Smallest size air compresser you can paint with?

[BeardedBlues]

Say the gun needs 30psi.....How many gallons of air would you need in a compressor? I'm not trying to make a show truck out of this thing. I just want it decently covered so I can beat the hell out of it and then repaint when needed.

 

[sp71eb]

most paint guns require at least 10cfm from your compressor. A large tank compressor and a good compressor will help alot. If your not worried about it looking great you can most likely get away with a smaller compressor if you take it slow and let your compressor keep up. I wouldn't do it with anything smaller than a 25 gallon tank and a two stage compressor but thats just me.

 

[broncnaz]

I've painted with a 3hp 20 gal compressor but this was with a HVLP gun that I think it only needed 3-4 cfm. The truck came out pretty good especailly for a first paint job. probably would have been better with a larger compressor and better gun. There were a few times I had to back off just a bit to let the compressor catch up.

 

[allenfahey]

Out of all the tools a guy in a garage uses, a sandblaster uses the most air. A spray gun is second, HVLP guns use a TON of air, about 7-10 CFM's if I remember right. HVLP stands for High Volume Low Pressure. That low pressure part of the name is not the air usage, that refers to the the pressure at the cap. Most decent HVLP guns uses about 10 PSI measured at the cap which requires a special cap for the gun. The other part of the name is High Volume which is what eats away at the compressor CFM's. If you use a HVLP gun you should also use HVLP fittings from the source of the air on the wall all the way to the gun. HVLP fittings are about 3/8" ID and will make a differencve in the way the gun performs, as it was designed. Then you need to take into account the cycle time you use the gun. To get all the way around an all over paint job on a vehicle is about 10 minutes so the compressor needs to be able to keep up for that long. If you have drops in air pressure as you paint you can get orange peel and dry spots as you wait for the compressor to catch up.

I would look at nothing less than a 60 gallon 2 stage compressor. Buy as big a compressor as you can, you won't regret it!

 

[bigpitbull]

I've painted with a 3hp 20 gal compressor but this was with a HVLP gun that I think it only needed 3-4 cfm. The truck came out pretty good especailly for a first paint job. probably would have been better with a larger compressor and better gun. There were a few times I had to back off just a bit to let the compressor catch up.

Been there before.... Thats how I painted one of a mustangs a few years back... It too was my first paint job... I did it in a carport that I converted to a home made booth.

 

[BeardedBlues]

[I]Quote:
Originally Posted by broncnaz
I've painted with a 3hp 20 gal compressor but this was with a HVLP gun that I think it only needed 3-4 cfm. The truck came out pretty good especailly for a first paint job. probably would have been better with a larger compressor and better gun. There were a few times I had to back off just a bit to let the compressor catch up.

Quote by Bigpitbull
Been there before.... Thats how I painted one of a mustangs a few years back... It too was my first paint job... I did it in a carport that I converted to a home made booth. [/I]


That's where I'm at now. For the next year or two i'm stuck in the city, with no shop, very little yard, a "carport" with no walls and a bronco that needs paint. I could buy another compressor but I'm just out of room and it doesn't make sense at the moment. This place just isn't set up for a Bronco project.

 

[Rustytruck]

In your situation get a small 20 gallon compressor with an oil sump 2 stage compressor pump to do your basic body work. it will do just what you need to get by. do get large airhose so you dont have to rebuy later. When you get your work done and ready to paint go rent a large gas powered compressor to spray to your hearts content.
If like me finanically and infrastructure challenged just make sure you use a catylized paint so you can color sand and buff your troubles away.