Air Compressor for RV Builder

[John Bundy]

What size air compressor do I need for building my RV-10? I don't know
about rivets and air tools. My experience is mostly carpentry. I may
be interested in spraying some primer in interior areas but that's
about as far as I'd go with painting.

[Charlie England]

John Bundy wrote:

> What size air compressor do I need for building my RV-10? I don't know
> about rivets and air tools. My experience is mostly carpentry. I may
> be interested in spraying some primer in interior areas but that's
> about as far as I'd go with painting.

Go to:

http://www.matronics.com/search

& get as many opinions as you can stand about air compressors directly
from RV builders.

If all you do is rivet & don't try to use spray guns or air powered die
grinders (air drills are ok), a little 5 hp unit with 10-15 gal tank
would be adequate. Type of compressor gets important if you don't care
for noise (oilless is bad; old style piston type with oil in the
crankcase is good).

Charlie

[Mike Fitzgerald]

"Charlie England" > wrote in message
...
> John Bundy wrote:
>
> > What size air compressor do I need for building my RV-10? I don't know
> > about rivets and air tools. My experience is mostly carpentry. I may
> > be interested in spraying some primer in interior areas but that's
> > about as far as I'd go with painting.
>
> Go to:
>
> http://www.matronics.com/search
>
> & get as many opinions as you can stand about air compressors directly
> from RV builders.
>
> If all you do is rivet & don't try to use spray guns or air powered die
> grinders (air drills are ok), a little 5 hp unit with 10-15 gal tank
> would be adequate. Type of compressor gets important if you don't care
> for noise (oilless is bad; old style piston type with oil in the
> crankcase is good).

.... forget about hp... it means NOTHING. That is why Campbell Hausfeld and
other compressor companies have the lawyers swarming over them at the
moment. I repeat: horsepower ratings for (most) compressors is bulls*hit and
most people know that. Also, giving absolute numbers of XX gal size tank is
also not useful information without knowing what tools you will be using.

How to select a compressor: Find your most air hungry tool. Buy a compressor
with more CFM than required at the PSI required for that tool. And then
figure out how frequently that tool will run when selecting tank size.
Continuous use tools like paint guns and die grinders would require a larger
tank than 10-15 gal.

HVLP guns typically require at least 13-15 CFM although there are a few low
CFM HVLP guns available (Sharpe Platinum is one such gun). Or, just go with
a conventional gun.

I agree - get an oil lubed compressor simply due to the noise. And the
oilless compressors do not last as long.

Anyway: select the tools, then select the compressor.

[Orval Fairbairn]

In article >,
Charlie England > wrote:

> John Bundy wrote:
>
> > What size air compressor do I need for building my RV-10? I don't know
> > about rivets and air tools. My experience is mostly carpentry. I may
> > be interested in spraying some primer in interior areas but that's
> > about as far as I'd go with painting.
>
> Go to:
>
> http://www.matronics.com/search
>
> & get as many opinions as you can stand about air compressors directly
> from RV builders.
>
> If all you do is rivet & don't try to use spray guns or air powered die
> grinders (air drills are ok), a little 5 hp unit with 10-15 gal tank
> would be adequate. Type of compressor gets important if you don't care
> for noise (oilless is bad; old style piston type with oil in the
> crankcase is good).
>
> Charlie
>

One precaution id to drain the accumulated water out of the tank at
least onece a week, as it can corrode the bottom and could result in a
catastrophic tank rupture (about like a couple of sicks of dynamite).
Always remember to turn it off when not in use!

I was lucky with mine. I fired up the compressor and it seemed to take
forever to reach shutoff pressure. As I approached it I heard a lot of
hissing. I turned it off and let it depressurize. Later I found about a
1.5inch crack in the weld attaching the dome to the cylindrical part, in
the bottom, of course!

The funny thing, is that I had read an article in the Vintage about
exploding air compressors (with pictures) and talked to the author at
Oshkosh. This happened about 2 weeks after I returned from Oshkosh, so I
figured out what was happening pretty fast. Fortunately, all I had to do
was replace the tank, with a UL-approved type from Grainger's.

[Bushy]

I did the sick puppy thing (refer recent posts!) and bought a second cheap
compressor from my local hardware warehouse outlet Bunnings (Australia). I
already had the first one as a little unit I could take to work in the back
of the wagon to us for blow dusting out the machines I repair.

The second unit which cost all of $98.00 Australian (about US$2.73 going on
the exchange rate that I seem to get at this end if I want to get anything
in....) works just as well. They are made by GMC in China and have a simple
1500 watt motor and a 24 litre tank with two outlets, one direct from the
tank and the other regulated.

By connecting both together with a spare piece of hose between the two
direct to tank outlets, I have both motors working together and both storage
tanks. The regulating switches are quite close together and both cut in and
out quite happily as I use the air in the combined tank. And the capacity of
both motors running together is enough to keep up with my spray gun.
Although this requires a second power point to plug it in, it is so cheap
that it is a worthwhile cheats way of doing the job. The difference in noise
is barely noticable as I set them up outside the shed.

Hope this helps,
Peter


"John Bundy" > wrote in message
om...
> What size air compressor do I need for building my RV-10? I don't know
> about rivets and air tools. My experience is mostly carpentry. I may
> be interested in spraying some primer in interior areas but that's
> about as far as I'd go with painting.

[Charlie England]

Mike Fitzgerald wrote:
> "Charlie England" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>John Bundy wrote:
>>
>>
>>>What size air compressor do I need for building my RV-10? I don't know
>>>about rivets and air tools. My experience is mostly carpentry. I may
>>>be interested in spraying some primer in interior areas but that's
>>>about as far as I'd go with painting.
>>
>>Go to:
>>
>>http://www.matronics.com/search
>>
>>& get as many opinions as you can stand about air compressors directly
>>from RV builders.
>>
>>If all you do is rivet & don't try to use spray guns or air powered die
>>grinders (air drills are ok), a little 5 hp unit with 10-15 gal tank
>>would be adequate. Type of compressor gets important if you don't care
>>for noise (oilless is bad; old style piston type with oil in the
>>crankcase is good).
>
>
> ... forget about hp... it means NOTHING. That is why Campbell Hausfeld and
> other compressor companies have the lawyers swarming over them at the
> moment. I repeat: horsepower ratings for (most) compressors is bulls*hit and
> most people know that. Also, giving absolute numbers of XX gal size tank is
> also not useful information without knowing what tools you will be using.
>
> How to select a compressor: Find your most air hungry tool. Buy a compressor
> with more CFM than required at the PSI required for that tool. And then
> figure out how frequently that tool will run when selecting tank size.
> Continuous use tools like paint guns and die grinders would require a larger
> tank than 10-15 gal.
>
> HVLP guns typically require at least 13-15 CFM although there are a few low
> CFM HVLP guns available (Sharpe Platinum is one such gun). Or, just go with
> a conventional gun.
>
> I agree - get an oil lubed compressor simply due to the noise. And the
> oilless compressors do not last as long.
>
> Anyway: select the tools, then select the compressor.
>
>
You are absolutely correct about the way to select a compressor & about
the HP myth. Everything you said (and a LOT more) is in the Matronics
RV-list archives link I provided. For instance, what external
accessories you will need if you paint using an oil-type compressor.