In this video, we show you how to put together your very own silent airbrush compressor from a refrigerator compressor! It's easier than you might think.
That's a great idea. I'll put that in my notes for when I do another video of a ground-up build rather than trying to explain what I'd already done, like in this one. Thanks for the input.
Thank you for the video… I was given a husky compressor 2.5g but the motor has issues. Can I use a small motor from a small refrigerator? And the process for connection is it the same as the explanation you have given?
Shouldn't be an issue using a compressor from a small fridge. I got mine from a standard household fridge. There might be some differences in pressure but they all function the same. If course I can't guarantee anything and you do have to be aware of risks associated with the pressures these can produce.
Great setup. Can you identify the pressure switch for us? The only ones I am familiar with are the big square box type. I like how compact that switch is.
The tank, switch, and pressure regulator were at one time a complete $45 Harbor Freight unit. The pump had burned up after very little use so I "Frankensteined" this fridge compressor in as the pump replacement. I'll look around and see if I can source some small switches like that to offer for sale at our store. Thanks for the inspiration 😁👌
*UPDATE* I can source these small switches pretty inexpensively. We're adding some new products to our store leading up to our April 1st 2 Year Anniversary so I'll try to have some of those purchased in bulk and listed at the store within the next 30 days if possible. I'll keep you posted on this comment thread if you're still looking for one by then.
UPDATE to my last UPDATE: It's been quite a long time since your comment but I remembered that we'd talked and I wanted to let you know that we've got these pressure switches available today here finally: masqworks.com/collections/airbrush-tools-accessories/products/90-psi-120-psi-heavy-duty-air-compressor-pressure-control-switch
What refrigerator did you get this compressor from and how old or what year is it from? They seem to be making household appliances cheap these days and it might be better to get a compressor from an older fridge like something from the 90s or early 2000s.
It was from an older model fridge but the pressures that you would use for airbrushing would be so much lower. I can't imagine even a cheap compressor failing due to that.
@@masqueraideworkshop Thanks for the comment. You might be right about that, I don't really hear about the compressors going out in them, mainly other components but I'd like to try to find out if the older ones were built better or not.
This is interesting! Beside PSI you can control, have you maybe figured out how much flow it provides, so L/min? I'm wondering if it could run mini spray gun like sparmax dh 810. I assume smaller model like sparmax gp 850 it could be able to run? Any thoughts/experiences about that? And one theoretical question, you mentioned if I remembered correctly that you've set it to shut off at 100 psi and turn on at 80 psi. I've also seen similar ranges, like 60-40, or 80-60, and was wondering why is that, I mean, since we need what 20-30 psi on the airbrush, why not put instead of 100-80 to 100-40 so that compressor will have longer pauses between running. Ok it would run for longer than. Just wondering in case you've found out why such decision that you've also made is actually made? Or qour switch is fixed so you can't adjust those values? Thanks!
Thanks for watching. It was a fun project to put together. I've only tested the compressor with a few standard cheap airbrushes and it works great but I haven't tried anything HVLP. I do know that an AC compressor has a built-in safety to prevent it from overheating and being damaged in the event that it shuts off and back on too soon. It's called short cycling and in the event of a leak in a refrigeration system it prevents the unit from running too long and for too many cycles over and over as it would keep being called on by the other parts of the system to push refrigerant. So anything that would require the compressor to run repeated cycles would end up having to wait for the 3-5 minute time delay for it to allow itself to run again. That could be aggravating for sure if you're trying to run a high volume of product through. I'm unsure of the L/min though as I haven't tested that. That would be interesting to know. The switch that controls the on/off pressure on this project is actually fixed and came with the Harbor Freight tank that I used for this video. I would imagine that, as long as the storage tank and other components attached were able to handle the pressures required, it would be perfectly fine to use different on/off switches with different pressures. I do understand that these types of compressors can push up to around 500 psi so you shouldn't have any limits with the compressor itself to use different switches.
