Air Compressor - Advice Needed Please!

[Spoonman]

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.

I would be looking to use paint stripper rather than sandblast if you want to polish it afterwards as it will need an amazing amount of sanding done after sandblasting to get to a flat enough surface to polish.

[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 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?

Looking at the schematic you posted, that one is a piston type. Both types are noisy but nothing that should put you off. Ask the store to plug it in for you and you can see for yourself.

[MaiDong]

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.

I would be looking to use paint stripper rather than sandblast if you want to polish it afterwards as it will need an amazing amount of sanding done after sandblasting to get to a flat enough surface to polish.

Good advice, thanks, I was just looking for the lazy option!

So I suppose that takes away my need for a compressor with sandblasting capabilities

[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.

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?

I see only the gauge. It might have a small wheel under it that you turn to adjust pressure, but my experience is that if you have a regulator, you have two dials. One always tells you how much pressure is in the tank, and the second is the regulator gauge where you set how much pressure you want going into the hose.

[NeverSure]

It takes a lot of air to sandblast. A lot. In the US we have 110 volt electricity, and for heavy appliances it it 220 v. 220 v would be the kitchen range, the clothes dryer - things like that which use a lot of power.

I have 2 compressors that run on 220 v and one is 4 horsepower and the other is 5. They put out about 9 cfm at 60 psi each. Either will run anything I have all day, the the glass bead (or sandblast) cabinet takes the most air. To run it continuously and not get a compressor too hot, I have a "Y" connector so that I hook both compressors together and then they loaf.

Don't use too coarse of sand on your bike frame. It will be rough and the roughness will show through the new paint. I use glass beads or very fine sand. The sand I get at a builders supply and it is called mason's (brick layers) sand. It is very very fine but cheap. I pay about 3 baht (-$10 US) for a 100 pound sack.

YOU CAN'T stop much when you are spray painting nice things with automotive type paint. You must keep a "wet line" going. If you wait too long mid-job, the sprayed paint will begin to set and then you can't flow new paint into it. You will get a dry spot which forever looks like over spray. Once I start painting I don't stop until that coat is finished for that reason. Find some YouTube videos about how to paint a car, and the principles will apply to a bike. I have painted many bikes and cars but I was taught by a friend who owned a body shop. He let me come into the shop with my hobby projects and paint there, and he would help me at first. Then I got my own equipment for home.

You can get a good but cheap HVLP detail gun which will not use too much air but do a nice job on small things like a bike frame and fenders. Actually you want a smaller gun for that because the parts are narrow and small and a full sized gun would waste too much paint.

It turns out that these are very good guns and the fender pictures posted above show fenders which were painted with the small gun like this - the detail gun. Perhaps you can find something like this in LOS. This is both guns - the regular and the detail size and very handy and modern HVLP guns.

http://www.harborfreight.com/professional-automotive-hvlp-spray-gun-kit-94572.html

[NeverSure]

Another thing you can do with a smaller compressor for small jobs, is to get a separate extra pressure tank. It takes a long time for the compressor to fill it to pressure, but then you have a big reserve. If you need 8 cfm at 30 pounds, you draw from the whole reserve for one coat (on smaller parts) and then the pressure can rebuild for the second coat. That might be something like these, but would still work only for smaller jobs.

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=air+tank

[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?

I see only the gauge. It might have a small wheel under it that you turn to adjust pressure, but my experience is that if you have a regulator, you have two dials. One always tells you how much pressure is in the tank, and the second is the regulator gauge where you set how much pressure you want going into the hose.

There are two dials, one on each side of the black plastic cover, on the top of the black plastic cover it says 'Pressure control' and it has the little red-ended lever on this side of it, on the blind-side of the black box is another dial, in the documentation it says there is a dial for tank pressure and a dial for pressure after the regulator, but what I'm wondering is should I get a better quality regulator as mentioned by Gary A, would it fit directly onto the regulator valve or somewhere futher down the hose?

[MaiDong]

It takes a lot of air to sandblast. A lot. In the US we have 110 volt electricity, and for heavy appliances it it 220 v. 220 v would be the kitchen range, the clothes dryer - things like that which use a lot of power.

I have 2 compressors that run on 220 v and one is 4 horsepower and the other is 5. They put out about 9 cfm at 60 psi each. Either will run anything I have all day, the the glass bead (or sandblast) cabinet takes the most air. To run it continuously and not get a compressor too hot, I have a "Y" connector so that I hook both compressors together and then they loaf.

