Cordless Air Compressors

[Aothaine]

Curious if anyone here has tried these out. I've not gone into airbrushing for years because I just didn't want to lug around that massive air compressor. Plus I live in apartments and they are fairly loud. But the compressors from these cordless air compressors seem to be pretty quite and portable. 

 

I saw a review by a channel called ninjon on Youtube. He showed out his worked and his was YF youfu, but that one seems to be sold out. Looks like imyyds has a similar setup though. Has anyone else worked with these? 

[Grotsmasha]

THIS one has shown up on youtube as ads for me, and I've seriously been considering it.

[Bung]

Here is a good review for those sort of airbrushes

https://tangibleday.com/is-a-portable-airbrush-any-good-for-painting-miniatures-review/

 

@Aothalne

I think you have the wrong impression of airbrush compressors.

Something like the Fangda As 186 is qite small and lightweight and most airbrush compressors are around 50-60 dzb which is the same as a tv.

If you want it more silent you have to go with oil cooled compressors which are a bit bigger and heavier and not as easy to transport but are around 30 dzb.

I have gone with a Werther Sil Air 20a as i work shifts and have some light sleepers in my house and no complaints about noise in more than 2 years.

[Azaiel]

Ninjon has a video trying one out:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isqaylQTunQ

[Aothaine]

Ahh maybe I had it wrong then. I suppose I'll start with a regular airbrush setup then. See if I like it. Maybe I can get a good deal on eBay to test it out before going all in. Thank you everyone!

[Firedrake Cordova]

If you're looking at regular compressors ... I have a Sparmax TC-620, which is in the low 50dB range and relatively low-pitched (two slow-spinning pistons rather than 1 fast-spinning one). When I was sat in the garden during lockdown (birds singing, little traffic going down the road 50m away), it was almost not noticeable. Using it indoors, it feels a little louder because of the vibration reverberating through the floorboards, but doesn't rise to what I would call "objectionable" (I have very sensitive hearing to boot) - I would imagine it's possible to dampen this by placing it on a pad to absorb the vibrations.

 

One thing I would add, is that not all noises are equal - low-pitched noises tend to carry further, and high-pitched noises tend to be more annoying (in my experience). 

 

If you're looking at Sparmax, they're owned by Iwata, and a lot of the Iwata models are the same as a Sparmax one ...

Edited January 31, 2022 by Firedrake Cordova

[Bung]

@Firedrake Cordoba

You can get this isolation mats for washing mashines, they are rather cheap and you Just need to cut it to size.

 

For me 50+ tended to be anoying so i went more silent with oil cooled.

They are as loud as a freezer but as said have a few downsides.

[Arkhanist]

FWIW, I was impressed by the ninjon video - it turned out a lot better than I expected.

 

I have a 7 year old AS186-based compressor, and it is definitely starting to show its age. It has an airtank, which is generally better than the tankless versions as it initially buzzes away filling up the tank for a few minutes, and then only has to run again to repressurise it once it gets too low; the majority of the time using it, the motor is not running. tankless ones have to run constantly as you use, and do have a bit of reputation of struggling to keep up with airflow (as the ninjon video accidentally demos with his existing compressor!) without the tank buffer.

 

However, the heatsink at the top on my AS186 does get very hot, and after about 45 odd minutes of use, it sort of shudders and changes noise when trying to compress and I think gets stuck; a small slap tends to free the piston and get a bit more time out of it, but it's generally a sign it needs a break to cool down.

 

It is pretty small, overall, and fits easily under my desk or on a shelf. I had no problem using it on my standard desk in my flat, or now in my study. If you're sticking to standard acrylic paint, and aren't doing super long sessions, lack of ventilation isn't a problem, though it's never a terrible idea to wear a respirator, particularly for varnish coats - lungs are delicate! For organics, e.g. oils or enamels, an organic-filter respirator and decent ventilation (an open window etc) is pretty much mandatory.

