Air Can Interim Solution

[PatG]

As I can't afford to invest in a compressor just at the moment can anyone comment on whether using aerosol cans of air is worth considering and how one would connect them to an Iwata Eclipse airbrush?

 

I'm assuming I'd also need to buy some form of adaptor or regulator which fits onto the can but not sure how this will work and what it would cost.

 

I will be investing in a compressor shortly but I'm at the critical stage of having/wanting to spray my current project so that I can get it done in the next few weeks, as in before the clocks go forwards!

 

Pat

[Rob G]

Buying a compressor (it's an expense, not an investment) is worth the wait. Air cans... nah. Don't go there, it's not worth the trouble of even starting to investigate how to do it. They're expensive, and don't last long. You're much better off waiting, as every one that you buy will put you back that much in your compressor budget. 

 

The connection bit is easy - an adaptor (not costly, as a rule) fits on the top of the can, then it's the usual hose to airbrush, turn on the air, and away you go. You may need a fitting to adapt the adaptor outlet to your hose, but they're not expensive. 

 

A better interim solution would be to use a spare car tyre as an air source. It will need to have an inner tube in it, and you'll have to find an adaptor (available where airbrushes are sold - Badger made mine, but I'm sure there's a dozen other brands now), but you'll get a lot more done at a lot less expense than using cans. I used this set up for a number of years way back when I was a broke newly-wed and while not ideal, it worked well enough. A motor vehicle wreckers should be able to sell you a wheel/tyre/tube combination for not much, and air is free from service stations. A little inconvenient, but better than nothing. You WILL need a tube in the tyre, or you won't get air pressure. To give a longer run time, inflate to 40psi (it's safe) and put the air valve at the top when using, to keep any moisture out of your air stream. 

 

Here's a link to the adaptor, to give you an idea (it's the same one as used for the can, with an additional insert to fit the tyre valve - that part should come with it, and these guys should be able to help with a fitting from Badger to Iwata threads) 

 https://spraygunsdirect.co.uk/product/badger-propellant-can-regulator/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAutyfBhCMARIsAMgcRJRs9CtakqiQ7I_FtV1cZcOMHRpScaZXvz-4DJVcN_ZbWF2fMou93XYaAr3nEALw_wcB

 

HTH. 

[PatG]

I've just discovered that I already have an adaptor as it came with an Aztec airbrush I bought 20 or so years ago and which is now no longer working, so as I just need a small amount of spraying time to complete my project I'll just buy a couple of air cans for the time being.

 

The tyre solution sounds interesting but I have very limited space to play with so guess I'll just have to save up for a couple of months to go out and buy an AS186 or similar as these seem to be well regarded.

 

Pat

[Casey]

3 hours ago, PatG said:

I've just discovered that I already have an adaptor as it came with an Aztec airbrush I bought 20 or so years ago and which is now no longer working, so as I just need a small amount of spraying time to complete my project I'll just buy a couple of air cans for the time being.

 

The tyre solution sounds interesting but I have very limited space to play with so guess I'll just have to save up for a couple of months to go out and buy an AS186 or similar as these seem to be well regarded.

No clue how much the air cans cost in your area but here it is 13$ for a can (Testors Airbrush Propellent). Paasche is around 23$. It is simply not economical to get into air cans, even for a tiny project.

 

If space and cost is the limit you might want to consider portable airbrush compressor. I have the battery powered one which right now costs around 80$ (and it includes an airbrush itself, but I stick my SOTAR to it).

 

It's this one:

 

 

It is bit cheaper than good compressor, and it is not extra high PSI but it does its job and have almost exactly the pressure I like to work with with detailed paintwork anyway.

 

But nothing beats a good compressor.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Casey