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Airbrush Propellant (UK)

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Greg - 23 Oct 2005 13:47 GMT
I am looking for some advice concerning using CO2 gas as an airbrush
propellant.

My concerns are as follows:

1. Pressure regulation: I believe the CO2 cylinders are pressurised to
300psi (or bar, I cannot remember which). What have people done to regulate
the pressure:- I had thought about using two regulators, one connected
directly to the bottle which is man enough to handle the 300psi and step the
pressure down to about say 100psi, then a second regulator connected via a
short length of hose to regulate the pressure to airbrush manageable
pressures.

2. Do people use bottled liquid CO2 or gas?
Kurt Laughlin - 23 Oct 2005 14:13 GMT
> 1. Pressure regulation: I believe the CO2 cylinders are pressurised to
> 300psi (or bar, I cannot remember which). What have people done to
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> connected via a short length of hose to regulate the pressure to airbrush
> manageable pressures.

I think they are typically around 1000 psi.  There are regulators that go
with the tanks that do just what you are looking to do.

> 2. Do people use bottled liquid CO2 or gas?

At the pressures involved CO2 is a liquid.  It becomes a gas when regulated
down to useable pressures.

KL
Rob de Bie - 25 Oct 2005 13:11 GMT
>I am looking for some advice concerning using CO2 gas as an airbrush
>propellant.

I don't often read about it, but please be sure that you are working in a
well-ventilated area. If you have a leak, the CO2-level could possibly reach a
level that makes you go to sleep and worse.

Rob

My models:    www.xs4all.nl/~robdebie/models.htm
Me 163B site: www.xs4all.nl/~robdebie/me163.htm
AQM-34 site:  www.xs4all.nl/~robdebie/aqm34.htm
Alan Dicey - 25 Oct 2005 22:02 GMT
>>I am looking for some advice concerning using CO2 gas as an airbrush
>>propellant.
>
> I don't often read about it, but please be sure that you are working in a
> well-ventilated area. If you have a leak, the CO2-level could possibly reach a
> level that makes you go to sleep and worse.

I would think it most unlikely that you could ever come to any harm from
a non-obvious CO2 leakage unless you were spraying in an airtight room.
 You should, however, have some kind of ventilation, a spraybooth, hood
or even just an open window, to dilute paint thinner fumes and overspray
mist.
Gondor - 26 Oct 2005 00:07 GMT
This might be a stupid question, but why not use a compressor?

>I am looking for some advice concerning using CO2 gas as an airbrush
>propellant.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> 2. Do people use bottled liquid CO2 or gas?
AM - 26 Oct 2005 01:54 GMT
> This might be a stupid question, but why not use a compressor?

Too easy...........

AM
e - 26 Oct 2005 02:00 GMT
>> This might be a stupid question, but why not use a compressor?
>
>Too easy...........

it blows?
AM - 26 Oct 2005 04:06 GMT
>>>This might be a stupid question, but why not use a compressor?
>>
>>Too easy...........
>
> it blows?

It blows compressed air cans away is what you mean....

AM
e - 26 Oct 2005 05:34 GMT
>> In article <0a-dnesRMYgoTsPeRVn-jA@comcast.com>, AM <SCTUSER@comcast.net>
>>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>It blows compressed air cans away is what you mean....
monetarily, too.
maybe not as easy to use on the run, but who doesn't have 2
minutes to set up?
Phil Young - 26 Oct 2005 13:34 GMT
> It blows compressed air cans away is what you mean....
>
> <many blank lines snipped>
>  
> AM

Which is not what the OP was proposing to use.

Signature

Phil Young

AM - 26 Oct 2005 15:13 GMT
>>It blows compressed air cans away is what you mean....
>>
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> Which is not what the OP was proposing to use.

No, but in the long run, it is better than C02
as well. The compressor is very useful around
home, and the small ones are getting quieter.
I use a Devilbliss 90cfm avg. (tank pressure tops
out at 135 psi) 1.5 gal tank, with a 25' hose to
a regulator/moisture trap, to 10' Iwata airline.
It's loud but in another room.
It's VERY useful with air tools also !
(and just plain filling car tires...)
With a 5 - 6 gal air tank starting at over 100 psi
One can just about paint a 1/48 scale A/C @ 20 psi
without the compressor coming on. (exterior/all)
I build/spray with music on anyway... :)

Another option.... Get one of the small silent
compressors. (similar compressor to refrigerator)
Same noise level as your refer. Not cheap !
A friend has one, and it's amazingly quiet !!!!

AM
Phil Young - 26 Oct 2005 15:47 GMT
>>>It blows compressed air cans away is what you mean....
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>
> AM

All very true, but it sounds as if the OP already has a CO2 cylinder (for
another reason).  If you were starting from scratch a compressor would be
the best way to go (in another room as you say).  Oddly, it seems a
'normal' sized one is not much more than a 'modellers airbrush' type.

I'll stick with the gas (since I do a fair amount of welding) - totally
silent apart from the Psssssss... of the gas/paint mix coming from the
brush.

To the OP, make sure you have a trolley, or chain the cylinder to a wall.
If it topples and somehow knocks the regulator off you will have your own
unguided missile lying at you feet, but not for long.

Signature

Phil Young

Alan Dicey - 26 Oct 2005 02:01 GMT
> This might be a stupid question, but why not use a compressor?
>
>>I am looking for some advice concerning using CO2 gas as an airbrush
>>propellant.

Compressors supply a pulsating pressure feed, require electricity and
are noisy.  A CO2 bottle is silent, provides a constant pressure and can
be used anywhere.

I use a compressor  .  .  . :-)
Gondor - 26 Oct 2005 14:24 GMT
>> This might be a stupid question, but why not use a compressor?
>>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> I use a compressor  .  .  . :-)

ok, how about fitting a reservoir tank between the compressor and the air
brush?

Gondor
Alan Dicey - 26 Oct 2005 18:17 GMT
>>>This might be a stupid question, but why not use a compressor?
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> ok, how about fitting a reservoir tank between the compressor and the air
> brush?

A very good idea, many people do this and it damps out the pulsations.
If the tank is big enough, the compressor only needs to run
intermittently to top up the tank.  The tank needs more space though,
and increases the total cost of the system, of course.

With my little old Micon diaphragm compressor (a lot like the Paasche
D500 shown here http://www.rchobbies.org/paasche_compressors.htm but
twenty five years older) delivering a princely 1.8 cfm at 40 psi I use
only a water trap, and have never had any problems with pulsating air.
The only regulation is a bleed adapter, basically a brass connector with
a small hole in it.  Maybe I should add a pressure regulator.

But it is noisy.
Phil Young - 26 Oct 2005 13:34 GMT
> I am looking for some advice concerning using CO2 gas as an airbrush
> propellant.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> 2. Do people use bottled liquid CO2 or gas?

I use the gas cylinder (Argoshield) and regulator from my MIG welder. BOC
depots sell the regulators, and I expect many other places do as well,
possibly a large Halfords ? It's a single stage so goes from cylinder
pressure (which is what the guage indicates) down to airbrush in one go.
You set the flow rate rather than the output pressure, just wind it up or
down to suit the medium you're using.

I don't know if the thread at the top of all gas cyliners is the same, so
this might not work for your CO2, you'll need to check. O2 and acetylyne
have different threads for obvious reasons, but I can't see why inert
gases would have that problem.

The push fit connector on the low pressure side was an exact match to the
airbrush (plastic) feed tube in my case, again you'll need to check.

Cheers,

Phil Young
 
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