There is a ball-type check valve inside the opening of the inlet tube on top of the tank itself. Perhaps another external backup could be a good idea to have inline as well.
@@masqueraideworkshop The only thing that the check valve does is stop backflow out of the tank so the compressor isn't under pressure load next time it kicks on.
I honestly don't know why airbrush compressors aren't all made like this. fridge compressors are designed to be quiet and run 24/7 for years on end without maintenance, and honestly not that much expensive (see the price of a bar fridge or a used fridge). Yet the airbrush industry chooses to use loud crappy diaphragm compressors that run way too hot after while, which contributes to "wet" air and spurting.
"Typical fridge compressors are 100 - 300 watt units, deliver 0.7 - 1 CFM of air and can reach pressures over 500 psi." I'm not a refrigeration professional but a quick search brought me to that information. I'd like to say though that even if that were completely wrong information it really has nothing to with the usefulness of the project in this video. The pressure switch makes it a completely benign bit of info in context anyway. Perhaps it could be a good idea for me to make a video to test that out in a real world application myself. That could be useful to know possibly and probably interesting to watch.
All information should probably be considered anecdotal evidence until proven otherwise, I admit. Searching forums you will find sources of this kind of evidence. I think that it could be a fun test though. Dangerous but informative. I'm not saying that my Frankenstein rig setup would ever even qualify for that test though lol. I've got a mish mash of fittings and such as it is that would explode under much lower pressures 😂. I appreciate the input though. It could make for an interesting experiment from Adam Savage 😉
![GEEK TIMË [OFFICIAL AUDIO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ry-6RvkH880/mqdefault.jpg)
Greetings, hopefully if you can make a wiring tutorial video of this system, looking forward to it, thank you!
Hey this is a really good guide! I think the best thing for the electrical would be an easy MS Paint diagram
That's a great idea. I'll put that in my notes for when I do another video of a ground-up build rather than trying to explain what I'd already done, like in this one. Thanks for the input.
Thank you for the video… I was given a husky compressor 2.5g but the motor has issues. Can I use a small motor from a small refrigerator? And the process for connection is it the same as the explanation you have given?
Shouldn't be an issue using a compressor from a small fridge. I got mine from a standard household fridge. There might be some differences in pressure but they all function the same. If course I can't guarantee anything and you do have to be aware of risks associated with the pressures these can produce.
Great setup. Can you identify the pressure switch for us? The only ones I am familiar with are the big square box type. I like how compact that switch is.
The tank, switch, and pressure regulator were at one time a complete $45 Harbor Freight unit. The pump had burned up after very little use so I "Frankensteined" this fridge compressor in as the pump replacement. I'll look around and see if I can source some small switches like that to offer for sale at our store. Thanks for the inspiration 😁👌
*UPDATE* I can source these small switches pretty inexpensively. We're adding some new products to our store leading up to our April 1st 2 Year Anniversary so I'll try to have some of those purchased in bulk and listed at the store within the next 30 days if possible. I'll keep you posted on this comment thread if you're still looking for one by then.
UPDATE to my last UPDATE: It's been quite a long time since your comment but I remembered that we'd talked and I wanted to let you know that we've got these pressure switches available today here finally: masqworks.com/collections/airbrush-tools-accessories/products/90-psi-120-psi-heavy-duty-air-compressor-pressure-control-switch
What about oil vapour from the compressor ending up in your airbrush? Is that possible ? Good video and I’ll be attempting this .
Great question! I actually have a filter/dryer from Harbor Freight attached before the airbrush for that very reason.
What refrigerator did you get this compressor from and how old or what year is it from? They seem to be making household appliances cheap these days and it might be better to get a compressor from an older fridge like something from the 90s or early 2000s.
It was from an older model fridge but the pressures that you would use for airbrushing would be so much lower. I can't imagine even a cheap compressor failing due to that.
