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Contemplating a CO2 setup for airbrushing


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I've got an old Badger compressor, which has done well for years. I live in an apartment, so I'm always worried about my neighbors getting annoyed with the motor running upstairs. Also, I have a water trap on it, but I don't think it does a heck of a lot.

SO, I was thinking about a silent setup, either a CO2 tank or a portable air tank. Looking around at CO2 setups, I can't figure out how much it should cost. The prices I've seen vary pretty widely. I'm running 1 airbrush at a time, and I don't paint all that much (nowhere near as much as I should.) Thoughts?

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Look at spending between $175-$300 depending who you source your equipment from, this also includes the bottle. I'm probably going to switch over to CO2 when I remodel my workshop to add the finished walls to match the rest of the man cave. Since my workshop is directly below our master suite, one doesn't want any noise to wake the queen on those late night session in the shop. It also eliminates any supply moisture issues too!

Compare pricing with beverage suppliers and welding supply houses. Take your hose with you so they can set it all up for you or get you 90% of the way. Sometimes one has to source adapter fittings to bring it all together. On average a tank should last you anywhere from 3-18 months depending on volume and usage. Just remember to have good ventilation!

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Here's an old thread on CO2 tanks.

There are a few threads on here, but the search engine sucks. Cost will vary quite a bit. New vs used is the biggest cost driver. I've seen used tanks for as low as $10. If you go used the tank better have a current hydrostatic test or you will not be able to get it filled. It was around $40 the last time I needed mine tested, but it took a couple weeks to get it back.

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... Take your hose with you so they can set it all up for you or get you 90% of the way. Sometimes one has to source adapter fittings to bring it all together.

I use a Badger hose and a quick release fitting on my regulator. My local hobby shop had the Badger adapter to go from the hose to 1/4" pipe thread. At Home Depot I was able to get a pipe thread quick release that fit the Badger adapter and my regulator.

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...Been using a CO2 set-up for over 20 years, now- I got a '99-year lease' from a local gas/welding supply - basically, I get a 20# tank, and simply do an exchange, paying for the 'refill' when I run out of gas. Because they own the tanks, and I just swap an empty for a full one, I don't have to worry about paying for testing, etc. - Sort of like doing a propane tank swap at the Home Depot for my barbeque. And the CO2 IS dry; have never needed/used a water trap. Unfortunately, I'm kind of sporadic in my modeling, and can go months without time at the workbench; and then hit it hard day after day when the muse strikes, so it is very hard for me to judge how long a tank lasts. But it seems like a fairly long time between 'refills'; I've been very glad to have the silent cylinder standing-by for my airbrushing needs. As long as you don't have to schlep it up/down stairs, (or use a smaller bottle) I recommend the investment; well worth it!

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I have been considering this set-up since I started paintballing. I often do 2-3 kits before I paint cause I hate running the compressor.

I like Harv's arrangement! It would be a pain getting the tank home though...

Edited by Oroka
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Tanks are not hard to transport. You can also get small (scuba diving) size or those big torpedo sized tanks. The tanks used for beverage service are small as well, only a little larger in diameter I think. The small ones ride well in a car seat or even in the trunk.

Heck I used to do my grocery shopping on my motorcycle in Montana after work. Stop at the Commissary for two or three bags of groceries, then head to the grain elevator/feed store for a 100# sack or two of feed for the livestock. Groceries when in the saddle bags, the feed draped over the rear seat. I don't which I got stranger looks for...haul'in the groceries home or riding the bike with my waders on while out fishing. :doh:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well, coincidentally, my CO2 cylinder ran out on me last Friday. Took the tank in today for a swap. Looking at the paperwork, It was 2005 when I got my last 'refill'...and 2002 prior to that. A swap-out took all of about 10 minutes, and cost me $35.00 (including all the CA state taxes and EPA HAZMAT fees, etc.) for a full-up 20# tank (45# total weight). I just strap it down w/ bungee cords in the back of my SUV and I'm good-to-go. I figure I'll do more consistient painting than I apparently did over the last five years, so I expect this tank won't go to 2015; YMMV...

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I've got an old Badger compressor, which has done well for years. I live in an apartment, so I'm always worried about my neighbors getting annoyed with the motor running upstairs. Also, I have a water trap on it, but I don't think it does a heck of a lot.

SO, I was thinking about a silent setup, either a CO2 tank or a portable air tank. Looking around at CO2 setups, I can't figure out how much it should cost. The prices I've seen vary pretty widely. I'm running 1 airbrush at a time, and I don't paint all that much (nowhere near as much as I should.) Thoughts?

I have no advise to offer concerning the CO2 setup. Since you are worrying about neighbors getting annoyed with the Badger compressor running, it must be pretty noisy or vibrates a lot. Any modern airbrush compressor $200 and up will be a huge improvement over the old Badger. In the US, electricity is reliable enough that compressed air will be always available from the compressor. Have you look at the Sparmax TC-2000 or the Iwata Power Jet Lite? For a little more, you can get the Silentaire Super Silent 20-A (~$550).

