# what is a good air compressor for painting



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

For what your suggesting my answer would be none. I would suggest and airless sprayer for painting. Then the compressor for the nailers.


----------



## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

Horsepower and gallons mean very little when determining air requirements.
More important is the CFM meaning Cubic Feet per Minute.
You need about 4 1/2 CFM to run an air gun. More is better. If you are borderline, an Air Receiver might help, too.


----------



## willc86 (Mar 26, 2016)

would you guys recommend something like this?

http://www.harborfreight.com/airless-paint-sprayer-kit-60600.html


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I would not I have never heard of that brand in my life. And I don't really recommend any HF power tools the quality is like pulling the guess what on a candy machine. This is just me others will be along to tout the qualities of their tools.

The add says the 517 tip will give an 12 to 16" fan. The first number in the size doubled is the fan size so a 517 is a 10" fan. if you hold it back far enough to get a 16" fan you will think the fog rolled in. And knowing nothing about the sprayer means knowing nothing about the gun. Can you get other tips? what brand tips will the gun accept? What sizes are available? Will the gun accept Graco filters or just the ones from this company?What about the sprayer filters?


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

That machine might be a dandy one---if you consider it 'disposable'

Paint pumps and spray guns require a lot of maintenance and replacement parts.

I have two pumps (which I haven't used in years) --when I was doing a lot of spraying I had a tool box filled with replacement parts and often used them.

I also bought a second pump as a back up, so the work could be done when the first pump went down.

Best to buy a pump from a store that stocks all of the repair parts.

Renting is also an option.


----------



## Mattia.R (Apr 20, 2016)

I am also in the market for a new air compressor. There is no way a 1.5 HP 6 gal compressor can handle spray gun. As far as I now 60 gallon, 3 hp air compressor is minimum required to power a spray gun. For tools like sander, grinder, die grinder 5 hp would be better.

https://www.drillselect.com/forum/power-and-hand-tools/pneumatics/74-60-gallon-air-compressor

Would you agree with that?


----------



## Kev6433 (Apr 22, 2016)

I have a 1/2 HP compressor and will put out 100 psi. So a 60 gallon tank is not needed . buy a compressor rated for the psi needed for what tools you run and if intermittently used or constant. Sure the bigger the motor the easier the compressor works. Unless you have need of a 60 gal. Tank to run specific tools. Plus it's alot of space for that big a compressor.


----------



## Kev6433 (Apr 22, 2016)

I forgot hvp gun requires 18 cfm which a 5 HP 80 gal. Is recommended but most other tools max cfm needed is 8


----------



## thediyhubby (Nov 1, 2014)

It's not about size or psi. Look at the cfm requirements of your specific spray gun and get an air compressor to match that. Look at air compressor comparison charts online where you can compare features and specifications side by side.


----------



## diversity210 (May 1, 2016)

willc86 said:


> Hey guys I am looking for a not so expensive air compressor that can handle all types of paint, even exterior latex paints and primers
> 
> So was wondering if you recommend any spray guns and air compressor.
> 
> ...


I dont know what you mean by inexpensive air compressor, but for what you are describing you just are not going to find any inexpensive air compressors to do what you are wanting it to do. At the least for what you want you need a two stage 5 horse power 80 gallon compressor. Ingersol rand compressor of that magnitude would run you about 1400 bucks. That still would not allow you to spray exterior latex paints though as with an air compressor you are going to be using an HPLV and even with the biggest nozzle on an HPLV gun you are not going to be able to effectively spray exterior latex and there is the volume issue. Gravity fed HPLV and siphon fed guns are going to use a guart at the most. You would be constantly refilling. You could use a large pressure pot which would give you much more volume, but then you are talking about much more money and its a cumbersome setup 

I have used LVLP guns on as small as an 8 gallon compressor. Mind you it was a very small spray job with intermittent spraying. You could get away with having something like a 2 horsepower 30 gallon compressor for spraying mid sized projects such as cabinetry work but you still are not going to be able to spray exterior latex. If you want to spray exterior latex then I would look at something like graco or wagner airless spray systems.


----------

