I finally got the truck bed removed and will start doing the bodywork soon. My first paint job. Years ago (many) I used to hang around body shops, done some preps ..but not a full job. Methods have changed quite a bit.

I need an air compressor, one that would support HVLP paint gun and basic air tools. Do I need a single stage, dual stage, PSI, ACFM, HPs, 40-50-60 gallons ...I'm all confused. I dont plan to paint the whole truck at once..I plan to do the bed first then work on the cab.


I would appreciate any advice from any of you kind folks out there. Can I find something between the $500-$800 price range?

I'm looking at the ones below, but I'm open to suggestions:

#1 BelAire -$700 range
Single-Stage Air Compressor - 6HP, 60-Gallon Vertical

• Start/Stop pressure switch control
• Cast iron compressor pump
• Thermally protected motor
• Fully enclosed belt guard
• 60 gallon vertical tank with drain and discharge valve
• All Bel Aire air compressors are tested at full pressure by the factory before shipment
• Made in the USA Specifications: ACFM @ 100 PSI: 12.35; 14.55 @ 40 PSI Max PSI: 130 Motor: 208-230V/1Ph. - 15 AMP CFM Displacement: 16.80

#2 Kobalt - $500 range

-7 HP Peak 3.5 HP Running
-208-230V/15A
-15.0 SCFM @40psi
-13.3SCFM @90psi
-Max Pressure 135psi
-60 gallon tank

Go with number one since you are going to be using air tools for bodywork. It doesnt take much to run an HVLP gun, what takes air are the DA's and grinders and such.

Thanks 72CSTC5, I was more concerned about the HVLP gun...good. Appreciate it, can't wait to get started.

a good place to look also is in home depot and lowes/ they have pretty good deals on thier compressors and are excellent for home mechanics

Go with number one since you are going to be using air tools for bodywork. It doesnt take much to run an HVLP gun, what takes air are the DA's and grinders and such.

I'd push back on this just a touch - HVLP guns need a very high CFM due to the high volume of air required. Be sure to get something that will deliver what your gun needs. Going lower just means you have to really watch the duty cycle - same as with the air tools.

:agree: with cdowns that the Husky stuff at Home Depot is pretty good and reasonably priced - they're rebranded Campbell Hausfeld stuff, which IMHO is some of the best hobby compressors out there.

Billa is right, HVLP require large volumes of air. I dont think the first compressor will cut it. Mainly because it is a single stage and is just not going to build air pressure fast enough to keep up with a HVLP gun. When you start spraying you will use the tank volume pretty fast and the single stage compressor is not going to keep the volume needed to keep your gun spraying properly. You will have to stop and wait for your air to build back up then you will have a short time to spray before having to wait again. Get a two stage, 60 gallon minimum. Also remember, just like most things the ratings on these cheaper compressors are usually "fudged" a little and dont actually put out what they say they will. The more expensive compressors will be right.

I've used a Ingersol Rand 5hp/60 gal (sim specs as the one's above) for years with an HVLP gun with no complaints. Rule #1...buy the compressor that has the most CFMs that you can afford. Most all air operated equipment and/or tools is about air volume and not pressure. Get the mfr info on the paint gun you plan to use and find out what is the recommended CFM for it to operate at it's optimum.

Also......step up to a 2 stage compressor if possible because they provide cooler air because it is compressed in 2 separate stages so there is less moisture in the air.

Your gonna spend close to $1K +/- for a descent 2 stage, but it's worth it in the long run.

