CO2 Tanks

[meaneyme]

I am planning on purchasing a CO2 tank, need to be as quiet as possible where I live. How long does the air last on these things? Are they reliable? Anyone here using one?

[Seattle Mike]

I've used a CO2 bottle for over 20 years now. Generally I seem to get a year to 18 months out of mine, but a lot will depend on how much painting you do. I think you will really like using CO2 - it's quiet, and you don't have to worry about moisture in the paint.

[meaneyme]

I've used a CO2 bottle for over 20 years now. Generally I seem to get a year to 18 months out of mine, but a lot will depend on how much painting you do. I think you will really like using CO2 - it's quiet, and you don't have to worry about moisture in the paint.

Wow! Didn't know those things can last so long, I am definitely investing on one of them, thanks!

[Brett Barrow]

I've used a 20lb. tank for about 15 years, I get about the same results, a year to 18mos when I'm doing a fair amount of painting. At the rate I'm going now, this fill ought to last me 5 years! I've thought about getting a small tank, like a 5lb. to make it easier to take outside or maybe even to club meetings for demos. If your source is nearby, you might find the smaller tank more convenient, although at my source the fill for the larger tanks and the smaller tanks cost the same, about $15, and every 5 years you have to pay for a hydrotest, which is also around $15.

[jon halt]

i also use a co2 tank it last for a long time i usually paint about 1-3 times a week and it last for about a year but they dont make any noise

[cruz]

I have one going to 6 years now, never replaced or added CO2, then again, I don't use it a lot, just as an emergency in case the lights go out or something. They truly are great and of course very silent, no need for water traps or anything like that.

I am having a seminar this weekend on Alclading for the guys at my club and this is what I am taking with me!!

[Steve Keck]

As an alternative to CO2, you might consider compressed air. It's totally quite and clean. When my Badger compressor started to go bad I decided to switch to a quieter setup. Air fills cost $5 and last for about three models - primer, color coats and clear as well as all interior and detail work. The air is totally dry and filtered for human consumption. I already owned the SCUBA first stage and low pressure hose with a quick connect fitting. The cost of a SCUBA tank was comparable to a new Badger compressor.

I connect the SCUBA low pressure hose via a quick connect to a pressure regulator and second filter (because they came as a unit). Next in line after the regulator/filter is a quick connect fixture for the airbrush hose. For convenience all three airbrushes have a smaller version of the quick connectors. It's subject to the same hydrotest requirements every 5 years.

[pharr7226]

I had no idea that CO2 fills lasted so long. Hmmmm? I have a small compressor and it's pretty noisy. I looked into CO2 tanks before I bought my compressor, but I thought that I would have to frequently refill them. I can live with filling it once every 1.5 years give or take a few months. Are you CO2 users concerned about safety? How do you store them to ensure that the fitting don't rupture. I hear that a CO2 tank pretty much turn into missiles if the tank ruptures.

[Brett Barrow]

I have mine ratchet-strapped to my bench leg. Some people run an eyebolt into a stud and wrap a length of chain around it. I used to get tanks with a guard/handle when I'd exchange them, but my supplier rarely has them anymore. If you take your regulator off when you're not going to be using it, that would make it a lot safer as the regulator sticks out at a right angle and would most certainly break off if the tank tipped over.

[Karmodeler2]

I use CO2 and fill my tanks much more than once every year and a half. It all depends on what you use it for. I use it for models, real car parts, real cars....etc, and other jobs. One word of advice. If you do not weigh it when it's full, and when it's empty, and know what you have left in the tank, you will be in the middle of one of your nicest paint jobs and the tank will run out. My tanks show 1100 psi, then when going to empty, go to 500 then to nothing in shorter time that it took you to read just this one sentence. It was not pretty and there was nothing I could do about it. I was warned and ignored it. Now I have 3 tanks. When one runs low, I swap it out. I do not have to pay for the test, as I bought the tanks, and exchange them at a welding supply place for $17 each time. They take care of the test. Each place is different.

There are tricks to tell how much you have like pouring water on the outside of the tank.....a condensation line will form to show you how much you have, but if you have it strapped to your desk, that's not an option. If you know the weights, you can tell when you are getting close.

I use it exclusively and would never consider using anything but. I have tried nitrogen (to keep my regulator from freezing) but was not happy with it and went back to CO2.

Good luck.

David