Airbrush and Scuba help needed from the experts!

[gotarheelz14]

Hey all. Though I really want to go diving at some point, I am actually here for a completely different reason. I paint plastic models with an airbrush. In order to power that airbrush without a loud and noisey compressor, I am looking at getting a scuba set up for airbrushing. I need your help as I am completely clueless about the parts I will need to do this. I need something absolutely silent as I am currently in a college dorm room and when I am home, I get most of my airbrushing done at 1-3am!

1.) I know I want to get an 80 CU Ft tank and I know it will not be pre 1988 as I don't want to run any risks of explosions haha.

2.) I know I will need one or a couple of regulators. The owner at my local scuba shop was Incredibly helpful and he said he could put all the pieces together for me. I think if I buy them new however it will be much cheaper so I am trying to find out what I need.

The part where I need the most help is figuring out what kind of regulators I am going to have to add to the tank in order to get the pressure flowing out smoothly etc. If you can please give me a bit of guidance I would really appreciate it.

PS. I am going to be spraying anywhere from 10psi-20psi. Do you think a scuba tank that big (80 cu ft) would be enough for a good spray time? Regardless, refills are pretty cheap anyway so I think I should be good.

Thanks guys

 

[300bar]

What you need besides the tank.
1st stage- sealed membrane
Sealed because-you don't want any airborn paint in it.
Membrane- because you can DOWN tune it to the very low psi you need.
And some coupling fron a LP hose to whatever you use on them sprayguns.


Hope it helps

 

[JKPAO]

I use a scuba tank for some of the small jobs that I encounter. (when I don't want to drag a compressor around)
I have a couple of older regs that I hook to the tank. The first stage (scuba regulator) has an output of about 145 psi. I then had a standard shop style reg (adjustable) screwed into a LOW PRESSURE port (145 PSI) I then use the shop regulator to tune the psi to about 90 psi . I use it for nail guns blow guns and other air powered tools. I can turn the pressure from as low as 5 psi
and the top end is the input pressure. I would attach a pic but I really don't have the know how.
I hope this helps
See you topside John

 

[gotarheelz14]

Hey guys,

Thanks a lot for responding to my thread. Because I am completely new to this I still have no idea what some of these things mean haha.

So for 300's post I am going to need 1.) a regulator and 2.) a sealed membrane. Can I google these and expect to find them?

The second poster mentioned 1.) a first stage regulator again, 2.) A shop style regulator? Once again what should I look for on google? Enter those things exactly? I am not having much luck.

If you could post links to something similar I would be completely in debt to you for your help.

Thanks guys,

Carlos

 

[300bar]

OK scuba 101

Our regulators consist of 2 stages.
1stage reducing HP tank pressure (3000 psi) to around 145 psi.
2nd stage even further reducing the 145 psi to a atmospheric pressure so we can breath it

What you need is a sealed membrane 1st stage,you can de-tune this to about 5-10 psi if need be.

And yes you can google this

example:scuba 1st stage - Google zoeken

 

[blatter]

A good reg to power an airbrush is the US Diver Conshelf - the non environmentally sealed versions. It is a diaphram type reg and you can easily adjust the line pressurefrom very low up to at least 150 psi/10 Bar with a big screwdriver.

I would suggest that you also get an LP inflator hose and intermediate pressure guage that you can plug into it so you can keep an ey on the actual line pressure and don't break anything.

These regulators are cheap and common on ebay and easy to maintain/service, You should be able to get an IP guage for around $20-$30.

Regards - Jon

 

[deepstops]

The more common nomenclature for the 1st stage you need is a diaphragm regulator (not membrane).

 

[SelkieDVM]

Welcome and good luck with this endeavor. Great screen name BTW. Tar heel born and bred myself...

 

[DA Aquamaster]

+ 1 on the Conshelf.

This is what I use to run my air brush...

1) Conshelf XII first stage. (Available on ebay for not much money)
2) Inflator hose screwed into one low pressure (LP) port. (ebay or your local dive shop (LDS)
3) An over pressure relief valve (OPV) screwed into another LP port. (available from Trident through your LDS)
4) A LP quick disconnnect (QD) to male 1/4" NPT adapter. (also available from Trident through your LDS.)
5) A 1/4" NPT to whatever fitting your air brush hose takes (available from your air brush manufactuerer through a hobby shop)

Some options.

6) An intermediate pressure gauge. This could be one ready made from the LDS or e-bay, or you can put one together using a walmart or hardware store variety air pressure gauge using another QD to 1/4" NPT adapter screwed into a 2" cast iron 1/4" NPT x 1/4" NPT nipple.

7) A small prtable shop air tank from walmart, etc. The Conshelf XII or XIV can easily be tuned to an intermediate pressure in the 10 to 20 psi range, but the flow rate is quite low at that pressure and, depending on the brush and nozzle combination, in some cases it will not keep up with the brush. Adding volume with a header tank will keep the pressure constant withotu having to stop, slow down or shorten a brush stroke. These tanks will come with a female 1/4" fitting that can then accomodate a T that you would put together at the hardware store that will need to have a male 1/4" NPT fitting to accept the LP QD to male 1/4 NPT fitting to connect to the LP hose from the regulator as well as another male 1/4" NPT fitting to connect to the adapter for the air brush hose. Most of these tanks also come with a pressure gauge as well as an OPV so in that case, you do not need either the IP gauge or the OPV in the LP port. (As long as you always turn the reg off before disconnecting it from the header tank.)

 

[james croft]

I agree with blatter as far as choosing the Conshelf first stage. I use them for running air tools. You can adjust the intermediate pressure down by backing off the large slot on the first stage. it can be reduced even more by adding on a shop regulator(found on eBay for 5 bucks or so).
What has not been told to you yet is that it is very important to put a pressure relieve valve on the first stage. This will prevent a hose or airbrush exploding if the first stage should fail. The cheapest I have found them was about ten buck on the internet. I will see if I can find a link for them.