

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44938

and the one i want is this one

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42035

JollyPopper

My Feedback: (6)

Linclogs:
If you experience "blushing" in your finish, you ARE having moisture problems. Blushing is caused by tiny droplets of moisture being captured in the spray pattern. Depending on the paint used, they will sometimes flow out, other times remain in the finish and result in a cloudy finish. A moisture trap is really cheap insurance for anyone using a compresser to paint with or to power air tools.
Max

linclogs

Max --

I think you missed part of what I said...

In the Winter (when it's cold and rainy) I sometimes get blushing - "even when using a brush to apply the dope".

Using a brush doesn't have anything to do with using my spray rig. Like I said, I usually just wait for a few days (for it to stop raining and dry up outside) then spray. The point I was making there was that retarder is SUPPOSED to help, but it doesn't for me - just makes an objectionable smell (IMHO), and the dope STILL blushes. I've even tried using only retarder (no thinner) and it still blushes (even when brushing the dope) if the weather is really damp.

So the point here is that I've never had a moisture problem when spraying that wasn't also present when brushing. So it's not my spray rig - it's the weather.

joetsunami

linclogs,
You are not having trouble with condensation in your compressor tank because.......
You live in California!
That'd be my best guess anyway, I don't know where Lincoln is, but since a lot of inhabited CA is arid, you have low humidity.

In the winter-when it's dry here in the midwest, I don't have any problems with condensation in everyday use of my large compressor. In the summer months with high humidity, you can't hardly use the compressor to blow dirt off your lawnmower, without spitting great gobs of water everywhere!

Joe Myers

linclogs

Hey Joe, contrary to popular opinion we DO get SOME rainy days in "sunny California"!

Lincoln is located in the Sacramento Valley and we do get a lot of a marine layer coming up through the Delta from the Bay area (San Francisco). The weather folks like to call it our "natural air conditioner". It can get into the mid to high hundred degrees (105 to 110 or more) in the Summer, but then the "Delta breeze" kicks in to take us back into the 80's or 90's. But I never have humidity problems while painting except on rainy days in the Winter. Any other time of the year, even if it rains, I don't get the blushing. So I'm thinking it's got to be cold weather combined with high humidity.

jetfght

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do you think this is an acceptable one for my compressor? The one i have and would like to return is

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44938

and the one i want is this one

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42035

is that good enough for the compressor?

linclogs

Can you say, "fish-eye"?

I don't think you want an "oiler" if you're going to be using the air for spray painting. That puts oil through the air hose - great for air tools - NOT great for spray painting. You don't need an oiler - just put a few drops of air tool oil into the quick-disconnect fitting of the air tool you're going to use before connecting to the air hose and they will get oiled. This doesn't apply to your spray gun, though. If you do that, you'll be mixing oil with your paint as you spray!

jetfght

My Feedback: (2)

So, the first one that i originally purchased is good enough? http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44938
i don't need to add anything else besides the hose?

linclogs

I'd try test spraying something without using a water trap and see how it works for you. I don't know where you're located in California but you may be able to get away without one (as I do). Depends on the circumstances where you live.

jetfght

My Feedback: (2)

Sorry for my ignorance, if i don't have either of these pressure regulator, how can i regulate the amount of air that comes out for my airbrush or that so it won't damage my airbrush?

Flypaper 2

jetfgt:
Looks like the second one has a water trap. Just don't put oil in it. Look like thats the one you need. Depending on the viscosity if the paint as to how much pressure to use. Start with around 25 psi and experimant on scrap till you are satisfied. If you thin the paint out, use lower pressure etc. Experiment first.

linclogs

Do I understand correctly that your compressor did not come with a guage that indicates the pressure in the holding tank and also does not include a regulator valve for adjusting the pressure? Sorry, I thought they all had those. If that's the case, either of the ones you showed links to should work. Choose the one with the water trap if you're concerned about too much humidity where you live. Don't use the one that includes an oiler.

jetfght

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yeah, apparently mine don't come w/ pressure regulator only has the pressure holding tank...=( so need to spend extra $30.00