My Air Compressor Died

[Harvey Pascoe]

One of those oilless jobs that screams like a banshee. I got too much wrapped up in HP spray guns and system plumbing to go HVLP at this time. Want to replace it with a DeWalt lubricated type pump that is much quieter, but I've heard that causes problems with spraying finishes. Is that true? Anyone with experience using one of these.

[John TenEyck]

I would guess that the majority of people who spray have an oil lubed compressor. There's no problem using them, you just have to make sure to use a water/oil separator/filter. There are far more sophisticated set-ups, but n my compressor I have a pressure regulator on the tank with a separator/filter and I have another, disposable in-line one at the inlet to the gun. Never had any contamination problems and I mostly spray WB products.

You'll be much happier with the lower noise and longer life of an oil lubed compressor.

[Jeff Hamilton Jr.]

Second what John said. I have a 60 gal, 5hp "Kobalt" from Lowes. Plumbed the garage w/ 3/4 black iron w/ some 1/2" drops and put a separator & regulator on the drop I use to hook up the spray rig. Never had any problems. Their is noise, but nowhere near what an oil-less puts out ...

[Chris Fournier]

I have a oiless Ingersol Rand compressor that has been noisy for almost twenty years, it's a portable 3.3 hp with a 20 gallon tank and I've sprayed acres of work with it. My brother also let it run continously for about three hours once. I now have an IR T30 which is oiled, 7.5 hp, 80 gallons and sneezes bigger than the oiless can compress and it can be drowned out noise wise while running if the oiless should be running. Both are great machines and neither was cheap. In my current shop I choose the T30. If I could only have one for all of my needs I'd take the little oiless.

[Harvey Pascoe]

Fortunately, my work is so small that I can get along fine with a small compressor, as I don't use air tools. I have that ridiculous Porter-Cable pancake compressor which is intended only for nailers, but the dang thing lasted for twelve years, was adequate for my needs, giving me no excuse to replace it. Now I got one, its dead!

I have my current oil less built into a sound box. But the DeWalt oil lubed compressor is substantially more powerful yet has about the same footprint and I will put that in a sound box also.

I see that I have confused spray finishing with filling scuba tanks: it is the later that you cannot use and oil lubed compressor for, not spraying.

Thanks for setting me straight.