air compressor questions

[wiler55]

i want to know what i need out of an air compressor? i have no idea what is needed to run certain air tools and need your help. the uses that i want out of the compressor is that it is small but has enough power and recharge so that i can continuously use it without it shutting down on me. i will use it for grinding. screwing but the main reason that i want it is for spraying paint with all my hatches underneath and the deck i think that i can make it look ten times better spraying than i could rolling and tipping. please any advice will help!

[71flatback]

Air tools continuously running will draw a hot of air so you will need a lot of volume. The spray gun won't draw a whole lot. The number one rule is bigger is better.

[GoneFission]

Go with at least a 2-3HP motor and 150 PSI max pressure - stay away from the 110-120PSI units.  Run it on 220V, not 110.  You can paint with about anything, but you will need at least 6 CFM at 100 PSI for most air tools to run well.  Grinders and drills really eat up the air.  

Something like this would probably work well:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... compressor

Hope this helps - good luck!

[RickK]

What they said and should have a BIG tank if you want to run for a while.

[LilRichard]

And if you can afford it, go with a dual stage... well worth the extra $$$

[slippery73]

The higher the cfm number at the higher psi ratings will generate more air. You want at least a 60-80 gal. tank and shoot for a 10+cfm rating at 90psi or better. The higher the better. I picked mine up after looking online for a while and researching, looking at used etc. I ended up with a kobalt branded compressor from lowes. It had the highest cfm at 90 psi I found in this price range. Also, cast iron pump, continuous duty, 12k hr life cycle, etc. Bought mine for $499.  

Lowes doesn't have it online anymore, must be discontinuing but I bet you can find it locally as I doubt they sell tons of these. Dont confuse this compressor for the other 60 gal. ones they have there. Only this model has this higher cfm rating in this size. Its because another manufacturer makes this compressor (not sure who), I think cambell hausfeld makes the rest.

http://www.mastertoolrepair.com/k7060hfv-p-2942.html

[John Jones]

The CFM rating is what it is all about (cubic feet per minute).

A cup type spray gun pulls way more air than hand tools.  How long do you run an air rachet or impact wrench?  Seconds at a time. I have put a few hundred gallons of Imron through a cup gun over the years.  IMHO a cup type spray gun needs at least 9 CFM continious.  An upright 5HP 240V two stage compressor is about right.  The normal home roll around compressor will not cut it.  You will spend more time waiting for it to catch up than you will shooting paint.

$0.02

[LilRichard]

JJ - what are you doing spraying all that paint?  Is that work related?

[John Jones]

In the 80s.  Building industrial electrical control panels.  Starting with raw steel and making it look as good as a piece of new furniture.  That's why my brain is fried. No drugs, just Imron vapors. ;)

One day I'll find my old pictures and scan some of them.  Similar to this but usually much more complicated.

[LilRichard]

Were you using a heavy respirator?  Or were the regulations more lax back then?