Air Compressor

Hey fellas,

I was wondering if the 1/4 HP, 3 Gallon, 100 PSI Oil Free Compressor
at Harbor Freight would suit the job for cleaning and maybe air brushing parts. It's gonna be 55% off, btw.


http://images.harborfreight.com/cpi/ema ... es/hdr.jpg

 

It should be okay for what you want to use it for but thats about all and its probably pretty loud. You should be able to air up tires and for airbrushing you will also need a moisture trap or filter

 

That'll be fine for what your wanting.. but I couldn't imagine trying to concentrate to airbrush something with a loud compressor like that next to you..

 

That's not a "shop" compressor by any stretch. You need about a 5hp with a 25 or 35 gallon tank, 125 PSI, to run shop tools, a real spray gun, etc.

That one's barely big enough for tires, fine for an airbrush. (But loud.)

 

I have a 5 hp 30 gal compressor it does run air tools but it does run a lot when your using something that takes a lot of air. Next time will go for a 6hp 80 gal. But not worth replacing a good compressor for

 

Thanks for the info, guys. I'll just pass on this one then.

 

if you look at cl there are always a bunch of good deals on compressors

 

Mine's the same as yours. Direct drive motor and seems to run constabtly when sanding. Keep promising myself I'll get a real shop compressor one of these days. Double lunger, cast iron heads and a nice quiet electric motor with a drive belt.....(sigh) someday
Like this:

This is what I have now:

 

I messed around for years with a small compressor until the brilliant day when it finally wheezed its last! Replaced it with a 240V only 33 gal 2 cyl unit from Sears. Wish the old one had died years earlier.

There is an advantage to owning a 240V compressor. Nobody will try to borrow it once they hear it isn't 120v!

I use the same receptacle which is wired directly to the breaker panel for both my welder and compressor.

Loren

 

Overkill for an airbrush and could you please clearify what general cleaning means? If you mean blowing compressed air all over the place, you would be fine but I will agree with the fellows, it will be noisy. On the up side, it will be small enough to stash in the apartment and cart around. Not a bad deal for your considerations.

 

don't let anybody tell ya a belt drive twin isn't loud

 

To be honest, I want one to torture small animals, jk.

By general cleaning I meant airing debris off the bike. I hate having to bug my cousin to go to his shop in order to clean my parts.

Is that a good or bad overkill? The paint job on both my bikes is crap, I'd like to touch them up someday, at least primer them during spring break.

 

Agree with ya 100 percent, but those little direct drive jobs drive ya nuts!

 

My personal opinion. If you are working in a shop or garage enviroment, you can't have too big of a compressor. You can always use a regulator for smaller tools. However, if you are working in a basement or bedroom, it could be a different story.

 

It should be fine for your purposes.

 

My idea is (when I save up enough for a bigger compressor) is to build a small housing outside my shop for the compressor. I'd plumb the air intake outside the housing to accept an air filter (one off of a large truck) and get all my filters free!! And an air moisture trap inline too for painting. That way all the noise stays outside and I can hear my stereo in the shop.