Using an oiled compressor ?????

Rob Afton

Young Tutorling
OK without going into too many details I find myself in a compressor crisis I have for a long time been using my 8 gallon tank air tool compressor to air brush, mostly priming, I was using it with a cheap Chinese airbrush so I didn’t care, I do have a desiccant filter and three oil/moisture traps That for some reason never fill with water or oil, I guess that’s a good thing....
I now have a harder and Steinbeck C.R. Plus 2 in 1, I’m nervous about using this airbrush with an oil compressor, I don’t want funk and buildup. The air supply lines have never been used with oil tools, they are strictly airbrush lines. Am I being overprotective and crazy? I kinda think it’s ok to use an oiled compressor, is it ok or is gunk buildup a legit concern ? Is the reason most people recommend oil-less is that it is more simply for the ease of maintenance free and not having to use desiccant filter‘s and oil traps? Give me the Pro/cons and as much info as you can
It would be greatly appreciated! Thank you
 
This is in no way an expert opinion, I’ve never dealt with an oil filled compressor. But from the sounds of your filtration setup, if you’re not getting any issues with the cheap brushes, I can’t see that changing with a different brush plugged on the end.


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This is in no way an expert opinion, I’ve never dealt with an oil filled compressor. But from the sounds of your filtration setup, if you’re not getting any issues with the cheap brushes, I can’t see that changing with a different brush plugged on the end.


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Yes and I’ve been googling it and so far think the only reason people choose oil-less is for quietness, seems the oiled compressor are more hardy and less sensitive to everything if noise is only issue using a oiled compressor then I am ok. In fact I just learned that large airbrush compressors made by Iwata , Paasche, etc most also make large oil filled compressors
 
I was going to say that a lot of the more expensive, quieter units tend to be oil filled. I think you’re going to be fine Buddy.


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I have ran a silent air 50 for more then a decade which is an oil compressor with out any issues of oil getting into my linea or in the moisture traps.
 
Yes you're being overprotective and crazy. ;) I have used an oiled compressor for years and honestly it never occurred to me that could be an issue. I have a moisture trap, which is primarily to prevent water from making it to the airbrush. I use a 50 ft hose from the compressor to the trap, then my AB hose plugs into the trap. I paint outside in Gulf Coast humidity and never get any moisture at the AB end.
 
Am I being overprotective and crazy?

No, you are definitely not. It's absolutely normal to think how the equipment and tools work together. Craziness is not to do so.

I kinda think it’s ok to use an oiled compressor, is it ok or is gunk buildup a legit concern ? Is the reason most people recommend oil-less is that it is more simply for the ease of maintenance free and not having to use desiccant filter‘s and oil traps? Give me the Pro/cons and as much info as you can
It would be greatly appreciated! Thank you

If you have space to use big oiled compressor (that's what you have, I think) and desiccant system, you don't need to buy that oil-less one. Air cleaning system will do the job, so you don't have to worry.
If you want to overprotect yourself (that's what I did in my case) just get off e-bay one of those FESTO filters combos. I have FESTO MINI combo of 5 micron and 0,01 micron filters right before the airbrush hose (in reality before custom made AB manifold system). It insures me 100% that no unwanted thing will flow to the airbrushes.
You can also buy combo not with just two filters, but with the regulator also, so you can adjust the pressure right before the hose, it's real convenient feature. I bought only filters combo and installed the regulator close to the filters. It now works and makes me happy:)
How it looks:

2.JPG

It's a part of my first airbrush station:

1.JPG

You can buy these filters for pretty reasonable price, BTW mine came from your country.
 
No, you are definitely not. It's absolutely normal to think how the equipment and tools work together. Craziness is not to do so.



If you have space to use big oiled compressor (that's what you have, I think) and desiccant system, you don't need to buy that oil-less one. Air cleaning system will do the job, so you don't have to worry.
If you want to overprotect yourself (that's what I did in my case) just get off e-bay one of those FESTO filters combos. I have FESTO MINI combo of 5 micron and 0,01 micron filters right before the airbrush hose (in reality before custom made AB manifold system). It insures me 100% that no unwanted thing will flow to the airbrushes.
You can also buy combo not with just two filters, but with the regulator also, so you can adjust the pressure right before the hose, it's real convenient feature. I bought only filters combo and installed the regulator close to the filters. It now works and makes me happy:)
How it looks:

View attachment 61692

It's a part of my first airbrush station:

View attachment 61693

You can buy these filters for pretty reasonable price, BTW mine came from your country.
That’s is a beautiful setup! I’m currently designing a new work space as hopefully this year I will be moving to a new place.


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Oh awesome Vladimir! I have wanted to build a custom manifold for some time now, just haven't had the money.

Now you don't need to even think of building custom made manifold as Fengda manufactures them, moreover with personal regulator for each hose. You can choose the quantity of air channel you need. You can buy what you need and then attach the filters setup, mount everything on smth, and you're there.

http://www.cnbida.com/news11.html?productCateId=17#c_product_list-15530705023800665-2

When I did mine, I had no such option to choose and to buy, so had to think over some design and implement it. Even fittings 1/8" screwed into the manifold were custom made. Now you can buy them all in the shops.

That’s is a beautiful setup! I’m currently designing a new work space as hopefully this year I will be moving to a new place.

I wish luck to you! You must go there and feel bigger and organized space to work at.
If you'll have outdoor space there (backyard or smth) you can make things with your own hands. There's not much AB equipment you can get ready to use for AB needs, besides that the price is very big question, size of it depends on the size of the equipment itself.
Here's some steps of making things my way:

8.JPG 9.JPG
As you can see, nothing complicated is there. Just steel profile that you can freely get and some custom parts ordered from a turner are involved.
Putty is applied and been sanded, then priming. The shelves are made from scrap boards, one is from kitchen counter, those lower from smth I don't remember. Not hard to make?
 
And on the other side of the spectrum I run an old Badger Silent oil compressor with a 10 ft hose and haven't had any problems. I don't paint near as much as those with the carts and currently only have two brushes. I have one trap on my compressor which is old enough that it is currently not being used because it has a pinhole in the tank from rusting through. It rarely drips oil into the trap and only a lil moisture gets into it but not enough to worry about. Never had a problem with anything (including rust or anything else) being sent to the brush.

I am currently working on a new compressor consisting of a fire extinguisher tank, compressor from a mini fridge and some other pieces to be used as my primary unit. I will however install a couple traps on the new one just to make sure there is no moisture that gets through.
 
Yes and I’ve been googling it and so far think the only reason people choose oil-less is for quietness, seems the oiled compressor are more hardy and less sensitive to everything if noise is only issue using a oiled compressor then I am ok. In fact I just learned that large airbrush compressors made by Iwata , Paasche, etc most also make large oil filled compressors


Yeah the airbrush manufacturers make compressors and I guess they are good, albeit I’ve never used them for one important reason.

THEY ARE OUTRAGEOUSLY EXPENSIVE

Seriously? Iwata sells a 5/8hp oil lubricated compressor for $2,562! No I’m not kidding. You read that right. Maybe someone has some experience with these things and there is some sort of premium quality control or they’re whisper quiet or airbrush artists are extremely gullible, because I can run out to a Home Depot and buy a much more capable compressor for a tenth of that price. I bought a California Air Tools 1 hp compressor for $160 off Amazon. That thing is super quiet and works great. Has anybody out there are used an Iwata, Badger, Paasche, etc made compressor and is there really something about these things that is so good that it justifies the expense?
 
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