Don't use too coarse of sand on your bike frame. It will be rough and the roughness will show through the new paint. I use glass beads or very fine sand. The sand I get at a builders supply and it is called mason's (brick layers) sand. It is very very fine but cheap. I pay about 3 baht (-$10 US) for a 100 pound sack.

YOU CAN'T stop much when you are spray painting nice things with automotive type paint. You must keep a "wet line" going. If you wait too long mid-job, the sprayed paint will begin to set and then you can't flow new paint into it. You will get a dry spot which forever looks like over spray. Once I start painting I don't stop until that coat is finished for that reason. Find some YouTube videos about how to paint a car, and the principles will apply to a bike. I have painted many bikes and cars but I was taught by a friend who owned a body shop. He let me come into the shop with my hobby projects and paint there, and he would help me at first. Then I got my own equipment for home.

You can get a good but cheap HVLP detail gun which will not use too much air but do a nice job on small things like a bike frame and fenders. Actually you want a smaller gun for that because the parts are narrow and small and a full sized gun would waste too much paint.

It turns out that these are very good guns and the fender pictures posted above show fenders which were painted with the small gun like this - the detail gun. Perhaps you can find something like this in LOS. This is both guns - the regular and the detail size and very handy and modern HVLP guns.

http://www.harborfre...-kit-94572.html

Good advice, thanks! What do you think about spoonmans advice about paint-stripping instead of glass bead/sandblasting my aluminium MTB frame?

[MaiDong]

Another thing you can do with a smaller compressor for small jobs, is to get a separate extra pressure tank. It takes a long time for the compressor to fill it to pressure, but then you have a big reserve. If you need 8 cfm at 30 pounds, you draw from the whole reserve for one coat (on smaller parts) and then the pressure can rebuild for the second coat. That might be something like these, but would still work only for smaller jobs.

http://www.harborfre...sult?q=air tank

That's a really good idea, I like that

I didn't see any extra tanks in HomePro, I'll have another look, perhaps I can get them elswhere here?...

[NeverSure]

Good advice, thanks! What do you think about spoonmans advice about paint-stripping instead of glass bead/sandblasting my aluminium MTB frame?

Paint stripping is fine but you need a special stripper for aluminum, and you have to wash the part thoroughly to get the highly alkaline stripper ALL off the part. Use gloves. It is highly caustic. I buy what's called aircraft stripper in spray cans for aluminum and it works great. I find it at most paint stores, especially those that sell automotive paints.

[NeverSure]

There are two dials, one on each side of the black plastic cover, on the top of the black plastic cover it says 'Pressure control' and it has the little red-ended lever on this side of it, on the blind-side of the black box is another dial, in the documentation it says there is a dial for tank pressure and a dial for pressure after the regulator, but what I'm wondering is should I get a better quality regulator as mentioned by Gary A, would it fit directly onto the regulator valve or somewhere futher down the hose?

Then you have a built in regulator and I would use it and see how it does. The regulator usually goes right at the tank. Then if I question the amount at the tool because of line loss, I snap in a gauge at the tool to check it. A handful of quick connectors is an excellent investment.

Remember to set your pressure regulator with air running out of the hose through the tool you will use. It won't set properly if the air is static.

[NeverSure]

That's a really good idea, I like that

Notice that those tanks are for filling with compressed air and then going portable without a compressor. You'd need to do a little adapting with a T fitting to be able to put air in one side from the compressor while taking it out the other side for the tool. I'll bet those are 1/4" NPT pipe threads and the place which sells the equipment usually has a variety of fittings. If in LOS the sizes are different, the principle still applies.

Again, invest in a handful of quick connectors for all of this. One on each end of each hose and one on each tool.

[MaiDong]

Good advice, thanks! What do you think about spoonmans advice about paint-stripping instead of glass bead/sandblasting my aluminium MTB frame?

Paint stripping is fine but you need a special stripper for aluminum, and you have to wash the part thoroughly to get the highly alkaline stripper ALL off the part. Use gloves. It is highly caustic. I buy what's called aircraft stripper in spray cans for aluminum and it works great. I find it at most paint stores, especially those that sell automotive paints.

In Thailand?

[MaiDong]

There are two dials, one on each side of the black plastic cover, on the top of the black plastic cover it says 'Pressure control' and it has the little red-ended lever on this side of it, on the blind-side of the black box is another dial, in the documentation it says there is a dial for tank pressure and a dial for pressure after the regulator, but what I'm wondering is should I get a better quality regulator as mentioned by Gary A, would it fit directly onto the regulator valve or somewhere futher down the hose?