 

Noise-wise, when it's working, it's about the same noise level as my freezer compressor; not terribly surprisingly, as they're pretty similar in function. Definitely quieter than my washing machine.

 

So anyway. I could get another cheap AS186 or equivalent (they're all pretty similar); I already have decent airbrushes. I'd probably go for an AS186S based one that has the additional fan to help offset the overheating issue. I could go for a sparmax, which is definitely better quality, but they're basically more than twice the price, which I'm not convinced it worth it, given I only use the airbrush periodically. I don't have the space for an oil-based compressor, as all those I've looked at are significantly larger (and the price, ooooouch); maybe when I convert the garage to a workshop!

 

Or these baby portable battery compressors.

 

I have to say, if you're startng out from scratch, the battery ones, especially if you can detach the airbrush and use a standard hose, seem a very good deal. The cheap chinese airbrushes you get with them, (or an ebay AS186 set) aren't amazing, but they do work for zenthal priming and varnishing just fine, and can still be used for e.g. OSL glows with care. Just make sure you get one with a top-mounted gravity cup as opposed to a side-mounted one or suction bottle underneath; definitely easier to use and to clean. And one you can get cheap replacement needles for is a plus, because you WILL bend or blunt the needle tip at some point through hitting it against something with the cap off - it's a rite of passage!

 

The battery compressor is definitely quieter than a full size one, and given it's not running through a regulator (which allows you to adjust the pressure going to the brush) it does give an impressively reliable airflow compared to conventional tankless compressors. The downside is that it is fixed at 30 psi, so if you want to use a lower pressure (for doing more detail work) you only have the pressure variation from where you press down the trigger, which is relatively small. So a drawback for more advanced techniques. BUUT, you can also get a quick release that also has a baby flow control e.g. this one that would reduce pressure to the brush; so it could be worked around if you really needed to.

 

But for a beginner, where zenithal priming, varnishing, vehicle base coats and maybe a bit of OSL are the bread and butter of what you're up to, and fixed PSI is an advantage as one less thing to need to fiddle with? Looks suprisingly effective. AND the big advantage, if you don't have the space for a fixed airbrush setup, e.g. you can only use a shared dining table in a flat it definitely looks a lot easier than setting up and tearing down a standard compressor regularly. And cheap.

 

Given when I know now and if you're hesitant about getting into airbrushing; I think it's a solid option - as long as you get one you can detatch the provided airbrush, and ideally fit a standard 1/8" hose. Being able to have the battery separate from the bottom of the brush is helpful alone due to the weight, and it means you can get a better but still reasonably priced brush later (such as a badger patriot 105, iwata eclipse etc) if you really get into it without needing a new compressor. And keep the chinese brush for varnishing, which is hard on more refined airbrushes (you need to be more aggresive with solvents, and cleaning)

 

Or if you can find a good deal on an AS186 based compressor + brush, AND have the space to leave it plugged in near your usual workspace; that's good too. I've used one for years now, and I think it's probably been my most cost effective hobby purchase ever, just on the amount of rattle cans I've not had to buy. The chinese brushes it came with have long since been consigned to the backups box, but that's because I have nicer ones. And zenithal priming your models indoors quickly while it's wet and windy outside (aka 90% of the time in the UK, hah) is worth the entry price alone, and given it was a cheap-as-chips one, it's done solid service, and does still work fine as long as I don't push it too long.

 

The only question for me is if I buy one of the battery compressors for the workhorse stuff, and just keep my AS186 for when I really need that lower pressure, or outright replace the aging fella. Given budget constraints, I'm definitely leaning towards one like Grotsmasa's link right now!

Edited January 31, 2022 by Arkhanist

[Rik Lightstar]

Saw this yesterday but didn't have time to put a meaningful reply in, came back this morning and Arkhanist has basically covered everything I was going to contribute, reducing my input largely to "yeah, what he said".