A HVLP gun will NOT run on those compressors, sorry. Most of your satas run around 14.5 cfm. Many of the Shrapes run around 12cfm. The cheap knock off guns will run around 12-15cfm.
The sata knock off uses more air then actuall sata. If you plan on using a HVLP then plan on stepping up to a dual stage or you are just wasting your money...Eric

A HVLP gun will NOT run on those compressors, sorry. Most of your satas run around 14.5 cfm. Many of the Shrapes run around 12cfm. The cheap knock off guns will run around 12-15cfm.
The sata knock off uses more air then actuall sata. If you plan on using a HVLP then plan on stepping up to a dual stage or you are just wasting your money...Eric

I'll push back again just a bit - they won't operate on those compressors continuous duty. All of the ratings are based not on what the compressors can deliver, but what they can CONTINUOUSLY deliver. I've painted successfully with an HVLP gun with a smaller compressor just recognizing that I have about an 8 minute duty cycle before I have to wait for the compressor to catch up.

I don't disagree that the biggest compressor you can afford is just big enough :)

Thanks for the feedback. This is the most affordable I can find for $1,065 with 2yr warranty. I'm still looking for a better deal, I'm seriosly considering all the comments.

-------------------

Product Details:
Two-Stage Air Compressor - 5HP, 80-Gallon Vertical

• Model T29 2-stage compressor pump - Solid cast iron cylinders, balanced iron crankshaft, ball bearing crank support, stainless steel valves
• Pre wired motor - No magnetic starter required
• Thermally protected motor
• Stop/Start pressure switch with pressure unloader and tank pressure gauge included
• 80 gallon vertical tank built to ASME code, includes bottom drain and side outlet valve.
• Fully enclosed belt guard
• 2 year "Bumper to Bumper" warranty
• Made in the USA Specifications: ACFM @ 100 PSI: 15.33 CFM CFM Displacement: 18.59 CFM Max PSI: 175 Motor: 208-230V/1Ph. - 22 AMP


Weight: 392 lb

I have to agree with these guys, buy the best compressor you can afford. I think that the cheaper the compressor, the more "fudged" the ratings are. Craftsman comes to mind quickly here. HVLP's really consume air, and when your spraying, you really don't want to wait for your air supply to catch up. Go Big!, you won't be sorry in the long run.

I dont recall the numbers or the ratings but tractor supply company or store, whatever, sold/sells Ingersol rand compressors. They had a 5hp 2 stage 80 gal that would darn near man handle any paint gun.
I was around 1000 bucks.

As for the air compressor HP ratings or "peak" numbers is the amount of horsepower that motor is capable of RIGHT before it explodes! Peak HP numbers mean JACK!

I'm with sevt chevelle on this one. The horsepower rating of the motor is meaningless. What is important is that actual CFM numbers that the pistons are capable of moving. You have to hope that the manufacturer installs enough motor for the pump. If the tool/spray gun is using more than the pump is able to replace...........you are waiting. Not the best thing for the compressor or the paint job when you have to stop in the middle.
You can paint small things with an undersized compressor, but you will have overspray problems on bigger jobs. The point is to be able to paint fast enough so that the areas sprayed first are still "wet" enough to take in any overspray. If it has started to dry, because you had to wait on the compressor, you get a mess....and some experience at wet-sanding.

The bodyshop I used to work in had a totally seperate air compressor for the paint booth. This ensured proper volume to the painter while everyone else was using air for other things.

Roman - You can get by with any of those single stage 5 hp models you mentioned above. The IR that I have probably puts out a tad less cfm than the models you indicated above, but it worked fine using the HVLP gun I have (DeVibliss GTI) and I did quite a few completes without any problems. Yes, it will definately run more when painting and especially when using a DA sander, but I never had to stop and wait for it to catch up while painting (the DA is another story.....BIG air hog).

Probably a more important question is are you mainly a hobbiest or do you plan on running your compressor 40+ hours a week? If you are the first, then a single stage 5 hp with a 60 gal tank will get the job done. Get the biggest tank (the more air storage, the better) you can and also a good filter system with a water separator. A single stage compressor will heat the air more than a 2 stage and cause more moisture production (condensation) in the air lines.

Still, the bottom line is buy the most compressor you can justify spending the money on. I'm just saying from my personal experience I've managed with a $500 compressor for years.

The pics are of a friend's ElCamino that I did for him in my 3 car garage and that 5 hp compressor.

