Airbrush to attach directly to a spray paint can

[Grimmy]

Hi all,

I found this site via google images & was impressed with all the ideas and workmanship! Feeling inspired now. :-).

I paint murals outside a lot and jump between using spray paint and then airbrushes for the fine detail (both water and spirit based paints).

I'm thinking of ways to make an airbrush type devices or modify an existing airbrush to fit on to a spray paint can in order to have more control over the paint flow for finer detail, like with an airbrush. (I'M NOT LOOKING TO DECANT PAINT FROM THE CAN & PUT THROUGH THE AIRBRUSH.) As I do this already - I'm just thinking of ways to eliminate the traditional airbrush outdoors.
As anyone that uses spray paint a lot will know - the pressure in a spray paint can (which is unlike an airbrush in the sense it has has both the pressure/propellant & paint combined) is quite powerful. Which in turn can make fine detail quite hard and tends to come out quite splattery in comparison to the airbrush.

I have some ideas of modifying parts of an airbrush to fit a spray can but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas?
Although I want to use the pressure/propellant from the can to atomise the paint I imagine I would probably need something to reduce the pressure before it reaches the airbrush part to control the paint flow. Maybe a small side chamber that the contents come out from the can into and is then controlled by an adjustable airbrush(mac) valve before it goes into the airbrush part that atomises the paint in a gentler & finer spray.
Or maybe there is someway I can separate the pressure/propellant from the paint then reduce the pressure element.

Although I decant & put spraycan paint through the airbrush I'm not 100% sure the airbrush type needle & nozzle will will work on the model I have in mind.

I've seen people have already made their own airbrushes on here so any thoughts or suggestion would be much appreciated.

Thanks :-)

[NortonDommi]

Hi,
Just a thought about using an airbrush away from line power and a compressor. For my daughters use I obtained,(free), some old gas calibration gas bottles from a laboratory. These are very well made but are disposable as the gasses are a specialty use, they are 1/2 a D-size. A couple were used as extra storage and as a base under her small compressor. Another had the valve removed and a ball valve and a T-piece fitted. One side of T has a standard female air fitting and the other a regulator.
To use, a male - male airline fitting is plugged onto the female fitting and bottle charged to 175 p.s.i. which is what my big compressor puts out,( Could be charged at Garage as well),then taken to site.
Airbrushes consume very little air at about 40 p.s.i. max so a charge lasts a very long time. Disposable cans are a waste of money.
Maybe a fitting could be made for old handy-gas torch bottles as well?