This is the setup I used for years

When I was painting in the house I had small children so noise as well as smell was a concern. I used to use my compressor in the garage to fill the tank, then paint using only the tank. I have switched to a much quieter oil filled compressor and the kids are much older now so noise isn't a concern anymore.

Air supply

A very good article. I have used such a setup for about 20 years since I discovered how much cheaper it was to buy an air tank and hoses than any compressor. The air supplied is clean, dry and steady with no pressure variations during use. Additionally, it doesn't wear out or need lubrication.

Jim N.

Air supply

First great job on the article, very well written. However before you go crazy and invest in one of these setups add the costs up. All of the plumbing plus the tank, now add in  the cost for  gas and your time to run to the local garage  and fill the tank or buying a  compresser to fill the tank out in your shed or garage. You will find it is much less expensive to buy a small quite compresser for about 120.00. I bought one at contractors show refurbished for 80.00 . It's not silent but it runs much more quite than a normal compresser, about 50db and Its ready when you are. If this is your only option go for it but I beleive there are more cost effective options today than 10 years ago.

Cost

I built one of these tanks when I was a teenager, because purchasing a compressor was simply out of the question.

I paid about $10 for the portable tank, on sale.  Another $5 or so went to the quick connect fittings, and I believe the regulator cost me about $20.  While it's expensive, the regulator is pretty much mandatory to achieve good results - ask me how I know.  I refilled my tank from the free supply at the local gas station a mile from my house.  I never had to make a special trip, since I went by there daily on one errand or another.

After I built my tank, I learned that 20lb propane bottles are about the same size, and they have a 3/4" pipe thread in the neck of the tank.  When they're expired, many places simply discard them.  I managed to get a couple for free, and reuse them by removing the valves, completely filling the tanks with water to remove any residual gas, then letting them dry completely.

I did eventually purchase a compressor, when my budget permitted it.  It cost me about $100 on sale, and I have had excellent use out of it.  I still have my old tank, now connected to an old home-built compressor rig that I used for a little while, but the commercial unit does all I need.  Now that I think about it, I might just resurrect that old tank to allow me to paint in the house without as much noise.

Still, for anybody on a tight budget, an air tank like the one in the article is an excellent way to start using an airbrush.  As with most inexpensive options, it might not be the best investment in terms of per-use cost over time, but the low up front cost and ease of use make it an attractive option.

air tank not so cheap

After reading this article I shopped for a tank. Menards, Depot, Lowes. The lowest price I saw is 60.00 for a 7 gallon tank.

Dick

  This is great! Considering

This is great! Considering the only investment for myself would be the connectors, and since I have no compressor, the $20 or so cost is well within budget.

Air Tanks at Harbor Freight

Harbor Freight has air tanks from 5 to 11 gallon and prices from $25.99 to $37.99.

Chuck

If you can scrounge..

If you're any good at/willing to try scrounging for stuff, look for a place that refills propane cylinders.  Chances are, they will have some old ones on hand, or know where you can get some, and you might get them for a pretty good price.  By law, in the US at least, they have an expiration date, and cannot be refilled after that date.  They're still good for air, though.  Just take the whole valve assembly out and replace it with 3/4" pipe fittings, stepped down to the common 1/4" that most hoses and fittings we use take.

Once you have the valve out, fill the tank with water and then drain it out.  That will ensure than there's no residual propane in the tank.  After that, you're safe to treat it like any other air tank.

If you're lucky, you might even get a tank for free!

Also Try...

I've had exceptional luck in pawn shops. Most any tool I could want is there, and usually much less than retail. Then again, I enjoy haggling, so if I know what the retail is (smart phone) I can tell if what they have is a good deal or not. The longer they've had it, the less they want for it.

They also usually have a section just for air tools, so hoses, tanks and compressors are all together.

1/4 Keg (7.75 gallon) Portable Air Tank

For about four decades I used a repurposed 1/4 Keg (7.75 gallon) beer keg as a portable tank to refill airplane tires. Just checked local adds and found several going for under $15. In some cases with the tap.

Good idea

Have seen this before but it was nice to read how it was done and get a good idea of what is needed to connect it all together.

portable air tank

I sold air compressors for many years and would not buy a used tank. If you use Teflon tape instead of liquid Teflon, then only put it on the 1st couple of threads as it has the tendency to tear and clog up spray guns, filters, regulators etc.

Randy 

Micro compressor

Hi,

I'd love the justification to have such a nice tank. However, I neither have the space nor the ambition...

What I do have is a very small and very silent compressor (looking like the one in this auction). It came with an airbrush - which I haven't used yet - and works fine with my simple spraygun (similar to a Badger 250).

There seems to be a battery addon for the compressor, but I didn't bother.

It's quite small, silent and - for me - a much better alternative compared to canned air. Costs about as much as three cans of air. It's likely not as good as a big tank, but for the size and the money it is great.

As far as beginner setups go, I'd buy the same again - cheap, easy to keep clean and simple to use. Personally I find it much faster than a brush on larger areas, for smaller areas some masking is required.

Now I can go and spray my "plywood pacific" brown, which I should have done before installing the rail...

Greetings.

PS: nice article, though. You got me back to using the airbrush after a disheartening experience with some really bad paint.

...

I refuse to do business with pawn shops on principle.  The daily use items in those places [tools, bikes, electronics] are very often stolen merchandise, even if they claim it's not stolen.