 

The AS186 compressors are pretty much the hobby standard and very solid, get the one with more cooling and a tank and you should be absolutely sorted for some time to come unless you're going to be painting on a full time commission basis.

 

The combined quick release & regulator pieces may help a little but I found that there wasn't a whole lot of control with mine, it basically gave me everything, a teeny wheeze or nothing with very little adjustment possible between those three.

 

The cheap airbrushes you get included with the compressor deals are absolutely fine for the basics, my big frustration with them and where I noticed the big difference when I upgraded to a Harder & Steenbeck Ultra* was how easy it was to clean and take care of. For me time is my most limited resource and if something reduces the amount of time I spend on things that don't actually get models painted then it's a very justifiable purchase.

 

* On the topic of airbrushes themselves, I've had the cheap Chinese brushes and now I've got the Harder & Steenbeck Ultra and the Evolution, I also have both the Badger Renegade Jet and the Sotar 20/20.

 

Based on these I'm a complete H&S fanboy and will plug them shamelessly to anyone who asks for a recommendation, they're just more user friendly in design. The H&S Ultra is their entry level brush, but if you get the 2-in-1 set that comes with 0.2 and 0.4 needles and nozzles and you take care of it there's a good chance you'll never NEED another brush uness you're getting into some really high level stuff.

 

RIk

[Yodhrin]

I pretty much just basecoat/zenithal prime and do "all over" techniques like filters then paint with proper brushes, and my existing setup is awful(I had a big 9l tank compressor already for my casting pressure chamber and I'm tighfisted, so rather than buy a whole second compressor just for airbrushing I bought some extra tubing and a gauged pressure valve to use the highly pressurised tank at normal airbrushing pressure - it works, but it's a pain in the bum to troubleshoot and if I use the whole tank of air at night that's me done because it's LOUD), so I've decided to roll the dice based on the Ninjon video - they're about 40 quid shipped direct from aliexpress, so half the marked up amazon prices(the one from the video is 80 quid in the UK, the UK one linked to is a different model).

Edited February 2, 2022 by Yodhrin

[Bung]

FWIW, I was impressed by the ninjon video - it turned out a lot better than I expected.

 

I have a 7 year old AS186-based compressor, and it is definitely starting to show its age. It has an airtank, which is generally better than the tankless versions as it initially buzzes away filling up the tank for a few minutes, and then only has to run again to repressurise it once it gets too low; the majority of the time using it, the motor is not running. tankless ones have to run constantly as you use, and do have a bit of reputation of struggling to keep up with airflow (as the ninjon video accidentally demos with his existing compressor!) without the tank buffer.

 

However, the heatsink at the top on my AS186 does get very hot, and after about 45 odd minutes of use, it sort of shudders and changes noise when trying to compress and I think gets stuck; a small slap tends to free the piston and get a bit more time out of it, but it's generally a sign it needs a break to cool down.

 

It is pretty small, overall, and fits easily under my desk or on a shelf. I had no problem using it on my standard desk in my flat, or now in my study. If you're sticking to standard acrylic paint, and aren't doing super long sessions, lack of ventilation isn't a problem, though it's never a terrible idea to wear a respirator, particularly for varnish coats - lungs are delicate! For organics, e.g. oils or enamels, an organic-filter respirator and decent ventilation (an open window etc) is pretty much mandatory.

 

Noise-wise, when it's working, it's about the same noise level as my freezer compressor; not terribly surprisingly, as they're pretty similar in function. Definitely quieter than my washing machine.

 

So anyway. I could get another cheap AS186 or equivalent (they're all pretty similar); I already have decent airbrushes. I'd probably go for an AS186S based one that has the additional fan to help offset the overheating issue. I could go for a sparmax, which is definitely better quality, but they're basically more than twice the price, which I'm not convinced it worth it, given I only use the airbrush periodically. I don't have the space for an oil-based compressor, as all those I've looked at are significantly larger (and the price, ooooouch); maybe when I convert the garage to a workshop!

