Giving back to the community.

J

Johnny T.

Guest
Hello every one, I just feel that I can't help much with any airbrushing advice so maybe I can help by sharing my experience about what I know in setting up some of the compressor. Let me start by telling you about what I do for a living. As I stated before I'm a millwright journey man. For you that don't know what that is. We go by the term of the jack of all trade and master of none. We have been train in many blue collar jobs from a carpenter to a machines and much more. I'm one of the few people that enjoys there job. Because of the company that I work for. They have treated me pretty good. They have pay for all my schooling and training witch it was a five year to finish. Plus I have gotten pay wile doing so. Any way here is some pic and ill explains where I'm going with this. image.jpeg This is a small part of where I work. image.jpeg This is one of the many air compressors that we have that supply air to the pneumatic equipment and valves. This compressor are rated at 300 psi. The reason that I'm telling you all of this is because I have seen some of the members asking about how to set up there compressor. And since I have some experience with this maybe I can share what I know with every one, this is my way of giving back to the community. So let's start by saying that we just got a new compressor and it is not set up for an airbrush. Now what? Well we need to figure out what type of line we are going to use and how far are we going to the work station. Or maybe you prefer it to be close by.

Any way that all need to be taken in to account. We will explain as we go on. Let's start by what type of air line yo want to use. There are many one. But we're just gone mention just a few. Let's start with black pipe the most commonly use. image.jpeg You can purchase this at any hardware store and it's sold in increment of inches or feet. But the one thing that I find sometime is that if you need a specific length you will end up having to do it in section. Or you can try and find a store that will cut it and retreaded. To the exact length that you need. Then you will need other tools that you may not have like pipe wrench or Chanel lock. Or what ever else you may need. The next one are cooper pipe or tubing. Ether one is a good choice if you know how to solder or suet the feting. image.jpeg But with tubing you will need ether a compression feting or a flare feting . This is a compression fitting images (8).jpg the next is a flare fitting Gas06.jpg For this type of fitting you need to flare the tubing and you will need a special tool for it, you can buy it at any hardware store. This is the tool. tl-tubg2.jpg When you flare it it should look like this figure32.jpg and here is my favor Rapid Air 20923_700x700.jpg this cab be purchase or order through Menard, Lowes, Home Depo. I guess i cant post any more pic so ill come back with the rest a little later.
 
Hi guys lets see if I can finish this. Another source for rapid air wold be northern tool and the Eastwood company. But it is a bit expensive one of the kit goes for 100.00 us. And for you guys around other part of the world if you look in the web you can find similar kits. I have dealt with a company in the uk. That sell composite pipes and fittings I'll see if I cand find it and post the address. Any way other option are plastic line with quick disconnect fitting.image.jpeg This is what the fitting look like. You cand find this at MCMaster Carr or MSC Direct. And another one that lots of people use and really not recommended is PVC pipe. And like I said not! Recommended. But people will still use it because it's easy and cheap. Yea it will last for a long wile or a long time depending wich type you use. I'm not teling any one to use it you do so at your own risk. I just want to give out some pointer and try to be safer about it. PVC has a tendenci to explode when it gets old and bridle. Any way pipes are made in different squedule. That is the wall thickness. They come in 20,40,80,120, and so on. Please if you do this use a schedule 40 or above. And rap it in some type of solid insulation. But I prefer you did not use it. And for does of you that are running a bissness out of there garage here in the United Sates be aware that if OHSA gets a wind of it. It could be up to 15,000.00 fine US dollars. Ok I can keep going with more type of air line but this should be enough for most of you. I kind of made a sketch of an air sistem kind of plain and simple.
 
Lol, I was trying to edit my previous post, so I tough I was done with this and went to post it. Well it wasn't happening. Whent over the time limit for editing. Oops.ill be back in a bit. Need a brake.
 
Let's start all over,image.jpeg rough sketch but it should serve the purpose. I made this in a hurry at work. Forgot a couple of things. First one is betwing the compressor and regulator there should be a valve. And there should be another one before the quick disconnect ad the end of the run.image.jpeg In this pic I'm showing compressor and the loop. Some of you may not know what is this for. This is a collection point. When you have a long run you should have this to collect any condensation or type of partials that may be in your air. Usually you could have three or more of this. If you do you need to install a drain valve at each lower point.image.jpeg This one it's just showing air filter water trap and regulator. You want to have this close to your work station. And if you got other work station some where els it should be the same. If you have a run let's say more than ten feet you will start to get moisture as the air starts to cool off spence the compress air it's hot. That's one of the reason for the loop on the prior picture. Spence I got kick out earlier I'll post this bit and I'll come back shortley.
 
Ok here comes the fun part. Even I got stomp at first and I got several years dealing with all kinds of fittings. But even I learn something. Usually when you purchase airbrush equipment it's all mated together if you buy a kit or airbrush compressor. It suppous to match. Well that's not the case if you buy just the airbrush and you think that you are going to connected to garage compressor or shop. Not gone happened. Not sure about over sea. But here in the US. This compressor have NPT tread and most other regulator and so on. They may have 2/3 inch inlet to 1/2 nch outle NPT thread. And your airbrush aquipment comes with NPS and or BSP fitting. So you are going to need some adapters. First you may need to reduce it so you need some bushings. image.jpeg image.jpeg They come for different reduction and this are NPT. The way you measure is by using the inside of the pipe not the fitting. But some time you won't need to because you may have the wright size just got to see first. I'll be back.
 
Okimage.jpeg this is an adapter from BSP to NPT, notice the above threads on to it has a machine edge that's BSP. And the bottom part is NPT.image.jpeg This is a NPS to BSP. image.png Here is a chart to help you identify the size. image.png Here is another chart. Now after all of this you can go some were where they sale hydraulic fittings or specialty fitting shop. Show them what you have and that the airbrush house and airbrush have NPS and BSP fittings . And they should be able to help. I'll try to update some more later on and be more specific about how to measure threads. Not easy without the gauge do.
 
Thanx for the info! It's helpful.
I have some plans for the silent compressors making and for the time chosen those fast connecting system with plastic fittings, as it's much simpler to use. I think it will be from FESTO or CAMOZZI.
I like FESTO quality, some of their filters and gauges are already in my use and I think I'm not going to search for another brand.
 
I have more but I don't want to throw to much out. And get people confuse. If any one has any question just let me know and I'll work with you to get you set up.
 
The BSP to NPT also has a tapered thread on the NPT end which is a good way of distinguishing what type it is. It's good to know about the different pipes and fittings. It will help folks looking for fittings specifically for their airbrush and compressor.

Lee
 
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