@@masqueraideworkshop Thanks for the comment. You might be right about that, I don't really hear about the compressors going out in them, mainly other components but I'd like to try to find out if the older ones were built better or not.
This is interesting! Beside PSI you can control, have you maybe figured out how much flow it provides, so L/min? I'm wondering if it could run mini spray gun like sparmax dh 810. I assume smaller model like sparmax gp 850 it could be able to run? Any thoughts/experiences about that? And one theoretical question, you mentioned if I remembered correctly that you've set it to shut off at 100 psi and turn on at 80 psi. I've also seen similar ranges, like 60-40, or 80-60, and was wondering why is that, I mean, since we need what 20-30 psi on the airbrush, why not put instead of 100-80 to 100-40 so that compressor will have longer pauses between running. Ok it would run for longer than. Just wondering in case you've found out why such decision that you've also made is actually made? Or qour switch is fixed so you can't adjust those values? Thanks!
Thanks for watching. It was a fun project to put together. I've only tested the compressor with a few standard cheap airbrushes and it works great but I haven't tried anything HVLP. I do know that an AC compressor has a built-in safety to prevent it from overheating and being damaged in the event that it shuts off and back on too soon. It's called short cycling and in the event of a leak in a refrigeration system it prevents the unit from running too long and for too many cycles over and over as it would keep being called on by the other parts of the system to push refrigerant. So anything that would require the compressor to run repeated cycles would end up having to wait for the 3-5 minute time delay for it to allow itself to run again. That could be aggravating for sure if you're trying to run a high volume of product through. I'm unsure of the L/min though as I haven't tested that. That would be interesting to know. The switch that controls the on/off pressure on this project is actually fixed and came with the Harbor Freight tank that I used for this video. I would imagine that, as long as the storage tank and other components attached were able to handle the pressures required, it would be perfectly fine to use different on/off switches with different pressures. I do understand that these types of compressors can push up to around 500 psi so you shouldn't have any limits with the compressor itself to use different switches.
@@masqueraideworkshop thanks!
The most important thing is the pressure switch. Would be nice to have a check valve too.
There is a ball-type check valve inside the opening of the inlet tube on top of the tank itself. Perhaps another external backup could be a good idea to have inline as well.
@@masqueraideworkshop The only thing that the check valve does is stop backflow out of the tank so the compressor isn't under pressure load next time it kicks on.
I honestly don't know why airbrush compressors aren't all made like this. fridge compressors are designed to be quiet and run 24/7 for years on end without maintenance, and honestly not that much expensive (see the price of a bar fridge or a used fridge). Yet the airbrush industry chooses to use loud crappy diaphragm compressors that run way too hot after while, which contributes to "wet" air and spurting.
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There will never be 500 PSI in that compressor.
That's right! The pressure switch will definitely see to that 😊
@@masqueraideworkshop You said 500 PSI, where did you get that from???
It cant produce 500 PSI.
"Typical fridge compressors are 100 - 300 watt units, deliver 0.7 - 1 CFM of air and can reach pressures over 500 psi."
I'm not a refrigeration professional but a quick search brought me to that information. I'd like to say though that even if that were completely wrong information it really has nothing to with the usefulness of the project in this video. The pressure switch makes it a completely benign bit of info in context anyway. Perhaps it could be a good idea for me to make a video to test that out in a real world application myself. That could be useful to know possibly and probably interesting to watch.
@@masqueraideworkshop I dont think it will ever reach 33 Bar 500 PSI a workshop compressor are 120 PSI.
All information should probably be considered anecdotal evidence until proven otherwise, I admit. Searching forums you will find sources of this kind of evidence. I think that it could be a fun test though. Dangerous but informative. I'm not saying that my Frankenstein rig setup would ever even qualify for that test though lol. I've got a mish mash of fittings and such as it is that would explode under much lower pressures 😂. I appreciate the input though. It could make for an interesting experiment from Adam Savage 😉