 

Or these baby portable battery compressors.

 

I have to say, if you're startng out from scratch, the battery ones, especially if you can detach the airbrush and use a standard hose, seem a very good deal. The cheap chinese airbrushes you get with them, (or an ebay AS186 set) aren't amazing, but they do work for zenthal priming and varnishing just fine, and can still be used for e.g. OSL glows with care. Just make sure you get one with a top-mounted gravity cup as opposed to a side-mounted one or suction bottle underneath; definitely easier to use and to clean. And one you can get cheap replacement needles for is a plus, because you WILL bend or blunt the needle tip at some point through hitting it against something with the cap off - it's a rite of passage!

 

The battery compressor is definitely quieter than a full size one, and given it's not running through a regulator (which allows you to adjust the pressure going to the brush) it does give an impressively reliable airflow compared to conventional tankless compressors. The downside is that it is fixed at 30 psi, so if you want to use a lower pressure (for doing more detail work) you only have the pressure variation from where you press down the trigger, which is relatively small. So a drawback for more advanced techniques. BUUT, you can also get a quick release that also has a baby flow control e.g. this one that would reduce pressure to the brush; so it could be worked around if you really needed to.

 

But for a beginner, where zenithal priming, varnishing, vehicle base coats and maybe a bit of OSL are the bread and butter of what you're up to, and fixed PSI is an advantage as one less thing to need to fiddle with? Looks suprisingly effective. AND the big advantage, if you don't have the space for a fixed airbrush setup, e.g. you can only use a shared dining table in a flat it definitely looks a lot easier than setting up and tearing down a standard compressor regularly. And cheap.

 

Given when I know now and if you're hesitant about getting into airbrushing; I think it's a solid option - as long as you get one you can detatch the provided airbrush, and ideally fit a standard 1/8" hose. Being able to have the battery separate from the bottom of the brush is helpful alone due to the weight, and it means you can get a better but still reasonably priced brush later (such as a badger patriot 105, iwata eclipse etc) if you really get into it without needing a new compressor. And keep the chinese brush for varnishing, which is hard on more refined airbrushes (you need to be more aggresive with solvents, and cleaning)

 

Or if you can find a good deal on an AS186 based compressor + brush, AND have the space to leave it plugged in near your usual workspace; that's good too. I've used one for years now, and I think it's probably been my most cost effective hobby purchase ever, just on the amount of rattle cans I've not had to buy. The chinese brushes it came with have long since been consigned to the backups box, but that's because I have nicer ones. And zenithal priming your models indoors quickly while it's wet and windy outside (aka 90% of the time in the UK, hah) is worth the entry price alone, and given it was a cheap-as-chips one, it's done solid service, and does still work fine as long as I don't push it too long.

 

The only question for me is if I buy one of the battery compressors for the workhorse stuff, and just keep my AS186 for when I really need that lower pressure, or outright replace the aging fella. Given budget constraints, I'm definitely leaning towards one like Grotsmasa's link right now!

 

I would really recommed you to invest in an oil cooled compressor if you dont move it much.

The small ones are a bit bigger but the Sil Air 20a is great.

 

I bought mine from Werther (in the US are simmilar compressors available from a different brand).

The big thing is, if you dont have sausage fingers you can repair it yourself.

I am in the mid of troubleshooting my onw one ad even after the gurantee run out i could write the customer support and got a whats app number for trouble shooting.

I ddint have to pay anything for that, i only had to get some replacement parts, which you can get cheaper if you dont order fromt he Wertjer homepage.

Here is a video from one after 10 years 

https://youtu.be/2eJYQols3g8

[Arkhanist]

I would really recommed you to invest in an oil cooled compressor if you dont move it much.

The small ones are a bit bigger but the Sil Air 20a is great.

I'm sure they are; 30dbA is very nice, and oil-filled would definitely run longer. I can't find the 20a in the UK anywhere for sale, though the 15a looks to have identical spec (less nice handle tho), and all have the 1.5L tank that goes to 8 bar.

