Jump to content

Best compressor pressure?


Recommended Posts

Greetings,

I'm no expert but I found there is no single best setting that will work for everyone due to the fact that there are so many variables. Different paints and the degree to which you thin them will vary the pressure settings not to mention differences between airbrushes and compressors and your individual technique. All I can say is practice, practice.

Chuck B.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Read your airbrushes instructions (I know real men don't read them) for the working range your AB is designed to function at.

I tend to want the thrust of a fighter jet coming out of my nozzle. I routinely spray at anywhere from 26-32 psi. Many work at half that rate, others even lower.

Much depends on you and how you apply the paint. How thin you thin it. What you thin with. How far you hold it away from the surface when spraying. The speed at which you move the AB across the surface you are painting.

Basically, you just need to hang a sheet of heavy white paper and thin down some cheap paint and practice practice practice until you find your groove. You'll get the feel of the brush and what results you can achieve at various pressures. Make notes and you'll be on your way!

Link to post
Share on other sites
What is best?

I dont even look at the pressure. It mostly depends on how thin your paint is. The thinner, the less pressure is required to atomise the fluid. I keep an old model handy when I paint, which I strip every so often. I mix a little extra paint, then try the pressure on that model. When I get a finish coat I like, I have the right pressure for the way I paint. I say this because we all paint differently. Some apply paint in thinner layers, some in thicker layers, some faster, some slower, you get the drift. Most importantly, the fluid has to go on wet. Too much pressure, and you apply a dry mist, which will look like sand paper at the end.

Comes down to feel, and experience. One recommendation I would make, is to stick to one or two paint manufacturers. You will get a better feel how their product work for you as you get the 'feel'.

Cheers, happy painting.

-Al :bandhead2:

Edited by Blackcollar
Link to post
Share on other sites

I favor much lower PSI levels. (I work exclusively with acrylics; mostly Polly Scale, but also Citadel, Tamiya and Gunze.)

Lower pressure has a number of advantages;

1. Better control

2. Finer, more even coverage (obscuring less detail)

3. Wastes considerably less paint;

4. Less overspray

5. Allows you to get in much closer to the model (which is great if you want to do free-hand camo)

I usually spray Polly Scale and Citadel paints at about 12 PSI (sometimes as low as 8 or as high (with PS) as 15-18). Tamiya and Gunze seem to work best at around 18.

The only time I ever turn up the pressure to max (I have a Badger compressor that's capabale of aprox. 30 PSI) is when I'm cleaning the airbrush and trying to blow out obstructions! (Good Lord, Gerald! I can't imagine spraying at those high levels. . .but you sure do seem to get great results!!!)

:D

Old Blind Dog

Edited by Old Blind Dog
Link to post
Share on other sites

OBD-some day I might learn its better to use a lower pressure!

Back when I lived in Montana we use to go off-roading a lot. One of the guys always climbed the steep hills in low gear engine screaming at near redline. We couldn't convince him that you didn't need to do it that way. We finally showed him by crawling up the hill and down in his truck in low gear with the engine just above idle. He couldn't believe it. I guess he felt if she wasn't screaming she wasn't enjoying it. Opps thats a different subject, but thats what he would say to us. ;)

I guess I should apply that to airbrushing too. :yahoo:

Link to post
Share on other sites

I keep reading about how lower PSI is better for airbrushing, but unfortunately my compressor doesn't allow me to go below about 20-22 PSI. It's a Sparmax model with the regulator knob on the bottom of a glass tube. Screw it in to raise pressure, screw it out to lower. However, once it has been loosened off to around the 20 PSI mark, any lower and it rattles itself right off in a few seconds! :coolio:

I'm sure it never used to do this when I first got it, and I'm sure it's not supposed to do it either. Wish I knew how to fix it. Anyway, no 12 PSI for me.

Kev

Link to post
Share on other sites

Kev,

I had much the same setup on my IWATA.

I took a good look and realized that I could carefully and slowly spin the Iwata regulator/trap off.

Of course I then had to come up with connectors that fit the new regulator/compressor.

I would only do that if you are SURE that you can spin it off.

I would go so far as to email sparmax first.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have used 7-10 psi for enamels and 10-15 psi for acrylics with good results.

Advantages:

- almost no overspray

- you can work very close to the subject

- you can paint all nooks and crannies easier

- the finish is smoother

Disadvantages

- takes longer time to paint the subject

HTH

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yikes...tough question, as it greatly depends upon what you are painting and how detailed the work is. Normally I use about 10-12....however will lower to 8-10 when using Alclad paints and sometimes increase greatly if going for a stippling effect.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...