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Air tank conversion for air brush use

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Air tank conversion for air brush use Empty Air tank conversion for air brush use

Post by KatsZenJammer Mon 16 Dec 2019, 1:18 am

I wasn't sure if this belonged here or in Workshops but since it involves imparting information I chose Tutorials. Hope that's appropriate.

So sometimes patience is rewarded. Ever since I started using an AB I have wanted to get an air tank but I didn't want the ubiquitous 5 gallon sausage-tank as they're a bit large for my needs and space. And sourcing smaller air tanks was weirdly difficult for some reason and expensive to boot. So I chose to wait and see what fell out of the aether since I work at a place where we regularly come across abandoned tools and stuff like that. A couple of near-misses over the years and then I kind of gave up on the idea since the set up I was using worked fine. Then last week ... something dropped out of the aether.

Air tank conversion for air brush use Air_ta10
I didn't get a photo of the thing as found but imagine a forgotten and unused compressor finally found and discarded. The compressor motor was scrap and the fittings were iffy to wrecked (except for the manifold sticking out of the side) so the 2 gallon tank (rated to 150 psi) was stripped and cleaned and brought home. The handle was a bit of a worry, but its set up in such a way that I can still tuck it into a smaller space that a 5 gallon tank would occupy. The only new things in this shot are the drain valve on the underside and the little silver cap wrapped in yellow tape on the 1/8 NPT spigot on the original manifold. That little bit needs to be epoxied in place as it isn't properly threaded.



Air tank conversion for air brush use Air_ta11
The parts haul. All told the stuff cost around $150.00 CDN (including the drain valve already in place). Right off the bat what should be obvious is that this is overkill for an air system where the max pressure is 50 psi. The air line is rated to 300 psi, the fittings around 150 - 200 psi, but it was the easiest and most economical stuff immediately available - shopping done at Home Depot and Canadian Tire. Aside from the air line also shown is a second moisture/dust filter, two 3/8 F NPT to 1/4 M NPT adaptors, a 1/4 NPT tee, two 1/4 NPT F to F connectors, a 1/4 NPT safety release valve, two 1/4 NPT shut off ball valves, three 1/4 M NPT connectors and a quick attach/release set. Oh, and teflon tape ... gotta have that stuff.



Air tank conversion for air brush use Air_ta12
The feed from the compressor takes shape. One of the 3/8 to 1/4 adaptors on the tank manifold - that was the only original fitting retained as it was in the best shape and provided a convenient attachment site. One of the shut off valves attached to the adaptor and the male quick connect plug on that. Because of the situation I decided to swap the ends of the air line to connect the swivel end to the compressor moisture filter. That took two of the M to M connectors, one of the F to F connectors and the female end of the quick connect.



Air tank conversion for air brush use Air_ta13
The feed to the Pressure Regulator gets put together. The other 3/8 to 1/4 adaptor on the tank, the other F to F connector on that, the 1/4 tee on that. One end of the tee gets the shut off and other gets the safety release valve - the safety valve is definite overkill but better to have it and not need it, I figure. 



Air tank conversion for air brush use Air_ta14
Nothing says redundant like redundancy - in this case here's the second moisture filter set just past the regulator valve which I already had. The last M to M connector set into the other side of the filter.

So how it's going to work is the Iwata compressor runs into the original moisture filter. From there it feeds into the air tank through that overly massive air line. From the tank to the regulator valve is via an already owned Iwata air line. Then from the second moisture filter to the AB with the other Iwata air line already on hand. 

2 gallons isn't a huge reservoir for industrial or even typical workshop situations but for an AB running at 20 psi it should be more than sufficient for a good long steady flow without that annoying compressor flutter variation in pressure. The two shut off valves are so I can dismantle the set up without having to dump the air out of the tank each time - my little compressor is efficient but it will still take a few minutes for it to fill the tank to full pressure.

The only thing left to do is to epoxy that cap onto the little spigot (I think it originally fed an over pressure valve or something). The plan is to use something like JB Weld 'metal' grade epoxy putty to hold the cap on securely. To be honest, the epoxy putty would likely be enough by itself but it's going to happen as planned because ... redundancy.

Not sure when I'll be able to set up everything and test it - 'Tis the Season and all that - but I'll be sure to take a photo of the way it looks all put together and post it here.

Note - NPT, for anyone who's wondering, stands for National Pipe Thread and is the standard reference for plumbing, hydraulic and pneumatic fittings. The measurements given are labels for the parts, not the actual size of the parts, which is why the 1/4 NPT fittings are more like a 1/2 inch across. Iwata AB stuff tends to run with 1/4 and 1/8 NPT fittings so working with the 1/4 stuff was the path of least resistance.

Hope this might be of use to someone, sometime. Questions are welcome, if anyone wants specifics just ask.
KatsZenJammer
KatsZenJammer
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