31/03/2026
Sparmax AC-501X Airbrush Compressor
Our friends at the Airbrush Company have very kindly sent one of the Sparmax AC-501X compressors for us to review. It’s a pleasingly compact unit standing just 22cm high x 22 cm long and just 14cm wide, weighing just 4.1 Kilos, with a practical handle on the top and four rubber feet to minimise any vibrations. On the top of the case there is the pressure regulator k**b to adjust the air pressure and a pressure gauge. There is also the option to fit an airbrush holder to the top of the casing should you wish but I always prefer a bench-mounted airbrush stand. It’s certainly compact enough that you could position the whole compressor unit on you bench without losing too much space but I imagine that most users will prefer to position it on the floor? The compressor comes with a good quality 200cm long braided hose and the ‘Silver Bullet’ moisture trap. This can be attached to the compressor outlet or directly to the airbrush inlet where is serves as a very comfortable kind of pistol-grip handle which I find improves the overall handling experience as well as usefully having the trap easily visible so you can bleed it when required rather that my old compressor where the moisture trap is integrated into the outlet and hidden under the machine’s cover. The AC-501X has a single outlet, my existing compressor having two outlets which seemed like a good idea but in reality what it means is having to have two brushes connected at all times, I would opt for a single outlet with hindsight. Setting you air pressure is simply done by pulling the regulator k**b up, rotating the k**b left or right will adjust the pressure which is displayed on the adjacent pressure gauge. Once you are happy with the setting you push the k**b down to lock your selection. It’s an easy intuitive thing to operate and if it’s on the floor, easy to change without leaving your seat. When operating the compressor is impressively quiet although I am unable to find any official decibel reading I noticed the difference between it and my now rather vintage machine. One stand out feature for me on the AC-501X is the automatic trigger activation. When switched on and up to working pressure the compressor cuts itself off until you press or pull the trigger on your airbrush. This works very effectively meaning obviously that the compressor is only running when you are actually spraying. It has a maximum continuous run time of 40 minutes before it will be in danger of overheating. By only running when required this run time is of course extended and I certainly appreciated not having to fumble around under my bench to find the off switch as I have to with my old compressor. To test the performance I used the AC-501X to apply a sealing coat of satin varnish sprayed through an Iwata HP-TH (with the pistol trigger) over one of my 1:16 models. Bigger than your average model subject and the AC-501X proved extremely capable, set at around 30psi the automatic cut off worked flawlessly and removed that bit of stress of a continually running and therefore heating up compressor. Negatives? I really can’t find any whatsoever, this is a superb compact piece of kit and it’s immediately apparent that it’s high quality. Indeed there is a joint venture partnership between Sparmax and Iwata since 2018 which I think reflects the quality I see here.
The Airbrush Company are now the Exclusive UK Distributor for both Iwata & Sparmax. Full details at:
www.airbrushes.com