If you can find a convenient setup of the CO2. go for it. I looked into it. Without those special arrangement some of the user mentioned here, the initial investment could be very steep. Coast Airbrush carries most items that you may need.

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For safety.....make sure the tank is secure under your workbench. If it falls over and breaks off the valve on top.......it will rocket through a concrete cinder block wall. I know.....it's a long shot........but better safe than sorry.

Ventilation is important.....but if you are spraying, then you should rig up some sort of spray booth anyways. A cheap range hood mounted over a plywood box works quite well and comes with built-in lights and varible speed fans..

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I airbrush using a SCUBA tank.

I am a diver so the most expensive part (dive regulators) I already had.

I have 2 tanks, a 3 litre pony and a 15L tank. Both are filled to 230 Bar at my local dive club for free.

From tank, through SCUBA 1st stage regulator to direct feed bayonet fitting,

Bayonet male with a threaded end came from a SCUBA air hose thingy that I found in the dive shop and unscrewed.

This is screwed into a DIY style Draper regulator for pressure adjustment from 0 to 100 bar.

Then reduced down to the Badger thread size for long hose to airbrush.

Job done.

This cost £20 for the Draper reg, £7 for the tapered hose thingy and another couple of pounds for the other fittings.

Even the 3L lasts for a while.

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  • 1 year later...

Okay, let's resurrect this thread.... I got myself a 20 pound CO2 tank, and I'm wondering about a regulator. Can an air compressor regulator be used? Or, is there a specific type needed for CO2? Looking at the selection of air regulators at Home Depot, most of them look like they're rated to around 150 PSI. Will that be enough? I know airbrushing will only use around 20-30 PSI, I just don't want the pressure in the tank to explode a valve designed for lower-pressure.

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Some welding supply places are easier to work with than others.

The large regional chain wanted little to nothing to do with me or my buisness, but the smaller local guy was really helpful. He deals with the local homebrewers and t-shirt artists.

I got the 20lb tank an inexpensive dual guage regulator and the one brass fitting I needed for about $200 5+yrs ago and have refilled a couple of times since.

It's a simple tank swap when I refill and as long I I dont paint my name on the tank the swap and testing is no questions asked.

It's dry

it's silent

the pressure is constant.

It is quite a sweet litle set up and I am very happy with it.

Mike

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

So, for a regulator, Is the kind used for beer carbonation the way to go? I'm thinking something like this

I would think that kind of regulator would be perfect if you can find the adapter for it. the only problem I can see is the adjustment on the regulator itsself. Its not as precise as one you might go to a welding shop for but I would think it would be perfect. I used to work for Budweiser and i am getting ready to get a C02 tank as well. Im gonna get the bug torpedo bottle though because here i can get it filled for like 35 bucks and im sure that thing will last for at least 5 years. to me it beats a compressor by far. I have been searching for bottles on craigslist and you can find them for very cheap.

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I'd just run 2 regulators, one at the tank,that is made to handle the pressure at the bottle,then connect with regular air chuck to a second regulator mounted to the work bench for fine adjustment.

You can then just open your bottle and have it regulated at say 60lbs, then fine tune the 2nd regulator to your desired 10-20lbs.

Curt

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I'd just run 2 regulators, one at the tank,that is made to handle the pressure at the bottle,then connect with regular air chuck to a second regulator mounted to the work bench for fine adjustment.

You can then just open your bottle and have it regulated at say 60lbs, then fine tune the 2nd regulator to your desired 10-20lbs.

Curt

Never thaught about that thats a really good idea. :bandhead2: Good thing this Forum is here for the not so smart people like me to get good ideas off of other people :smiley-transport006:

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Okay, let's resurrect this thread.... I got myself a 20 pound CO2 tank, and I'm wondering about a regulator. Can an air compressor regulator be used? Or, is there a specific type needed for CO2? Looking at the selection of air regulators at Home Depot, most of them look like they're rated to around 150 PSI. Will that be enough? I know airbrushing will only use around 20-30 PSI, I just don't want the pressure in the tank to explode a valve designed for lower-pressure.

Probably not, there are a lot of thread types for gasses and different pressures to ensure you don't mix them. This was driven by fatalities caused when workers accidently connected their breathing air lines to CO2 or Nitrogen lines. I'm sure the pressure was due to similar concerns. I work on self contained breathing apparatus and know the threads on 2200, 3000 and 4500 tanks are different (different length so the higher pressure won't seat properly on lower pressure). Similarly we have equipment that runs off the air tanks and we have to specify compressed air on the regulator for equipment that can run off multiple gasses.

