im a newbie!
does any compressor work with airbrush ! aztek 4709
hi just got aztek 4709 for my birthday and i was wondering can i use any air compressor with it eg clarke air master . as i need to use it for nailgun as well
and what does cfm stand for and also how do you know which one is going to be too noisy as this would be a great help to me
thanx

I have a similar question that goes along with this topic. I am planning on buying an aztek 4709 and need to know what I need in a compressor. I have seen some at Home depot and Walmart that could work. What is the psi range I would need for modeling? I know I also need a moisture trap? and pressure regulator? Since I will also be using this indoors (basement) how loud would a compressor be?

Thanks ,
Sean

I have the one from Walmart (Campbell-Hausfeld) I use it in an apartment and the noise is minimal. It comes with a regulator but you might want to get a moisture trap.

cfm=cubic feet per minute

The one from Walmart is a heck-of-a-lot cheaper, I would be able to spring for it alot earlier and start airbrushing rather than buying on for $300-400 dollars from the testors website. But what is the optimal range for psi model airbrushing?

Hey Jed.....you say that you have a compressor for a nail gun? That should be all you need!! My Dad has one he bought as a package...Porter Cable nail gun and compressor, comes as a kit.....Dad wanted it for putting down our hardwood floor....anyway.....it has an onboard tank, about 5 gallons worth.....will hold about 150lbs of air...and has a built in regulator....its on the other side of the basement....so I have a 25' airhose going to it.....its quite noisy...but from empty, it takes less than 10 mins to fill, so I just fill it up and unplug it......150psi of air, regulated down to 15-20psi....lasts me awhile.

Normally you should have a mositure trap...but with mine, and the 25' of air hose.....acts as its own moisture trap. I just bought a Badger 1/4" adaptor.....(goes from the threads of the 1/4" hose to the size of the badger braided airhose) and then to the airbrush itself....the Aztec brushes should be about the same!!!

A moisture trap is only needed if you either take the air directly from the air supply without going through a tank, or live in an area with high humidity. It doesn't hurt to have it, but you will not notice any problems using it every once and awhile (= once a week or so), you will see a difference if you use it continually...

I'd recommend a moisture terap for ANY compressor. Even in the Desert Southwest USA.
I personally use a CO2 Tank (no moisture there) I use Air tools regularly and have a moisture trap/filter on my compressor. It's worth the investment.

I just got a Walmart air compressor and though I'm new to airbrushing, I love it. Its the campbell Hausfeld FP 2040, the new version of the FP 2003 you may have seen recommended on these boards. It comes with a regulator, and for an extra 11 bucks you can buy the trap they have as well. They also sell an connector accessory pack for 10 bucks that's well worth the purchase. I have two airbrushes, the Aztek 470 and Badger 175-7, and the quick release nipples make changing hoses a snap.

The accessory kit comes with teflon tape which I recommend you use on all the connectors (except the quick connectors, of course). The Aztek plastic connectors tend to leak air if tape isn't used.

I can brush for about 3 minutes straight - thats holding down the air release constantly at 25PSI before the motor kicks on. It takes about 45 seconds to come back to max pressure and then has an auto shut off. The motor comes on at 75psi and shuts off at 100, which is the compressor's max PSI.

At $105 for the whole package, it is a great compressor and far less than the "made-for" compressors you'd buy from Testors or Badger. I think they must be nuts for pricing them so high - most don't even have a tank!

Good luck,

bebe,

I'm considering getting one of these, since the plain air tank I typically use is driving me insane (having to find a compressor at a gas station to fill it up constantly). I live in an apartment and I was wondering just how loud, or quiet, this particular model really is. Anyone?

-Matt

Lets see..........I'll try to compare it to something. Hmmmmm. Put a hair dryer on low and thats about the loudness of this compressor. Its definately not too noisy for indoor use, and it only runs less than a minute at a pop. Another comparison would be an overhead stove fan on high.

As I stated earlier, I use the same compressor and I live in an apartment. No complaints from the neighbors.

bebe & m1garand,

Thanks for the responses. I picked up the FP2040 yesterday and ran it through the suggested break-in cycle. I must say, I'm very pleased with the absence of "typical compressor noise" from this unit! Now, I can't wait to get my Marder III Sd.Kfz.139 painted!

-Matt