paint line pressure range?

[DrewCfromSC]

Hello all, Happy Labor Day weekend! Im working on paper a drawing for my airline layout for my new hobbyshop. It will be 1/2" steel pipe(we sell it at work) have a nice large compressor(60 gallon)that will run my airbrush. Curious as to the range of air pressure to use all types of paints, nail polish, alcad, spazstix, etc. 0-60 migh cover it?

Thinking of making up 3 different gauges to interchange on a quick release style fitting sort of like an airchuck. It would be a T fitting with the gauge instaled as well as the fitting to snap into my airline onone end ant the snap fitting to hook my airbrus up.

This way I could use say 0-10, 0-30,0-60 PSI in a flash with my inline regulator and stil be able to use my compressor at the full 100PSI for big tools.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and reply!

Drew C. from S.C.

Edited September 4, 2010 by zwitterman

[Modelmartin]

If it were me I would use one regulator screwed in. It only takes a few seconds to change pressure. You wouldn't have to have 3 regulators sitting around. You wouldn't want to grab the 60 psi by accident when shooting the Alclad or Spazstix!

[MikeMc]

If it were me I would use one regulator screwed in. It only takes a few seconds to change pressure. You wouldn't have to have 3 regulators sitting around. You wouldn't want to grab the 60 psi by accident when shooting the Alclad or Spazstix!

I would also have one regulator...and Grex makes an excellent regulator that goes right before the brush for final control.... http://www.grexusa.com/grexairbrush/products.php5?id=G-MAC

Edited September 4, 2010 by MikeMc

[mredzadventure]

You also will want to add in a water/oil separator .You would hate to get a big spray of water while your painting. I Like the one regulator set up as well. That's all we ever used in my dad's body shop.

Edited September 4, 2010 by mredzadventure

[DrewCfromSC]

OOOPS my bad. Should have told more. My old line is from my real car painting days. It has 2 inline water seperators (dessacant as well as the toilet paper style) as well as built inline regulator. Im thinking of using seperate plug in style gauges (better pressure range for application)with fittings attached. Sort of like a plug and play deal. Sorry for not being very clear.

Drew C.

[envious8420]

I got a hold of an old set of hvac gauges (low pressure side) to hook one up to my regulator, great big gauge face ,very accurate and marked in 1 psi increments. I have a couple left if anyone is interested.

[Bridgebuster]

You also will want to add in a water/oil separator .You would hate to get a big spray of water while your painting. I Like the one regulator set up as well. That's all we ever used in my dad's body shop.

If different paints / media use different pressures, how are we to know what pressure to use with what?

Thanks.

[envious8420]

If different paints / media use different pressures, how are we to know what pressure to use with what?

Thanks.

There really is no chart.

Some paints like spazstix and alclad require lower pressures, they state this on the label, if you are unsure of spray pressure do a google search on the paint with spray pressure in the search. or do like most of us and grab a scrap or something and test until you find a pressure that works for you/your painting style.

Edited September 4, 2010 by envious8420

[mredzadventure]

There really is no chart.

Some paints like spazstix and alclad require lower pressures, they state this on the label, if you are unsure of spray pressure do a google search on the paint with spray pressure in the search. or do like most of us and grab a scrap or something and test until you find a pressure that works for you/your painting style.

I couldn't have said it any better. I try to error on the side of caution start low and work my way up in small increments.

[MikeMc]

OOOPS my bad. Should have told more. My old line is from my real car painting days. It has 2 inline water seperators (dessacant as well as the toilet paper style) as well as built inline regulator. Im thinking of using seperate plug in style gauges (better pressure range for application)with fittings attached. Sort of like a plug and play deal. Sorry for not being very clear.

Drew C.

What your doing is a manifold. I still wouldn't mix pressures with multiple regulators. Set the Manifold at 60 psi and use the Grex mini at the brush to dial down. I use two compressors..one is fixed at 22 psi after traps, the other will go past 60 for auto air colors This works well for me from 5psi to 55psi

[Dave Ambrose]

My setup is similar to yours. I have a 160 PSI/26 gal. oiless shop compressor. The working line on that is normally 120 PSI. I have a second regulator with filter and water trap that feeds the airbrush. So far, a 0-50 PSI gauge has worked well for me. It's not very big, and my eyesight isn't what it used to be, so I'm thinking of a bigger gauge. But other than a minor visibility issue, it's worked great for years.

I don't recall using anything more than 30 PSI for my airbrush, but I wouldn't take that as gospel.

I'm really liking this Sears oiless compressor. No maintenance, and it delivers very clean air. My paint work has improved considerably since I replaced my old compressor that did use lubricating oil.

One alternative to consider. My friend who uses her airbrush professionally, swears by a 25 lb CO2 tank. Totally quiet, completely clean, and compact. She refills it once or twice a year. I'm considering repurposing my SCUBA tank like this.

[midwest 1953]

I have a 6 gallon Sears pancake compressor, and a 0-100 regulator/ watertrap that is also from sears. I mounted the regulator on the side of the paint booth. has a male disconnect on the inlet, female on the outlet, all three of my airbrushes have their own hose, and male disconnect.....

most of the time the regulator is set on 20.....

Jim A.

[DrewCfromSC]

Hello all, well in the mean time I scored a nice new Badger compressor over the weekend from Ebay so im leaving my big compressor in the garage.

Drew C.