which air compressor?

[gwking]

I want to buy a air compressor and I'm not too sure which kind to buy,what I plan on doing is stripping the paint off my 64 Kombi and possibly painting it,what I want to know is how many gallon tank and how much horsepower should I look for that will keep up with the sander?any info in greatly appreciated,Thanks

[Jowlz]

Depends on the sander. Most of the time you can find an electric version of the air tool you want to use. I have an electric D/A sander I use quite often. If you find electric versions of the sanders you want to use you can buy a smaller compressor.
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The honey-do list put my project on hold.......

[gwking]

So one of those electric Dewalt rotary's should get the job done just good correct? that sould be my second option,the compressor I can use for multiple jobs i.e,sanding,painting,cutting,etc. However if I can't find a resonable air compressor I will just settle with an electric sander for now.

I was thinking like a 7hp 60 gallon compressor would get the job done?what do you guys think?

[John Miller]

The size of your compressor depends on what you will be using it for. Since you have already mentioned painting & DA sanding then your compressor will have to put out a lot of CFM's. Those to tools are "air hogs", they take a lot of CFM's to work properly. If painting with a HVLP gun you need more CFM's than with a convential gun. A DA sander is low CFM's but need lots of volume. It is sometimes easier to buy the tools and then match the compressor to them. It really depends on your budget. You can get a 80 gal 2 stage that will probably do everything you can throw at, but you'll need to spend minimum of $1000 for the compressor and a few hundred more for accessories. The 7hp 60 gal (which is what I have) is a good alternative for around $450, but you have to be carefull when purchasing tools to make sure your compressor can handle them.
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[Jowlz]

I think the D/A I have is a porter cable. You have to look at the sander and make sure it is true dual action.

As for the compressor, go with as big as you can afford. I have a 7.5hp, 120 gallon tank. It is rated 24 cfm@175psi. It is however 220 volts. It is pretty good at keeping up with the sander. Also, be careful of what brand you buy. Alot of the compressors sold inflate their ratings. Get something from a reputable company.
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The honey-do list put my project on hold.......

[Tim10]

IF you can afford about $400-500... go with something just barely enough to move. It's a nice bonus to move it to another location...

Our dual stage will paint a car and keep up with it.

You can always put in a 2nd reserve tank if you're looking for more capacity.

I HAD a zillion pound monster... we were stuck to the hard lines... sold it and bought something slightly smaller.

Our little single stage could BARELY keep up with painters.

T
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[gwking]

great info guys!!! thanks alot.

I was looking at a 7hp 60 gallon at home depot and it was like $450 do you think it will get the job done?