airbrush compressor for my sister

[mpilting]

My sister is an incredible artist. It doesn't seem to matter what medium she chooses. Pencil, oil, ink pencil, marker. You name it. She has a Paasche H series airbrush kit. But she needs a compressor. She can't afford one, so our family is trying to chip in to buy her one for her birthday. I know nothing about airbrushing. She says she needs 5 psi. Every airbrush compressor I've seen starts at 20. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[mpilting]

 

[Mr.Micron]

Well with a Passch VL she will need more then 5 PSI mainly due to it being a bottle feed and not a gravity feed.
But not knowing what country you are located in I will suggest 2 different brands both with tanks One is super silent made by California Air Compressor
https://www.menards.com/main/tools-...79-c-12910.htm?tid=8354617899232145598&ipos=3 this would be my first choice and she will be able to adjust the air pressure to suite her paint and paint reduction.
The other one is not as silent but still you can talk over it in a garage setting https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Qui...Electric-Twin-Stack-Air-Compressor/1000125721
The fist one is great for say an in house studio
By the pictures you put up looks like she will take to it like a duck to water but we will always suggest to do the dots and dagger strokes to help build the muscle memory needed for airbrushing .

 

[mpilting]

I asked her how long it takes her to do something like this. She said half-an-hour. While she's chasing around her two year old son. Scary, crazy talented.

 

[mpilting]

Well with a Passch VL she will need more then 5 PSI mainly due to it being a bottle feed and not a gravity feed.
But not knowing what country you are located in I will suggest 2 different brands both with tanks One is super silent made by California Air Compressor
https://www.menards.com/main/tools-...79-c-12910.htm?tid=8354617899232145598&ipos=3 this would be my first choice and she will be able to adjust the air pressure to suite her paint and paint reduction.
The other one is not as silent but still you can talk over it in a garage setting https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Qui...Electric-Twin-Stack-Air-Compressor/1000125721
The fist one is great for say an in house studio
By the pictures you put up looks like she will take to it like a duck to water but we will always suggest to do the dots and dagger strokes to help build the muscle memory needed for airbrushing .

I guess I don't understand. How can an air compressor with 90 psi deliver 5 psi? I know there's a difference between maximum pressure and working pressure, but that's quite a difference.

 

[Mr.Micron]

Well you can have her join here after her birthday we do not want this thread to spoil the surprise of the compressor .
Now if money was not an issue I would have suggested the Silent-Air 50 http://www.coastairbrush.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Super_Silent_50-TC
I own one and made the University I work for buy one as a replacement for an Italian made one which only lasted 3 years so far the silent 50 has been running 5 days a week 8 to 16 hours a day for the past 15 years. the one I own is the same age as the one at work but because oif work only has maybe a quarter of the hour on it .

 

[Mr.Micron]

I guess I don't understand. How can an air compressor with 90 psi deliver 5 psi? I know there's a difference between maximum pressure and working pressure, but that's quite a difference.

It is call a regulator. you have an adjustable regulator on most compressors . Standard airbrush work is 35 PSI but the more you reduce your paint the lower you can drop the pressure . Mine is rated at 125 psi max load but I hardly ever run it over 20 PSI most times it is 5 psi or sometime less.
Most compressors have 2 gauges on them One showing tank pressure and one showing user pressure User pressure is the one that feeds the air tool you are using in this case the air tool is an airbrush

 

[Mr.Micron]

But tankless compressors build heat and moisture which is something you really do not want when airbrushing that is why I will always suggest a tanked compressor.

 

[Mr.Micron]

Here is a direct link to California Air http://www.californiaairtools.com/

 

[mpilting]

Well you can have her join here after her birthday we do not want this thread to spoil the surprise of the compressor .
Now if money was not an issue I would have suggested the Silent-Air 50 http://www.coastairbrush.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Super_Silent_50-TC
I own one and made the University I work for buy one as a replacement for an Italian made one which only lasted 3 years so far the silent 50 has been running 5 days a week 8 to 16 hours a day for the past 15 years. the one I own is the same age as the one at work but because oif work only has maybe a quarter of the hour on it .

Is the Paasche H-100d any good? I know it's for beginners. But it should work with the kit she already has.

