What do you guys use for air compressors?

[Mo Power]

Ok I've been looking at compressors and wondering what alot of you guys run who paint there own vehicle. I'm looking at a craftsman 26 gal with 175 psi maxium and comes with free touch up gun also . But ok I'm having difficulty understranding why the ones with bigger gallon tanks like 33 gal with 150 psi can't run paint guns,but have 2 hp motor and the one I was looking at is 1.6 but only 25 more psi. Sears guy didn't really know exactly lol I just want  to know why exactly and is the psi maxium the recovery time for it as someone told me. Any help please

[70charger_boy]

You need a 2 stage 208 volt compressor with a minimum of 60 gallon tank to paint a car.  I would go with a ingersoll rand or Kobalt

[69DodgeCharger]

You need a 2 stage 208 volt compressor with a minimum of 60 gallon tank to paint a car.  I would go with a ingersoll rand or Kobalt

I agree I have a single stage 60 gallon and it runs continuously any time you are using any type of air driven tool, although I have had it for 6 years and it's still going strong......but for how long. Make sure you get a "real" water filtration system or you will be screwed. Don't ask me how I found that out.

[Troy]

I use one of these:
http://www.eatoncompressor.com/catalog/item/504747/172993.htm#image_1

Eaton compressors kick butt! Mine has the continuous run feature and puts out "25 CFM and a free air of 19.5 CFM @ 100 PSI". I've run a D/A back to back with a primer gun four over four hours straight and never ran out of air or had oil/water issues. The customer service is absolutely incredible too. One of the guys hopped in a truck and drove an hour each way to troubleshoot it a while back. I had a faulty run capacitor which they replaced at no charge. He was prepared to swap motors if that was the problem. Also, it's fairly quiet and you can have a conversation with it running a few feet away.

We had a 5 HP, 60 gallon Craftsman at the old shop and it would choke after about 20 minutes with a die grinder and spit out water after about 15 minutes of sandblasting. This thing was so loud that you could here it in any of the four shops that shared it. Most everything found in a big chain store seems about the same to me (except the largest Ingersoll Rand compressors at Tractor Supply).

Eaton also has a good explanation of comparing "features" within the product description:
http://www.eatoncompressor.com/catalog/item/504747/172993.htm

If I were doing this more often I'd have gone to a two-stage compressor but I've had mine for over a year and it doesn't need an oil change yet.

Troy

[70charger_boy]

I heard great things about Eaton compressors.  Great price too.  Troy, is that a 208 volt unit?

[Troy]

220 Volt, Single Phase - 25 amp
I was able to pick it up the next day (no lead time) because he had an extra for some reason. I didn't get my choice of colors but I also got a discount. I'd been wanting one for a couple of years so that sealed the deal. My biggest problem will be moving that sucker when I buy a house!

Troy

[Todd Wilson]

If you got the space and the power  save your money and get a good 220volt upright unit and be done with it. While the farm stores have some decent quality units the 110volt stuff will not keep up with a DA and will not paint. I found out in a hurry when we did the 71 Project. I ended up finding a Craftsman Pro (Black) upright at a damaged freight price and grabbed it and ran both it and my 20gal farm store unit. The craftsman was no where close to the top of my list of compressors. I bought it because I needed it right now and it was the biggest unit I could find for the price.  It had a scratch and was missing all the stuff that comes with it. I didnt care because it was going to be plumbed direct into my existing air system.  At my sears store there is no unit on the floor that will do body work. Both units ran non stop for hours during the project. The DA really sucked up the air and the paint gun  at times would make both run. I have about 55 gals of air tank between the 2.


Todd

[Silver R/T]

you'll need at LEAST 60 gallon tank with more than 5 hp, even then you'll have to stop between coats to let compressor recover. I have 60 gallon 7hp max air compressor in my garage. You'll need to run air line with dryer on the end before you plug in any air tools. Make sure its 220V unit also, 115v units will NOT keep up with anyting serious like D/A, but will be fine for construction, ie nailer, etc.

[Charger-Bodie]

10 hp rotory "world air" not reccomended for the do it yourselfers at about 7500.00

[Wheels of Terror]

Campbell Hausfeld 20 gallon Compressor.

[Mo Power]

Well I've been looking at ones that would be able to fill my need without it being those stationary ones. Because I'd prefer one thats rolling and most of them say they have just enough cfm to run one paint gun but sounds like from you guys they must not. If you run it all 3hrs to paint an entire car which I'm sure takes alot longer. But I know I want one that will last and later on I won't have to buy a bigger size one. Hey also what you guys think of Hobart mig welders thats what I'm looking into getting.

[Todd Wilson]

I bought a Cambell Hausfeld 20 gal 5hp unit many years ago. Nice compressor. NO complaints. Have run the dog pee out of it but it did not have enough balls to keep up with a DA sander and no way would it run a paint gun.  Like I said in my previous message I bought a black  Craftsman Pro series 30 gal unit. It by itself would not run a DA and it would not keep up with the HVLP paint gun (Devilbiss GTI Mil.) even plugged into the 20gal tank. When we started to paint the car 01 thought it may be a good idea to run just the Craftsman as it was oiless and less chance of maybe oil getting into the air lines even though we had a filter system. As the painting began he yelled to me to fire up the old CH because he was running out of air. Both of my units together will supply all the air you need but you are pulling double juice and the noise is pretty bad when they both run. On some of the body work the air would build up enough the CH unit would shut off but the Craftsman Pro ran constant and the CH would cycle only when it was needed.  DA and painting they both ran non stop.  I would guess you will need a minimum of 13cfm  to do body work. I am right on the edge and feel I have enough air but more would be nicer.

The harder you work a compressor the more chances of moisture getting into the air.   The cheaper air tools also are not as efficent and take more air then a professional unit.

Take your time and buy a BIG compressor.  ONce you get it it will give you new ways to do things that you havent even thought of yet. You'll get excited and start buying various air tools only to find your compresor isnt strong enough. Then you will have to buy a 2nd unit like I had to do and now you have spent enough $$ to just go out and buy the good 220volt unit to begin with.

There isnt a 110volt  farm store or sears unit that will do body work. I know I tried and learned the hard way. Both my compressors are on the big end of the 110volt units.


Todd