Harbor Freight Compressor Question

[foxbat426]

Hi, I'm new here and new to modeling (1/25 scale), just want to say it's a great site and i'm learning alot. I just recently purchased the Harbor Freight 1/5HP compressor, the one that comes with the airbrush, cat # 95630. I know it's not the best out there, but the price is right and I want to see if I like airbrushing before i spend more money.

Anyway it seems to work fine, but i have a question about adjusting the air pressure. Is there a way to do it on this compressor? HF also makes a smaller compressor, a 1/8HP I believe and this one has a knob for adjusting pressure, i'm suprised the bigger one that i am using doesn't have this knob. There is a knob screw under the filter that seem to adjust the pressure, but it says in the manual that this knob is the filter drain - I'm confused!

If anyone out there is using this compressor for airbrushing I would sure like to hear what you think about it and how you adjust the pressure.

Thanks In Advance, John

[sportandmiah]

The knob/screw under the clear water trap is to drain the water..just push it up...its spring activated. Your model compressor does not include the regulator. All you have to do is get one from Harbor Freight and add it on....8-10 bucks. I have the other model (without airbrushes and priced cheaper) and it came with the regulator.

[foxbat426]

thanks for the quick reply - where would i connect it on the compressor? would i have to take out the guage and filter that is there and replace it with a gauge, filter and regulator system like on your model. I did see your model at HF. its a bit smaller capacity wise so i went for the bigger one that i have, not knowing it didn't have a regulator. in hindsight i should have gotten the smaller model with the regulator.

[Dr. Cranky]

Let me know what your experience with that compressor turns out to be. Thank you.

[Lunajammer]

WARNING!!! DO NOT BUY REGULATOR FROM HARBOR FREIGHT! I'm sorry I didn't see this thread sooner. I bought a 3 gal. compressor there recently and the regulator didn't work at all. Would not stop or control air at any psi. I brought it back and the manager asked me to demonstrate on their display piece how it was SUPPOSED to work. That one also did not work, not even a little.

As a compromise on the exchange, they gave me the small, tankless compressor but it uses the same regulator. That one does not work AT ALL. Not even a little. It's clear there has been a great shipment of faulty regulators to Harbor Freight Tools. No complaints about the compressors but buy a name brand regulator.

[foxbat426]

ok mike,

- yes i purchased the 3 gallon pancake compressor from them also. i didn't have trouble with the regulator, but i had a problem with the compressor leaking - it would not hold a charge long and the compressor kept kicking on every 4 minutes or so - it was an internal problem and they returned it with no problems.

the regulator i purchased is NOT the one used on the little 1/8HP compressor or the pancake compressor. the one i purchased seems to be built better and so far it works great.

the HF manager admitted to me that some of the pancake compressors do come back with problems, but he also told me they sell about 150 of them per week out of this store alone! amazing - all in all he said people keep them. it seems like it's hit or miss with harbor freight on certain items. i can tell you that i purchased 4 airbrushes from them and they all work great - even the cheapo 7 dollar external mix one works suprisingly good.

i suggest taking the regulator off of the 1/8hp compressor you have and replacing it with the 1/4NPT one they sell and reducing the 1/4 outlets to 1/8NPT fittings to fit the compressor. for 14 bucks you can't go wrong - keep the gauge from the bad regulator and use it on the new regulator as it sits flat vs. vertical like the one that comes in the 1/4 outlet regulator - the item number on the regulator i purchased is 68228 if you decide to go that way.

keep me posted - thx, john

[Dr. Cranky]

My father's saying applies to plenty of H.F. stuff:

If you buy cheap it will end up being expensive!

[Lunajammer]

Good advice John, I appreciate the info. I actually have a regulator from my ancient 1/8 hp compressor that died an honorable death, I just haven't installed it yet.

Crank Senior's got it right. This is the first time I bought anything expensive and complex from them. Lesson learned. I still appreciate HF for the simple, low stress tools. I love their el-cheapo mini rotary tool which the mgr. tried to talk me out of, calling it a piece of junk. But for $7, even if it lasts for only ten builds, it's been worth it.