Airbrushing: Air tank question

[Dave Schneider]

Hello all,

I have a couple of compressors, one is a large "garage" model for impact wrench, etc.., and the other is a pancake model for brad/finish nailer. I have used the garage compressor to run my airbrush, and have a nice set up for the spray both with a couple of moisture traps and a regulator. The booth is in the garage but will soon be relocated to my layout/shop building. I would like to be able to use the airbrush to weather track, roads, etc... on the N scale layout, and not be constrained to what I can put in the spray booth.

What do folks think about using a 5 gallon air tank for these mobile tasks? I would put a regulator on it, but charge it with "dry air" from my compressor. The moisture trap seems more fragile than the regulator, and I think needs to be in an upright position at all times (?).

Best wishes, Dave

[Lemosteam]

I remote mounted a water trap and regulator right next to the layout and workbench where a 10' airbrush hose can reach the whole thing.  Then I ran a 25' airbrush hose to a standard 1/4" quick connect with some special fittings.  The quick connect fittings are a bulkhead that passes through the rim joist in my basement and out to the garage using a nipple and some flat washers to clamp through the rim joist.  No air tanks to fill, direct feed from my home compressor and stores away when I am not using the lines.  The tee after the regulator allows me to use either a Pasche or Badger style connection while the other is capped.  Seems to work well although I am an airbrush newbie.

[Scottl]

 I bought a long coiling hose for giving me reach for painting track and the backdrop.  It worked well and I could use the same set up I have at the booth.

[Bob Horn]

I used a Badger 250 and the caned propelent. Much eaiser. Bob.

[peteski]

I used a Badger 250 and the caned propelent. Much eaiser. Bob.

Except for the uncontrolled (and variable) pressure you get as the can cools down.  Not to mention the expense of buying those cans.

[mmagliaro]

No tank for me either.  I have a small compressor handed down from a relative.  I bought an all-in-one gauge/regulator/trap made by Jet, similar to that thing shown in Lemosteam's photo.   I mounted that directly on the compressor.  To the output of the trap,  I have about 10 feet of air hose, and I bought fittings at a hardware store to adapt my Badger Crescendo 175 hose and fitting to that.  Works like a charm.   I get no pulsing or other troubles.
I think the volumes of air we are spraying with an airbrush are so small that the hose itself contains enough air to filter out any pulsation from the compressor.

[mecgp7]

Except for the uncontrolled (and variable) pressure you get as the can cools down.  Not to mention the expense of buying those cans.

Cost aside, if you put the can in a container of room temp water it helps stabilize the pressure.

[robert3985]

If you want to just use an air tank charged with 125psi air, you're going to find that you'll be running out to the garage to charge it up more often than you thought you'd be doing.  I've also got a 5 gallon tank with a valve and hose on it I used to use for topping off air pressure in my autocross 510 at the race.  I thought I'd use it for doing work airbrush work at my friends' years ago, and ended up buying the roofing compressor instead because 5 gallons of air doesn't last long charged at 125psi.

If you seriously want a nice, silent tank to do your work with, I'd suggest a C02 setup, which is perfectly dry and will last a long time, and is fairly cheap too.  They are in common use in the art industry when artists actually paint using analog airbrush/paper/frisket/paint/swivel knife.

[Kisatchie]

If you seriously want a nice, silent tank to do your work with, I'd suggest a C02 setup, which is perfectly dry and will last a long time, and is fairly cheap too...

I can heartily second that. Just use common sense (I wouldn't use it indoors) and don't bang the tank around.


Hmm... meaning you expect
people to juggle them...?

[Dave Schneider]

Thanks for all the ideas everyone. I should have been more clear that I have my small Porter-Cable pancake compressor in the layout/shop building, and could use that to top off the tank. I could just run the airbrush off that, but was concerned about damaging the moisture trap. My idea was to mount the moisture trap in a good, safe place and use the small compressor to charge the air tank.

Best wishes, Dave

[Bangorboy]

I can heartily second that. Just use common sense (I wouldn't use it indoors) and don't bang the tank around.


Hmm... meaning you expect
people to juggle them...?

A comment -- I don't think there's any danger in using CO2 indoors.  You exhale it all the time, after all.  Carbon dioxide is a natural product of breathing.

You don't want CO in the house, that's carbon monoxide and people often die from it being produced by fuels burning in heaters, stoves, even fireplaces.

Bill B
M Scaling in South Okaloosa

[Bangorboy]

Bill B
M Scaling in South Okaloosa

No, I didn't invent a new scale.  Just fat-fingered the keyboard again.

N Scaling in South Okaloosa

[Kisatchie]

A comment -- I don't think there's any danger in using CO2 indoors.  You exhale it all the time, after all.  Carbon dioxide is a natural product of breathing.

You don't want CO in the house, that's carbon monoxide and people often die from it being produced by fuels burning in heaters, stoves, even fireplaces.

If a tank is leaking (not likely), or you're spraying a lot at high pressure, a house can fill up very quickly with asphyxiating CO2. Better to be safe than sorry (or worse).


Hmm... cough, cough...

[Bangorboy]

If a tank is leaking (not likely), or you're spraying a lot at high pressure, a house can fill up very quickly with asphyxiating CO2. Better to be safe than sorry (or worse).


Hmm... cough, cough...

OK.  I'll buy that. Hadn't considered that it would get that concentrated.    It'd by kinda like putting a bag over your head.  If there's enough to deprive you of O2, you're a goner. 

Bill B
N Scaling in South Okaloosa

[Kisatchie]

OK.  I'll buy that. Hadn't considered that it would get that concentrated...

I doubt if it would, merely by spraying N scale engines/cars/buildings... there's very little spraying involved. But if you're an airbrush artist in a small studio doing lots of work... OPEN A WINDOW 


Hmm... my treehouse is
nice and airy, which isn't
very convenient if it's cold,
like it is tonight...