justrfb

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Hello All,
I just got my 40'th birthday gift from my wife and good friends this past week end at my surprise birthday party. They wheeled in a BIG 33 gallon, 150psi max, 6 hp compressor [>:] with some air tools to boot (I work on cars too). I am very excited because I was just going to ask for this little compressor just powerful enough to power a detail gun and in wheels this "real" compressor. Anyway, I have a few questions... If I want to spray my planes now, what do I need to get and also, can and how do I run an air brush off of this machine? And a side bar question for all of you air tool operators out there... How do you keep your air tools oiled? Thanks for your help and I look forward to some great advice.

randall1959

My Feedback: (11)

You'll need a pressure regulator unless it has one built in. As for oiling, I know this might sound a bit redneck but I just squirt a little oil in the fittings now and then on my air tools and that works for me. My power tools came with an oiler but I don't use it.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

I don't know crap about painting but as for your tools, get some Marvel Mystery Oil and put a few drops in the air fitting before you use it. Even more importantly do it when you are done using it and run it for a few seconds so it is oiled well for storage. Also get a secondary filter/ moisture trap and drain it often.

IowaSilvia

My Feedback: (97)

I bought a 60 gal. compressor last year at Menards for like 379 or 479. Can't remember. But the smaller ones are almost the same cost, so I thought what the hell. Some day I'll have a big shop and can hook up hard lines to it and run all over my shop.

As far as your question goes. You will need to get a GOOD pressure regulator. Don't buy a cheepy cuz they will not work right and end up ruining your paint gun or tools. "don't ask how I know". Usually when you get a regulator it will come with a filter and oiler also. Get some goop to seal up all connections also. And don't forget to DRAIN the compressor tank especially in the summer. You will get condensation in the tank and you will have water on the bottom of the tank. You should have a drain. Just drain it every once in a while.

Bax

My Feedback: (11)

If you intend to do any painting, DON'T get an oiler. The air lines will get oil in them, and then it will be blown through your paint gun even if you disconnect the oiler.

Or you can get separate air hoses; one for painting and one for air tools. You'll need to remove the oiler to connect the painting hose. In all cases, you should use a water filter. When the air is released from a compressor, it's almost always at a lower pressure. This encourages any water in the air to condense. Without the water filter, that bit of water is blown through your system. If your air tools are kept well-oiled, it shouldn't hurt them, but that bit of moisture can sure mess up a paint job!

I usually just put a few drops of air tool oil in the inlet fitting of my air tools before each day's use, and also after a few hours of extended use. See your air tools' instructions for their lubrication needs.

bobo_54501

My Feedback: (19)

Basinbum is right on with the Marvel mystery oil Great Stuff . I use it for after run oil to . Water and oil KILLS paint jobs . One cheap trick that really helps is if you can find an old compresser tank .Plumb your good compresser into a secondary tank then take your air off of the second tank .It gives your air time to cool and will cut down greatly on condensation .It also increases your capacity . If your painting small things let your tanks fill up then shut your compresser off and let the system cool for awhile . All of your water settles to the bottom of the tanks and your water free !!! If your painting large things and your compressor is running alot put an extra fan by the cylinder of your compresser . The cooler you keep it the less moister youll get .
Also make sure you break it in right . Let it free run for at least a 1/2 hour then change your oil in it BEFORE you let the tanks build preasure . Use the filters like the other guys said and youll have a nice system . I worked in a Pro Body shop for 15 years . Have Fun And Hey .....Happy Birthday !!!!

Live Wire

Justrfb
Don't use oil on paint equipement or you will find out what Fish Eyes are. Use seperate lines for air put a T on tank and put regulator in one line and air tool in the other. Air tool usually use direct line pressure where paint equiepment needs lower pressure for different applications. Have fun

[8D]

PS I use Badger and Binks for painting check LHS!

justrfb

My Feedback: (2)

All I can say is, thank you all for your information and birthday wish. Once again I am over whelmed at the response of the people on this list. Some follow on comments and questions that I am still unclear on... I am a long time VW guy so I "know" about MMO! I was hoping to hear what you guys are telling me, to just put a few drops in the tool before connecting to the air supply (hey, isn't that a big 80's band?) and work away. I will get a filter/water trap for the compressor also. My compressor is a BIG one, 33 gallons, so I don't think it will be cycling too much as I paint a model but I will get the filter/trap anyway (sounds like a good idea). The compressor has an adjustable regulator right on it, I am hoping this is good enough to set the operating pressure for the tool and go. If I hook up a little detail spray gun that operates at 40 psi and uses 3.4 SCFM, do I have to worry that my compressor delivers 40 psi at 8.6 SCFM? I am thinking no but I want to check. Also, can anyone tell me if I can and how would I hook an air brush to this machine? Thanks again for your help and I look forward again to hearing from you.

Live Wire

Air tools will ruin a regulator so hook it direct . You can buy air adapters to reduce lines to air brush equipement To explain the most air tools use pulsing action to operate which will ruin the diaphram in the regulator. A condenser trapes condensation from tank and keep it out of tools and paint equipement!

[8D]

ZAGNUT

My Feedback: (1)

no, the spray gun will only use as much air as it needs. all this just means that your compressor could easily support two of these guns running at the same time.

and like everyone else said, yes on the moisture trap, no on the oiler. many new tools don't need oil and swapping back and forth just becomes a pain. the little oilers that screw directly to the tool itself are also crap, just use a few drops of air tool oil and you're fine.

depending on how dusty your shop gets it's also a good idea to keep the tool's air inlets plugged when not in use and air hoses should have their ends snapped together when rolled up and not used.


dave

justrfb

My Feedback: (2)

Thank you all for the great information. I appreciate it very much.

RCPilot100

My Feedback: (4)

I have been learning about spray painting for years for my models and this is where I am now - I have a compressor about same the size you do - I have an air line run into my booth from the compressor via a PCV line to a regulator in the spray booth. The regulator has an water trap in it - I plumbed the PCV so that the regulator is fed from a T in the air line such that any water in the line hopefull drops out before it hits the regulator and moisture trap. You can spend $20 up to several thousand for moisture traps/devices to remove water. I have two details guns - an old Badger detail gun and a new Devbliss SRI-625G HVLP gun. The Badger can be used by setting the pressure at the regulator, close is good enough - the Devbliss needs an air guage at the gun or a mini-regulator to make sure the air is correct and to make small adjustments while you are spraying. As has been pointed out above - you don't want water or oil anywhere near your spray equipment. Even with a 33 gallon tank, you will be surprised at how often it will run just with a detail gun. For my airbush, I put a quick disconnect on the end of the airline that works with the airbrush and simply connect that to my air system for painting.

For your air tools you can add a few drops of oil as suggested, or you can buy a regulator, water trap and oiler combo and use that when you run your air tools. Similar to what I have described above, you now connect your compressor to a feed line that has the regulator/trap/oiler plumbed in - and connect your air tools to good tool air.

Now if only I could pick up the artistic talent with an airbrush so I could do some really nice work!

Dan