Airbrush Compressor Heat Sink Plastic Lining

[davecov]

I have had a cheap and cheerful airbrush compressor (AS186) for four years. It has served me fine in all that time but over the past few weeks the air supply to the airbrush has sometimes been hit or miss. Last night I was in the middle of spraying a second coat of grey on this VC10 when the air supply stopped completely although the compressor was chugging away normally:

 

 

The first coat, as you can see, went on without a problem the night before. Having cleaned out the airbrush (H&S Evolution ALPlus) thoroughly twice and still no joy, I tried using my H&S Ultra. Once again no joy.

So, I packed it in for the night and opened up the compressor this afternoon. I took off the compressor end plates and the innards were fine. However, when the heat sink was removed to check the seals, I discovered that large bits of plastic had broken off the plastic lining in the heat sink:

 

 

Most probably, one of these fairly large pieces of plastic had almost completely blocked the hole to the air tube that goes down to the air tank. I have removed the remains of the lining, cleaned up the heat sink and ordered new seals:

 

 

I was wondering, if anybody knows if you can get replacement linings or if not, would there will be permanent damage to the heat sink if I operate the compressor without the lining?

 

When fixed, this compressor will be placed in reserve as I have ordered another one just like it. Obviously, a cheap and cheerful compressor but seeing as it has worked out at about 25p a week for the past four years, it has proved to be good value! Anyway, funds are a bit tight at the moment as I am off on holiday in a few weeks so I can't buy a more sophisticated one - yet!

 

Dave

[little-cars]

I know you can get a few basic service items for these compressors, but not the major items.

I'd have a search around the net, or get in touch with the supplier you bought it from, you may be lucky.

In not just put it back together and keep an eye on it to see if it overheats.

As you say 4 years isn't bad, but things always go wrong at the most inconvenient time.

Good Luck,

Paul

[davecov]

Thanks Paul.

I had already spent the past few hours trying as you suggested but no luck so far. Thought it might be quicker to get an answer here on BM!

It will only be used as a backup now - just in case it's replacement breaks right in the middle of a spraying session and only then to complete the job! As you say, they always go wrong at the most inconvenient of moments!

Dave

[Jetblast]

I could be wrong here, but generally speaking the lining in the head is a thick corrosion resistant coating rather than & plastic liner / separate part. Corrosion in the head will creep up under the coating from any exposed edges & although the coating can remain intact in itself, it becomes completely detached from the head....

If this is the case I would be tempted to give them a thorough clean inside (small wire brush, drill or the likes) & give them a spray paint with something up to the job, making sure that all the edges are coated. Corrosion will likely set in pretty quickly if they are left bare.

Other than checking/cleaning the head valves, non return valve/s & piston bores / seals for contamination from the flaking liner I doubt there has been any significant damage.