 

[Mr.Micron]

as you see by the big dail in the center of the gauages it show - and + the more you turn it to the + side the higher the pressure is sent through the hose .
Hope this clears up how a compressor rated at 90/120/250 PSI can only deliver what ever you set it at PSI

 

[Mr.Micron]

Is the Paasche H-100d any good? I know it's for beginners. But it should work with the kit she already has.

The paasche H is a single action airbrush mean when you push the trigger down you get air on paint on . Which if you learn on one and how to do things with it is can be a good airbrush But dual action make life in the airbrush world so much easier . When you push air on you actually have to pull back on the trigger to get paint flow . Paasche VL is dual action. Iwata Eclipse CS or BCS are both dual action and Iwata Neo (which is only labeled Iwata) is as well.
Badger makes some really nice dual action airbrushes as well . If you want something in a small budget the Master https://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbr...id=1506269214&sr=8-3&keywords=master+airbrush is really affordable on the pocket and a lot of folks have had good luck with them .

 

[mpilting]

Will the California Air tools compressor work with a Paasche H kit?

 

[Mr.Micron]

Will the California Air tools compressor work with a Paasche H kit?

Yes as long as you have the Paasche hose and a 1/4 nipple adapter for the end that connects to the compressor .
I started with a Paasche VL and H use the same hose for both being you just screw in the airbrush to the hose and left the compressor end connected to it all the time.

 

[Vladimir]

My sister is an incredible artist. It doesn't seem to matter what medium she chooses. Pencil, oil, ink pencil, marker. You name it. She has a Paasche H series airbrush kit. But she needs a compressor. She can't afford one, so our family is trying to chip in to buy her one for her birthday. I know nothing about airbrushing. She says she needs 5 psi. Every airbrush compressor I've seen starts at 20. Any advice is appreciated.

It's a noble sign to support creative person, especially when she can't afford buying proper tools, but you can. After seeing some examples of her works, I'd say you will definitely not throw the money on the wind. It's going to be good investment in her future.

Concerning the compressor, you've been told how the pressure can be regulated and what kind of compressor to buy.
Compressor must be with an air tank. If the compressor would be cheap one, then it should be only two piston type with air tank.
If you can afford those @Mr.Micron has suggested, that would be just great, especially Silent-Air.

Paasche H is not an airbrush for fine work, she does fine work. She needs double action airbrush, if you can, give it to her with the compressor.
What budget do you have (wish) to spend? After your replying the question, people here would suggest good airbrush and compressor to start with.
Many other questions that may arise on your sister's airbrushing way may be answered on this great forum.
It's good of you to ask questions what to buy for airbrushing at this place You'll have right answers.

 

[Jurien72]

The Paasche H-100D kit would probably work, but it comes with an H model airbrush. You stated she already has an H model, so I doubt she needs two. Like Mr Micron has suggested, if they make a kit with a VL that would be a good choice.

 

[mpilting]

Would this work? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BR45WK/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=INVGS996FQ6AD&colid=1II22YXVFHJ8Q

 

[Mr.Micron]

That is not a bad kit ,
But for 50 more dollars you could get this one https://www.amazon.com/Eclipse-Airb...UTF8&qid=1506306302&sr=1-1&keywords=Iwata+kit
The eclipse is a real work horse of an air brush ,

 

[Vladimir]

Would this work? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BR45WK/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=INVGS996FQ6AD&colid=1II22YXVFHJ8Q

I'd say using Paasche for beginner would be disappointment, these airbrushes are not for fine work definitely. Maybe for backgrounds.

That was a thing I mentioned, to buy a compressor with two pistons. This type (shown) overheats fast and would have less lifetime than the same two piston type.

I can see that the budget is a question, so what @Mr.Micron proposed is very good choice.

That is not a bad kit ,
But for 50 more dollars you could get this one https://www.amazon.com/Eclipse-Airbrush-Master-Compressor-Cleaning/dp/B001BO4X8Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1506306302&sr=1-1&keywords=Iwata kit
The eclipse is a real work horse of an air brush ,

The best choice in your situation would be the same kit, but with two piston type compressor and Eclipse CS, of course.

 

[mpilting]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. It's been very helpful. Like I said before, airbrushing is not my gig. I've learned more about airbrushing in two days than I ever cared to know. But my sister is an incredible artist, and I think I know what to buy. Thanks for all your help.