Hi,

I've got a decent compressor (Badger Billion-Aire - can't remember the exact model) but while it's easy to choose between 50psi and 60psi precisely, when it comes to the actual pressures I want to use (rarely over 25psi) the low end of the regulator gauge is extremely "mushy", with all the pressures I'm interested in falling somewhere between two ticks on the gauge, and it being pretty much impossible to set the pressure more precisely than within 5-10psi.

Reading around, I've seen it suggested that I add a "precision regulator" to more precisely set the pressure, and that with a good regulator it should be able to get within 0.5-1psi of where I want to be.

However, I can't find anything like this online. Badger produces something called the "PAC Valve Regulator" (part 51-041) which seems intended to fit as required, but apart from the pictures online (of which there appear to be about two, used by every single online source for the part) and the singularly unhelpful Badger website, which only acknowledges the products existence in their price list, I can find out nothing about it.

It doesn't appear to have a gauge, so I'm guessing the setting is guesswork, which doesn't really strike me as being precise, unless it's something like "one full turn is from fully closed to fully open, so if you've got the main regulator set at 30psi, then 1/4 open is 7.5psi, 1/2 open is 15psi, and so on". That I could live with.

Can anybody suggest a good approach to getting more precise air pressure? I'm switching to using a wider mix of paint types, so I'm finding myself wanting to adjust the pressure more often, but really the only adjustments I can make are "higher" and "lower", with no actually precision below 20psi.

As indicated, I'm using a Badger compressor with a Badger 360 hooked up to it. The compressor has a combined regulator/moisture trap, and I've got a second moisture trap inline, so I'd prefer to avoid numerous adapters if I can. Yes, I do plan to eventually hook up a second airbrush for finer detail, but that decision and purchase are a long way off.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Al

Al:

I think you can get a regulator incremented in 1-pound increments pretty easily if you get on-line and search for "air brushes" and select any of several better sites which deal with air-brush and compressor equipment. Alternatively, you can easily find these regulators on eBay under the "air-brush" search (not, you understand, that I am saying you should buy one off the evilbay - but you can easily identify many vendors therefrom - I did, for exactly this quest, back when I wanted to get a brush and comp set!).

Point is, there are several vendors across the USA who have your items for sale.

Now, about regulators and precision... there are certainly various makes and models to choose from, but most work the same way, and are pretty much similar in "precision". Precision here means a functional thing: does the regulator hold to whatever line or pressure I set it to, or does it drift with usage? This is precision in function, which equates with consistent action on the AB end. Seems that you are speaking of something else - that being the indicator incrementation and its accuracy... This is more about how easily you may be able to set your regulator to some a-priori desired pressure (we all dream of dialing in accurately on our desired pressure) - but is that dial and its indicated pressure ACCURATE? That one needs to be resolved by testing.

Fortunately, most of the regulators out there for small AB-sized compressors will give you a 1-pound-per incrementation on the dial. Whether it is actually 10.0 psi when it reads that is, well, another thing. BUT it CAN be easily set to some nominal psi and you can then adjust this until you get the results you want.

In usage, I set my regulator for the approximate range or nominal pressure I think I want to work around. I then adjust it in practice until I get what I want for that particular paint and thinning and temperature-range. Having the 1-pound increment helps get to the starting point, but does in no way improve functional precision.

I think you could hit up a "Michael's" or a Hobby Lobby or a local hobby shop if you want to get something OTC?

