Let’s Talk Air Compressors/set Ups.

[billison]

with all the body work and paint I’m doimg I’m finding myself looking at my air compressor and wanting more. Just curious what kinda set ups you guys got. Including filters and water traps.

My current set up is pretty simple, 4hp 20 gallon with a small dissident filter before a oil/Water separator with a regulator with a disposable filter before and after the hose. All 1/4 hose.

I’m looking to either get a larger compressor or add a second one. Then start swapping the hoses to 3/8 probably with high flow fittings. For filters I’d like to do the motor guard m30 filter ( toilet paper filter) with a little bit nicer Water/oil separator before the hose and keep the one disposable before the gun/tool.

What do you guys use/suggest for the budget minded?

 

[Chuckman]

I've got a husky 60 gallon in the basement with 1/2" copper hardline to the garage with a (too small) dessicant dryer. I need to rig up a better cooler/dryer for it, but capacity seem to be fine for everything, but my cheapo da pushes it.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

Good function and quality is not that cheap. I purchased a Husky 60 gln 4hp single stage 240v electric compressor. Works awesome. There is one other guy on here that bought the same exact compressor as I did, I think it's @Chuckman . I can run a grinder or cut off wheel all I want with my compressor. I ran black iron pipe with a lot of rise/drops which allows the water to settle at the bottom of the risers with a ball valve to drain to water. After nearly 50' of pipe I have a final trap with a regulator. I have zero moisture in my paint gun or any other air tools. A desiccant filter is highly recommended too which I plan on adding in the future.

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

 

[stpete]

I run an inexpensive 60 gal compressor. I have it hard piped to my basement workshop also, where I spray water based woodworking finishes. The downsides: FIxed location. 220V. It's not quite powerful enough for things like sandblasters and heavy usage of metal grinding tools. Even with impact guns, you have to wait for it to refill sometimes. It's loud.
For spraying HVLP, it works great. I have a simple filter/regulator setup with an inline filter and regulator at the gun. I built drains into my system and definitely drain everything prior to shooting. I have a hose that I only use for the sprayer to ensure it doesn't get any tool oil or water in it. All my hoses are larger than 1/4", my hard pipes are 3/4". To keep noise down, the compressor sits on a wooden base that sits on the pads used for HVAC units. There is a hose I had custom made by a hydraulic shop that connects the hard pipes to the compressor to keep the vibrations out of the pipes. That helped quiet it down, but it's still loud.
Overall, I think this is the cheapest way for me to get close to the kind of CFM I wanted. I used one of those new house 10% off anything from the big box hardware stores to buy the compressor. I've had it about 10 years and have had some issues with the cheapness of the compressor, but it was all fixable. All the problems so far were fairly straight forward and inexpensive, but still screws up your weekend.
I think any other compressor I bought that has equal or more flow capacity would more than double the cost. I think the cheap 60 gal are the CFM/$ winners. My compressor is a CH brand similar to the Husky above. It's what Lowes used to sell before they changed the brand names they sell. Whatever brand name they changed to (Kobalt? I think) is the exact same compressor with a different name on it.

 

[Hoytster]

I just ordered this air compressor to replace my aging 3 HP, 20 gallon oil-less compressor. Seemed to be the best value I could find for the tank size, CFM rating, and warranty, plus the reviews have been overly positive.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200641297_200641297

I plumbed everything in my garage with the RapidAir tubing kit. I bought two additional outlet manifolds so I have a total of 4 outlets around my garage.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200484023_200484023

Near the compressor, I have the Devilbiss DAD-500 filter and dryer system to keep the air clean and dry. I've heard the Devilbiss CAMAIR CT30 individual dryer works well too, and is cheaper. Each outlet also has a water trap with a drain. I haven't had any moisture problems yet with my old compressor and I haven't got my new compressor yet so I can't comment whether that will be any different or not.

 

[billison]

You guys feel like the 60 gallon is more than enough for home use?

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

You guys feel like the 60 gallon is more than enough for home use?

Depends on what use you have for it. I will paint the occasional car, metal work, etc. I wanted mine to run a DA sander, cut off wheel, grinder, and HVLP paint gun. Mine puts out nearly 14 cfm @ 40psi which is plenty for my DevilBiss paint gun and runs my air tools easy peezy.

 

[stpete]

You guys feel like the 60 gallon is more than enough for home use?

