Compressor - 1/6hp vs 1-2hp type

hagakure.s81

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Hi, just hoping for some advice on getting an air compressor.
I'm in NZ, and i'm finding it very difficult to find any of the airbrush company models.
But I was looking at a REVIEW ON THIS SITE, and to me, if you were to remove the steel case, it looks an aweful lot like THESE HERE. Now that I CAN get in NZ. Its got similar if not identical sort of specs as the badger type.

Of course I can look at the badger one online, or other similar brands but by the time I add in shipping... its 2x the value of the compressor itself... same if I do actually find one of these in an art shop or something, its got 300% markup on the thing.

The other type I found, it the full size (all be it small ones) air compressors. 1.0HP BLACKRIDGE, 1.5HP OZITO, and 2.0hp REMMINGTON. Now I don't need more than 1HP i'm sure, however the Blackridge doesn't look like it comes with a regulator. By the time I add that it, it will be the price of the 2hp one probably. The Ozito, well it's probably coming from the same factory as the blackridge, but Ozito is a pretty crap generic brand. And the remmington is a 2hp. I want to be able to run this in my garage without keeping everybody up or annoying the neighbours, I don't imaging the 2hp one will be very quiet.

So, as the experts you all are, would the 1/6hp model suit? To me, I can't see much difference between it and many of the named brands, and I am on a budget. If I get 2-3 years out of it i'll be happy.

Or do you have alternative suggestions and sources?
 
I've never had much luck with the airbrush type compressors. They don't seem to last very long. The brand
I used was not top of the line, but I would have expected them to last longer. I finally went with a industrial
type compressor. It is made by GMC and I have used it for several years without any issues. It claims to be
super quiet, but I wouldn't call it super quiet. These compressors are not that much more than the airbrush
compressors. This is always a tough decision when dealing with compressors on a budget. The high dollar
ultra quiets are probably the way to go, but they will wreck your budget. I would go with a good grade industrial
compressor and put up with the noise. Just get one with a good size tank and it won't run to often. Mine has a
13 gallon tank that is charged to 135 psig. I can airbrush for a long while without having to run the compressor.
Hope this helps and doesn't add to the confusion.
 
Thanks for that, doesn't add to the confusion at all.
Yep, those super quite sure look nice, but totally out of the question. I'm still picking myself up from the floor ;)
If I was a bit more technically minded I might try to find an old fridge compressor and hook that up to a tank.

So the one that you had was similar to the one I posted that I can get here?
What failed out of curiousity, motor burned out?
 
The pressure shut off failed on one, one had a line rupture, the other had a motor go out. You would think you could mix and match parts but that's not the case. I've still got two laying around that I tried to fix with no success. I have an old
Pasche compressor that I have had for over 30 years and it still runs, just can't get enough pressure and it does get hot
if you run it very long.
 
Appreciate the advice.

I suppose I could always just buy a couple of big 2nd hand tires and fill them up at work from our big screw compressor lol.
 
Well I think I may have solved the dilemma, turns out my dad has a couple un-used water pressure tanks. With a few fittings I can have a 40 ltr tank that I can just fill up at the workshop.
Can't get quieter than that I suppose.
 
hagakure.s81 , just make sure the tanks are rated for the pressure you want to charge them up too and they
have some type of safety relief valve. Good luck, sounds like a good plan.
 
Yup, the tank is rated to 10 bar, the max our compressor at work can do on paper is 8 bar, really it only goes up to 7.2 or so. I thought the tank was 40L, but actually i'd say its closer to 50-60L. Not sure how long this would last me, but the air should be pretty clean as the work compressor is well filtered.

Safety relief valve seems a little redundant given the pressure difference. Will be in the garage, even in summer doesn't get overly hot there.
 
hagakure.s81 said:
Well I think I may have solved the dilemma, turns out my dad has a couple un-used water pressure tanks. With a few fittings I can have a 40 ltr tank that I can just fill up at the workshop.
Can't get quieter than that I suppose.

I know more than a few people who have gone down this path. They LOVE it! With the right tank, regulator, and moisture trap, you'll have yourself a very nice setup.
 
adampolo13 said:
hagakure.s81 said:
Well I think I may have solved the dilemma, turns out my dad has a couple un-used water pressure tanks. With a few fittings I can have a 40 ltr tank that I can just fill up at the workshop.
Can't get quieter than that I suppose.

I know more than a few people who have gone down this path. They LOVE it! With the right tank, regulator, and moisture trap, you'll have yourself a very nice setup.

That is what I used for years before getting a compressor. Over here we have what is called an Air Pig, basically an air tank (5 gal/19L), use it for filling tires, balls, etc, etc. However connect a regulator to it, and makes a great airbrush air source.

Problem with them here is that unless you go to a "real" garage to fill it, the air fillers at the gas station won't ever fill them to capacity as they are usually set to 40psi or less, when even the 5gal air pig will hold about 100psi. So unless you could go into an actual repair shop to fill it on their compressor, it would only hold about enough air for one kit.
 
Hi, thanks for the comments all.

adampolo13 said:
Problem with them here is that unless you go to a "real" garage to fill it, the air fillers at the gas station won't ever fill them to capacity as they are usually set to 40psi or less, when even the 5gal air pig will hold about 100psi. So unless you could go into an actual repair shop to fill it on their compressor, it would only hold about enough air for one kit.

I'll be taking it to our own workshop. We have a ceccato screw-type air compressor that should take the tank up to a handy 7.2 bar (104 psi). So that shouldn't be a problem. The tank is 50L at an estimate, but might be 60 at the top end.

I've had a look inside the tank, and to me it looks like a diaphragm type design, so i'll have to see about piercing a hole in the diaphragm since there is no way for me to remove such. Got a regulator on order so just need to get some fittings and reducing valves now.

By the way, one other question, for the cfm that an airbrush is likely to use, will 1/8" fittings be adequate? Or go for 1/4"?
 
Most airbrush hoses are a 1/4" fitting at the compressor, of course smaller as it gets to the airbrush itself. Might be able to use 1/8" and not affect the air pressure at the airbrush.
 

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