Air Compressor - Advice Needed Please!

[MaiDong]

I'm thinking of getting this;

25 litre, 2.5HP, 113 litres per minute, 8kg/cm2 compressor. B2,990.

I've been looking around for a smaller compressor for quite some time now, but I saw this today and thought I would quite like it

I would have various uses for it, such as spray-painting jobs, sandblasting(if ACTUALLY possible with this unit, it claims to, in the manual..), pumping tyres up, possibly pressure-washing and PC cleaning - now before anybody says anything about that last use, that's part of the reason I'm here asking for advice...

I have read on page 6 of the manual(see pic below) 'MOISTURE IN COMPRESSED AIR' and it goes on to say that if I intend to use it with air-powered tools then a dry filter will be necessary to prevent air coming through the hose and out of the gun - would that same air filter be adequate to prevent the amounts of moisture coming out of the gun for use with PC cleaning? I'm sure I've read someone saying they have used larger compressors for this job...

I have read some other threads regarding the use of compressors like this for PC cleaning and whilst I appreciate that this particular unit is slightly overkill for such a purpose, I would like to know if anybody has used such a compressor for this use?

I saw a Stanley leaf blower which costs B1,790 and has only 2 uses - blowing and sucking and is bloody noisy so I reasoned with myself that I might as well spend B1,200 more and get a proper big boys toy!

If this unit is ok to use - with an air filter - for PC cleaning, where would I be able to find an air filter? Klong Tom?

Thanks for any advice!

MD

[seedy]

In the line coming from the compressor you can purchase a water separator, along with a reservoir to apply air tool oil while you are using air tools.

Get into the habit of draining the air tank daily.

A good quality water separator is a must while spray painting, and I have had the best luck with the tall cylinder type filled with desiccant.

To determine if the compressor is large enough, find the cfm required for the specific air tool, and see if your compressor can provide this. Also check and see if it is 100% duty cycle, which means that it can provide the rated cfm continuously. Some are only 60% duty cycle, which means 6 minutes out of 10 minutes. The remaining time is to allow the compressor head to cool.

For me tho' I would buy the cans of compressed air specifically suited to cleaning electronics and cameras. These are treated to remove all the moisture.

[MaiDong]

In the line coming from the compressor you can purchase a water separator, along with a reservoir to apply air tool oil while you are using air tools.

Get into the habit of draining the air tank daily.

A good quality water separator is a must while spray painting, and I have had the best luck with the tall cylinder type filled with desiccant.

To determine if the compressor is large enough, find the cfm required for the specific air tool, and see if your compressor can provide this. Also check and see if it is 100% duty cycle, which means that it can provide the rated cfm continuously. Some are only 60% duty cycle, which means 6 minutes out of 10 minutes. The remaining time is to allow the compressor head to cool.

For me tho' I would buy the cans of compressed air specifically suited to cleaning electronics and cameras. These are treated to remove all the moisture.

Thanks for the advice seedy but I would only buy it if I could use it for PC cleaning too, my PC's get so dusty - we're just off Charansanitwong Road and there are very dusty roadworks ongoing here - that I'm spending too much on cans of air, they're B300 a pop!

[NanLaew]

In the line coming from the compressor you can purchase a water separator, along with a reservoir to apply air tool oil while you are using air tools.

Get into the habit of draining the air tank daily.

A good quality water separator is a must while spray painting, and I have had the best luck with the tall cylinder type filled with desiccant.

To determine if the compressor is large enough, find the cfm required for the specific air tool, and see if your compressor can provide this. Also check and see if it is 100% duty cycle, which means that it can provide the rated cfm continuously. Some are only 60% duty cycle, which means 6 minutes out of 10 minutes. The remaining time is to allow the compressor head to cool.

For me tho' I would buy the cans of compressed air specifically suited to cleaning electronics and cameras. These are treated to remove all the moisture.

Thanks for the advice seedy but I would only buy it if I could use it for PC cleaning too, my PC's get so dusty - we're just off Charansanitwong Road and there are very dusty roadworks ongoing here - that I'm spending too much on cans of air, they're B300 a pop!

A dust cover and keeping the doors and windows closed is probably cheaper than aerosol cans AND the overkill air compressor.

Sent from the Back 'o Bennachie with an Asus eePad Transformer TF201 thingumabob.

