Thread: painting with a small compressor

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I'm using a 6.5Hp, 35 gallon 230VAC I-R compressor and it will keep up with all my tools but is only rated at 50% duty cycle, which I occasionally push hard - so it could be better though it is rated for 13.5cfm @40psig and 11@40psig

Small air (all !) compressors equals heat. Since heated and compressed airis able to hold a lot of moisture (think a humid summer day) you need a significant length of piping to allow this heated air to cool some and drop out the entrained moisture in a trap. The little bitty ones sold at Lowes or Home Depot will not do the job.

I'm using about 50 feet of 1/2 copper, a Harbor Freight primary filter and a good Sharpe final filter along with a pressure regulator(separate photo) which isn't shown installed - I did a bunch of replumbing after I took the photo. There is a valve at the first vertical leg then the one shown which I use to drain the system. Centrifugal force and a couple of 90 degree bends knocks some water into valved legs - it works. The HF filter collects most of the moisture and I have to drain after each use. The Sharpe is a self draining filter and dribbles a little bit. I usually also use a last chance filter at the gun, depending on how much I'm painting.

My primary gun is an Iwata LPH400-144LV with my primer/rough work gun being a DeVillbiss Finish Line lll. The Iwata uses 9 to 16psig at the gun air inlet at and something less then 8-9 CFM. The Devil is 20-25psig at the inlet and about 9 CFM. The Iwata is a premium gun while the Devil is a handyman-occasional use gun, but doing a good job for its intended purpose. Tools make the job - you may not need pro level as a hobbist, but mid level at least make it more enjoyable.