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I have recently acquired an airbrush,yet I did not know that I needed a compressor. I would like a cheap compressor, and I do not know how to choose the right kind. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Well lets back up a bit.

What type of airbrush did you get?
How much room do you have? does it need to be quiet?
Do you want it to have an air tank?
What kind of budget are you working with?

Something very affordable can be found if searching for AS-186.

I used that one for many years and if you don't go pro, you will likely never have to upgrade.

 darefsky (Flight Medic Paints) wrote:
Well lets back up a bit.

What type of airbrush did you get?
How much room do you have? does it need to be quiet?
Do you want it to have an air tank?
What kind of budget are you working with?

I have a 0.3mm gravity feed dual action airbrush, I have a fair amount of room and the compressor being quiet is not necessary. I do not know if I want an air tank, as I do not know what it does. An optimal price would be 30-40 dollars.

Cheapest one I can thinking is from Harbor Frieght or Masters Airbrush they look identical and run about $90.

 darefsky (Flight Medic Paints) wrote:
Cheapest one I can thinking is from Harbor Frieght or Masters Airbrush they look identical and run about $90.

I have just now found an air compressor for 45 dollars, the compressor tank is one gallon,and it has a maximum psi of 100. It does not appear to have a pressure trap, which I have heard are necessary. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Powermate-1-Gal-Portable-Electric-Air-Compressor-VNP0000101/202065070?N=5yc1vZc9pn#specifications

Just about any air source will do, linked compressor included. It will, however, require some extra plumbing to be useful for airbrushing, which will put its cost up around, if not past, the list price of the HF airbrush compressor (if you wait for sales/coupons, you needn't pay more than about $60). It's going to be loud and take up more space, too, so I'd definitely recommend getting an airbrush-specific compressor if you don't have any other uses for a shop-sized one (small ones lack the flow rate needed for many air tools - inflating tires, blowing away dust, and running pneumatic staplers/nailers are about all they can handle).

If you get something like the linked model, you're going to need a second pressure gauge and control valve installed in-line. The one on the compressor, itself, lacks the resolution and control needed at the lower pressures used for spraying. Lower pressure regulators with finer control are somewhat specialty items and usually run about $20, I believe, on the cheaper end. The bigger compressor will also generate more heat and spit more moisture into the air line, meaning you'll likely want to add an extra moisture trap, either just below the gun or spliced into the line back by the secondary regulator.

I can appreciate the desire to save money, here, but I think you're actually going to spend more getting a cheaper compressor to work for your purposes than you would by spending a little more, initially, on something built for the task. The HF model isn't fancy, but it works just fine and won't piss off the neighbors, even if you share walls and spray at 3am (and yes, I've confirmed this, personally ).

[edits: typos]

 oadie wrote:
Just about any air source will do, linked compressor included. It will, however, require some extra plumbing to be useful for airbrushing, which will put its cost up around, if not past, the list price of the HF airbrush compressor (if you wait for sales/coupons, you needn't pay more than about $60). It's going to be loud and take up more space, too, so I'd definitely recommend getting an airbrush-specific compressor if you don't have any other uses for a shop-sized one (small ones lack the flow rate needed for many air tools - inflating tires, blowing away dust, and running pneumatic staplers/nailers are about all they can handle).

If you get something like the linked model, you're going to need a second pressure gauge and control valve installed in-line. The one on the compressor, itself, lacks the resolution and control needed at the lower pressures used for spraying. Lower pressure regulators with finer control are somewhat specialty items and usually run about $20, I believe, on the cheaper end. The bigger compressor will also generate more heat and spit more moisture into the air line, meaning you'll likely want to add an extra moisture trap, either just below the gun or spliced into the line back by the secondary regulator.

I can appreciate the desire to save money, here, but I think you're actually going to spend more getting a cheaper compressor to work for your purposes than you would by spending a little more, initially, on something built for the task. The HF model isn't fancy, but it works just fine and won't piss off the neighbors, even if you share walls and spray at 3am (and yes, I've confirmed this, personally ).

[edits: typos]

Do you think that this is optimal? http://www.harborfreight.com/16-hp-58-psi-oilless-airbrush-compressor-60329.html

 samv01 wrote:
Do you think that this is optimal? http://www.harborfreight.com/16-hp-58-psi-oilless-airbrush-compressor-60329.html

No.

Tankless compressors typically have a difficult time maintaining a constant airflow, which is why just about anything with a tank is preferred. The first compressor you linked would work just fine, but it will be much louder than a dedicated airbrush compressor. In all honesty, a compressor is one of the places you don't want to go cheap when purchasing an airbrush setup. Often times you'll end up getting what you pay for...

I don't know, ScootyPuffJunior - a 10' hose seems to be enough to reduce any pulsation on my HF tankless compressor to negligible levels. The only time I can see any evidence thereof is when I crank the pressure well above what I'd ever want to spray at (approaching 40 PSI) with low paint flow. We've all listed the benefits of tanks ad nauseum in other compressor threads, but I really don't think constant airflow is as big an issue with tankless models as people keep saying. Unless, that is, we're talking about T-shirt artists looking to blast clogs straight through their guns at 60PSI, yet still be able to lay down fine lines.

samv01 - That's the model I have. I wouldn't call it 'optimal,' in the more general sense, but I do genuinely think it's one of the better options for you, at the moment. You'd be hard pressed to find anything cheaper that'll cover your needs, right out of the box. If you decide to stick with airbrushing and feel the need to upgrade down the road, you can either add a tank or buy a nicer model - either way, it'll have given you your money's worth. YMMV, but that's my recommendation.

I went the way of a cheapie compressor when I started airbrushing (and a cheapie airbrush). The difference with a great airbrush and compressor, I must say, is very noticeable.