A Simple Airbrush Hanger

I have suffered for years for a place to put my airbrush in between paint tasks; always jamming it between cans of paint thinner or other handy, heavy, objects on the workbench in an effort to keep it upright so as not to spill paint all over the place.  You know the hose is twisted and slowly forces the thing over on its side. The answer is obvious; buy one of those fancy hangers, but I usually have other seemingly more important things to buy, model wise, and never get around to spending the money on an item that looks like an extravagance. That is until the tipped over airbrush starts dripping paint everywhere.

Just such a recent occurrence sent me screaming out into my shop in search of suitable scraps to construct something that would hold the airbrush up, out of the way, and wouldn’t tip over easily nor cause me to run to the hardware store or make me wait weeks for a bent wire looking chrome gadget to show up in the mail. Not to mention the cost.

What I found was a length of 1 inch diameter dowel, a piece of scrap particle board shelving and a screw hook. I know everybody isn’t going to have those things around but you can substitute. Be imaginative. Scrounge.  Don’t buy stuff unless you don’t have a choice. There are a million ways to create this same thing with a million different materials and techniques. Just takes looking at what’s available in a little different light.

The dowel could have been an old shovel handle or closet rod. It just happens I was making belaying pins for a boat and it really was scrap!  If you don’t have a screw hook use a welding rod or coat hanger wire or what have you?

One of the advantages of the large diameter dowel is that I can add additional hooks for future airbrushes if I need to.

The scrap shelving was run through my table saw to size it and bevel the edges. Make the base as large as is practical for your workspace. You don’t want it to tip over. I used a Forstner bit to drill the hole. I find them most accurate and easiest to work with in these large sizes.

A Forstner bit and the reasonably precise, flat bottomed hole it will drill.

The dowel fits tightly enough that it needs no other fastening and the stand can be disassembled and stored flat if needed.

Compare this photo with the finished product below and you’ll notice that I removed a large portion of the outer hook with my Dremel tool. It obviates the need to turn the airbrush upside down when “hooking” it up. File the cut edge smooth.

Make sure you drill a pilot hole for the hook and don’t let the point of the screw stick out the opposite side of the dowel.  I don’t like being scratched and drip blood all over the floor. It causes domestic disturbances.

Do you want to paint it? I didn’t, but it’s up to you. Mine’s probably going to get painted a rainbow of colors over time.

Random Thoughts

You could substitute a square or rectangular stick for the dowel and “let” it into the base on the side and then glue and screw it together. You could also just attach it to the side of the base without letting it in. It’s crude that way but would still work as long as you glue it well.

It is also possible to simply drill a pilot hole into the base and screw the stick or dowel directly to the base thus avoiding drilling a large diameter hole for the dowel. You must be absolutely sure you have a 90 degree cut on the upright (dowel or stick) otherwise it will not stand vertically. If that doesn’t bother you disregard the last statement.

These are Sketch Up drawings showing a trio of variations on this theme.

I build Inuit style kayaks with driftwood deck beams in them; feel free to use that as an upright to hang your airbrush on if that pleases you.  I live in Oregon and people make all manner of things from deer and elk antler. Might work for this too.Basically you have to have a large base and something that sticks up and is large enough in cross section to support a hook of some sort. Any variation on that theme, within reason, should work.

It is also possible to get by without the table saw or any power saw. In the “olden” days hand saws worked just fine. I use my Japanese pull saws a lot but won’t give up my table saw for anyone. Just lazy I guess.

It’s also nice not to have SP Scarlet splotches on my good pants anymore.