[inthepink]

According to the article on the link I have included below there is a minute risk, but you can follow the suggested precautions to be absolutely sure.

http://www.howtogeek.com/57870/ask-how-to-geek-why-you-should-never-vacuum-your-pc-converting-books-for-the-kindle-and-controlling-multiple-computers-with-one-keyboard/

[MaiDong]

In the line coming from the compressor you can purchase a water separator, along with a reservoir to apply air tool oil while you are using air tools.

Get into the habit of draining the air tank daily.

A good quality water separator is a must while spray painting, and I have had the best luck with the tall cylinder type filled with desiccant.

To determine if the compressor is large enough, find the cfm required for the specific air tool, and see if your compressor can provide this. Also check and see if it is 100% duty cycle, which means that it can provide the rated cfm continuously. Some are only 60% duty cycle, which means 6 minutes out of 10 minutes. The remaining time is to allow the compressor head to cool.

For me tho' I would buy the cans of compressed air specifically suited to cleaning electronics and cameras. These are treated to remove all the moisture.

Thanks for the advice seedy but I would only buy it if I could use it for PC cleaning too, my PC's get so dusty - we're just off Charansanitwong Road and there are very dusty roadworks ongoing here - that I'm spending too much on cans of air, they're B300 a pop!

A dust cover and keeping the doors and windows closed is probably cheaper than aerosol cans AND the overkill air compressor.

Sent from the Back 'o Bennachie with an Asus eePad Transformer TF201 thingumabob.

I bet that Asus eePad Transformer TF201 thingumabob gathers a lot of dust too NanLaew!

But seriously, my office is on the second floor, along with the bedroom and it's pretty much closed off all of the time, the windows are always closed and the stairwell door is closed permanently, but the work that I do in my office creates a lot of muck too, so dustcovers and closed doors/windows is not the solution unfortunately

[MaiDong]

According to the article on the link I have included below there is a minute risk, but you can follow the suggested precautions to be absolutely sure.

http://www.howtogeek...h-one-keyboard/

I'm liking what they say here inthepink! I would do it outside in the yard, so if any moisture actually landed on the insides it would dry in moments.

My big boys toy is getting closer every moment!

Now all I need is a certain 'you-know-who'(He isn't yet part of this discussion!) to strike me down

[inthepink]

According to the article on the link I have included below there is a minute risk, but you can follow the suggested precautions to be absolutely sure.

http://www.howtogeek...h-one-keyboard/

I'm liking what they say here inthepink! I would do it outside in the yard, so if any moisture actually landed on the insides it would dry in moments.

My big boys toy is getting closer every moment!

Now all I need is a certain 'you-know-who'(He isn't yet part of this discussion!) to strike me down

Sadly, I used a vacuum cleaner once and my hard drive seemed to take offence - lost all the data. Maybe a coincidence but I won't try it again

[MaiDong]

According to the article on the link I have included below there is a minute risk, but you can follow the suggested precautions to be absolutely sure.

http://www.howtogeek...h-one-keyboard/

I'm liking what they say here inthepink! I would do it outside in the yard, so if any moisture actually landed on the insides it would dry in moments.

My big boys toy is getting closer every moment!

Now all I need is a certain 'you-know-who'(He isn't yet part of this discussion!) to strike me down

Sadly, I used a vacuum cleaner once and my hard drive seemed to take offence - lost all the data. Maybe a coincidence but I won't try it again

Vacuum cleaners are having mixed reports in that link aren't they! Some people have killed their machines, others have used vacuums several times!

[Gary A]

I have two air compressors. One is a piston type that is so slow that it cannot even be used for spray painting. The other one looks similar to the one in the picture. It is a rotary compressor and there is no comparison to the piston type. It simply pumps many times more air.

I have never had an air dryer or even a water catcher canister. I use it for spray painting as well as cleaning electronic items including my computers. Both compressors have a valve on the bottom of the tank and I keep the water drained out.

[MaiDong]

The compressor has got pretty good reviews on amazon, someone mentioned the limitations with regards to CFM, as seedy allured to, for my uses it should be fine though http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wolf-Sioux-9-5cfm-Compressor-complete/dp/B004CRF9I0

[MaiDong]

I have two air compressors. One is a piston type that is so slow that it cannot even be used for spray painting. The other one looks similar to the one in the picture. It is a rotary compressor and there is no comparison to the piston type. It simply pumps many times more air.