 

sil-air 20A From EU; 399 euro plus shipping.

sil-air 15A From UK, £289, plus shipping.

eurotec 20A (which I'm fairly sure is a rebrand), £356.96. Plus shipping.

 

Compared to a £71 inc shipping AS186S variant (with a 3l tank@4 bar) - I paid £75 for my fanless one, back in the day - or £57 for a double battery cordless; an oil-filled compressor just isn't in the wife-acceptable budget ATM, especially with the huge energy bills/national insurance/inflation triple whammy rise coming in April. To be honest, I'm most likely going to duct-tape an existing £10 usb fan pointed towards the heatsink of my current one and see it that lets it run longer; it's not that often I actually *need* more than 45 minutes at a time out its aging little motor.

 

(Having kids isn't expensive. Paying for a house so they have somewhere to sleep, on the other hand...)

Edited February 3, 2022 by Arkhanist

[Bung]

 

I would really recommed you to invest in an oil cooled compressor if you dont move it much.

The small ones are a bit bigger but the Sil Air 20a is great.

I'm sure they are; 30dbA is very nice, and oil-filled would definitely run longer. I can't find the 20a in the UK anywhere for sale, though the 15a looks to have identical spec (less nice handle tho), and all have the 1.5L tank that goes to 8 bar.

 

sil-air 20A From EU; 399 euro plus shipping.

sil-air 15A From UK, £289, plus shipping.

eurotec 20A (which I'm fairly sure is a rebrand), £356.96. Plus shipping.

 

Compared to a £71 inc shipping AS186S variant (with a 3l tank@4 bar) - I paid £75 for my fanless one, back in the day - or £57 for a double battery cordless; an oil-filled compressor just isn't in the wife-acceptable budget ATM, especially with the huge energy bills/national insurance/inflation triple whammy rise coming in April. To be honest, I'm most likely going to duct-tape an existing £10 usb fan pointed towards the heatsink of my current one and see it that lets it run longer; it's not that often I actually *need* more than 45 minutes at a time out its aging little motor.

 

(Having kids isn't expensive. Paying for a house so they have somewhere to sleep, on the other hand...)

 

 

I can feel your troubles, its the same over here, even if i dont have a second expansive hobby like wife and kids.

To be honest i used my christmas bonus and a 20% voucher to get mine.

 

If your compressor gives up and you are not that bad with tools you could try to fix a refridgerator compressor to the tank of your old fengda

https://www.instructables.com/How-to-modify-a-fridge-compressor-into-a-silent-ai/

 

They should be easy to get,

[sibomots]

I should probably dig into the research a bit, so this is more speculation than opinion.   Has anyone using air-brushes here succeeded with using CO2 cartridges in lieu of compressors?  Granted they deplete and granted they have limited use, but awfully quiet...  If the painting via air is a rare and infrequent thing they might be cost effective too.     Of course requires some fittings (and a reliable valve, and bit of DIY connections..  But all of that is actually straight-forward to be honest, I think.  Again, speculation.

 

I cannot say I have the noise problem.  I run a air compressor in a workshop with the retinue of filters and oil-trap and so on. 

 

Edit:

After I posted this I just realized there was a third option.  Central Welding (or something similar in your sector of the Imperium) do sell various sized bottles of CO2.  Little stubby ones all the way up to 4' tall or larger.   Again the hookups would be special (regulator and fittings), but super darn quiet since no moving parts.    Just a thought for those who are truly up against a noise issue.  

Edited February 3, 2022 by sibomots

[Cruor Vault]

I should probably dig into the research a bit, so this is more speculation than opinion.   Has anyone using air-brushes here succeeded with using CO2 cartridges in lieu of compressors?  Granted they deplete and granted they have limited use, but awfully quiet...  If the painting via air is a rare and infrequent thing they might be cost effective too.     Of course requires some fittings (and a reliable valve, and bit of DIY connections..  But all of that is actually straight-forward to be honest, I think.  Again, speculation.

