Replies

1. 
   RalphBarker | Oct 25, 2010 06:06pm | #1

   work in reverse

   I'd suggest working in reverse - that is, gather the specs for the air tools you plan to use, and then base your choice on what it takes to drive them. You'll want to pay attention to CFM (cubic feet/minute - sustained air volume) and PSI (pressure). Paint sprayers can vary by a wide margin (e.g. conventional vs. HVLP). Convenience and portability are also considerations. So, you might need more than one to satisfy all requirements.

2. 
   agewon | Nov 15, 2010 10:18pm | #2

   You really need two in your case.  Forget about Air powered snaders, they are hogs and usually, if run alot, die from water damage in home shops without proper filtration.  For your nailers, get a small pancake compressor.  unless you are running a crew on one compressor, any one should do.  Secondly, you need to know what type of sprayer you want to use.  HVLP guns require about 7-10 CFM@ 50 PSi.  If you are planning on spraying latex, then you need, at the very  least a 6 HP compressor and a good gun.  I am in the same boat right now. I have a small pancake for my nailers and have been looking at guns and compressors for spraying large areas of wainscoting and built-ins.  I have come to the conclusion that instead of a new compressor, and a new sprayer, i am going to invest in a turbine sprayer.  Its a complete package, and best of all, portable. 

3. 
   bduffin104 | Nov 15, 2010 11:43pm | #3

   I can recommend Rolair. I have the electric, wheeled, 2hp, 120/220v which is rated to deliver 12.5 cfm @100 psi. It has no problem keeping up with my HVLP spray gun. I don't know if it would keep up with an air sander. If you run it on 120v your eally need a 20 amp circuit. Also, it does not like to be cold. I had to build a little "house" around it with a heater in it when I ran it outside in the winter framing houses. The one I have is about 15 years old and has seen a lot of hard use and still works good.

   Air powered ROSs are nice! But they do demand mondo air. I used to run about three of them but had a 10 hp two stage with a big tank and a refrigerated air dryer. Not a practical setup for a small shop.

   Bret

4. 
   Tinkerer3 | Nov 17, 2010 12:56am | #4

   I have a (four) HP oiless compressor.  Notice that the four is in quotes.  I am pretty sure that if I had two of them hooked in tandom that they could not keep up with the RO sander that I have.  I have a DW electric RO sander but can't keep a sanding disk on it (probably bad disks) .  So essentially I don't do RO sanding.   I think the electric RO is probably  the way to go.

   Tink

5. 
   oldwindowguy | Nov 18, 2010 09:31pm | #5

   I have a 5 hp 2 stage compressor.  It handles a HVLP spray gun very well.  It handles an air sander ok, but I agree that they are little gluttens for air.  They are very smooth on the other hand.

   What I find I really like are an air drill and an air screw driver.  The drill is so small and light.  It fits into tight corners where an electric or battery drill is awkward.  Ditto for the driver.  Also the driver does not care at all about being stalled out.  I prefer triple gearing in the driver for lowest speed and greatest torque.  These use relatively little air.