I have never had an air dryer or even a water catcher canister. I use it for spray painting as well as cleaning electronic items including my computers. Both compressors have a valve on the bottom of the tank and I keep the water drained out.

Thanks for your input Gary A, I'm going to buy it tomorrow

[thaimite]

There is NO WAY I would put a compressor of that size near my PC.

Apart from the moisture issue, a too high a pressure could damage the board

But it is your choice

[MaiDong]

There is NO WAY I would put a compressor of that size near my PC.

Apart from the moisture issue, a too high a pressure could damage the board

But it is your choice

The pressure is adjustable, I would only use between 10 & 30 PSI, as advised by some users on T'internet, and going on other peoples use of compressors Large & small, it's absolutely fine to use

[MaiDong]

This evening I have read that compressed air cans go up to 70 PSI! Is that correct? If it is then I'm more than comfy with using the compressor I'll own tomorrow.

[inthepink]

I've seen cans with 71 PSI. People seem to recommend about 20-30 PSI if using an air compressor and as somebody pointed out on one site I was reading, there is moisture in the air that is filtering through your PC all day - it isn't a problem unless it condenses.

I have to say, it would be quite funny if you blew your motherboard to bits (to me anyway ) but I am sure you will be fine. If you do happen to wreck your PC, at least you will have done it with a man's toy rather than something women use to do the housework!

[mogandave]

113 LPM (4 CFM) is not enough to do any serious spray-painting, but it should be okay for a smaller gun and jobs. It will virtually useless for sandblasting. 8CFM is pretty good for painting.

You will need a decent water-trap to paint and to blow-out your computer. I would not add an oiler as it shits up all your hoses. Oil the tools when you use them.

The cans may put put out 70psi, but the spray orifice is tiny. Using a compressor and blow gun, 15 psi should be plenty.

I like having a compressor around the house.

[NeverSure]

The moisture trap has nothing to do with whether you drain your tank. The moisture condenses continuously from the compression and decompression of the air.

When a fluid (yes, air is a fluid - didn't say liquid) compresses, it gets hot. Touch the tank on your compressor after it's been running for a while and it will therefore be hot. When that happens, the moisture (humidity) in the air is heating and turning to vapor.

When the compressed air leaves the tank, goes into the hose, decompresses and then travels back to atmosphere, it super cools. The air blowing onto your hand from your blow tip will be colder than the ambient air, yet it was just hot one moment ago! This is basically what makes an air conditioner work.

When this rapid decompression and cooling of air happens, the moisture in the air turns from a vapor into solid drops of liquid water. Those will get into your paint or your computer or your air tool...

A basic moisture trap will be down the line a ways from the tank, in the air line, and after the air cools and the water condenses. It will have a low "pot" for that water to settle into. The air coming out the other side will be much freer from moisture. The trap will have a drain to empty it.

There are single stage and two stage traps, and other fancy traps. I made a huge one out of PVC pipe but I won't describe it here. After the air goes through that, and it's 2" schedule 40 which slows the air way down, I still run the air through a commercial moisture trap for overkill.

With that moving air, you are really risking hitting your electronics with static electricity...

The newer HVLP spray guns use a lot less air than the earlier pressure guns. Here's a couple of pics of freshly painted 60's Schwinn bike parts, done with a small HVLP detail gun. Not like an air brush, I mean just a smaller size of a regular spray gun.

[Gary A]

I have an air nozzle that regulates the pressure by itself. It's also a safety deal. You can put your finger over the hole and stop the air. I also have a regulator that I use for spray painting. Adjustable from 0 to 100 PSI plus. I adjusted the old piston type compressor down to about 45 psi max so the wife wouldn't kill herself over inflating bicycle or motorbike tires. She absolutely refuses to use a pressure gage.

[NeverSure]

Good deal. A pressure regulator isn't an option IMHO. I mount mine directly on the tank with quick connects so I can move them around. Just remember that there is pressure line loss from friction, so when I need to know for sure what pressure I'm using at the end of the hose I snap in a gauge there temporarily and then adjust my regulator. This is the case with my glass bead blasting cabinet and spray guns particularly.

[Gary A]

I bought a cheap pressure regulator here and it was a dangerous thing. If there was no air actually going through it the pressure would gradually build up to whatever the tank pressure was. I have an aluminum paint canister for a spray gun that now has a convex bottom rather than the original concave bottom.