My 60 gal is more than enough for most things. If you run a sandblaster it's not. Lots of breaks while blasting, but it's something I rarely do. Occasionally if you're really hammering away with the impact it'll need to wait for a refill as well. Same with grinders/cutoff tools and such. Even so, it is way better than smaller compressors in all those cases and it never starves for air when I spray HVLP. But, there is a tradeoff in that when you do hit the wall it takes longer to refill.
More capacity is expensive though. I think the $500ish 60 gal compressors are the right size for a serious hobby homeowner. The exception would be if you spend a lot of full days running grinders and don't want to have to pause every so often. Or, if you want to regularly use sandblasters. I have rarely been concerned about the 40psi flow. Most of the single piston/single stage inexpensive 60 gal compressors are around 11 cfm at 90psi. I think to get any noticeable improvement on that you have to spend quite a bit more money. There are days when I would like more capacity, but they are few. I think at this point I would replace the one I have with the same kind of thing if it crapped out. A few years ago I might've sprung for a two stage (when I was blasting some parts).

 

[Bullitt347]

I recently picked up both a 80 gal 5 hp Kellog-American and a 80 gal 5 hp Curtis compressors for $600. They were made in 1989 and have been in the shop I am at since new. Both still work great. Shop was upgrading to twin 7.5 HP Champion 80 gal compressors and let these go for a song. I sold one to my buddy for $300 so now we both are going to be set when it comes to shop air. Just have to install it.

 

[Chuckman]

You guys feel like the 60 gallon is more than enough for home use?

The da is a hog and makes it run a bit too constantly if you're using it for long periods of time, but haven't had a capacity problem with my grinders, cutoff, cheapo hvlps etc. I did 4 coats of surface primer on the fox shell over the weekend and it worked like a champ (my skills however still suck).

 

[Vettn71]

I have a HF 60 gal/two-stage 5hp compressor. I use a flex line to 1/2" copper pipe that runs into my attic, crosses the garage, comes out of the ceiling, then angles down about 30' at a slight angle. I have two drops, one with my two-stage filter/dryer and the other just goes to a ball valve. I have ball valve at each drop, coming out of the compressor and one at a drop below the compressor outlet.. The copper pipe gives the air a chance to cool, condensing the moisture out of it. Since the copper pipe is sloping away from the compressor, it lets the moisture run to the two drops. Seems to work okay, but it takes about 50' of copper pipe to get the moisture out of the air. Hope this helps

Jim

 

[Blandnuts]

I'm jealous. Here I am using two Thomas Renegade 2 hp 4 gallon. It's a good thing it's quiet and body work isn't happening anytime soon.

 

[Noobz347]

I have a 3 gallon tank and a bicycle pump. It only works until my lips are numb.

I'm jealous. Here I am using two Thomas Renegade 2 hp 4 gallon. It's a good thing it's quiet and body work isn't happening anytime soon.

Throw a cheap storage tank into the middle of that and watch performance go up by 2. Take your feed from the new storage tank.

 

[02 281 GT]

I want to revive this because I need an opinion or two. I'm planning to use the 3/4" ID RapidAir kit that Hoytster posted above. I'm planning to use this filter/drier/regulator from PneumaticPlus. I'm planning to use the RapidAir kit to plumb a series of water traps using these automatic draining water collectors also from PneumaticPlus (unless someone can recommend a cheaper one with a manual drain). I'd like to plumb in at least three water traps.

I'm going with the larger tubing so I can get the maximum amount of CFM to the gun whenever I get around to actually using my setup to prime my '66 coupe.

My questions are:
1. Should I do more than three water traps since I plan to use this setup for primer and (possibly) paint?
2. Should I put the water traps before or after the filter/drier/regulator?

My current setup is pictured below. I am planning to mount the tubing to the wall behind everything, working around the hose reel as necessary. The filter/drier/regulator will be mounted to the 2x4 on which the reel is mounted. The traps will be to the left and/or right of the reel as space dictates. Other than the reel, I only plan one other outlet that I will route to exit near my workbench. Thoughts?

 

[billison]

Water traps before the filter. The idea is to cool
The air so the filter can catch it all.

 

[KZGUNS]

I run a 60gal two stage sanborn and its plenty for using sanders etc.. mine fills to 155psi so when you regulate it down for sanders etc it doesnt run too much at all.

 

[STEVE PATTON]

two stage key, check cfm@90 psi.hopefully above 14

 

[02 281 GT]

Does anyone have a suggestion on the number of water traps?

 

[FoxMustangLvr]

Does anyone have a suggestion on the number of water traps?

It's good to have about 35-50' of pipe between your compressor and your quick disconnect. Somewhere in that 35-50' run you should have a few vertical jogs with ball valves at the bottom of each. I think I have 4 total jogs with a valve at the bottom of each. After my up/down runs it goes to a water catch can/regulator, then you should have a desiccant filter , then to your quick disconnect fitting.