Then you have a built in regulator and I would use it and see how it does. The regulator usually goes right at the tank. Then if I question the amount at the tool because of line loss, I snap in a gauge at the tool to check it. A handful of quick connectors is an excellent investment.

Remember to set your pressure regulator with air running out of the hose through the tool you will use. It won't set properly if the air is static.

I'll have to have another poke around in HomePro but I bet they don't have the things I need, I might have to buy from China or the US(preferably)

[MaiDong]

That's a really good idea, I like that

Notice that those tanks are for filling with compressed air and then going portable without a compressor. You'd need to do a little adapting with a T fitting to be able to put air in one side from the compressor while taking it out the other side for the tool. I'll bet those are 1/4" NPT pipe threads and the place which sells the equipment usually has a variety of fittings. If in LOS the sizes are different, the principle still applies.

Again, invest in a handful of quick connectors for all of this. One on each end of each hose and one on each tool.

That's what I liked about it, it meant I didn't need to drag the compressor around with me

[NeverSure]

That's a really good idea, I like that

Notice that those tanks are for filling with compressed air and then going portable without a compressor. You'd need to do a little adapting with a T fitting to be able to put air in one side from the compressor while taking it out the other side for the tool. I'll bet those are 1/4" NPT pipe threads and the place which sells the equipment usually has a variety of fittings. If in LOS the sizes are different, the principle still applies.

Again, invest in a handful of quick connectors for all of this. One on each end of each hose and one on each tool.

That's what I liked about it, it meant I didn't need to drag the compressor around with me

The air won't last long unless being refilled by a compressor. It's meant for things like pumping up a tire out in the field.

[NeverSure]

In Thailand?

No, I haven't had tools in Thailand. I don't know.

[MaiDong]

That's a really good idea, I like that

Notice that those tanks are for filling with compressed air and then going portable without a compressor. You'd need to do a little adapting with a T fitting to be able to put air in one side from the compressor while taking it out the other side for the tool. I'll bet those are 1/4" NPT pipe threads and the place which sells the equipment usually has a variety of fittings. If in LOS the sizes are different, the principle still applies.

Again, invest in a handful of quick connectors for all of this. One on each end of each hose and one on each tool.

That's what I liked about it, it meant I didn't need to drag the compressor around with me

The air won't last long unless being refilled by a compressor. It's meant for things like pumping up a tire out in the field.

Understood

[NeverSure]

Good advice, thanks! What do you think about spoonmans advice about paint-stripping instead of glass bead/sandblasting my aluminium MTB frame?

Paint stripping is fine but you need a special stripper for aluminum, and you have to wash the part thoroughly to get the highly alkaline stripper ALL off the part. Use gloves. It is highly caustic. I buy what's called aircraft stripper in spray cans for aluminum and it works great. I find it at most paint stores, especially those that sell automotive paints.

In Thailand?

I am spoiled in the US. I have about a 1200 square foot (about 110 square meter) garage that is all finished and has heat and aircon. In LOS I had a flat at The Riverside in Chiang Mai. When I move to LOS next year on a retirement visa, I will have to give it all up and start over.

[MaiDong]

Good advice, thanks! What do you think about spoonmans advice about paint-stripping instead of glass bead/sandblasting my aluminium MTB frame?

Paint stripping is fine but you need a special stripper for aluminum, and you have to wash the part thoroughly to get the highly alkaline stripper ALL off the part. Use gloves. It is highly caustic. I buy what's called aircraft stripper in spray cans for aluminum and it works great. I find it at most paint stores, especially those that sell automotive paints.

In Thailand?

I am spoiled in the US. I have about a 1200 square foot (about 110 square meter) garage that is all finished and has heat and aircon. In LOS I had a flat at The Riverside in Chiang Mai. When I move to LOS next year on a retirement visa, I will have to give it all up and start over.

You're lucky where you are, I've got a 5x8 metre yard and I'll have to do battle with my wifes plants to fit the compressor in

[thunder30101]

Good luck finding any quality tools here haha, those small air compressors wont run a sandblaster, suction type or pressure feed. Small nail guns and hvlp sprayers and filling tires are going to be about it for them. For any serious work you need a two stage compressor, you might find one in bkk.

[NeverSure]

Actually, we've been buying quite a few Chinese made air tools at a company called Harbor Freight with very good luck. They also sell that HVLP kit which I used on those fenders above with pleasure. I wouldn't buy anything with a motor or engine from them, much less a compressor but we've had good luck with a lot of things for excellent prices.

