Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Not sure where to start, so mostly looking at ones by Badger for simplicity (looking at a Badger Airbrush atm).
I've found a set that lets me get the Badger Aspire Pro TC910 for roughly 175$.
Also looking at the The Badger Airstorm 180-15 for roughly 125$.

If anyone has any advice on which one to pick/ what differentiates the two, or perhaps a different recommendation all together, I am all ears.

Thanks!

Since I gave my two cents,or pence, in your other thread on air brush info...

Here is a terrible secret.... Those single piston electric compressors are all from the same place in China. All of them.

So what is the difference?

Quality. You can get lucky on the cheap one and have it be just as good, but odds are not with you.

When a Chinese factory makes a run if these for it's first tier buyer the make sometimes ten times the ordered amounts. The first tier then rejects x as being out of spec. The ones that meet spec up to order amount are shipped and finished and sold for the higher price. The leftover are sold to the next who go through them and reject those that don't pass their level of quality control and so on down to harbor freight level which is all the leftover that could be made to function.

After burning out two HF compressors I paid 250 for a German finished compressor. It's now two years old and works great.

So don't skimp but don't over pay. Look for one with a made in Japan or Germany.. ir at the least USA. The parts are still China sourced but the final quality is better.


Or you could get lucky on a HF compressor, I know someone who has one three years on. But mine is much more quiet, which is good since I run it at night while my children sleep.

I'd much rather have a true silent compressor but I can't afford 800USD at the moment.

I see, thanks for the advice! Should I be expecting to pay roughly 150-250$ then? Haha true silent sounds nice, though for 800$ I'll hopefully be able to tolerate the noise for a few years.
Thanks!

Yup that's spot on for price point. While they all lie about the DB rating, noise, quieter is better but also means better quality. These motors all get hot so don't box it or try to sound damp it or it will burn out fast. A good one should be quiet enough to hold a normal, moderate conversation over without any strain or loss of words.

I had an old Badger Silent compressor and it is extremely quiet.

However, I found myself never really using it often and breaking out my simple 1.5 gallon, since it was much lighter and easier to set the regulator pressure, so I sold the old Badger.

The 1.5 gallon pressurizes up to 135 psi, so when you are spraying out at around 20 psi the compressor comes on so infrequently that it being noisier is not any problem. Plus, I can use this compressor for air tools, like grinders, nail guns, blowing up car tires, etc. You can get one of these at a discount freight store for under $75 - just be sure to install a good moisture trap, one in the air line and another at the valve. You should do this anyway even on a very expensive compressor for airbrushing, as my Badger needed two, as well.

I have one of those cheap Master brand Chinese compressors and haven't had any issues. I don't understand complaints about the noise, but then mine has a tank and therefore runs infrequently instead of continuously.