HOW TO - Setting Up a Compressor for your Project Work Options

[Nial]

I dont know if this is the right place for this, but it kind of makes sense to put it here, I am sure mods will move it elsewhere if its not appropriately placed.


How to – Amateur Compressor Set Up & Spray Painting

Just to set things heading in the right direction, everything I type here is from my own experiences, not necessarily the way the pros would do things, but from an amateur point of view. Before buying anything, do your own research as there may well be better / different options available.

The first thing I stumbled into is the minefield that is compressor choice, there are literally hundreds of them, some great, some not so great……so where do you start?

Well you need to decide what you are going to use your compressor for, if you are going to use it once in a blue moon and pump up tyres of very occasional air tool use then one of the small 50 litre 4.5cfm compressors might just do it, but be under no illusion, it wont be up to much, the supply wont last long and it wont run air hungry tools for longer than a few minutes, the same for a paint sprayer as these range from 6cfm to 12cfm ish.

This as an example will probably drive you nuts having to wait for it to catch up with the air demand.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/...-air-compressor

Despite it saying “good for use with paint spraying,” don’t be fooled, you will have to stop every few mins for it to recharge.

I would have two lots of advice, buy the highest cfm you can afford, I have 14.5cfm and it has handled all I have thrown at it, but it does run nearly constantly when I am spraying. Also buy the biggest tank you have space for, again I have a 100litre tank.

This is what I purchased

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/...twin-compressor

I got a comparatively cheap one as I didn’t know how much use I would get out of it, had I not being restoring a car than it would probably be enough, but knowing what I now now I would go for something bigger like this one

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/...-air-compressor

but only because I use it a lot, if you are only going to use it as a hobby, its probably overkill.

One thing I was quite surprised by was how noisy it was, so I purchased these to help keep the noise down.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/range/gu...ibration%20feet

They did help quite a bit.

As you have no doubt seen I also built a mini shed around the compressor to help keep the noise down and to keep the weather off. I lined the mini shed with basic house insulation. You could use the normal stuff but its itchy as hell so I got this made from recycled plastic.

http://www.diy.com/departments/diall-loft-...m/197658_BQ.prd

its not itchy at all which is handy as you will be constantly accessing the compressor.

Two things you have to do with the compressor, keep an eye on the oil level and open the drain plug after use each day.

Once you have decided on the compressor you are going to use, theres load more to buy. You will need at least 5 meters of flexible reinforced tube to reach from your compressor location to your distribution point. Along the way you are going to need a couple of filters depending on your use.

I have two of these to remove any water from the system.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KBQP49A/ref=...ssor+water+trap

I also have a self emptying water trap which I cant seem to find an image of.

Finally I have an adjustable regulator which has a physical filter in it to remove foreign bodies from the air

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/...ilter-regulator

……this is important if you are going to have an air fed mask which you should use when spraying paint. I also run a small in line water trap just before the gun.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/36085121740...80&ff14=108

I know that when this starts to remove water from the system, its time to stop and dry the lines out.

After this you will need some lines to stretch from these filters to your work, I would buy two lines, one to feed the paint gun & air fed mask, which you have to keep clean, the other line can be used for air tools which, if you want them to last need an oiler which will add oil to the compressed air to help lubricate your tool (oooh errr). You do not want oil in a line that feeds a paint gun as oil and paint don’t mix well.

I got one of these.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/...r-hose-reel-car

But for the next one I will buy a longer line, ideally you want your airline to be long enough to stretch from your garage to the furthest point on your driveway…..unless you live on a farm or have a huge long driveway ☺

You can buy a huge selection of airtools, I will leave that to your imagination……..but, I shall go into airguns, there are three main types, bottom feed, top feed and Schultz, I have all three, but again knowing what I know now I wouldn’t buy the bottom feed type, they are very air hungry and wasteful as they don’t suck up all the paint from the container. The Schultz type gun isn’t really a paint gun, its just a nozzle that splatters stoneguard type coating onto your car, if you intend to apply stone guard you will need it, if not, you wont ☺

That leaves top feed guns, try not to buy cheap, and buy one that has an air control and paint quantity control.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/...d-pro-spray-gun

You don’t have to spend a fortune, but at least buy a reasonable quality one.

Finally, one of the most important things to buy, a breathing mask which you should always use when spraying or doing anything that creates a lot of dust such as sanding, you only have one set of lungs so look after them.

This type of mask is OK for dusty jobs

http://www.buysku.com/wholesale/double-car...inting-use.html

It does state its OK for paint spraying and chemical resistance, But I wouldn’t entirely trust it, I have one very similar but almost succumbed to paint fumes on Thursday which was a bit scary…..oh you must also do a “face fits’ test before using it in anger, make sure it fits your face with no gaps etc.

I have just purchased one of these for use when spraying.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SSP200K-Air-Breath...ds=air+fed+mask

this is one of the reasons to have a physical filter somewhere in the line, you need very clean air to breath, you don’t want water or oil in the line…..

Another thing you have to be aware of which is VERY important……….., if your compressor is in the same space that you are paint spraying, move it, especially if you are using 2K paints……otherwise the compressor will just be sucking up the chemicals from the paint and pumping it into your face mask and the filters wont be able to remove them unless you have very posh, very expensive clinical filters.

That should just about cover all the things you need to buy to get you going.

In part two I will cover spraying techniques, cleaning, work preparation, paint types.

Feel free to ask any questions, I will answer what I can if I know the answer but will only comment on things I have personally experienced.