New air compressor Will this paint my bus?

[happycamperbrat]

I just bought this compressor at Sears http://www.sears.com/craftsman-4-gallon-portable-twin-tank-side-stack-compressor/p-00916638000P#desc I can take it back within a week unused for a full refund if it wont work for me. It is 4 gallons, 1hp, 135psi and a bunch of other numbers. Eventually I want to paint my bus with it, but for now Im happy to air some automotive tires and run an air ratchet to remove my bus tires........ Is this what I need? Hopefully too, it will be a toy some bus nut could use that gets unlucky enough to land on the surface of the sun with me 

Thanks guys!!!

[AndyG]

You can paint your bus with this but it will be slow going.  You will have to wait on the compressor to build up pressure sometimes.  Be careful not to let the motor run continously.  These compressors usually have a small% duty cycle which means they will overheat if you run it constantly.  You can keep this one for general use and rent/borrow a bigger one for shooting paint. 

[eddiepotts]

I think I would have spent the extra $20 and bought this one. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00916640000P?mv=rr&i_cntr=1314302414407  The tank will give more working time.

[Len Silva]

Frankly, I would take it back and keep looking.  The one Eddie suggested is a little better, but still marginal. 2.4 SCFM @ 90 psi is not enough to paint with and not nearly enough to get your lug nuts off with.

You really need 10 SCFM or so to do any kind of work.  That means a minimum of 3 horsepower.

I just bought a nice Ingersol 10.9 SCFM portable for $100.00 at a pawn shop.

[luvrbus]

MsT those are nice compressors I have one but no portable unit will work for painting if you want a good job, my Devibiss gravity flow gun requires 16 cfm I think the cheapo HF gravity guns require 14 cfm and gravity type is the gun you want still a good little compressor for light work and a aux for your bus 

good luck

[papatony]

Happycamperbrat:: You will need at least a 60 gal. tank with a comperable compressor to do a decent job .  also check into a pressure pot. that is a lot of surface to cover.

[bevans6]

I have to go with the consensus.  My compressor is around 6 CFM but I put it on a 60 gallon tank, even it is using a 2 hp motor that draws close to 12 amps at 220 volts.  I can paint with it, but it takes a long time to recover.  My gun is a HVPL type that only needs 50 PSI at the regulator.

Those little compressors are great for running little nail guns, filling tires, blowing the dust off things.

Brian

[Jriddle]

I have one like that only has a different off shore brand on it. It will hardly run a half inch inpact but I still keep in bus for backup.

John

[happycamperbrat]

hmmm, ok I will take it back. But I am going to need a small one because my bays are only about 22" tall....... I was hoping to not only use it at the house, but to be able to keep it in my bus and use it if needed out on the road..... and yes I did want to paint with it, but that doesnt seem like a portable will do so I will end up having to beg borrow or steel a big one for that job

[desi arnaz]

you would be hard pressed to get the nuts of a 10 speed bike with that one..... just get allstate rv road service for 7 bucks a month, they will change your tire for you,

[Jriddle]

The compressor would air up bus fine. The problem with mine is that the tank will not hold enough to do much work with a impact.

John

[luvrbus]

John fwiw that compressor is made in China for Campbell/Hausfeld model HL5402 so much for knock off huh lol still a nice little compressor

good luck

[belfert]

You might look to buy, borrow, rent a gasoline powered compressor when the time comes to paint.  They produce a pretty good CFM.  A 110/220 volt unit that size would be pretty hard to transport for a rental.

I would recommend looking at Craigslist for a compressor that is oil lubed with a belt.  I got one pretty cheap a while back from Craigslist.

[zubzub]

you don't need a big compressor for the bus, a small oil one will be fine, and air up the bus do anything else (but paint) you need on the bus if you use the bus air tanks as your reservoir.  You can run a 1/2" air line from a bus tank to a 1" air gun and get your lugs off etc and use the little comp to recharge.  The oil ones can handle long duty cycles, so a little bitty thing can air a bus up no problem.  
When it is time to paint the bus, you will need lots of CFM if you want to spray large panels in one go.  You can practice the small stuff using a small comp and a punk tank, and once you know what you are doing, rent a big compressor for a few days and paint your bus.
I have a large comp and a wee one, and most of the time I use the wee one, the big'un comes out for paint and for running my 3/4" and 1" guns when I am not with my bus, the wee one will drive a 500ft/lb 1/2" driver as long as I go off a punk tank.
It is important to remember that where the pressure comes from is irrelevant to how much energy (?) it contains.  A large reservoir full of air will run any gun etc 'til it runs out of pressure.  That is why the painting is a problem, it uses so much air.
By the way I am painting my work van right now using enamel oil thinned with tulene, paint still dries too slow but it sure goes on smooth and forgiving, and the paint cost $40 instead of $200 +

[eddiepotts]

Most gas compressors are not oilless. If she was to do something like that she needs to look at putting an axillary tank off the bus compressor. The bus has plenty of air. Never try to paint with oil filled compressor without expensive filters.