Master air compressor?

M

MrMann66

Guest
Ok I’ve spent a little cash. Picked up a decent AB (procon ps-270), got some wicked paint on the way. Been looking through the tutorials a bit to try and figure how things work. Next question I have is about compressors. I’ve done all my big spending for a bit so I’m stuck with these master compressors. I have 2. What am I missing by having a lower end compressor? I assume the gage might not be the most accurate. Maybe the pleasure fluctuates a little? Yes...no..yes.?. How do different compressors affect my AB technique? What do y’all use? Why?
 
And also if my compressors are less than optimal what can one do to get by with lesser equipment.
 
I will give few pointers, but you will get more info from the pros when they come here. I am noob...

I think usually those guys which are posting phenomenal pictures on this forum spray at 10 psi or less I think... But they are thinning their paint a lot. So they are not using a lot of air for spraying. As soon you less thin your paint and use higher psi you use more air. And you empty tank sooner. More often tank is empty, more often compressor works and it heats faster. End result , more heat faster you will get dead compressor.

But me for example I am spraying at 60psi and I would empty tank fast if it's small. My compressor working like each minute or two if I am fast and that is the reason why he started to die and I need to buy new one bigger one.

Hope this helps a little.
 
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Sorry @huskystafford, I understand what you are infering but how you've worded it sounds wrong, stating that 'reduced paint uses less pressure can be misleading, I can spray highly reduced paint at 60psi
:D

less pressure = less air used = longer time before the compressor kicks in again.
higher pressure = lots of air used = compressor runs more often = potential overheating problem.

The problem with the compressor you have is that there is no tank, which means the compressor will struggle to maintain pressure and constantly run which means potential overheating problems and possibly a pulsing airstream which means patchy paint.
All compressors have a 'duty cycle' which means that when they run for x minutes they need to rest for x minutes. @Robbyrockett2 seems to be our numbers nerd and can no doubt advise what the stats would be for the compressor you have

Its not all doom and gloom, While you are learning they may serve you well. Because you have two, I'd suggest two hoses, If you have 'quick disconnects' on both hoses and your airbrushes then you can swap over the compressors every couple of hours (or hourly if they seem to be getting to hot) and give each one a rest.

If noise isnt an issue then look into a standard workshop type compressor, (with a moisture/oil filter) They are noisy but they take awhile before they kick back in because they have such a large tank.
 
I use the same compressor quite often and find it pretty adequate for illustration work at 10-15 psi.
Body painting... I almost smoked it.
If you get fast it will be hard on it.
Forget about doing shirts with it... aint gonna happen.
what are you missing.....basically just big fills....murals things like that. It just cant keep up with really much besides illustration and desktop size projects that youre taking your good old time with.
Some are better than others btw.
the pressure switches one some will let the pressure drop a lot before they come on, others will kick on within a second of touching the trigger. The latter works great, you really wont see pulsation bc the moisture trap acts like a little mini tank and has more volume than the stroke of the piston creates.

Otheriwse yeah it runs almost every second you spray so longevity can be an issue especially if you push them.
 
Jacky mentioned duty cycle.
These are 50 percent ( optimistically) like most common compressors. With these though since they run anytime you spray, this means 5 min of spraying requires 5 min of rest.
Probably 7-10 in reality for these.

But that's why they're pretty adequate for someone new to illustration.... You'll find yourself spraying 30 sec for every 10 minutes your working lol

Any other tasks run you into the duty cycle pretty quick.
It's incapable of maintaining the pressure needed for shirts at all.

Really if youre sticking to smaller projects and taking your time they aren't bad compressors. The quality is about as good as any name brand since the name brands mostly just rebrand the same crap.

If you need more than these, I suggest avoiding anything called an airbrush compressor.
 
Here's a very popular option
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Califor...ric-Portable-Air-Compressor-1P1060S/300500747

As well as the next size up of the same brand.

I use a senco pc1010 a lot, same size but 100 percent duty cycle and a little better actual air production despite similar claims. Also a touch louder.

Both of these are capable of much longer more consistent sessions and much higher pressures and can run fan pattern brushes.

The next size up California air can even run a mini gun intermittently for clear coating.
 
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