Regulating psi problems

Hello, I'm a fairly novice airbrusher, I paint minatures. I have been having trouble regulating air pressure. I'm thinking it might be my compressors regulater? Here's what happens.

Ether
1: I set my psi to 30
2: pull the trigger psi drops to 10-15 (too low to paint)
3: release the trigger and it is back at 30 psi

Or

1: I set the psi to 40
2: pull the trigger (it blass out a heap of paint for a second, psi drops to 20, paints smoothly)
3: release trigger and it's back at 40 psi

I'm wondering how do I get a more even level of pressure? I have a small cheap compressure with a 4l tank. Im thinking it might be the cheap regualters maybe?

Def the compressor, not so much the reg, pressure drops are common on cheaper gear. A larger in-between storage tank can help, use your compressor simply to pump that up and it will act as a buffer. The reg could be a part of the prob though. Would help to know more about the actual compressor, sounds like my silent compressor and what that does, just struggles in essence to keep up Good luck

I was thinking the regulator because even when the tank is full, as soon as I press the trigger the psi drops, and as I release the trigger the psi jumps back to its original setting. If it were the small compressor/tank wouldn't the pressure take a minute to get back to the original psi?

Newbie mistake.
Set the psi on the regulator with the trigger pressed for air.
The pressure WILL be higher when you haven’t got ‘air on’

By the way .. ..

But when set the psi (with the trigger on), the psi (with trigger off) goes up to 40+.
So when I go to paint it blasts 40psi through the brush for a second or 2. So I ether spatter paint everywhere or EVERY time I pull the trigger I aim away from my work until the pressure evens out.

Watching people airbrush on YouTube they seem to have a more constant airflow. Where I'm getting about a 20psi drop whenever I pull the trigger.

Matt Taylor said:

But when set the psi (with the trigger on), the psi (with trigger off) goes up to 40+.
So when I go to paint it blasts 40psi through the brush for a second or 2. So I ether spatter paint everywhere or EVERY time I pull the trigger I aim away from my work until the pressure evens out.

Watching people airbrush on YouTube they seem to have a more constant airflow. Where I'm getting about a 20psi drop whenever I pull the trigger.

Click to expand...

Double action airbrush? Always set psi with trigger pulled. Ignore what it says otherwise. Also make sure you turn off paint first, then turn off air. This will prevent clumps off paint from building up on tip of needle.

You set your regulator at what you need at the tip of the airbrush (taking into consideration what paint and reduction you have, when you shut the air off yes, your regulator will show a higher reading, that is normal.
Depending on your brush (single or double action as joooseph has stated) you need to action the trigger according. A single action depress it very slowly or spray off first to a spare sheet of paper. A double action you will only get air until you pull back for paint. You’ll get excess paint on the needle if you have stopped the paint before the air at the end of your last blast of paint.

What airbrush are you using ?
What paint are you using? And how about doing that intro we don’t even know where on the planet you live

Matt Taylor said:

Hello, I'm a fairly novice airbrusher, I paint minatures. I have been having trouble regulating air pressure. I'm thinking it might be my compressors regulater? Here's what happens.

Ether
1: I set my psi to 30
2: pull the trigger psi drops to 10-15 (too low to paint)
3: release the trigger and it is back at 30 psi

Or

1: I set the psi to 40
2: pull the trigger (it blass out a heap of paint for a second, psi drops to 20, paints smoothly)
3: release trigger and it's back at 40 psi

I'm wondering how do I get a more even level of pressure? I have a small cheap compressure with a 4l tank. Im thinking it might be the cheap regualters maybe?

Click to expand...

Set your air pressure to the pressure you want while spraying air. That will be you correct pressure. Every compressor is this way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
http://fredaw61.wixsite.com/the-artist
https://www.youtube.com/user/fredaw61

What size brush are you using. If it requires higher CFM than the compressor this will consume too much air to fast and drop pressure drastically. However most airbrushes are low enough that they should be fine. Air Guns is where you would notice it more. Mine will drop around 5 psi when I press the trigger. That’s why you set the psi while spraying air. Alway start your air first and the pull back for paint and revers that when stopping a stroke (stop paint then stop air). If you stop your paint and air at the same time you will build up paint on the needle tip and when you press for air again paint on the needle tip will spit off onto your substrate.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
http://fredaw61.wixsite.com/the-artist
https://www.youtube.com/user/fredaw61

Sounds to me everyone has you covered . Yes having the compressor jump up to 40 psi with air off is not a big deal, You will just have to learn to press the trigger for air on before pulling back for paint . Unless you're running a single action airbrush it is not a problem.
With me the air is always on unless I am changing colors.