compressor problem or not?

[Erin_everly]

Hi,

A few months ago I started with some low cost 'beginners package'.
In mean while the airbrush pistol is already broken, so I bought a new one (Harder & Steenbeck Evolution Silverline).
Also my white paint (not transparant) was empty so I bought a new bottle (Schmincke aeroColor).
The only thing I have left from the starting package is my oil-less compressor. (looks like a Sparmax AC100) There is no brand on it, and it was cheap, so this might not be good quality.

However i'm not able anymore (it used to work ok, not very good, but ok) to draw some fine lines of white paint on a black paper..
Sometimes my line is broken (this means there is not enough air pressure), and 2 seconds further there are spiderlegs (this means there is too much air pressure). I don't thin the paint, cause when I add some water to the white, it is not white enough anymore to cover my black paper.

Now I don't know if it is because of the paint or because of the compressor (that might be broken in mean while)??
I notice that the pressure takes off as i'm painting. There is also sometimes a bit of moisture comming out of the compressor (even though I have a second moisture trap at about 1 meter from the compressor).
When I remove my airbrush from the compressor, and i feel the air comming out with my hand, I think the pressure is prety constant.

Can someone please help me troubleshoot what the problem is here, before I buy a new, expensive, compressor?

Any help would be appreciated!

Regards,
Sandy

[KwitcherBitchin]

Hey Sandy, Welcome to the board. Some of the better "Troubleshooters' will be on here later BUT sounds a little like the moisture in your line is causing some problems. It may also be the paint isn't thoroughly mixed up but I'm not familiar with that brand. ALL White paints will be thick though and will need extra mixing because of the heavy pigments. You may also be experiencing "TIP DRY" (do a search on it, this is more common with the white and black CREATEX paints).
Possible solutions, sounds like you have a Diaphram compressor like when I started out. It would "pulsate" and periodically it would do as you mention and spray out the built up moisture. Try getting one of the "Coiled" hoses (Longer the better), this will help and maybe buy an inline filter. (I found both "side by side" on the shelf at the hardware store and it worked for me.)
Also, how Thick is that brand of paint?
Good Luck and I'm sure you'll get some more advise when everyone comes onboard........................................... .............Kwit

[yardartnut]

Welcome to the board!
Kwit has some good help info for you.

[OzDesigns]

Welcome!
Oz

[Erin_everly]

Thanks for the welcome!

[krisje]

do you have paint on te tip of the needle?
I'll think that could be your problem.

I always thin my paints , there are going to be more layers needed but airbrushing is means just that if you are creating some dept in your work.