Jim,

Thanks for the suggestions, EL Camino looks super!!! You did nice job on that one. I'm just a hobbyist, I do occasional woodworking. I may go safe with a two stage and at least 60 gal. Now that you mentioned HVLP gun, I need to find a decent one also. :rolleyes:

Keep your eyes out for a tractor supply store-I purchased my 5hp there a number of years ago and it's been working well the entire time. I use a hvlp gun, and the note about continuous duty is the key: as long as you're not buzzing along painting at a breakneck speed, the compressor should do the job just fine. Don't forget to use one of one of those little orange water removers at the gun to keep the water out of the gun while painting.

I bought a two stage compressor from Lowes for $799.00 and it has the same specs as the Belaire model. I believe it is the same air compressor, go check it out. It also has a 3 year warranty. You want to buy cfm not horsepower. Shop around.

Stay away from Lowes, Sears, or Homedepot brands compressors they do not last and like everybody else said go with a 2 stage air compressor better CFM's and longivity. A little single stage will not keep up with sanders etc...
I know these things because I work for the Quincy Compressor distributor in AZ and have a ton of people ask if they can get parts and it is almost impossible because the stores use so many different vendors to build there stuff it ain't funny.

Added this pic for Kobalt two stage specs. I spent a lot of time looking before I bought and for the $ was impossible to beat.

Stay away from Lowes, Sears, or Homedepot brands compressors they do not last I know these things because I work for the Quincy Compressor distributor in AZ and have a ton of people ask if they can get parts and it is almost impossible because the stores use so many different vendors to build there stuff it ain't funny.

Sears (Craftsman) and Home Depot (Husky) compressors are built by Campbell Hausfeld. I've *never* had a problem getting parts for either.

Wait untill that model becomes obsolete then you will know what I am talking about, which will happen trust me. They are "disposable compressors". By that I mean when it breaks you buy a new one, it is not the core of there buisness so the quality is not there. I get parts for Quincy pumps that were built in the 70's and you could not say that about the others. IMO I would spend the extra dollars and buy something that will last.

Wait untill that model becomes obsolete then you will know what I am talking about, which will happen trust me. They are "disposable compressors". By that I mean when it breaks you buy a new one, it is not the core of there buisness so the quality is not there. I get parts for Quincy pumps that were built in the 70's and you could not say that about the others. IMO I would spend the extra dollars and buy something that will last.

We'll have to agree to disagree. I just got parts for my Craftsman compressor bought over 10 years ago - one of my buddies was using it to blow out his sprinklers and "fixed" the pressure adjustment :/ I think 10 years of service for $295 and no issues...and then ready availability of parts is pretty darn fine - I took the P/N from the manual and ordered it online. My CH compressor is 3 years old with no issues...and from what I can see they have parts going back to their earliest models.

There's no question that a commercial grade compressor is way more maintainable - especially over time - but they're incredibly spendy. The QT's start at about $2000, right?

The small parts yes but if you need to find pistons, crank, unloaders, valves, etc then it becomes a issue the parts are way out of control expensive most of the time rebuilding one is pointless. I tell customers they have to go through the manu. of the machine. The QT's start at 1,475.00 and that is ready to go with a 80 gal tank but that is here some distributors in your area might charge more. I am not being biased at all I have owned both a Craftsman and Huskey and both took a poop so i am speaking from experience.

you can easily order a complete compressor unit from a big name online hardware store (like Northern Tool http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_290953_290953 ) to replace one that is burned out. When my 12.1 cfm (at 90psi) goes out-I may just upgrade the compressor unit to a larger unit instead of buying a new setup and save in the long run.

That is a great idea 72C10 we sell alot of plain pumps. If you already have a tank and motor that is the best way to go so you do not have to pay for stuff you have already. That is what I did took my tank and mounted a Quincy pump on it.

what would happen if you put in a compressor rated for 7 hp with a 5hp motor? Suppose there would need to be a calculation to ensure the compressor is turning at the proper rpm.