 

I cannot say I have the noise problem.  I run a air compressor in a workshop with the retinue of filters and oil-trap and so on. 

 

Edit:

After I posted this I just realized there was a third option.  Central Welding (or something similar in your sector of the Imperium) do sell various sized bottles of CO2.  Little stubby ones all the way up to 4' tall or larger.   Again the hookups would be special (regulator and fittings), but super darn quiet since no moving parts.    Just a thought for those who are truly up against a noise issue.  

 

That would VERY rapidly become significantly more expensive than purchasing a compressor (just one or two sessions).  I think you are significantly underestimating just how much air you move through an airbrush even during a simple cleaning or color switch.

[sibomots]

 

That would VERY rapidly become significantly more expensive than purchasing a compressor (just one or two sessions).  I think you are significantly underestimating just how much air you move through an airbrush even during a simple cleaning or color switch.

 

You are right. 

 

I probably under estimated the volume of gas needed.  I was drawing from experience TIG welding. The shield gas (98%Ar, 2%He), usually is set to about 15-20 cfm (cubic feet per minute) at the bottle.   15 cfm seems like a low value, it is.  For air-brush,  I made the mistake of not knowing the general flow rate of a full depressed air-brush handle.  

 

Anyway...  Yea, maybe not cost effective.  I think one of the main factors in the OP was a noise-issue?  I think that's what triggered my speculation.

 

Good to know.    Please disregard my speculation.   Thanks.

[Arkhanist]

Harder and steenbeck specify 0.8CFM minimum per airbrush, and I have heard of someone who used CO2 bottles in the past where lack of electricity in the shed meant no other option (at the time!).

 

I suspect the cost of a suitable pressure regulator (given brushes use 15-40 PSI) + gas cannisters would quickly outpace the cost of a basic compressor, or battery powered if you needed it while travelling/in a powerless garage, unless you already use them for other purposes - and are suitably aware of the risks of anoxia in closed spaces etc. Noiseless is an advantage, but then you could also just get a workshop air compressor with a big tank, pressurize the tank someplace else - or just have a separate tank you charge at a garage or the like - then use it purely off the tank, though obviously it would be at far lower PSI than CO2 tanks.

 

I know 'rattle can' equivalent compressed air cannisters were a thing for a little while for entry-level airbrushes, and the cost outpaced that of a compressor setup within a few sessions. GW did their own single action 'spray gun' shaped liked a handflamer many moons ago, which sank without trace pretty quickly - for fairly good reason!

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by Arkhanist

[sibomots]

Yea, I completely forgot the setup I had to buy to get 15 CFM Argon/He mix.    I think the compressor is the obvious choice.  I was so wrong.

 

The precision regulator was about $120.  That fitted on a 4' tall bottle (The bottle cost is about $100 empty, and for CO2 maybe add $20-30 depending on the outfit). SInce you own the bottle, refills are just a swap for $30.     You're alread in for $250 and you haven't added the oil-trap, filter, hoses, rigging, fittings and... then the actual brush (another money sink itself).

 

I am so sorry.  Forget what I said.  Maybe acoustic foam near the little 'pressor will help.. Plug it in, and paint..   I'll go back to what I know (which is not air-brushing :) )

 

-sibomots

[Bung]

There are tutorials for noise canceling boxes for small compressors.

Which are wood boxes and insulation foam.

The Problem is the boxes need to be big enough to allow enough airflow that the compressor doesnt overheat.

 

@sibomots

 

I tried a similar setup with retiered firefighter scba a gear.

A 4l bottle with 200 bar, 2 pressure valves, one to reduce 200 bar to 8 bar from retiered scba gear and a workshop one to get it work with an airbrush.

Granted i got that stuff for free as it was classified as scrap and i only had to get some fittings it worked.

But even 1600 l air didnt last for a long session.