A couple of years ago I paid about $50 in the US for one. It is a good one that always gives full flow no matter what the pressure is set at. The cheap junk one got thrown in the waste can.

[h90]

I have that compressor....no problems with it, for nailing wood I didn't use any separator and no problems.

Good thing is that it is so light that it can be carried up the stairs by one normal man.

disadvantage is that it is very noisy, but maybe all piston compressor are that noisy.

I recall that I paid approx. 3000 Baht....so the same.

[NeverSure]

I bought a cheap pressure regulator here and it was a dangerous thing. If there was no air actually going through it the pressure would gradually build up to whatever the tank pressure was. I have an aluminum paint canister for a spray gun that now has a convex bottom rather than the original concave bottom.

A couple of years ago I paid about $50 in the US for one. It is a good one that always gives full flow no matter what the pressure is set at. The cheap junk one got thrown in the waste can.

I can't even remember the name of the type of gun you have that will do that. It might be internal mix. ?? Most spray guns run from a compressor are external mix siphon guns. They don't build pressure in the cup. The air passing through the head creates a vacuum and the gun is called siphon feed. This is true of my 30 year old high quality but high pressure Binks #7 gun, and my latest HVLP guns.

I do agree that a cheap regulator is no answer. If it doesn't say Binks or DeVilbiss on it, I don't want it.

[MaiDong]

This is a problem, I don't want a toy that can't do what it's advertised to do - sandblasting. I have read a few other threads elsewhere on this subject and you are correct, 4 CFM will not be enough for sandblasting, it will be ok for small painting jobs, blowing up tyres, cleaning computers etc, but not the big jobs, I'm considering my options

[MaiDong]

I suppose this would offer a little more 'meat'... http://www.thaimaxwell.co.th/en/products_air_Piston.php

[Gary A]

I suppose this would offer a little more 'meat'... http://www.thaimaxwe..._air_Piston.php

You can do sand blasting with any of them provided that you are not in a big hurry. If the compressor won't keep up you just have to wait until the pressure comes back up. Same with spray painting. You just can't use the tool non stop. When the pressure goes too low, stop and have a couple swallows of beer. The job will eventually get done.

[MaiDong]

I suppose this would offer a little more 'meat'... http://www.thaimaxwe..._air_Piston.php

You can do sand blasting with any of them provided that you are not in a big hurry. If the compressor won't keep up you just have to wait until the pressure comes back up. Same with spray painting. You just can't use the tool non stop. When the pressure goes too low, stop and have a couple swallows of beer. The job will eventually get done.

Not allowed to drink beer at home any more

That's why I'm trying to channel my efforts elsewhere

I would only be doing small jobs anyway, the first job would probably be sandblasting my MTB frame, it's a Marin and apparently the paint is pretty loose on the frame anyway so I don't think it would require much pressure/effort, I want a polished aluminium finish so I wouldn't be painting it again afterwards, the other jobs I would use the compressor for would be small DIY furniture jobs.

[MaiDong]

Good deal. A pressure regulator isn't an option IMHO. I mount mine directly on the tank with quick connects so I can move them around. Just remember that there is pressure line loss from friction, so when I need to know for sure what pressure I'm using at the end of the hose I snap in a gauge there temporarily and then adjust my regulator. This is the case with my glass bead blasting cabinet and spray guns particularly.

I think this is the pressure regulator, what do you think? If it is then do you think I could remove it and fit a better quality regulator?

[MaiDong]

I have that compressor....no problems with it, for nailing wood I didn't use any separator and no problems.

Good thing is that it is so light that it can be carried up the stairs by one normal man.

disadvantage is that it is very noisy, but maybe all piston compressor are that noisy.

I recall that I paid approx. 3000 Baht....so the same.

Just how noisy is it? Is it so noisy that you can't talk to someone standing next to you?

[MaiDong]

I have two air compressors. One is a piston type that is so slow that it cannot even be used for spray painting. The other one looks similar to the one in the picture. It is a rotary compressor and there is no comparison to the piston type. It simply pumps many times more air.

I have just noticed the poster who said he has this compressor and that it's noisy and that perhaps all PISTON compressors are noisy, the noise isn't too much of a problem because nobody seems to give a shit about their neighbours on my street but that fact that he said 'PISTON', is it a piston compressor? Or a rotary compressor?