There are some jobs around the house that I think would be appropriate for an air compressor but I’m not sure. They are, as follows:
– Nailing. I know they all do this. I need something that will nail 2″ nails as well as small brads (1/2″ – 3/4″). Is this a function of the nail gun? Are there guns that handle all sizes?
– Spraying. I have a new fence. The “fencer” said I should put protectorant on about once every 2-3 years. The first time we did this manually and it was difficult because of trees and bushes plus the sheer work. We are both not spring chickens. We have some large surfaces both indoors and out that need painting. Any chance of using the compressor as a sand blaster (low in importance)?
– Washing the cars. Is this possible?
– Indoor & outdoor uses. Often I could use a brad nailer in the shop but I need to mend the fence with nails along with other jobs. I think gas engines would not be appropriate for indoor usage.
– What typical jobs around the house or in the shop are NOT appropriate for an air compressor? I have most standard tools – table saw, band saw, planer, jointer, drill press and a standard collection of hand tools.
– What is your recommendation based on power and price. I’m on a very tight budget. I look at the home stores as well as HF and just get bewildered.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Sutton
Replies
Your solution is to get a grasp of the cfm and at what psi you require for each of the tools you need to power up then price a compressor.You will find that RO sanders sand blasters and production spray guns will require very large compressors to keep up with the demand.So portability becomes an issue .Do a search of breaktime forum as well
Regards Jako
You wrote: "- Washing the cars. Is this possible?"
You're probably thinking of a pressure washer, which is an entirely different beast.
Regards,
Ron
I was thinking that too at first, but then I was trying to remember. Don't they have some attachment where air pressure is helps blast the water along? I get kinda forgetful in my old age so it might be just a bad dream.
I was thinking that too at first, but then I was trying to remember. Don't they have some attachment where air pressure is helps blast the water along? I get kinda forgetful in my old age so it might be just a bad dream.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_11991_11991
air pressure aids in washing cars.
Thank you. So my memory isn't so bad as I had feared.
Have you, or anyone else used one of these things? What's the scoop?Todd
You can get a siphon type gun which connects to a compressor and has another hose which can be put in a bucket of soapy water and wash a car or whatever so it's doable.
>What typical jobs around the house or in the shop are NOT appropriate for an air compressor? I have most standard tools - table saw, band saw, planer, jointer, drill press and a standard collection of hand tools.
I can answer this one.
Don't try washing your cat with compressed air, my cat runs away when I do that.
On the serious side...
Before getting into cfm's and all that stuff, just keep in mind that any tool you run continuously (sanders, sprayers etc..) uses lots of air and need big compressors. Tools that don't run continually, nailers and such, (one short blast and pause) don't need a big compressor. I have a 13 gallon el cheapo compressor that does just fine with keeping up with demand from my biggest framing nailer and also my HVLP sprayer. Please note I use my sprayer mostly for cabinets and small jobs that don't require more than about 30 seconds of continuous spraying. If you are thinking of spraying an outdoor fence with a sealer, I would think you could just pause a minute or two while your compressor is low on psi and then start spraying again if need be.
Santa Barbara,CA
There are some jobs that require more pressure than volume. Nailers, staplers and things like these fall in that category. Anything that needs to release pressure over a long time requires a large volume of air, therefore a large tank or the ability to move lots of air, i.e. HVLP systems with their own turbine blower.
For indoor work (nailing, small spray jobs, etc, a small compressor will work fine. If you have a small nailing job outside, you can carry a small compressor out and use the tank as the reserve or if you have power nearby, plug it in. You can also get an air storage tank and take that out instead. It's best not to try using an extension cord for this- you need a heavy one to keep from popping the breaker.
For painting and any long-term release/cycling of the compressor- you'll need a really good filter/water separator for this. When pressure is released, condensation occurs and water will be sent through the line to the release point. In the case of a paint sprayer, it will get all over the fresh paint and there will usually be some oil in this, which will ruin most paint jobs. HVLP conversion guns are available and they work well. They produce less overspray (by far) and are used with a regular compressor. With drills, die grinders and sanders, the water will spray around the tool's exhaust which, along with messing up whatever you're doing, also displaces the oil in the tool and will speed up the tool's demise.
You need to think about all of the jobs you'll need to do with a compressor and consider the pressure/volume issue. Only then can you get the one that will be best for your needs.
The most important jobs are nailing nails, brads and staples. Next is fence spraying (which I should do this year) followed closely by car washing.The fence is about 400' x 6' (includes both sides, more or less). Painting could be done manually if the compressor is a big hassle. I live in a dry desert-like environment so the cars get "dirty" frequently. I'd really like to be able to hook up the compressor, give a bath and rinse and be done with it, I browsed the compressors offered by HD priced under $300. The HD compressors averaged about 3-5 SCFM @ 40-90 psi. What does the HP rating have to do with anything? Listed ranges are 1.5 up to 25 hp. I'm guessing that my small job requirements would not require much hp.I like the idea of running a gas compressor outside for work inside. My shop is in the basement and I have 3 small access windows. What is a safe distance between house and compressor?As far as waiting for the compressor to recharge, I have no problem with that. I'm not working on the clock.Thanks for the great replies so far...
SH
HP ratings are like voodoo. Most consumer grade compressors are very similar, so if you buy a Coleman, DeVillbis, Porter Cable, Husky, Campbell-Hausfeld, etc it's mostly a matter of color and price. You can get better prices than at HD.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
I think you have received good advice about compressors. As far as your fence is concerned, you ought to check out regular garden sprayers -- the kind with a 2 gallon tank with a wand, and you hand crank the plunger to provide pressure. I have one (which I am pretty sure I got from HD) and it is designed specifically for applying oil to decks, and in your case a fence. I used it just the other day to seal split-faced concrete blocks, and it works very well, with virtually no overspray.********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
I saw a pressure washer attachment on the Northern Tool site (suggested by BarryO). The stated pressure from this tool is a claimed 1000 psi. Cost is a reasonable $40 (less S&H).Since most of the compressors average out between 40-90 psi, how do they make this superman leap to 1000 psi? If this is for real then the whole car wash thing is a done deal. HD has a number of sprayers. Can I assume the will spray the wood protectorant?-SH
I haven't really studied your exact situation, but I imagine their thought is comparing their attachment to a 1000 psi pressure washer. If you have air that is escaping from a tank at 90 psi mix with water could conceivably propel the water at a rate equal to the speed of a 1000 psi pressure washer. Again, just my thoughts. Don't underestimate the power of pressure washers or sprayers. I have a 3000 psi paint sprayer that supposedly can put paint right through your hand - a power washer with the finest tip that I that will erode a concrete block as you hold the wand. Be c-a-r-e-f-u-l!
Edited 5/8/2006 11:44 pm ET by tinkerer2
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