You are correct as well as you would be robbing the true potential of your pump. If that was the case I would buy a 5hp pump for your motor. When shopping you can figure rule of thumb is 4cfm per hp.

The only thing I recommend is purchasing an oil bath compressor instead of an oil-free compressor. We call the pistons "pop can pistons" because they aren't that much thicker. And they get HOT...FAST! Oil baths are built like a Sherman tank.

what would happen if you put in a compressor rated for 7 hp with a 5hp motor? Suppose there would need to be a calculation to ensure the compressor is turning at the proper rpm.

This is where I'm at right now! I just swapped out a small Quincy pump for a IR T-30 V-twin 2 stage. The motor I have is a 1740R RPM and the pump is running around 640 RPM.
I've been looking around the net trying to find a recomended RPM for the pump but haven't had much luck yet.

What's the motor RPM on most of the bigger, (60-80 gal/ 5+ hp) compressors?
Maybe I need a 3400 RPM motor?

Why would you get rid of a Quincy for an IR? What Quincy did you have? All of the pumps are rebuildable. As far as a T-30 I can't really help you. Call IR with your serial number and they can tell you what rpm you should be running your pump at.

Why would you get rid of a Quincy for an IR? What Quincy did you have? All of the pumps are rebuildable. As far as a T-30 I can't really help you. Call IR with your serial number and they can tell you what rpm you should be running your pump at.

The Quincy pump is a really small unit. The IR unit was dirt cheap too!
I'm want to mount the Quincy pump on an old 33gal Craftsmen tank with a gas engine.

I'll contact IR asap. Thanks.

BTW, I live about 60 miles from Quincy, IL!

Cool if you need any help on the Quincy let me know .

you should check out this company....

http://www.eatoncompressor.com/page/page/504413.htm

I've heard some pretty good things about them

I bought a cheap Campbell Hausfeld with a 7 hp motor, 60 gallon tank and puts out around 13cfms and runs my Devilbliss finish line II HVLP gun ok. I do wait on the compressor sometimes, but I only paint tractors, not sure I would want to use it a lot for auto painting but I could probably get by as a hobbyist.

I wish I would have bought one that pumps more cfm's myself. Remember, the more it runs the more heat and the more condensation you get in your tank and lines and if you don't have good water traps and filters you will have water in the paint.

Also, correct me if I am wrong but I believe all the 2 stage compressor gets you is a higher standby pressure, not necessarily more flow, the second stange just allows the tank presssure to be pumped higher than what a single stage can accomplish. Some of those big old cast iron single stage compressors create more cfm's than the cheaper, newer 2 stage units.

Jeff

I bought a cheap Campbell Hausfeld with a 7 hp motor, 60 gallon tank and puts out around 13cfms and runs my Devilbliss finish line II HVLP gun ok. I do wait on the compressor sometimes, but I only paint tractors, not sure I would want to use it a lot for auto painting but I could probably get by as a hobbyist.

I wish I would have bought one that pumps more cfm's myself. Remember, the more it runs the more heat and the more condensation you get in your tank and lines and if you don't have good water traps and filters you will have water in the paint.

Also, correct me if I am wrong but I believe all the 2 stage compressor gets you is a higher standby pressure, not necessarily more flow, the second stange just allows the tank presssure to be pumped higher than what a single stage can accomplish. Some of those big old cast iron single stage compressors create more cfm's than the cheaper, newer 2 stage units.

Jeff
Condensation is caused by humidity in the air not heat. Most piston machines are running around 300 to 400 degrees. And yes a 2 stage produces higher pressures then a single stage and a slight varience in CFM's. Even the old ones produced around the same CFM's, as todays "modern" compressors. Single stage are good for garage use and climate control places were high pressures are not needed. Single stage compressors should be run at max 110psi and that is pushing it. The better would be run at 80-90 psi or they get to hot and run at warp speed. A 2 stage can be ran at 160-175 psi max and does not get nearly as hot. Hope this helps.:)