Hey guys bigger is always better but you can use a small one's these day if your using a HVLP spray gun.

I use a HVLP gun as you set the regulator to a continuous 4.5bar spraying out your gun it use's a lot less air as the normal spray guns. but you will notice with all small compressors that it will be working to hard to keep up the air delivery feed.
If spray painting is what you want the compressor for you need to look at one with the pump displacement around 15.9 CFM and free air delivery starting around 10.4 CFM. you'l find most compressors around that size are a 3piston compressor

hope this helps you

That looks almost the same as the gun I bought, also for $150.
Great results straight from the box but the second use I learnt that its very important to clean the gun properly :)

All good advice for the compressor but for painting you will need a good gun. Get one that's HVLP (High Volume low Pressure) and gravity feeding. you will have more control as the pot will not be in your way and they are easier to clean. Also get one that you can buy extra nozzles for and ask whoever you buy your paint off to recommend what size nozzle for the paint you decide to use. If you are doing clear coat you may want to consider two guns as the washing and swapping between colour and clear is a pain.

Here's the gun I bought, it is a iwata copy and cost me $150 make sure you buy the stand thingy accessory - gravity guns are a pain to fill and leave on the bench.

http://datsun1200.com/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=22661

air tools wa

I have bought a heap of stuff from these guys with great success.

I have their 17cfm unit (which was the biggest at the time available) I see they now have a 20cfm unit available.

I would go for a 15cfm or better for general use, including rattle guns, die grinders, tyre pumper, painting.

Im not much of a painter, so i cant comment on paint gun quality, but I used a $50 special to paint my shed floor recently and it worked a treat.

Also, bear in mind that compressors are rated at "free air delivery" while tools are rated at actual consumption.
Assume 75% effiency of a compressor, so your 10CFM compressor is more likely 7-7.5CFM in actual use, even then if your gun is using 6CFM the compressor will be running at or near 100 duty cycle most of the time. That is OK for home type use but for commercial use you would look for a higher rated compressor to improve the service life of it.

Air compressors have only 3 things to worry about.
CFM output.
reciever tank size.
engine running it.

Bigger is always better in all three in the long run.
get the biggest of everything that you can afford.

The chinese made compressors that are made now are fine for a backyarder. I have had a 17CFM "Blackcat" (cheap chinese unit) for nearly 4 years now, and it goes like a trooper. Even the cheap compressors come with regulators so that you can adjust the flow and pressure that is being output. A larger compressor can be wound down, but a small one cant be wound up.

A bigger reciever tank means that the compressor doesent have to run as often to deliver tha same amount of air.

The engine to drive the unit is determined by what power capacity you have (10 or 15amp) or 415v if you are lucky. Petrol engines can be lound but a cheap method of getting a large CFM unit.

You can't really have too large a compressor as you need to regulate the pressure anyway, however a very large tank will take quite some time to initially get up to operating pressure and of course use more power etc..

ddgonzal wrote;

"Traditional spray painting guns require (if I recall correctly) 3.5 CFM (100 Liters/minute?).

However this one says 1.5 CFM at 30 psi (up to 6 CFM):"

does this mean you can have a too powerful compressor for spray painting?

can you turn them down?

im looking at this one. just want to spray my car, but dont know anything.

would this be ok?

http://melbourne.gumtree.com.au/c-Stu ... ressor-W0QQAdIdZ249457443

Air compressor: Approximately 10 CFM, 1600 watt (approx. 2 HP) 240 volt motor, belt driven alloy pump, 50 litre tank, regulator. In working order. Located near Essendon.

thanks guys

14 CFM @ 90psi will run just about any tool. I would not go any less than that.

They work ok for painting, just let the compressor catch up so the pressure doesn't drop too much and use a oil & water filter inline.