Air brush and C02

[Motherhen]

I am brand new here, so be gentle.....

I know this can be done, I just don't know how and hoping someone here can help.

I have an airbrush that I use on models that I would like to rig to use with my 20oz CO2 tanks from playing paintball.

What I need is help creating a air system that regulates the pressure down to 5.0-12.0psi using paintball regulators etc.

I am unsure of how to hook it all together with gauges and lines to get to this low pressure. I really don't want to blow anything up....

I would also need a gauge to be able to read the low pressure at the airbrush end.

Schematics, drawings would help. Also, please, use REAL part numbers, names and where to get stuff.

[big-dog]

Just a thought: Paintball-high pressure, low volume.

Airbrush-low pressure, high volume

Don't think it'll work.

[Chacal]

I read it somewhere (google it) that it is possible to hook up large tanks (Fire extinguisher size – CO2, Compressed air, N2...) to airbrushes, with pressure control valves and heat exchangers to heat the gas up after it cools from the expansion – or else the paint may freeze (if acrylics), you may get frostbite from holding the airbrush, or water vapor may condense from the air and fall as water droplets on your work.

A 20 Oz. tank may be too small to last you a full airbrushing session, however. And if you run out of "juice", you'll have to go refill it, right?

Do you have ready access to compressed CO2?

[Saturn]

I"m sorry if this sounds harsh. But everything you've mentioned sounds more like modeler's urban legend than real experience with using compressed gas with airbrushes.

I"ve used CO2 for over ten years. I've never used a heat exchanger. I've never had paint freeze (acrylics, enamels and lacquers) I've never had an airbrush freeze on me. I've never had frostbite from using one. And I've never had water come out of my airbrush.

[macfrank]

I've used a CO2 talk for 6 years now, and I am very happy with my setup. I'm using a 5lb CO2 talk from Airgas, a gas supply company.

You'll need CO2 tank, a regulator and fittings to go between the regulator and your airbrush hose. I got all of the components from Airgas; the regulator was the most expensive. The total outlay was about $160 - expensive, but much, much cheaper than a quiet compressor and tank - which would still need a regulator.

Refills are cheap - about $12. A 5lb lasts me enough to spray about 5 - 6 models (1/72 aircraft, 1/35 tanks, 1/1000 PL 1701 sized) and clean the airbrush as well.

I've never had a freezing problem and it's not even a concern. The regulator may get cool with extended use, but by the time the CO2 reaches your airbrush, it's at or near room temperature. Since it's a dry gas, there are no water condensation problems and a water trap is not needed.

Frank

[Mark Yungblut]

I have been using my 25 lb tank 20 years. There are a whole bunch of good reasons to use CO2.

It's dry gas so no moisture traps are needed.

A CO2 tank does not pulse like some compressores are known to do. Just nice quite gas.

Look for a company in your area that sells CO2 to restaurants etc. Quite often they have reconditioned tanks for reasonable prices. Depending on your state, you may have to have the tank Hydrotested every 5 years (at least that is what Ohio requires). I usually gett about 80 hrs from my 25lb tank before a refill.

Hope this helps.

[Motherhen]

I knew the little cans in hobby stores were C02....

I was just trying to figure out a way to rig all my extra paibntball gear to get something that works.

Those big-ol-bottles of C02 just worry me in a house with little kids.

Thanks for the help........I may even actually build one of my models now.....although I am more of a figure modeler myself. I love the old monster stuff

[Chacal]

I knew the little cans in hobby stores were C02...

Nope. The cans contain actually combustible gas (propane, butane etc.) just like cigarette lighter gas. Now that CFCs are a no-no, they're the only low-pressure, non-poisonous alternative available (deodorant, paint, insecticide... every spray can today uses flammable gases as propellant).

[Mark Yungblut]

Those big-ol-bottles of C02 just worry me in a house with little kids.

I too have those worries as I have a kid and several Cats that enjoy hangin in the shop. so what I do with mine is strap it to my workbech thus preventing the tanks from falling over.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

The only thing to be concerned about it knocking the tank over with such force that the valve on the top gets broken off. If the kids are that rowdy. then its the kids that need to be chained up, not the Co2 tank.

If you want to use the tank for air brushing then any regulator from the paint ball guns that goes to zero psi should be fine.
It is my understanding that most paint ball regulators don't actually do this.
A Clippard air component regulator can be hard lined to a paintball regulator and used to take the pressure from 100 to zero.

If you can plumb a Clippard "MAR-1" series regulator in between your paintball regulator and the airbrush, it will take 300psi and regulate it between 0-100psi
http://www.clippard.com/store/display_d ... sku=MAR-1P
http://www.clippard.com/store/display_d ... ?sku=MAR-1

The difference between these two are the input threads. Check with a local distributor correct threading, and/or the hardware store to get the pressure fittings required to plumb everything together.

[Lt. Z0mBe]

Those big-ol-bottles of C02 just worry me in a house with little kids.

I too have those worries as I have a kid and several Cats that enjoy hangin in the shop. so what I do with mine is strap it to my workbech thus preventing the tanks from falling over.

Or you could strap the cats to the workbench.

:ducks:

Kenny

[Matthew Usher]

I've used a CO2 talk for 6 years now, and I am very happy with my setup. I'm using a 5lb CO2 talk from Airgas, a gas supply company.

You'll need CO2 tank, a regulator and fittings to go between the regulator and your airbrush hose. I got all of the components from Airgas; the regulator was the most expensive. The total outlay was about $160 - expensive, but much, much cheaper than a quiet compressor and tank - which would still need a regulator.

Refills are cheap - about $12. A 5lb lasts me enough to spray about 5 - 6 models (1/72 aircraft, 1/35 tanks, 1/1000 PL 1701 sized) and clean the airbrush as well.

I've never had a freezing problem and it's not even a concern. The regulator may get cool with extended use, but by the time the CO2 reaches your airbrush, it's at or near room temperature. Since it's a dry gas, there are no water condensation problems and a water trap is not needed.

Frank

My experience has been the same as Frank's, but I use nitrogen instead of CO2. It's available at welding-supply shops. When the tank runs out, I return it to the shop and they exchange it for a full one. The whole procedure takes about 10 minutes.

Matt Usher @ FSM

[TER-OR]

Airbrush...painting...finishing forum.
Arms inside the car, the thread is about to move.

[caveslug]

Well instead of spending $100+

I would go down to wal-mart and have a look around, they had a 2-3 gallon compressor, with a regulator. For $80 before christmas, and they marked it down to $40 after christmas

[Saturn]

Hey, can we sticky this thread? Granted, CO2/N2 users aren't as numerous as those that use compressors...but since there are fewer of us, the knowledge isn't as common.