# Airbrush Help



## chappy2 (Jan 7, 2013)

I was wondering what is the recommended Psi for the compressor? I am looking at a Badger that is 30 Psi max. Thank you in advance.

Rob


----------



## CJ53 (Oct 30, 2007)

*compressor*

badger compressor is a good one to get ,, 30psi is plenty. .you will need a regulator to cut it back to about 15psi sometimes less ,, depending on what you are trying to paint.. 
Used mine so much I broke the rod in it.. hours and hours of use.. 

CJ


----------



## chappy2 (Jan 7, 2013)

Thank you CJ, I just wanted make sure before making a purchase.
Rob


----------



## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

30 PSI is about the max I use, and that's for spraying nail polish.


----------



## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

As low as 8 and as high as 22-25. All depends on the product being shot, and the desired effect. Best way is to start at the bare minimum and learn to excercise control. 

Viscosity is actually the number one failure issue, not pressure!


----------



## chappy2 (Jan 7, 2013)

Thank you Bill and Slotcarman. I got gun shy at the store because there was a Badger compressor that was rated 45 Psi max. It was considerably more expensive than the 30 Psi max. I figured I would double check here before deciding. Good to know about the viscosity being a main issue as well.

Rob


----------



## partspig (Mar 12, 2003)

Just a side note, I use a cheap 60 dollar compressor that I got off of ebay. It is not high pressure by any means but works for what I do. There are lots of options out there. Have a good day! pig


----------



## 60chevyjim (Feb 21, 2008)

I got a airbrush compressor from harbor freight 
the price was pretty cheap , it may have been on sale I don't rember..


----------



## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Dont be Blat-man*

It's about atomizing paint properly in a controlled fashion. 

Blasting max PSI through an airbrush is the scale equivalent of shooting texture on drywall. What ya really want a gentle fog/mist of nearly microscopic paint droplets at the lowest possible pressure that will get it out of the rig.

Sadly the common misconception is that everybody expects the speed and coverage of a bomb can with air brush results. 

So what often happens is that the viscosity isnt correct and folks immediately scramble for the easy button and crank up the boost to try and force the scale equivalent of pancake batter through the nozzle. Naturally this is bass-ackwards of what actually needs to happen. Many good rigs languish unused because of this fact. 

The correct course of action is to learn to adjust the paint viscosity so that it will move through the nozzle at somewhere between 12 to 22 PSI. This is a ball park. Paints are different from brand to brand, with in the brand, or by type. Larger metal flake takes more boost than monochrome lacquers. By golly sometimes you might even have to adjust it on the fly, so extra mixing cups and thinner are NOT optional. Ya flat out gotta have all the stuff you need within easy reach!

Good practice and commonsense insist that test shots be done prior aiming anything at a model that you've worked very hard to prep. This is where I learn the characteristics of the paint and see how it may interact with any other layers or coats that I might be intending to use. For beginners, practicing on garage sale diecasts is the best way to get comfortable and develop your technique. 

When its going good at the correct flow rate, it will take a few minutes to seal your back side edges and cut in your outlines. This prevents catastrophic edge or seam flaking down the road. At this point I have wound the pressure down as far as it will go and still produce color build. By lowering the pressure you all but eliminate runs in tight hard to reach areas. This is where I really decide if I'm OK with the viscosity. Once Im cut in and happy, I'll ease the pressure back up and progressively build several light even coats at a very deliberate gentle rate. 

During a multistage job you MUST flush and wipe your rig thoroughly; but no need to un-necessarily break the whole rig down. Unless your working a more advanced wet on wet technique this cleaning time allows the previous coat to flash off properly and gives you time to relax and think.


----------



## chappy2 (Jan 7, 2013)

Thank you Bill, for the insight. Their is a lot to learn and I am sure to have plenty of questions along the way. Going from brush and rattle cans to an airbrush is my winter time goal this coming season. We have about 6 to 8 months of cold weather so it will give me plenty of time to figure it out to some degree. Your analysis is right I was thinking psi all the way. Rattle cans give that idea that all ho scale painting is all or nothing.


----------



## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*Do you want quiet time while airbrushing?*

I have a coleman oil less compressor with a 2 gallon tank.

When I go to paint with my compressor all that is needed is a flick of the switch and the tank fills up with air in a short bit. 
After it hits the 70 PSI to 100 PSI tank storage limit it shuts off.

It's noisy when first turned on filling up but, when the tank is full it's quiet. 
My old Compressor used to have to run all the time. It was noisy but, didn't think much about it because, I had it since my 12th Birthday and that is just what I used.

I found my Coleman used for $30.00 at a VW car show near my house several years ago. BARGAIN!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:
Oh and it had flames painted on the tank...Bonus!! 

One of our Garages is my paint booth. I just leave the doors open when painting. 
It freaked me out to hear birds chirp and other outside noises while painting the first time. It was quiet for the first time in my painting world.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

Once in awhile the compressor will kick back on when it loses pressure in the tank but, that doesn't last long.

Also a pretty long airbrush hose is nice to have too.

Bob...paint to live, live to paint...zilla


----------

