An air regulator is used on an air compressor, and while many air compressors ship from the premise with a regulator installed, some do not. You may have to buy a isolate regulator for your compressor. The regulator works to lower the downstream air pressure, which is the air pressure that is arrival from the air compressor and into anyone job you're using it for - either it is for an air brush or an air tool.
How it Works
Compressed air flows from the stockroom of the compressor into the regulator (which is known as upstream air). The air regulator uses a series of springs and a diaphragm to contribute a constant air pressure level "downstream" regardless of any changes in the contribute from the tank or upstream supply. So basically, the air regulator does what its name implies - it regulates the flow of air from the air compressor.
Brushes and Regulators
The regulator is a must-have for those who are using an air brush. Without a regulator, the pressure that you achieve from your air compressor will vary during use - and while this does cause problems if you are using air tools, if you are attempting to paint an item with an air brush and the pressure cycles up and then down, the capability of your paint job is bound to be affected. Installing a regulator in the line between the job that you are doing and your air compressor is ideal because it keeps a steady flow of air arrival to the application you are working on - without cycling down (too microscopic paint) or up (too much paint). This allows for the flat application of paint.
You will find separate accuracy levels when it comes to purchasing a regulator, and the least high-priced choices are also the least accurate. Most approved or normal purpose regulators feature an accuracy level of nearby three to five pounds-per-square-inch, and you can expect the accuracy of the pressure that runs straight through your system to fall between those ranges. There are more high-priced options - along with a precision regulator that will contribute accuracy of ½ pound-per-square-inch.
When shopping for your air regulator, be sure to check with online sources. There are a great estimate of retailers who sell both normal purpose and higher-priced precision versions at a titanic reduction as compared to what you would pay at your local hardware store or home center.
Air Regulator - Used With an Air Compressor