Oil Vs Oil-less Compressors

[finlander]

I am using the smallest Bear Air compressor they offer. Fairly quiet. But it kicks on immediately, as soon as I spray. Last night was the first time I pushed paint in a long while. I was painting on watercolor paper, a brown trout scheme. Forgot to let it cool after a bit. I noticed how hot it was after I finished. I had been dumping paint in the cup, one color right after the other. Hope I didnt cook the compressor. Questions are these...How big of a unit do I have to go to not have it kick on right away?. Diff between oil and oiless ones. I use just one Iwata. I dont paint lures much anymore. If I did, it wouldnt get used continuously, like last night. Brands and sizes you can suggest. Quiet is a plus. My parrot wasnt pleased with the on and off last night, 11:00pm. Thanks for any and all input.

[A-Mac]

I'm using the small pancake compressor (intended for nail guns) from harbor freight. I think its a 2gal. I added a water trap and an electronic pressure gauge (both from harbor freight). I think it's oil less. I haven't done anything other than shoot paint and fill a few tires up though. I've had it for about 2 years and it works well. You can get them very cheap (under $50) depending on the sale they run. Its definitely worth it. I shoot at 40-60psi normally, so it kicks on every few minutes with heavy spraying. If you are shooting at 10-20psi, you can paint a whole lure with it turned off. However, the bigger the tank the less it will kick on.

[SlowFISH]

Not much you can do about compressor noise. I started out with a 33 gal Sears (Air cooled)..... you could hear it down the block. I then got a great deal on a Ingersol Rand 60 Gallon oil cooled. Much quieter, but I still don't fire it up at night with the kids sleeping 2 floors up as it still makes a good deal of noise - just a much deeper sound. With that big of a tank, I can fire it up and airbursh for a couple days before kicking it one again - way way way overkill if all you plan to do is airbrushing though.

Best options for minimize noise are bigger tanks (less kicking on off of the motor), padding the floor where it sits to minimize vibration/noise and loosly enclosing it so it still breaths (big closet or box with good ventalation) so you can drown out some of the noise.

J.

[RayburnGuy]

If noise is your greatest concern, and depending on how much you plan on painting, you might consider an air holding tank. You could fill it with any available compressor and then use it at night with absolutely no noise. Of course the larger the tank the longer you could use it before it runs out.

Ben

[Brent R]

Check this one out...GMC 4610A.......the cost is not dirt cheap....but the noise level is about the best you can get.....plus it has 4 1/2 gallon tanks.....I have it and i have never had a problem and it doesn't use oil...which is a plus

Edited December 14, 2012 by Brent R

[solarfall]

i was using a oiless compressor before and it was cooled by air and sounded horrendous when i had it on, i mean good grief it was loud. i later on invested to a oil cooled compressor ( hansa thc 20a) and its virtually soundless even when its on its very hard to hear so i can use it in my apartment without annoying the neighbors, its kinda expensive but with the features you get with it, i think its worth it

[crzyjunyer]

another option you may want to consider is using an inert gas like nitrogen or co2. they are by far the quetest option bar none but do come with other drawbacks like needing to be refilled, as well as tank and regulator initial cost as well.

[Ggeorge]

Oil less don't last as long as oiled, that is why the noise difference as well. I've been banging nails for years with both types and there is no doubt lubrication is beneficial.

 

Not sure with smaller paint oriented compressors but for certain with the larger construction oriented models that oil less are also disposable whereas the oil units are more repairable.

 

Of course you get what you pay for......I like the idea of using an "Air Pig" to run an air brush. For hobbyist doing a lure or two at a time this seems like a great option. You could keep your noisy compressor out of the house and run for hours on a 5 gallon tank.

 

I'm working toward lure painting this season and plan in the short term to use my Porter Cable nail gun compressor. I think I could pressurize it, shut it off and paint for a good long time based on the tank size.