Recommended Compresor?

[Arthurdaily]

Hi, I'm thinking of buying a small cheapish compressor to run a very small paint gun for home painting, with maybe attachments such as a sander, a polisher... perhaps a gun to inject dinitrol or similar: So what should I but what HP and litre capcity would be 'okay'?

Thanks in advance!

[polo2k]

My advise is that once you have a compressor, you will find more and more uses for it. Go for the biggest you can afford and accomodate. Some of the big ones can draw an awful lot of current so its worth checking that your wiring is up to scratch and will take the load.

Screw drive are very quiet but expensive
Direct drive sounds fantastic but its meant to be quite loud
Belt drive is a good compromise

Vertical tanks are starting to hit the market more often now, I wish I had one because a horizontal takes a lot of space! I would imagine that the drain cock a doodle diddley would be more effective on the end (bottom) rather than on a side.

Dont forget to drain regularly as the tanks are not usually rustproofed and the condensation will eat the steel!

I fitted a flag to a mini ball valve to make draining easier.

You mentioned a sander in your post. In my experiance these are hugely air hungry! use their CFM rating to check compressor outputs.

CFM is cubic feet per minute.
FAD is free air delivery
A big pump will fill the tank fast and ensure that the pressure in the tank stays as high as possible. a small pump will drain the tank and then chase the pressure until your tool stops through lack of pressure.

[Arthurdaily]

So what DFM as a minimum do youthink?

[Arthurdaily]

I meant CFM!!!

[bmcecosse]

My Aldi compressor has been great - but as above - better with an electric sander. I use mine for spraying (one panel at a time) hammer gun and ratchet gun, Waxoil spraying and blowing up tyres! Similar compressor from MAchine Mart etc - search around for a bargain.

[katy]

Suggest that you DO NOT buy the "oilless" or "oil free" type compressor, as they don't last.

[polo2k]

heres the flag I fitted to the drain valve:




The last pic shows how cumbersome they can be to store.
Im due out there this eve so ill check the CFM (might be L/m on mine as its from France) but I know that next time ill go bigger!

They are loud too so if you have the space try and get the compressor in a mini out house