airbrush question

[russ]

hey all i have a 2 gallon compressor and a pashee vl duel action brush, how much pressure should i shoot with?

[musky1]

Russ,

Depending on the paint you are using I'd start at around 20psi. I use mostly use Createx. 20 to 25 psi would be a good start. Seems like some colors need a little higher psi. Jim

[Mallard]

First a word of warning, I am a complete novice with my airbrush compared most on this board.

I been happier with my Paasche VL when I run the pressure a little higher, like 35 to 40. Most Createx colors don't need it this high but the metallic and pearls seem to work better. I also use some craft paints and they definitely need the extra pressure.

[RiverMan]

If you really dilute the paint down to where it looks like milk you can shoot at about 15 PSI which is really nice for detail. The problem you can into tho when it's diluted this far is that multiple coats are needed since there is very little paint being sprayed. If you go higher...30-40 PSI you can leave the paint considerably thicker but with this comes some loss of control and detail. I generally dilute the colors that I need to spray for detail work and leave the others a bit thicker......

kind regards,

jed v.

[SpoRoller]

I have the same set-up and here is what I do (learned it from browsing an airbrush book).

Before adding paint to the cup, press down on the trigger while opening the air valve on the compressor. When the needle indicates around 20psi (or whatever psi setting you are looking for) stop turning the valve and release the trigger. You will notice that the gage now reads higher (mine will read right at 30psi for a 22psi setting at the gun). This is done so you can account for the initial pressure drop once the trigger is depressed on the gun.

Use this to play with different settings according to the type of paint you are using. As you become more familiar with your equipment , setting the psi according to paint viscosity will be an easy task. Plus, by playing with air settings you can learn how to spray different effects. It all takes time and patience to learn.

To make sure I answer the original question, for most paints a 20psi setting is a good place to start.