wook Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 My wife got me an airbrush for Christmas and it's finally warmed up enough here in Michigan to get out in the garage and see what my airbrush can do. She got me an Aztek A4709...is this a good brush? It came in a wooden box with a bunch of tips, paint resevoirs, and a vhs tape that I've already watched. She also got me a can of air and some paints. Well, the can of air didn't work out too well as it got too cold and lost pressure. So I need some help on a compressor. I'd like to spend $200 or less and from what I've read, I should be able to get a pretty decent compressor for that amount. I do a lot of salmon/trout fishing on the Great Lakes and will be painting mostly trolling spoons. So A) Did she get me a decent brush? and What are some good compressors that are compatible with the Aztek brush line? Any help would really be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 I am not familiar with the Aztec airbrush, but any compressor should be compatible, with the right fittings. Go to Harbor Freight's website and check out their compressors. They seem to be priced right. After that, I don't really have any specific advice, other than to get a combination pressure regulator and water trap to go with it, or two separate devices. Both are really important in successful painting with an airbrush. Good luck, and don't be afraid to screw up. We all did, and still do. Just between you and me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodieb8 Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 wook go with a oil filled compresser. you could use iy for everything. thats if you have a shop so noise is not a factor. as stated above a decent regulater and moisture trap. michigan has lots of humidity.. years back i had a sears 5hp scratch and dent. that baby lasted for 15000 hours run time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmetto Balsa Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 That's what I was going to recommend, the Craftsman compressor. I purchased a 2 chamber, 4 gallon, 2HP compressor and it works great. I went to Sears and found one that was being discontinued and the price was $70. It came with a group of fittings, a hose and tools that would have cost me another $50 if I would have had to purchase them. I asked about getting it repaired if it broke, and they said they would replace it with the newer model. It works great and only kicks in every 20 min. or so if I continuously painting. Your Aztec should work great as a starter brush and help you get to the next level. There are plenty of TU members now, that only do painting. So you should be able to find lots of help. Good luck, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Wook... I purchased 2 smaller compressors that were for Airbrush use only.. and in 6 months.. broke both of them. they never stopped running.. then I went to Sear's like Palmetto said.. and got a Craftsman.. Mine is bigger however.. mainly because I wanted it use shop tools too... but I hooked my airguns up to it.. 33 gallon 150 psi.. it only kicks on 3 or 4 times per day... runs about 2 mins each time.. Most of the time when Im painting you never hear the motor!!! because it takes a long time for the take to empty down to 120 psi before it kicks on again with a 33 gallon tank! The less the motor runs the longer it will last in my opinion. Just make sure you empty out the air tank 1 or 2 times per week.. water will build up in the tank and it will rust You dont have to go to the extreme and buy a 33 gallon tank.. but believe it or not the big compressors are not as loud as you might think they would be.. Hope this helps.. The Rookie.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wook Posted April 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Thanks for all of the help here guys. I agree on going with a Craftsman as I've wanted a regular air compressor for some time now and it just makes sense. However, I'm not sure on hp, SCFM, or PSI. What are the basic requirements of these in order to keep the paint flowing through my brush good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 wook, That depends on what you're using your compressor for. I have a 4hp, 30 gallon tank compressor in my garage shop. I use it for air tools, like finish nailers and cup spraying when I spray lacquer, and for blowing out things, like my livewell lines when I am cleaning the boat. Here in SoCal, we are trying to prevent the spread of the Quagga Mussel by following a "Clean and Dry" protocol every time we get off the water. I have a smaller 2hp "pancake" compressor that use for airbrush painting. It's noisier than the big compressor, but I didn't feel like trying to modify that air supply hosing from the big compressor to be able to use it to paint. Lazy!!!!! Air brushes only need 40psi at the max. Framing nailers, on the other hand, need 100psi, and lots of air. The Emglo type compressors we use for framing have smaller tanks to keep them portable, but cycle constantly to keep up with the guns. I don't recommend this kind of compressor to you for general use. I think a shop compressor of 2 to 5 hp, with a larger storage tank, will fill all of your needs, including blowing all the crap out of your garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
