i spend maybe 5 minutes cleaning my double action.
i buy createx airbrush cleaner... it's around $15 for a quart. i mix it about 50/50 with water, and keep it in a paint bottle.
when i switch colors / finish for the day, i switch from the paint to the cleaner, and spray it through until it comes out clean. my oldest brush is about 3 years and it's still fine... even on the original needle.
i've never used a single action.
i have a campbell hausfeld compressor from home depot, with regulator built in. popular wisdom says you should have a moisture trap, but i don't and haven't had an issue. i'm guessing the humidity in your area would have a lot to do with how important that is.
