A DIY compressor is all I use for airbrushing. No need to throw money at a fancy quiet modelling compressor when a simple shop compressor works just as well.

I use around 30 PSI, but I just work by what feels right, not by a specific pressure. Once you have done a little airbrushing you will develop a feel for it.

For adaptor pieces for the compressor connection, you could try a hardware store, or maybe the place you got your airbrush from.

Cheers,
Rick

thanks guys this helps lots,

Dr D yes it has a tank and a regulator it is a full function complete unit bought from my local hardware store.

I use a Sparmax DH-150 airbrush (double action) which is fitted with 0.4 mm orifice and 22 cc suction glass bottle. Manufacturer recomends to use air pressure between 15 and 45 p.s.i.
For air supply I bought a diaphragm compressor, which delivers maximum 35 p.s.i. 30 liter/min with an 1/4 HP motor which is enough for the service but has no room for more demand.
For fine art, an airbrush fitted with a thinner orifice will be better suited and for automotive, tanning or coarser applications a wider one will be better, by the way I use a simple action airbrush, with same air supply for large surfaces like painting landscape.
Regards
Alberto

Airbrushing is a pretty simple way of giving something a nice coat of paint. Spray cans are a bit simpler, but the quality of the paintwork goes down too.

You don't need to have any hi-tech equipment for airbrushing. I do my painting with a $110 airbrush, in what used to be a kitchen cabinet with a bathroom extraction fan that came from a renovation. The compressor is a simple hardware store one and when it isn't used for airbrushing, it can fill up car tyres too. When I airbrush, I take the desk lamp on my workbench and set it up inside the airbrush booth. My airbrush stand is two bits of plywood I chopped up and screwed to the frame on which the spray booth stands.

I could have spent a fortune on a modelling compressor, a professional airbrush cabinet, an airbrush stand and other mod cons that would be nice but you don't need. The only thing on my setup that actually cost something was the airbrush itself. The rest I already had or I came across for free and used to improve the booth.

I've seen it a couple of times where there are people saying you need this, you need that, without it you cannot get a good finish. It's rubbish. Yes, a spray booth is nice to have, but it's not essential. I have several models that were airbrushed on a workmate, with the only effective lighting being the sun shining through the window. No airbrush stand, no spray booth or anything else. Placed besides any recent model and there is little noticeable diffrence.

All you need to get started is an airbrush, a compressor you can hook up to it and a cardboard box to paint in. The rest is optional.

My best advice is just to buy an airbrush, hook it up to a compressor, put some paint in it and mess around for an afternoon. That's what I did, and I can tell you, you will quickly pick it up.

Good luck,
Rick