Airbrush Depot
Airbrush Depot
I want to buy an airbrush and compressor. I have never airbrushed before. What kind of compressor is best?
I am very interested in airbrushing. I think i have already figured out which airbrush i am going to get. It's an iwata eclipse airbrush. The only thing i am stuck on is which kind of compressor should i get? I don't really want to pay more than $150 for one, and i would like it to be quiet and do the job. I have checked canadian tire, wal-mart, home depot, and rona for them but, they are all WAY too big.
please help
The only kind of compressors you will find at outlets like Walmart and tire stores and such are industrial and shop compressors, meant to be used in locations where noise will not be an issue. Another problem with using one of these, without an air storage tank is that the airbrush will pulse with each stroke of the compressor, making for an uneven line when trying for a delicate stroke.
The manufacturers of artist's airbrushes do make models that are quiet enough to be used in a studio. The problem is that they are very expensive. But, check out the various manufacturers for more recent prices.
Still, there are other solutions for you. For one, you CAN use one of the shop compressors to fill a portable air storage tank. You can fill it in your garage, or backyard, and bring it in to your studio for doing your artwork. I don't know how many minutes of continuous air flow you will get, but, the higher the pressure in the tank, the longer the charge will last. You will, of course, need to have a regulator between the tank and your brush, to control a consistant flow of air.
When I used to do custom airbrushed tee shirts, my solution was to purchase a CO2 tank from a welding supply company. Between the tank and the regulator, I spent around $150. The advantage was that it was absolutely silent, and a full charge of harmless CO2 gas cost only $20 and that lasted a year's worth of arts and craft fairs, wine festivals, boutiques and flea markets. That added up to a LOT of hours of use out of a single tankfull of propellant.
I met a lot of other tee shirt artists that used an inflated spare automobile tire, filled with ordinairy gas station air. They had to refill every weekend or two, but that was not much trouble. Their regulators were a little different, and, probably quite a bit cheaper than mine.
All in all, there are multiple solutions available and one will be suitible for you. Any of these solutions are better than purchasing those cans of airbrush propellant from the art supply stores. They are expensive and the pressure from them is very inconsistant.