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I'm searching to find an ideal compressor for HVLP spraying polyester and lacquer. I will be spraying at most maybe 4 guitars at a time, one after the other. I'd rather not go overboard and get a compressor way too big but I also don't want a machine that's too small. I've sprayed with pancake compressors when I first got started, which worked and was a good learning experience, but I've learned it's not efficient or healthy for the machine. Keeping that in mind, we aren't spraying cars or furniture. So it seams that maybe the same standards held by automotive finishers won't necessarily apply quite as strictly to guitar finishing.

In searching online for thoughts and opinions on what to use you'll see some people say to get nothing less than a 5HP 80 gallon compressor while others say that they spray with a 1/3HP 6 gallon pancake compressor just fine.

I have my sights set on this compressor which is 2HP, 20 gallons and 6.0 CFM at 40 PSI: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200518764 I appreciate that it's on wheels, portable and a good price. But at the end of the day I don't want to abuse it if spraying several guitars in a row will be too much for it to handle over time.

What kind of compressor do you use for spraying guitars? Do you think the 20 gallon compressor I listed above may be too small?

Have you considered a HVLP turbine, instead? For a couple hundred more, you can get a Fuji Mini Mite 3 turbine, and a T-Series spray gun. Spraying four guitars would be no problem, and it would be portable. One down side would be the turbine being noisier, but you don't have to worry about oil and water contamination.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

I use one rated very similar to the one you're looking at.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-2-HP-30-Gallon-155-PSI-120240-Volt-Vertical-Portable-Electric-Air-Compressor/3824207
And it works fine for me. I've even sprayed cars with it.
Plenty of capacity for guitars.
If you have a few extra bucks and name brand is important to you, you might look at this one
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200375221_200375221
I worked many years for Ingersoll Rand and they make a quality product.
My only caveat is to not buy low end, oil-less compressors, like from Sears. Extremely noisy and run hot.

I like Ingersoll Rand compressors too. I've used a small one for the past 6 or 7 years - handles an HVLP sprayer just fine. I have a second one in my garage too. They are older versions of this one. Requires oil and water filters in the line.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_122381_122381

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

That Northern compressor looks about right. The ones to avoid are anything that works by a rubber diaphram (oilless) instead of a piston. The rubber method wastes much of the "horsepower" from the electric motor. The fact that the Northern compressor can be wired to run on 220 volts is a good sign. If you have a 220 volt outlet available it is worth going that route. I wired up a 220 outlet and changed my compressor over and the thing runs with noticeably more power, yet the electric motor stays cooler.
I have become addicted to air powered tools, so I need 5 hp. But only spraying guitars should be fine with 2 hp.

I have an oil-less 20 gallon Kobalt compressor from Lowes. It's loud as hell, but it works fine when I spray or do anything else. It's ridiculously noisy though.

Very interesting that you point out one of these high horsepower small oil lubricated portable compressors. So even at only 4 gallons it serves you well for spraying guitars? Does it constantly run while you spray? Because of the high HP it must recharge very quickly. Makita makes a series of "big bore" 4 to 6 gallon units with 2 to 3 horsepower that I was interested in because of the high portability of only a few gallons but the really low overall capacity had me concerned. I once sprayed with a very very inexpensive 1/3 horsepower 4 gallon oil-less craftsman when I was first learning. I got through 4 guitars and the compressor wore out not long after.

I have just been learning of them in my research. I'd never heard of them previously. Sounds like a good setup. Do you think they are marketed and designed more for the hobbyist or the professional?

BTW, don't let HP labeling sway you on what you buy. In the world of compressors, it's a lot like the "amps" of power used to sell vacuum cleaners.

http://truetex.com/aircompressors.htm

I like the compressors from California Air because they are much quieter. In a small shop where I also use air for vacuum fixtures it makes a big difference.

I am familiar with the brand. Is there a particular model that you use for your spraying that has served you well?

What ever you get the cfm needs to be at least double what your gun requires. I had one that was only slightly higher than requited and with a small tank and once I started to spray the compressor duty cycle was way too much on time.

Fred

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Do you recall what equipment that was?

The current spray gun I have asks for 6 cfm @ 40psi. If I were to follow your advice I would need to get this compressor at a minumum: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200641297

It cycles on a fair amount when I'm spraying but has no trouble keeping up. My EGO HVLP gun only needs 26 psi so the little compressor puts out decent CFM at that pressure. Anyway, I don't have room for a big compressor.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Not specific to spraying (because I don't spray), but I own a California Air compressor for other duties, and it works great.

I believe there are quite a few OLF members using the Fuji Mini Mite 3 for spraying guitars. I have a Fuji 4 stage turbine that I use for spraying kitchens, but I could probably have gotten by with a 3 stage. The Fuji guns are very good, and Fuji customer service is top notch.

Alex

_________________
"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Plus 1 for the Fuji 3 stage turbine. A very effective machine.

If you have neighbours though do consider the silenced version because it is pretty loud.
Dave

I got the Mini Mite 3 and I don't find it that noisy.
Sounds like a little ShopVac and will spray just about any finish.
With a few different needles for the gun, you can do shading, bursts etc...
Puts +80% of finish on what you're spraying (great savings with finish being so expensive)

Brent

I also love my mini mite 3. I sprayed about 30 guitars with various air compressor and gun combos but find the Fuji system to be a great change of pace. It is noisy but no more so than a loud vacuum and when doing guitars it's only on for a short time anyway. The T75g gun is great and lays down a great finish so definitely give it a look.

Very interesting that so many people are using these Fuji systems. I had honestly not heard of them until recently. What might be some of the pros and cons of the Fuji style turbine system versus using a traditional air compressor?

They're great, but you won't have a compressor around to use for other tasks. Unless of course you buy both.

So I pulled the trigger and just bought this compressor: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200518764

Just went on sale for $30 off and along with a $50 promo code and free shipping it was $419 flat. Couldn't pass it up. In a perfect situation I should probably have a bit more CFM than this compressor delivers. But as I'm not spraying cars or furniture I'm hopeful it will serve pretty well for guitars. I'll try to remember to come back to this thread and tell a bit about how it performs.

I know you got a compressor already, and I use mine all the time. Used to spray with a Sata conversion HVLP, and thought I couldn't get a much better spray.

Until I got my Fuji Minimite. I can lay a good off the gun finish, which means less sanding. I have WAY less overspray. Startup & cleanup is FAST. Way less overspray. Works great with the 1.2 tip, even better with the 1.0 tip. And it lays a LOT of material on the instrument (way less overspray).

Cons- not unlike the Sata, you have to learn to use the gun, which is easy. You have to really tighten the nozzle so it doesn't leak, which is easy to do.

The Fuji systems sound really great. Someday maybe I'll go that route. I already have a few HVLP guns and I could use a decent sized compressor for other work as well as I also do automotive work. Previously my only compressor was a Dewalt 6 gallon pancake. So for $419 I decided it was the best bang for my buck right now and the larger compressor will cover a wide range of uses around here.

I think it is good enough that you can add some pneumatic tools like a small ROS sander. Some of the others mentioned would not cut it.

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