I bought my first DA sander in the 70's for about $150 which was a ton of money then. I paid $200 for my Binks #7 gun back then. Now I can buy a DA for $29 US and a good HVLP for $25 and that's the truth. My compressors are all high end Speedaire twin piston, two stage commercial grade but they are close to $1,000 US each now.

[Spoonman]

My compressors are all high end Speedaire twin piston, two stage commercial grade but they are close to $1,000 US each now.

Awesome, you answered the OP perfectly, in normal walks of life do you also go round swinging your dick to show others how good/big you are ?

[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.

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

hard to tell: the southern people I worked with can talk to each other in their normal speaking volume, I would call it shouting.

It is not terrible loud, you don't need ear protectors, but lets say if your girlfriend want to watch soap operas in the same room she would miss the dialogs.....

[h90]

Good luck finding any quality tools here haha, those small air compressors wont run a sandblaster, suction type or pressure feed. Small nail guns and hvlp sprayers and filling tires are going to be about it for them. For any serious work you need a two stage compressor, you might find one in bkk.

I am not sure if I right, but I think the single piston can do 6-7 bar and the two stage 8-12 bar.

[h90]

My compressors are all high end Speedaire twin piston, two stage commercial grade but they are close to $1,000 US each now.

Awesome, you answered the OP perfectly, in normal walks of life do you also go round swinging your dick to show others how good/big you are ?

I have a 2000 Euro Scuba compressor with 4 stages and 300 bar maximum. For how much does this count in this who has the bigger one competition? Do I win?

[NeverSure]

My compressors are all high end Speedaire twin piston, two stage commercial grade but they are close to $1,000 US each now.

Awesome, you answered the OP perfectly, in normal walks of life do you also go round swinging your dick to show others how good/big you are ?

I have a 2000 Euro Scuba compressor with 4 stages and 300 bar maximum. For how much does this count in this who has the bigger one competition? Do I win?

Just remember.If you have something, and mention its capacity, there will always be a low life who just can't stand looking at his own small dick. If you are trying to explain how much power it takes to do a job and what that will cost, someone will take it wrong. I just feel sorry for them.

[thunder30101]

^ your posts have nothing to do with tools available in thailand is the point. The op asked about a compressor available HERE not the US where everything is available Telling him all about what you have there and what it can do will only prompt him to throw away money. CFM ratings dictate what air tools a compressor will run not air pressure.

[h90]

My compressors are all high end Speedaire twin piston, two stage commercial grade but they are close to $1,000 US each now.

Awesome, you answered the OP perfectly, in normal walks of life do you also go round swinging your dick to show others how good/big you are ?

I have a 2000 Euro Scuba compressor with 4 stages and 300 bar maximum. For how much does this count in this who has the bigger one competition? Do I win?

Just remember.If you have something, and mention its capacity, there will always be a low life who just can't stand looking at his own small dick. If you are trying to explain how much power it takes to do a job and what that will cost, someone will take it wrong. I just feel sorry for them.

yes it is some mental problem...my car, boat, compressor is bigger. my wife is more beautiful, my kids are smarter. Or even I can drink more alcohol.

Of course I am top in this competition! My wife is bigger and my kids can drink more alcohol

I think it is when people feel unsure about themself, so they want to proof that they are superior in some way.....

[NeverSure]

^ your posts have nothing to do with tools available in thailand is the point. The op asked about a compressor available HERE not the US where everything is available Telling him all about what you have there and what it can do will only prompt him to throw away money. CFM ratings dictate what air tools a compressor will run not air pressure.

That is incorrect. CFM must be stated at a specific air pressure. What good does it do to get 10 CFM at 1 PSI? A tool will need (will use) a certain volume at a certain pressure.

One compressor might be able to put out 1 CFM at 100 PSI, while a more powerful one might put out 10 CFM at 100 PSI. A compressor might put out 10 CFM at 50 PSI, but only 5 CFM at 100 PSI.

My experience with most sprayers and hand tools is that they range from needing 6 - 9 CFM at 40 - 60 PSI. Now, if you're just airing up a tire or football, or blowing dust off a shelf, there might be enough compressed air in the tank to do that. You have to look at those two numbers for any tool to know if a given compressor can handle it.

I guess according to some here, it takes a big dick to know that. I'm actually tired of stepping on mine all the time when I forget to wear the right shorts.