Air Compressors to Avoid????

Any of the smaller 1.5-2 gallon compressors will work for our needs.  These can be Craftsman, Porter Cable, Dewalt, Makita, Hitachi, Cambel Hausfeld, Rigid or the Husky.  Many times HD, Sears will run a special on nail gun/ small compressors. A compressor that is large enough to run finish, brad and staple guns could be a good choice if you plan to use these for benchwork construction.

I have numerous models that I need for my carpentry work, however a small Craftsman is my favorite. It was bought by my kids for "fathers Day quite a few years ago. This was so that I didn't have to use one of my awkward/ heavy units just to air brush. I have found that this 2 gal small upright unit is so versitle that I find myself using it daily for finish work. It runs a framing nailer also.

 The smaller sausage and dounut versions do the same if they provide ample CFM @ aprox 90#..

Home Depot has a similar version in Husky http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=Husky+Air+compressor&selectedCatgry=SEARCH+ALL&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Sometimes I would airbrush 'til the "wee" hours and used to use an air tank filled earier w/ one of the beasts. I find that the smaller upright encased units to be much quieter, however when airbrushing and using decent regulator/ drier that a full tank will last the entire paint job. Of coarse if it comes on @ 2AM, you'll probably wake everyone. Aux tank used along w/ even the smaller 1-1.5 gal units will supply plenty of air w/o running the compressor.

My club has set up the spray booth and is using the Husky 1.5 gal. It has perfomed perfectly for about 7 years so far.

Most of these small units range from  Harbor Freight, Walmart  $50 to $100 Sears, Home Depot,

I don't rely on the moisture trap supplie w/ these and run a separate regulator and drier for airbrushing.

Ones to really stay away from  would be any of the "Airbrush" models that tend to be fairly $$$ and don't really supply a decent constant flow (vibrating, pulseing)

I realized that ther is another thread on compressors.

 http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/193535.aspx

The link to the Home Depot Husky Scout is the newer version of the one used by my club and similar to the small 1.5 gal Craftsman (R2D2) that I've been using daily for 8 years.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100645228/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I don't find a link for that Craftsman model yet have seen it @ Sears.

I agree 100% with Bob. I would stay away from the so-called "hobby" compressors, they are more suited to arts & crafts and have a tendency to "pulse". A regulator can help, but doesn't really get rid of the pulsing altogether.

I went the same route as Bob and have been using a Cambell-Housfeld 2 gal./100 psi compressor that I bought at Walmart for $80 8 years ago.

I do like painting at all times of the day or night, so I keep my compressor in the garage, connected to my paint booth in my workshop in the basement via a 50 foot high-pressure hose, ($35 at ACE) and extension cord (so I can switch it off from a power strip also at the paintbooth. I leave the built-in regulator on the compressor fully open and control the air with a regulator, pressure gauge and moisture trap at the paint booth.

modelmaker51

I went the same route as Bob and have been using a Cambell-Housfeld 2 gal./100 psi compressor that I bought at Walmart for $80 8 years ago.

Same here. I got my Campbell-Hausfeld compressor (3 gallon I think) back in the late 90's. I haven't had any problems with it. I tried one of the small hobby compressors and I couldn't give it away fast enough. The pressure pulsed so much it was nearly impossible to get the airbrush to work 100%.