Hello and Help

[davidModeller]

I've just been given a compressor and airbrush by my father - it looks like he bought them but never used either! The compressor is a Sparmax AC-27 produced in 2010 with a max pressure of 45psi (8l per min). The airbrush is a Veda Series 180 (working pressure 15-50 psi).
Now I'm not used to airbrushing at all - I've tended to use spray cans.
With everything connected up the compressor runs and stops - the pressure shown is 34 psi (this is with the regulator valve fully screwed in).
When I use the airbrush the pressure drops to an indicated 16 psi - I'm not sure what size nozzle is being used (the instructions say there should be 3 sizes in the box but these are not to be found).
There are no leaks and the pressure holds without the motor turning on too frequently.
But when I thin some Tamiya paint I find the flow to be bounderline usable - guess I'm use to the relative high pressure of cans?
Anyway - are the pressure readings I'm getting correct?
Is there anyway of increasing the pressure of the Sparmax given that it tops out at 34psi, or is the airbrush not compatible with the compressor?

 

[Squishy]

Hi from the uk.

Any airbrush should work on any compressor as long as the connections are good, no leaks etc. If the comp should run at 45 then 34 seems low. Has the compressor been emptied? Is there water in the tank? The pressure will drop when using the brush, but usually only by a few psi.

If the brush came with three sizes of nozzle, then is it possible that the needle and nozzle are not a pair? Also it may be you are not reducing paint correctly, what mixture are you using. For a 16 psi working pressure, the paint would need to be very thin, and if you aren't sure what size nozzle you have, may be thinner than you think.

 

[davidModeller]

Thanks for your reply.
I've taken the sides of compressor off and have checked all the hoses and fittings - no leaks I can detect and the pressure holds steady. I think the holding pressure is too low. There doesn't seem to be a tank as such - there's a single small piston on a rubber mount. I think the pump is switching off too early - there seems to be a pressure sensor with wires - I suspect this is set to turn the pump on or off - although there appears to be no adjustment at the switch. I can't seem to find a schematic of the compressor - it seems to be a cheap hobby range unit with no spares.
As for the brush it seems that the nozzle and valve have been in from day 1 according to my father.
I think I'll try and sort out the compressor pressure.....

 

[Ronald art]

According to the Sparmax site that compressor should deliver up to 50 PSI but other than that I could not find more info but it appears not to have airtank and I doubt you will get a decent constant airflow from it , and it will run hot as the compressor needs to run all the time to provide the pressure you need.

 

[Squishy]

Yes, without a tank it will struggle to give consistent pressure, and will likely pulse.

 

[davidModeller]

16 psi does seem low for continuous pressure and the motor does run all the time.
Interestingly the Sparmax FAQ says about lack of pressure:
"If quick drop of airflow still persists, please contact us at info@sparmaxair.com and inform the serial number of your unit. The serial number is located on the voltage sticker beneath the machine. It should start with 1-2 alphabet letters and end with some numbers."
I was wondering whether certain serial numbers had an issue ?
I've sent them an email explaining the problem and await for a response.

 

[Squishy]

Be interesting to see what they say.

 

[davidModeller]

Be interesting to see what they say.

A quick response from Sparmax:

"According to our record, this AC-27 is equipped with an auto 25psi on/35psi off switch. In this case, it is normal for motor auto turn off when pressure reaches around 35psi (note that there is a tolerance for each compressor). Regarding working pressure, it is depending on the model of airbrush you use. Please be informed that different airbrush has different air consumption, normally, bigger nozzle size require bigger airflow. In this case, if you use AC-27 with big air consumption airbrush, then the working pressure would be low."

So I either get a different nozzle or buy a different compressor.

Your advice would be most appreciated.

 

[Squishy]

I would say a compressor with a tank would be best. Unless you are using a detail brush with very reduced paint, which will spray at low pressure, then you are going to want something capable of spraying at least 20 - 25 psi and be able to sustain it. If you want to cover larger areas, with thicker paint, you may need more than that (eg, t shirt guys can use thicker paint up to 60 psi yo force paint right into fibres). Having something that runs continuously, will burn out the motor quicker too, and they overheat and cut out too.

As for the brush, I believe Veda is a Chinese copy. Some folks have good things to say, others not so much, can be hit or miss. Will hopefully get you started, and see if you enjoy ABing, but most people upgrade to a branded brush after a while.

 

[davidModeller]

Thanks - should I go for a well known brand of compressor, or wander around eBay until something fits the bill?

 

[Squishy]

If noise is not an issue, you can use any compressor you can get at any tool shop or hardwear store, fairly cheap, and you will need to get the hose adaptor to size down for airbrush. But.....they are noisy as hell. If you need quiet then that's more expensive. Relatively quiet but good value are California air, other brands are Sil-Air, Jun-air, and more expensive Iwata and Bambi.