## No Name Brand With Tank There are many no name brand compressors for airbrush that all look the same, like the Master airbrush pictured below. ![[Pasted image 20230427210747.png]] I started with one of these and used it for 10-15 years. After a while, I decided maybe I should get something different. Mine is 69 or 70 dB when running. It takes 3 minutes to fill initially. Can run airbrush off tank for 30 seconds solid, then compressor kicks back in for another 1.5 minutes or so. ## Makita I bought a Makita MAC100Q compressor. I opted for this one because I am a Makita fan for my power tools, and the price was not bad. Below are some of my initial notes. - Seems louder than the old one, I should measure (supposed to be 58dB which is less) - It definitely fills faster (perhaps this is because it's 1/2HP vs 1/5HP). From empty (untimed) it takes maybe 30-45 seconds. Maybe 15 seconds during painting. It lasts longer. I think even though it seems louder, I prefer it over the old - The pressure gauge readout is a little harder to dial in. It's meant for much higher PSI so the increments are larger than old one. Not too big of an issue if going by experience, but for new people it may be hard - The worst part was getting an adapter to go from the 1/4 quick connect to 1/8 for airbrush hose. It could've been easier if I just went to Home Depot to begin with and buy the right part. The come in industrial style and automotive style there. Industrial is the right kind, and I was able to combine an industrial quick connect with a 1/4 to 1/8 coupler and that was it. Before I got the quick connect from HD, however, I had ordered a 15 part pack from amazon thinking it would be enough - it wasn't. Then I ordered a 1/4 quick connect that I thought would be the missing part, but of course it wouldn't fit in quick connect slot and is a different style (seems to be neither automotive nor industrial). I tried removing the quick connect from the compressor and just use couplers and build it out with my parts I had collected. I could get them connected, but even with teflon tape it made a loud noise. I think one of my parts (the odd one) must've not been exact or same thread type or something (it seems there are two thread types). It threaded, but didn't feel quite right and definitely didn't seal fully even with teflon. So far I'm pleased. It wasn't as quiet when running as expected, but it doesn't run very long and I've done a pretty long session with it already and for the most part it doesn't even have to run. It's size is a little larger than the old compressor, but it fits in the same spot under my workbench no issue.