Painting through a spray gun requires a lot of pressurized flow of paint to attain the right flow of paint from the gun. For achieving the correct pressure of flow be it high pressure or low-pressure spray guns are equipped with various modes of generation of pressure like air compressors in HVLP spray guns, pistons in airless sprayers and turbines.
Why do we need these Air Compressors?
These motors are necessary for a spray gun to emit the right amount of paint in the correct pressure. Air compressor is the most efficient one of this, except airless sprayers and some units of HVLP spray guns every spray gun has the air compressor.
What actually an air compressor does in a spray gun? It atomizes the paint in the gun and sprays with the desired pressure which is high volume and low pressure. For achieving the right pressure and coverage with a spray gun you need to understand the components’ air compressor.
Today we are going to discuss air compressors, their requirement for spray painting, the benefits and how to choose the right air compressor.
We have talked about air compressors and what they do and that they help in better coverage and quality of paint.
There are two types of air compressors used in the spray gun painting. The two types of compressors are:
- Direct drive compressor
- Belt driven compressor
Direct drive compressors
These compressors that people use for day to day work, e.g., for DIYs or hobbies or daily work. They help in performing the less demanding jobs like hobbies etc. They are coaxial and are generally single stage which means they only compress atmospheric air at once. These compressors are not expensive as well and work with low pressures very efficiently.
Belt Driven Compressors
These compressors can be used for high-end jobs like heavy paint jobs etc. Belt driven compressors help in achieving first workshop jobs which require high demanding work. This compressor operates with helping pulley and belt; involves both two stage and single stage compressing of atmospheric air.
These are much more efficient than the Direct driven compressors as they run cooler and provide a vast quantity of pressure for the consumed power.
The other variations also present in the units of air compressors that a person can choose efficiently according to the style of the job that they want to perform. It wholly depends on the tasks that people can decide what kind of air compressor is best for their project. You can choose your air compressor from the following criteria and choose wisely among them.
So let’s start
The work environment
Before choosing anything else, you need to determine the portfolio of the work profile you are going to work in.
The type of job helps in determining the right compressor suitable for the job for e.g. if the work is a DIY project than it needs to be done with the help of directly driven compressors but if the work is highly demanding or intense work than you might need a belt driven compressor. So determining the compressor according to the job is a must step.
Right size
For achieving the correct pressure of flow from the spray gun you need to understand that the capacity of the compressor matters a lot. Buying a small compressor might end up in a lot of wastage of time whereas a big compressor can end up wasting a lot of resources. So opting for the right size is pretty much mandatory.
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Air compressor with the apt air flow
The measurement of airflow is done according to cubic feet per meter (CFM). The desired CFM value should be adjusted more than the required CFM output and less than the maximum CFM output mentioned for the best performance.
As per the thumb rule, it is said that to determine the CFM number you have to add 30 percent to the desired CFM number. For achieving high pressure, a compressor may also require high horsepower, more electrical components, and large pumping system.
Size of the compressor
If the job being done is a short-term work and requires quick and concentrated usage, then you need to use a small-sized compressor, but for a job that is being aimed for a more extended period, you need to opt for a mostly sized compressor.
The horsepower required
If you are working with a high CFM, you need to opt for a compressor with high strength also. Higher power is necessary to ensure that the flow of spray is in a reasonable quantity. To determine the right horsepower according to the CFM is highly recommended.
Tools needed
Forgetting the right pressure from the spray gun or compressor you need to determine the tools you might be required for the same as the tools would help you decide the right PSI the compressor should be providing. The right tools help in assuring the compressor delivers enough PSI to work effectively.
Using the right protection
When working outdoors with an HVLP spray gun, you need to make sure you keep the compressor protected from the extreme temperature or water or moisture and to ensure the protection of the compressor you need to construct cast iron around the compressor to provide it protection against these factored and guarantee durability and longer life.
Other features
There are few parts of the compressor which can work as the money saver and increase the efficiency of work other than the airflow or tank size etc. E.g., various internal adjustments can be eliminated by using one-piece connecting rods, or stainless steel finger valves can help in removing corrosion. Such small fittings can help in saving a lot of money and increasing the efficiency of the flow of paint through the spray gun.
Considering the control system
A healthy start and stop system could be used for work which doesn’t require constant air whereas if there is work with a requirement of 8-9 hours of work then you might need a continuous speed control system to adjust the speed accordingly.
Cost of the compressor
If you are looking for a cheap compressor then you need to know that these compressors work for long and are disposable whereas long-term compressors are expensive. So choose wisely which suits you best.
The right company to be chosen
The brand or the company reputation matters a lot. You need to check everything from the history to the price of the defaults in the company everything to select the best option for the compressor.
So this was all about the requirements of the air compressor for spray painting that you need to keep in mind while buying a compressor and these qualities might tell you a lot about why you need an air compressor for spray guns.
- DWFP12231 Brad Nailer drives 18ga nails from 5/8" to 2" length.
- DWFP55126 Compressor offers 2.6 SCFM delivered at 90 PSI pump, 6 gallon (22.7 L) tank and 165 max PSI
- Tool-free depth-of-drive adjustment and tool-free jam release
- Low 75.5 dBA for a quiet work environment
- Kindly refer user manual for instructions.
Benefits of air compressors:
It helps in saving energy as it helps in producing the right amount of pressure required without any wastage.
Helps in low-cost energy conservation which not only benefits the user but also works for the well being of the society.
It delivers a smooth and fine quality finish to the sprayed paint.
So these are the few reasons why you need to opt for an air compressor for spray painting. We hope you liked the article and for any, further her query or suggestions keep visiting our site. And for any comment or query contact us through the comment section below.
Peter Levick
ArchitectI am a licensed architect who is passionate about all things home improvement industries, I have been doing DIY painting projects and have developed lots of experience around home improvement over the 10 years.
