Component Parts, Continued
Regulators
Regulators control the amount of air the air supply provides to the airbrush.
They do not control how much air the air source produces.
Regulators,
located on air compressors or cylinders, are adjustable and may vary air
pressure creating special effects or compensating for pigment viscosity. An
ideal working air pressure for an airbrush is 25 to 30 PSI.
Once the
compressor reaches the desired air pressure, excess air is released by a valve
(on air compressors without tanks) or diverted into a storage tank.
Unregulated air supplies provide uneven air flow that is sometimes more or
less than the ideal PSI for airbrush use.
Lowering air pressure produces
stipple or granulated effects. Fluctuating pressure produces splattered spray
patterns. The greater the increase or decrease in pressure, the more
pronounced the effect on the spray pattern. Most regulators have a brass
screw fitting that attaches to the top of the air outlet of an air compressor or
cylinder of gas.
Figure 6-10 shows how the dial of a regulator may appear.
Figure 6-10.—A regulator dial.
Continued on next page
6-13
