Air assist pressure question

[John Noell]

How much pressure is really needed? I was using a 2.5HP compressor (all I could get over here) at 30 psi but it takes too much power. (I am trying to upgrade my electric lines but even the voltage oat the nearest transformer is low and I am at the end of the line.) I finally got an airbrush compressor shipped over but it cannot deliver full volume at 30psi. It hovers around 20-22 psi. It also seems to be running too hot if I simply leave it on all the time. (Unlike the big compressor with huge tank, this one has a little tank and never gets to a high enough pressure to shut off the motor.) Haven't had time to test with acrylic or other materials yet but 20-22 psi seems enough to control coconut shell from flaming during vectoring. Will I get better results on acrylic (and ???) if I use the full 30 psi the laser can take?

[Larry Newman]

I use an airbrush compressor that only generatates about 5 or 10 psi max and in the engraving of rubber stamps and ocassionally acrylic and engravers plastic I have found that it blows out flame ups and does not blow dust all over the laser.
Larry

[David Fairfield]

Agreed, you should be OK with a 20 psi compressor. I use an airbrush compressor and it works fine as a flame supressor on acrylic, wood etc.

I think a higher psi might possibly be useful on styrene, to blow out the liquified material and keep it from healing. Still have to try that sometime.

Dave

[Chris J Drew]

David, try cutting with a REALLY low frequency to avoid "healing" cuts, rather than using the air-assist to blow liquified material off the cut ( & all over the inside of your machine )

[Franklin Geiser]

Google "diaphragm air compressor"

That's what we've used for a long time on several lasers, they take a lot less power than a piston compressor like you'd use to fill tires.

I think they're often used for airbrushing.

[Joe Pelonio]

Same here but my airbrush compressor delivers 25 psi. I also have a small oilless that I use for cleaning and spraying that I can connect to it for more pressure in extreme cases.

[Kevin L. Waldron]

Is there a scuba diving or fire station close?

You could buy a scuba or scott tank (new or used $50-$150)that holds 3000 psi and use an old scuba regulator($25-$150) that will reduce the pressure down to about 140 psi and from there you can use a normal air compressor regulator. A tank of air is usually 80-100 cubit feet and cost about $5-$10 to fill. It should seem like it will last forever if you are set at the 20 psi. You might use the tank also to supplement the compressor. We through the years have used this kind of setup when we didn't have access to electricity to do all kinds of things including running air tools, filling tires, or etc.

You might also consider buying a tire filling tank(auxiliary tank of some kind) and using it as a storage tank. It would allow the compressor longer time between start-ups and shut downs.

Just a thought.

Kevin

[Joe Pelonio]

I

You might also consider buying a tire filling tank(auxiliary tank of some kind) and using it as a storage tank. It would allow the compressor longer time between start-ups and shut downs.

Just a thought.

Kevin
I tired that, Kevin. It doesn't work, at least on the Epilog. The air will flow
freely through a bleeder valve when not actually cutting and drain it quickly, unless you turn on the tank valve only during actual cutting which is a pain on production jobs. The nice thing about the air brush pump is letting it run all day with little noise.

[John Noell]

The nice thing about the air brush pump is letting it run all day with little noise.Is yours the piston type of diaphragm? My piston type gets too hot to leave on all the time. :(

[Paul Brinkmeyer]

IThe nice thing about the air brush pump is letting it run all day with little noise.

After a year, the airbrush compressor I use (used) is fading.
Joe, care to share which one you run?

Thanks

Paul

[Joe Pelonio]

Mine runs every day, even many weekends, some days for 8-10 hours. I wore out an expensive Badger pump model in less than a year. The replacement was a much less expensive oil-less one from airbrushcity.com that has lasted close to 3 years so far. It came in a combo kit along with two airbrushes for $79.

I see today it's $99 with one airbrush, but a different pump #1600 which does not look exactly the same as mine, a model #1601 40lbs. made in Taiwan.

[Paul Brinkmeyer]

The 1600 looks similar to what I have today, but I paid more.
I'll have to get mine down and look at it closer. It still works, but a couple of times it just did not want to start in the AM. I just turned it off and right back on and it took of, so who knows it might last another few years.
Thanks

[Joe Pelonio]

The 1600 looks similar to what I have today, but I paid more.
I'll have to get mine down and look at it closer. It still works, but a couple of times it just did not want to start in the AM. I just turned it off and right back on and it took of, so who knows it might last another few years.
Thanks
I wonder if the switch is going out. Maybe plug it into a switched extension cord and leave the power switch on all the time.

[Paul Brinkmeyer]

That is the way I have it now. I have it so it starts with my blower.
It "hums" when it does not start, and just takes one time of turning it off and on to get going when it does act up.

Might be too many starts for it, and I should just let it run.
Thanks for the thought.