Air Conditioning - A/C pump as air compressor

hi,
can anyone tell me if a compressor from an air conditioner or refrigerator could be converted to an air compressor for use with an airbrush? commerical airbrush compressors appear to have this type of compressor on them but they're very expensive. any details, advice, and/or warnings would be appreciated.
thanks.
ben

An A/C compressor would work with air, but not for too long. The problem is with the lubrication system. The A/C compressor (small ones anyway) are usually lubricated by oil entrained in the refrigerant. There is no oil sump or splash oil system to keep the piston from grinding against the cylinder wall. You wouldn't want oil in your air supply to ruin the painting job. Another problem is with the motor cooling system. It depends on a constant supply of refrigerant flowing past the motor windings to keep the motor from overheating. You can't provide that with intermittant air usage. Sorry, your idea was OK but the machinery in question just isn't designed for compressing air.

thanks for the input. how about a refrigerator compressor? same deal there, i suppose?

Same problem. It wont work.

When I just started out way way back. I thought the same way as you But like jug said you need the oil on them. But I had what is called and open AC compressor. I worked and worked on it Got a air tank and motor for it Ran like a top . But I dont think it would blow very long for and airbrush. Oh you can get a very high psi out of it but forget the Cfm they dont dont put out that way.I think it would take a day to blow up a tire Have you tried the little car air compressor they come 110V and 12V

ED ;)

Years ago I knew a guy who used a small refrigerator compressor for a vacuum pump. I was over to his house with a A/C problem in my truck. We fixed the leak and he used the old compressor mounted on a small piece of plywood to suck out the system before he put in a few pounds of R12. My truck was cool again after that. That old compressor was around for years & years and always worked for that purpose because, I suppose, because he never ran it too long at any one time. Once in a while he would dump a few squirts of refrigeration oil into the suction line while the compressor was running. Maybe he is still using it today.