Edited by Aaronw
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I went into my local welding supply store and told them what I was wanting to do: 20lb CO2 regulated down to 15-20 psi for airbrushing. The gentleman got me everything I needed. I would recommend going to your local welding store and getting knowledgable help.

Also, I've been using CO2 for about 8 years and love it. Quiet and consistent.

Rodney

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  • 4 months later...

Okay, I am looking at getting a CO2 tank, and this thread answered some of my questions, but I will ask a couple more.

A local welding supply store will sell me a 20 lb tank for $145, plus $20 to fill. They also offer a regulator for $99, but it goes from 0-175 psi. I'd like something that has a smaller range.

Based on an earlier post, I assume this regulator will be okay, at least to connect to the tank. I am assuming I can use a second regulator with finer adjustment between the first regulator and the airbrush if need be. (This regulator is also less expensive than the one at the welding supply house, but this is not a major concern.)

Another question is about connecting the regulator to the tank, if I go with the regulator from Amazon. I'm assuming it just screws on, like a fitting on a normal aircompressor. Should I use Teflon tape? One thread on a general airbrushing site recommended bee's wax instead.

I do have a concern, perhaps unfounded. If the regulator isn't seated right, and I turn on the tank, will I have a projectile on my hands? Am I being paranoid? I've done a little plumbing and hooked up air compressors before - but these don't have the pressure the CO2 tanks does. I may just buy the regulator at the welding supply house and have him connect it.

One last question: I understand you turn the tank off after each session, just in case the regulator does have a tiny leak. Is this true?

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Hello,

I use a steel co2 tank with an industrial co2 regulator for airbrushing and I might be able to help on a couple of your questions.I've never used a beer type regulator as linked to in you post and it might work, I'm just not sure what they mean by "Nonadjustable "shut down" blows off at 55-65 psi". Anyway,as far a sealing the threads you could use teflon tape if you wanted. I would avoid the bee's wax,it just sounds like a good way to accidently contaminate your regulator or clog the valve in your airbrush.

For the main fitting between the regulator and tank simply thread the regulator on until finger tight,tighten it with a wrench until it just squeaks.The brass threads will work best without teflon tape, just make sure you use the nylon or fiber gasket that is made for the regulator,it seats between the nipple on the tank and the fitting on the regulator. If you've done a little plumbing it will be no problem.If you are paranoid just spritz a little soapy water on your connections to check.

Between the industrial regulator and my airbrush I use another pressure gauge that is limited to 30 psi. With the regulator tuned down to zero pressure I turn on the tank. Then I fine tune my airbrush anywhere around 13 - 17 psi through this gauge with the regulator's valve.I always close the valve on the tank when I am done, it's just a good habit. I never transport the tank with the regulator on as to avoid damaging the regulator or gauges, and I always secure the tank even when not in use. The only other thing I can add is I use my airbrush with plenty of ventilation and keep the cylinder in the garage. Though people probably do, I'd never store it or use it in a basement due to the risk of asphyxiation. Not during an airbrushing session, just if there was ever a leak I didn't know about. See, you thought you were paranoid!

The only other thing I can add is you might be able to find a cheaper tank at Harbor Freight if you wanted to save a little money and you might be able to have it filled at a business that services fire extinguishers.

Hope this helps, I purchased the tank and regulator at a welding supply years ago and it's great. Silent,no electricity, no moisture trap,awesome.

Have fun, twenty pounds goes a long long way! :D

Jim S

Edited by Jim S
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I can't add much to what Jim said but some of my thoughts to your questions.

Whats wrong with the 0-175 regulator?? if it goes to 0 thats what you want, I'd go with that and a second Standard type regulator that I would put close to my work area and add a chuck to it to plug my A/B hose directly into. I'd run 60lbs out of the tank then regulate the a/b to 15-20 whatever is required.

If you can find a used tank that might be a cheaper route (as long as it has a current cert on it)then see if your air supplier will do the swaps with you, that might save you a little on the tank (it might pay for the 2nd regulator).

Tank security, I think I'd build a little wood box to hold it (paint it like a torpedo container :} ..) something that would enclose the valves so nothing could fall on it or what not, yet still easy to turn the valve.

Curt

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My concern with the 0-175 regulator is that it would not be provide a fine-enough adjustment. I'm guessing that such a regulator would make it difficult to go from 15 to 20 psi, for example.

I don't mind getting the new cylinder from the place I contacted. For one thing, it is very convenient, about half a mile from work.

I'm not sure if I will use this in the garage or in my spare bedroom (where I have a spray booth that vents to the outside). I didn't think about a CO2 leak. I live in Southern California - so no basement at all.

I'm probably going to go the two-regulator route. I did see secondary regulators used in the beer-brewing hobby made for just that purpose. And, yes, I will secure the tank.

Thanks for the input!

Stacey

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