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Hey folks, I am seriously thinking about grabbing an airbrush compressor kit from ebay- they are in my price range and look the part however I get a warning bell going off inside my head every time I get close to hitting the buy now button. I was wondering if any of you guys have any experience with these compressors - there are airbrushes included in the kit but I am not overly worried about the quality of these as I intend to replace with a decent model soon enough- it is really just the compressor I am interested in. I am moving on to larger models in my collection and believe an airbrush is the way forward but I dont want to go splashing out on one if it is going to break within a few months of buying. I had a quick look around the forums to see if there were any previous related threads and apologize if I have missed them. I'd really appreciate any advice from you guys and thanks for reading

Might help if you posted some the kits you are looking at.

I would say at least get a compressor with a tank as for what brand? Many of them are made in the same factory in China and just get branded differently.

Sorry I was being a bitty general there huh?! Okies the one that I thought looked the best was http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111357134032?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
I thought with it having a tank and a cooling fan it looked to be the better of what's available at that sort of price range

I think those kits are all pretty similar

The types of complaints you hear about them are leaks (which can usually, but not always, be fixed by re-taping all the joints) and overheating compressor. That looks like a pretty good deal, considering it comes with a tank, too.

By the way, I would get a separate table airbrush stand, and put the compressor on the ground on a piece of wood. If you put that compressor on the table, the little suction cups don't do much, and it will vibrate and move -- there is the risk of it falling off the edge, if you don't keep an eye on it. Plus, shaking table isn't really helpful

It's good to check the hose fittings, because later on, if you want a different airbrush, you'd prefer not to have to buy special adapters (which can be costly). The standard connector on the compressor end, off the moisture trap/regulator is a 1/4" NPT -- this will fit all standard airbrush hoses like Iwata, Paasche, or Badger.

Thanks for the information there, I am going to wait until after christmas as the seller states if you miss the delivery it will cost a lot for redelivery and I have a lot of going out to do in the next few days. I just looked up the stats on the kit and the connector fittings are 1/8" BSP- so I would therefore need an adapter? Thats kind of sucky- may need to have another look around to see if there are any available with the standard fitting- bummer huh! Cheers

Talys wrote:
It's good to check the hose fittings, because later on, if you want a different airbrush, you'd prefer not to have to buy special adapters (which can be costly). The standard connector on the compressor end, off the moisture trap/regulator is a 1/4" NPT -- this will fit all standard airbrush hoses like Iwata, Paasche, or Badger.

Not sure if I had mentioned it in the other thread that this sort of came up in (these do come up so often...) but the easiest (and cheapest) way to deal with this issue is just to take the hose that comes with the compressor and clip it off a couple inches past the compressor side fitting. Get a 1/4" NPT with a barbed fitting adapter (local hardware store has them for about $1.75). Push that in the hose nub. Get a matching female NPT for the rest of the hose - also with a barbed fitting, push that in the long part of the hose. If you are running higher pressures off the compressor - you may want to add a couple of hose clamps on the fittings.

Cheap, easy, looks a bit like butt. The nice thing is that for most the pressures airbrushes are working with, the barbed fittings will hold without needing any additional crimp connections or hose clamps. You can add them easily enough. You now have a standard fitting that you can connect all your regular hoses too without having to spend a bunch on several different adapters to get from an odd ball fitting to something a little less odd ball.

Well thanks for that Sean, I have to admit after finding out the fitting wasn't a standard one I was a bitty downhearted but now with this fix I am back on- cheers
I spoke to the ebay seller earlier and I am going to place my order in the morning and will receive my kit next Monday.
I am looking forwards to getting it and entering the world of the airbrush!

An update!
Ok it is a few weeks since I placed my order with Airbrush Supply Online(ASO), on my delivery date time was getting on so I called ASO and spoke to the owner Roger, he informed me that there had been a stock error and he didn't actually have my compressor kit. I had to wait until after the Christmas holidays for him to ask his supplier if there could get me another. On the 5th January Roger told me he had managed to get me one and it would be with me in a few days- a week passed so I called him again to find that it hadn't been sent. I did however get it a couple of days later- last Wednesday (14thJan') Only when I recieved it did I realise that I was going to need some extra products- thinners and a few other bits and bobs so I placed another order and waited patiently for these to arrive so I had everything in my arsenal before I began learning to use my new airbrush. Roger at ASO done me a good turn in way of compensation for my extended wait by upgrading the brush that came with the kit to a HS80 and from what i can make out is a relatively good clone of an Iwata Hi line HP CH Airbrush.
By Saturday I was itching to give it a bash so decided to doodle some designs on paper. I set it up adjusted my PSI filled my brush with paint diluted to the consistency of semi-skimmed milk and doodled, I must admit I was very nervous with it but after ten minutes or so packed it up when I thought hit me- my compressor had been running constantly the whole time I had it on- it has a tank and my understanding was it filled the tank and you used that air until the pressure dropped and then it kicked back in filling the tank up again- but like I said it had been running constant. I investigated to find that the air release drain valve beneath the tank was leaking air. Geez! I am not having much luck here am I? So I have contacted Roger -once again and he has just got back to me saying he has posted me a new valve off. It will be a full month tomorrow and I still haven't got any paint down on a model. I have been using the time familiarising myself with the brush- stripping it down and rebuilding- trying to get over my stupid fear I have of it and watching a ton of tutorials on youtube readying myself. On another note I am thinking about getting a Badger Patriot 105 as from all the various reviews it looks to me the one which will suit what I want to do perfectly.

I am going to hold back until after xmas as the owner declares in the event you miss the actual shipping and delivery it'll cost you a great deal with regard to redelivery and I possess a great deal of visiting carry out in the next day or two.

Yea the same applied here as well (UK) I think it was £30 for a missed delivery (re delivery) almost half the cost of the kit! I think though Gasdg your safe enough to order as Christmas has been and gone- unless you're still partying in which case man you're a hardcore party animal !! :p (kidding)