After a 12 year layoff from modeling (and still having an airbrush since modeling way back then) I'm in the hunt for a compressor. My wife of all people found the FP2300 at WalMart and it's advertised as a "Quiet Air" compressor. Do any of you guys use this particular compressor and what are your comments on it? Thanks!

I've seen it. I was promted to look at after I read a post in RMS- newsgroup. Looked good. Here are some comments on it from RMS. The conversation started on 12-30-01:

I apologize if this is an old subject but I looked through the group and didn't
see anything mentioned about this compressor. A couple months ago I came across
a small compressor with a two gallon tank at a Wal-Mart up here in Alaska for
$110 but didn't buy one till now. It's a Campbell Hausfeld model number FP2003
and more info about it can be found at http://www.chpower.com/. Should be about
$100 in the lower 48. It has a pressure cut switch off so it will shut off when
the tank is full and a pressure regulator to control the air flow for painting.
So if anyone is looking for a cheap compressor for airbrushing check at Wal-Mart
or a local hardware store that sell compressors.

Just picked up one of these puppies here in Medford NJ for $99 plus tax. My
first AB and compressor... Seems pretty effective... but it IS (IMHO) pretty
noisy. CH calls it "QuietAire" (or the like) and perhaps compared to an
industrial-strength jack-hammer compressor it may be. But in my quiet
garage/shop it is pretty annoying. I think I can make a noise-dampener by
putting some insulation in a cardboard box and setting it over. Hey - other
than the noise it is about the same functionality as the $500 "airbrush"
compressors. Not a bad deal in my book - and you can pump up your tires as
well!

Also, be sure to place it on *top* of a 3"-4" thick piece of
foam rubber. Simply place it on the piece of foam.
Otherwise, the vibration conducted through the legs (stand)
to the floor will make a lot of noise. You'll be surprised
at how much noise is from the motor and how much is actually
from the vibration of the legs meeting the floor.

That was my first compressor but I hit thermal cut-off a few times just
spraying models at 20 psi. That is pretty annoying. I sold it and went to
the next size up with the 5 hp motor and 13 gallon tank for $199. Now I
can go days without running the compressor. But this larger one is MUCH
noisier. Also, I had to strip it down to tighten the main fitting into the
tank -- that was a pain and took me about an hour. But it is working real
well for me.

I hope those help you out a bit.

Wow, thanks for that summary. That was great!

Bryan,

Welcome to the site. Don't be surprised if these guys can answer ANY question you've got!!