what kind of compressor do i need

[GARTHXS]

I just want to paint my bike and fill tires what size should I get

[crazy steve]

If you don't plan to run any air tools and use a HVLP spray gun for painting, you don't need a big'un. Look for something that puts out 5-6 CFM at 40 PSI and you'll be fine.

I've got a buddy that uses one of those 'portable' pancake compressors to paint cars....

[b.walker5]

If you want to paint with it you'll need something with a reasonable sized tank and good displacement for quick recovery. I made mine 25 years ago, out of an old auto AC compressor and a truck vacuum brake tank. It holds around 4 cubes of air and I run it at 100psi, but it's a little small for automotive painting, unless I use a low pressure (30psi) gun and dont expect a high quality finish. Great for painting the house and fences, and tyres, though.

Painting and air tools are the most demanding on compressors so my advice would be to buy the best one, with the biggest tank and compressor, you can afford.

[79XS11F]

It's not about the pressure. Just about any compressor will deliver up to 90 PSI ... but for how long. You need to look at the CFM @ the required PSI. Oil less is best for painting but cost a ton more. The smaller the compressor the bigger the reserve tank will need to be. After buying and selling a few compressors over the years, I ended up buying a shop sized unit that does anything I want it to do including sand blasting. In a nut shell, GO BIG and get it over with. They hold very little value used so selling each time to upgrade REALLY hurts.
Rob

[GARTHXS]

Yeah I was planning on getting a used one on Cl

[DGXSER]

Garth,

I use mine mostly to run air tools. I also use it for air nailing, and recently for painting my gas tank. I do have a low pressure gun.

THIS is what I have. Has never had an issue keeping up with any of my needs.

[GARTHXS]

Yeah I was planning on getting a used one on Cl

[fredintoon]

Hi Garth,
for practical reasons you need a compressor that will run out of a 110V 15Amp plug. As big a capacity as you can get with that limitation.
That'd be about a 7.5 cfm compressor.
What you DON'T want is a direct drive oilless unit.
That type of compressor costs less money but they are appalling noisy and they don't stand up.
The compressor you need should be belt-driven, need to have oil in it and preferably made of cast iron.

[DiverRay]

Garth, I would second "get the biggest tank you can" over the size of the compressor. I have an old DeVilbess (sp?) that is supposed to be 5HP. It's oil-less but somewhat noisy. Biggest thing for painting is to buy an air dryer for the line and install it at the tank outlet. You need the air to be as clean as possible, otherwise you get a paint job that is "full of holes" or worse. Harbor freight has most of the fittings, dryers, etc. at good prices. They are NOT first quality, but it's a good way to start.
You should be able to buy a good unit for about $100 to $200, depending on the resale in your area.

[b.walker5]

Hi Garth,
for practical reasons you need a compressor that will run out of a 110V 15Amp plug. As big a capacity as you can get with that limitation.
That'd be about a 7.5 cfm compressor.
What you DON'T want is a direct drive oilless unit.
That type of compressor costs less money but they are appalling noisy and they don't stand up.
The compressor you need should be belt-driven, need to have oil in it and preferably made of cast iron.

I completely agree Fred. An oil trap is a small extra price to pay for a decent, long lasting compressor, and any good brand worth it's salt should have one fitted, and it should have at least a half HP electric motor, although mine is 3/4 horse.

Garth, spending a little extra on a 'good' compressor now as apposed to most handyman types will be money well spent, as it will last for many years. I have nothing in particular against the direct drive, oil-less type, but I prefer to pay a little extra and buy my tools once, and then expect many years service from them.

[crazy steve]

While Garth seemed to be looking for what he could 'get away with', I'll second the opinion on oilless compressors. They have their advantages, but longevity isn't one of them (unless you buy a big $$$ commercial grade as opposed to consumer grade).

My cast-iron compressor is now over 20 years old, and still works great...

[Pat Kelly]

I have a 2hp, 115v motor running a 120/90 compressor filling a 5 gallon tank. I have another similar unit with no motor. I was thinking of connecting the outlet of the good unit to the inlet of the motorless unit to make a 10 gallon tank (5 gal could be portable). Hoses to run appliances could be connected to the compressor/tank or the second tank.
Any problems with this?

[b.walker5]

Couldnt see it being a problem. Just adding more storage which equals more contant delivery for longer. The only thing i'd watch would be the duty cycle of the motor/compressor as it would need to run longer to fill the tank/s. 2 horses at 115v is drawing a fair amount of current (approx 13amps) and things could get hot if it has to run for extended periods.

[MaximPhil]

You need the air to be as clean as possible, otherwise you get a paint job that is "full of holes" or worse.

+1

[Ken Talbot]

An oil trap is a small extra price to pay for a decent, long lasting compressor, and any good brand worth it's salt should have one fitted,

For small volume painting like this, you might also want to consider using a dessicant snake to remove moisture from the compressed air. Full time shops have much more sophisticated equipment for drying the air, but a snake will work for home use.