I have decided to go with kustom shop paints and Urethane's to paint my blanks. My question is can i spry the Urethane through an air brush with 58psi compressor. or do I need a paint gun and larger compressor.

Bill,
It just depends - not on the compressor pressure, but rather - the capacity of the compressor.
If you can maintain the needed air to give the right spray pattern for your paint gun and not lose pressure, the compressor will be fine.
On the other hand, if you start to stray, but then have the pressure drop so low that your spray pattern changes, you need a larger compressor.

Normally for the typical small spray gun you don't need a large compressore. You really do want to have an air regulator - and preferably a dryer on your air line.
The air regulator to set the air pressure going to the gun, and the dryer to keep moisture from your air line.

I use a combination regulator - dryer, right at the air line, so I don't have to worry about moisture in the line migrating to the gun.

Remember - one very important point - one of the biggest reasons that todays blanks are so sensitive and wonderful, is their very light weight.

Don't make the mistake of adding weight in the form of paint that both dampens the action of the blank, reduces crispness of the blank and deadens the action of the blank.

If possible, do all of your painting with one very light coat. No primer, and no overcoat. More than that and you really start to affect the blank and its characteristics.

If you check out normal production rods, they typically have very dense (well covering paint) in an extremely light coat.


Take care
Roger

The compressor will be fine for an airbrush. The only concern is how big in diameter are the blanks you paint?? Even with the biggest needle and having it pulled way open the airbrush is very hard to get good coverage at all even on a thin blank. I have found that i needed to increase the pressure and move very slowly to get good coverage. After doing a few coats your worn out.The problem with increasing the pressure is you now must get closer to the blank so as to not allow the paint to dry before it hits the blank. IMO a small airbrush (Badger type/ hobby) is not really good for this type of work.. maybe on a thin fly blank that's it. I went out and got a small pro jam gun and it's great but now you need the volume of air . Having the pressure is no big deal it's maintaining the pressure (volume) that becomes the issue with the larger guns.

I assume you have sprayed 2K ureathanes before just make sure you have protection for you and where you spray. Watch your reducer ammount in winter and increase it if needed in humid summer. Also use a quality 2K clear coat even if you use a one part color coat.I don't like Single stage colors (don't need a clear), In blacks and reds They are great and shine but are very hard and will crack on a fishing rod, You could add flex but IMO it's a waste of time. Really the weight added by the paint is very little, On a fly or light fresh water blank maybe go light . I apply color heavy, Like a candy apple i will apply the base to cover (gold or silver) just enough or light coats. But the tinted color I'll apply heavy and after three days I wet sand it back to the shade I'm looking for.. I call it toning the color. You basicly want to even it out as best you can. After it's cut I apply thin coats of clear.

One other thing don't touch the blank anywhere except at the tip and bottom of the butt even after wet cutting the color wipe it down lightly with paint thinner and set it to dry and clear it. If you touch it to much you will get lifting where the clear will not stick to the color coat and it will bubble or peel.. Learned it the hard way!!

Thank you for your very detailed help I appreciate it.