Airbrushing Question

[ausf]

Besides humidity, the act of compression heats up the air. High humidity could be overwhelming the trap, but you could also be getting condensation in the hose after the trap.

Iwata makes a nice pistol grip trap, but you can also get one of those cheap traps for the base of the AB since you're only trying to cut down on the residual stuff.

I was plagued by what you're getting, I was using a sizable MT at the compressor, not an AB one, but the type you'd get from Home Depot. I added a cheapo ($3) trap at the base of the AB and problem was solved.

I eventually switched over to an Iwata SmartJet compressor that came with a nice trap/gauge and I haven't had an issue since. It may be Iwata uses a very narrow line post trap or that the trap is so efficient, but I haven't needed the added one at the brush.

Nothing is worse that doing a tight camo pattern and you get that water loogie out of nowhere.

That is basically the setup I have sans the MT at the airbrush. I ordered one so hopefully in a week or so, I'll have this licked. And yeah - My freehand camo job, took a bit of a beating from the sputtering. Fortunately I still need to add another color so I can hopefully get it cleaned up.

Once I bought the SJ, I haven't needed to use the AB side trap, but I also no longer spray when the humid. I keep a hygrometer in the shop since urethane resin is so moisture sensitive that I don't crack the containers when it's 60% or above.

I'm sure if you had to wait for under 60% in FLA, you'd have to find a new hobby, but I bet the pistol trap will solve it. It couldn't hurt to try shortening the Iwata hose before you went for the braided. They give you a ridiculously long hose with the SJ setup. I guess it makes sense if you're walking around painting details on a car or something, but as is with the compressor close it's more in the way than not.

 

[Skinny_Mike]

Hi guys - yesterday I had an opportunity for an extended spray session with the new inline moisture trap installed. Humidity was up around 80%. I had none of my previously reported issues. Looks like I may have this one solved.

I also sealed the nozzle end with some chap stick and no bubbling of the paint occurred. This has happened in the past.

Thank you all for the help!

Should have some photos of my Tiger up this weekend.
Mike

 

[Robertp]

I one hundred the moisture trap solution. For everybody that uses a tank, rust cannot form under pressure. If you keep your tank at one PSI, no rust will form.

 

[phantom II]

I one hundred the moisture trap solution. For everybody that uses a tank, rust cannot form under pressure. If you keep your tank at one PSI, no rust will form.

I have a hard time believing this. Here are the reasons.

Scuba diving tanks are never kept without some air pressure in them .

They are always filled with mechanically dried as well as chemically dried air .

All that said, they must pass a hydrostatic test yearly and repaired if necessary . Upon which time they are recertified as usable .

I do agree that keeping some pressure in the tank will help prevent corrosion damage if the moisture is drained everyday that it is used .

Just a little practical info.

Cheers, Christian B)

 

[Duke Maddog]

When I finish with my compressor, I open the valve at the bottom of the tank and let all the air blow out along with whatever moisture built up inside. I also keep the compressor running for a few more minutes to keep blowing the air and moisture out. Once it stops spitting I turn off the compressor. After turning off the compressor I leave the valve open until my next airbrush session.

 

[ausf]

I'm an old Divemaster and have been out of the game for years, but as I remember, it was a visual inspection (with stamp) every year and hydro'd every 5 years with impression in the metal. I don't recall any chemical drying of the air, it was highly filtered for impurities (plenty of stories of CO poisoning from bad practices) and filled while the tank was in water to keep it cool.

If someone brought in an empty tank, it had to be visually inspected again (internally) before filling. If you came back below 300 PSI, there was usually some questions because you were either had a good story or were generally a bad diver and most businesses want to know which.

 

[phantom II]

:smack

I'm an old Divemaster and have been out of the game for years, but as I remember, it was a visual inspection (with stamp) every year and hydro'd every 5 years with impression in the metal. I don't recall any chemical drying of the air, it was highly filtered for impurities (plenty of stories of CO poisoning from bad practices) and filled while the tank was in water to keep it cool.

If someone brought in an empty tank, it had to be visually inspected again (internally) before filling. If you came back below 300 PSI, there was usually some questions because you were either had a good story or were generally a bad diver and most businesses want to know which.

The dive club at MacDill used desiccant filters for the final filtering step to remove any possible moisture . I don't know that the run of the mill dive shops had those.

I believe you are correct about the one year/five year inspection you mentioned . It's been a long time :idonno My bad
and I don't have the ability to wave my dive master credentials...

Still , there is a reason for that yearly inspection inspection . Totally dry air does not cause corrosion .
I can vouch from the cottonmouth effect of not having moisture in the compressed air .

By the way, compressed gas tanks is the absolute fix for moisture issues

Cheers, Christian B)