Try an airbrush compressor

Another option for running small steam engines is a hand held steam cleaner. Inexpensive, quiet and uses real steam.

I have used a Clarke Shhh! for many years now, I’m on my second after I wore the first one out over a 20 year period.  Great for multi-purpose at home, i.e. general workshop use, spraying and it can pump up tyres as well as run engines, but also perfect for running displays at shows because it is so quiet and very portable.

Not cheap but good.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/quiet-run-compressor-2/

On 22 October 2025 at 19:26 Andy Stopford Said:

 

[…] Old airbrush compressors, like the one in Michael’s link, really aren’t suitable – they’re completely gutless and can be quite noisy. […]

I stand corrected …but if that  Tuffy was around the corner, I would be bidding for it.

MichaelG

On 22 October 2025 at 20:13 Michael Gilligan Said:

On 22 October 2025 at 19:26 Andy Stopford Said:

 

[…] Old airbrush compressors, like the one in Michael’s link, really aren’t suitable – they’re completely gutless and can be quite noisy. […]

I stand corrected …but if that  Tuffy was around the corner, I would be bidding for it.

MichaelG

If you just need a squirt of air every now and then without waiting for a tank to fill, you could do worse, especially at a tenner or so – I have occasionally thought of buying one of those cheapo tyre inflators from Lidl for that very purpose.

Would also suggest looking at the small Badger compressor available from Hobbies .

I have one of the Hyundai compressors shown in the link further up this thread and an Orazio version for similar money. Surprisingly, the Orazio is better built and much quieter than the Hyundai, but has similar performance. I have had the Orazio for about eight years without problems, despite heavy use.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ORAZIO-241184-Silent-Oiless-Compressor/dp/B00KDEVR9G/ref=asc_df_B00KDEVR9G?mcid=aa56d0eece4d3d62a53fab6c86e185d9&hvocijid=14443124307471854535-B00KDEVR9G-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14443124307471854535&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046140&hvtargid=pla-2281435176698&gad_source=1&th=1

James

On 22 October 2025 at 21:18 Andy Stopford Said:

On 22 October 2025 at 20:13 Michael Gilligan Said:

On 22 October 2025 at 19:26 Andy Stopford Said:

 

[…] Old airbrush compressors, like the one in Michael’s link, really aren’t suitable – they’re completely gutless and can be quite noisy. […]

I stand corrected …but if that  Tuffy was around the corner, I would be bidding for it.

MichaelG

If you just need a squirt of air every now and then without waiting for a tank to fill, you could do worse, especially at a tenner or so – I have occasionally thought of buying one of those cheapo tyre inflators from Lidl for that very purpose.

The requirement is for an air pump producing a high-volume of air at low pressure, and a tyre inflator produces low-volume air at high pressure.  It’s designed to overcome the pressure inside the tyre, usually over 25psi, not to run a small engine.   Not a good match to an engine that might turn over with less than half a Bar, but needs a steady ‘1/n’ litres of air fill the cylinder on each stroke.

Actually, it’s hard to find a cheap off-the-shelf pump that is ideal.

• Workshop compressors do the job but are bulky and noisy. Many are very noisy!  The air in the reservoir is far too high for an model engine, but it can be stepped down with the regulator to match the engine.
• Aquarium pumps are expensive and low volume.

I’ve not identified anything closer to “fit for purpose” and “value for money” than an Air-brush compressor.  Physically smaller than a workshop compressor and quieter, and can be bought for under £100.   Typical spec isn’t perfect, “2.3Bar with the Airbrush/ 23L/Min”, but not bad, provided the regulator can be dialled down.   Any other suggestions?

Given that suitable pumps are hard to find, I’m surprised no-one has designed one!  We proudly make other stuff that can’t be bought, but seemingly not an affordable air-pump suitable for running small engines.  Is it too difficult?   Or could it be that Model Engineers only make things they already know how to make!

🙂

Dave

In that vein I have a 3D printed turbine compressor in the garage at the moment which is awaiting some finishing touches. I was planning to use it as chip clearance blower for my CNC, but as the flood coolant works I haven’t got round tuit yet.

Should be fairly quiet and a largeish volume of low pressure air.

Dave

We are of like mind, Dave [SOD]

Surely the compressor only needs to be rated a little above the consumption of the engine[s] being tested/demonstrated.

On the subject of alternative designs … I have long admired the peristaltic pump.

MichaelG.

Nothing like a practical test, I know it’s hard for people who don’t make engines to be able to test if what they say works or not but I braved the rain & wind and made  a quick video.

Charles Austen ET40 Enviro Pump which can be had from fish keeping supopliers as well as those selling them for bio-bubbler type waste water treatment. Rated at a whopping 30watts and delivers approx 40lts/min at 4ft depth and can be had for around £70.

Video starts with the pump running my Stuart 10V as well as a good volume of air to the pond bottom drain at 5ft depth. I then close off the lines to the pond and the engine runs faster.

Near silent, small, cheap to run, and very reliable so certainly an option to consider if limited for space and you are not trying to run a No6A under load.

One thing to bear in mind with many compressors, especially airbrush type compressors is their duty rating.  Some can only be run for a maximum of maybe ten minutes before they have to be left to cool down again.  This is fine for airbrush work where the use is intermittent and buffered by a reservoir but should be noted if longer use is needed.

Many airbrush type compressors can be bought as an all-in-one kit with reducer, drier and airbrush but the airbrush is only fit for the bin.  The compressors are fine for running a model engine but not for long.  Many use exactly the same valve head as this one in multiples and possibly with a bigger tank.

The reason I mentioned the Clarke Shhh! earlier is because the original poster mentioned the fact that he would like one for workshop use but didn’t have the space.  The Shhh! does give you that flexibility for light workshop duties and its footprint is not much more than an airbrush compressor.  The great advantage is that it is extremely quiet because it basically uses a completely sealed refrigeration compressor.  You hardly know it is running.

For very light use there is a whole range of beauty use compressors for nail bars and tanning salons, all of which are low capacity but vastly varying in quality.

There are also the small compact units such as the Iwata Neo, again for limited use airbrush operation but man enough to drive a small engine.  These can get more expensive but they do have a couple of pressure settings:

Again though, not rated for continuous use.