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oil compressor ?

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 unfortunately my brand new compressor  don't deliver enough cfm for my new bad boy airbrush .i'll need at least 1 cfm at 40 psi.oil compressor are supposed to last longer and  are generally more silent  and they also have the highest cubic feet per minut per hp, that's why that option sound good to me but i have no idea if it's a good option for a  createx user like me, because from the info that i have seen ,water base paint and just a tiny amount of oil is really not a good idea. other than california  who use another brand of industrial air compressor ?

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 I have three compressors at the house (none are expensive models).  A craftsman compressor 1 hp/4 gallon from the late 90's,  California Air  small model (0.6 HP), and then a small airbrush compressor (most expensive of the three).   The airbrush compressor is my least favorite of the three but no issues spraying createx and have used it for years since it is very quiet.  The Craftsman is a screamer but have painted a lot of baits with it.   The California air does great but haven't used it much.

About any brand will get you there boils down to where you put value at.  

Edited by Travis
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It depends on how much pressure you need and how much noise you can stand.  I paint in the garage and use a Porter Cable oil free 135 psi compressor that has a 6 gal tank.  Very loud but once it airs up, it will run an airbrush for a couple of hours before it turns on again.  About $100. I also have a Badger airbrush compressor that has no tank and starts up whenever air is demanded by the airbrush.  It’s too loud to use indoors and tends to pulse the air, which is not a good thing.  There are quiet airbrush compressors that could be used inside without disturbing the family.  They all have air tanks and they tend to be expensive.  A standard tool compressor like the Porter Cable fits my needs and environment and is reasonable in cost.  I want 45 psi CONSTANT psi (not PEAK psi) as a minimum.  Small “on demand” compressors that don’t employ a storage tank generally drop about 15 psi quickly after the airbrush initially demands air, so I wouldn’t choose a small unit that has less than 60 psi peak pressure.  Oil /oil less makes no difference to me.  If oiled, use an oil trap in the air line.

I hear the small California compressors have a good rep but have no experience with them.

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Bob, I probably use the same badger compressor. I got rid of the pulsing by adding a 25ft length of polyurethane hose( usually blue). They are very stretchy - so they absorb the pulsing. Even at pressures below 5psi, there is no pulsing. This gets rid of the need for a tank - which can be a a problem with limited space. 

Edited by Chuck Young
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I spray with a small Craftsman tankless compressor. I solved that problem by attaching a portable air tank in my air line then spray from the air tank. I added a tire valve to the air tank and attach an airhose to it when ever the air pressure drops low. I can usually spray on about three tanks of air per four hour session. So compressor only runs three times for approx 3-4 min each fill up.

 

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An air tank is a great idea. It should provide a nice steady flow of air. It will keep the noise at bay.

I work out of a small office in my home. No space for a tank, or for a small compressor.  The hose can be rolled up in a loop and tucked up next to my miniature compressor. Not everyone has a lot of room . 

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I have a 8 gal. on my outside back porch and ran a line down into the basement where I airbrush with no noise other than the air coming out of my brush. Now I will run a switch to turn it off and on right at my booth so I don't have to go to the porch to turn it off just lazy.

Wayne

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it's kind of strange to see that the oil compressor are not more popular than the oilless .they outperform the oilless one in every ways .the only cons seems to be that you have to change oil . at least if the oil filter can do his job,im not so sure about that because i can't find a single reason to not buy one maybe im missing  an important info about them ?

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I am the odd man out. I run a 7hp with 60 gallon tank. I know it sounds overkill. we use it for everything from air guns,chisels etc. branched off to my spray booth. oil compressers last years over diaphragm models. there normally quieter also.. change the oil yearly

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bob that's why cfm is one of the most important spec to look at.unfortunately a lot of co didn't say a single word about it.my  new one need 40 psi but as soon as the tank need to be refilled i start to miss a lot of psi during the process 

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5 minutes ago, woodieb8 said:

I am the odd man out. I run a 7hp with 60 gallon tank. I know it sounds overkill. we use it for everything from air guns,chisels etc. branched off to my spray booth. oil compressers last years over diaphragm models. there normally quieter also.. change the oil yearly

george unfortunately i live in a condo.it must be cool when you  have a big one like that,you buy the tool you want ,no need to look if you can use it.you buy you use period

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I’m not sure I’ve ever seen airbrushes rated for their cfm, but it’s gotta be pretty tiny compared to most air tools.  I never ever run out of psi with my Porter Cable 135 psi 6 gal unit.  But I sure wouldn’t want to run it inside my house if anyone else was at home and if I lived in an apartment or condo, it would be a recipe for eviction at any time of day, inside or outside.   My family also wouldn’t put up with the noise from my small Badger compressor inside the house after bedtime.  Sorry but I don’t have any experience with a small QUIET unit.  Several airbrush companies make quiet professional units at professional prices (high).

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