Bob

Yep Al, what you need is a regulator made for airbrush use. Most have a built in moisture trap and the gauge goes from 0 - 60 PSI in 1 PSI increments. The adjustment knob is threaded fine enough to tune it 1 PSI at a time. Mine is made by Parker but dozens of companies make them. They are normally in the $25 range. You can get one at any large art store like Dick Blick; or Dixie Art Supply, Chicago Airbrush, or Bear air. At my club meeting Saturday night, a member told me that Harbor Freight Tools is now selling a 0 - 60 regulator so if you have one around, go there.
It won't affect the air flow if you have 2 regulators or 3 moisture traps. Just make sure that the first regulator is set to 60 PSI so you don't blow out your new 0 - 60 regulator when you turn on the compressor. Compressor fittings are universally 1/4" brass, which you can pick up cheap at the hardware store.
Here's mine:

A 1/4" brass male/male pipe connects to the compressor (or your first regulator) on one side and the same connects to a quick release (or your airbrush hose) on the other.
White Teflon tape on the threads to prevent leaks.
This should solve all your problems.

My compressor's intended for airbrush use - it's a Badger - and has a regulator with gauge built in, and the airbrush hose Teflon-taped to it. The main problem with that regulator are that it goes to 100psi, which results in the "useful" range of the gauge amounting to not very much at all. The full range of the gauge is about 240 degrees, while the useful part (roughly 0-30psi) takes up about 30 degrees of that. Plus, for some odd reason (given that Badger are a US company) the primary range of the gauge is in bars, with the psi on the inside.

It looks like my options are either to get a new regulator for the compressor - Badger make one that appears to go up to 60psi, with those 60 covering 270 degrees of the gauge, and the "useful" range being half of that - it looks a lot more useful, as long as it can hold up to the full pressure in the airbrush tank.

The other option is one of these little, airbrush-side inline regulators, which it appears give me a range of "closed" to "open" on whatever the main regulator is putting out. So if I set the main regulator to 30psi, the inline one'll give me 0-30, so while there's no gauge, it's pretty easy to guess that if, say, it's at 1/3rd open, I'm getting 10psi.

I think I'm tending to favor the first option, if I establish that the part meets the specs. More expensive, yes, but I think the compressor is about due for a bit of maintenance anyway, so it I'm going to be draining the oil and trying to get any residual moisture out of the tank (which may be part of the reason for the "mushiness" of the existing regulator) it'd be a good time to swap the regulator.

Hmm, maybe time to start scouring the stash to see what I can eBay to pay for all of this :-) Part of me wants to do *both* - get more precise control at the compressor end with a smaller-range regulator, and be able to make really fine adjustments at the airbrush end with the inline one.

Thanks for the advice folks, it's cleared matters up a lot. Now to contact Badger tech support to establish whether the lower-range regulator is OK for use with my compressor.

Cheers,

Al

Al:

You raised a valid concern: Your compressor apparently will take you up to 120 psi, whereas the typical AB - related regulators will go from 0 to perhaps 60 psi, as you noted.

So... will an "AB" regulator safely handle that 120 psi pressure head?

One thing to do is to call or e-mail one of those AB dealers, such as Matt has identified, and ask THEM about their product before ever you buy it. (The AB regulator will bleed air out at between 0 and 60, per the setting, "regardless of whatever the over pressure is" above (tank-side) of that regulator - but it is a device that needs to be able to handle the anticipated tank pressure... rather like putting your typical medical O2 regulator on a tank with 3000+psi in it...).

While I SUSPECT that all of these little AB-type compressor regulators can withstand a 120+psi head, I would want to check to make sure before I put one on my tank .

You MAY be able to dependably lower your tank pressure... your tank has a safety cut-off pressure switch... to turn that compressor off when it reaches some pressure limit... saves us from either burning up the compressor as it mindlessly tries to ever increase tank pressure (sounds like that "Thomas the tank engine", to me ) - or building our very own spray-booth bomb as your tank exceeds its pressure limit .

This safety switch is factory - set for a "known max safe pressure" for your tank. This switch MAY be adjustable to a lower pressure limit. (Only try this if you know of what you are doing... and NEVER try to "up-rate" to some higher pressure than the tank came with.).

So: To be safest; Either KNOW in advance that the new regulator you buy is SAFE at the tank pressure you have (120 psi), OR get a NEW compressor and regulator that are matched and which yield that pressure range you want (an AB-tailored compressor).

Bob