Air compressors - help?, an education Options

[VaccaRabite]

So I went to Home Depot today, armed with some scratch and the will to buy an air compressor and a DA air sander.

HD sells the husky line. So, I went to the tools, found a DA sander (Husky, needed 4cfm @ 90psi, and the box said it would work continously with 20+ gallon compressors).

Then I walked over to look at compressors. They had a Husky 24 gallon compressor that flowed 5.1 cfm @ 90 pis on sale ($225). Score! but then, on top of the motor, was a little chart with reccomended tools and non-reccomneded tools. All sanders and DA sanders were non-reccomneded.

I called over a HD floor guy, who called over another 2 guys, and we could not see a good reason for the prohibition. But, we decided that if the factory did not reccomend it, then it should not be used as such, and I walked over to the electric tool section and bought an electric DA sander. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I am going to need to buy a compressor by the spring. I'm clearly in the "hobbiest" catagory, and may not use the tool again for a long time aftyer I am done with my 914, but when it comes time to paint, it will probably be cheaper for me to buy one then rent one - given the slow nature that I work. I want to know why the sander was not reccomended, when the compressor could flow the air and had a big enough tank according to the tool. I have theories, but I thought somone here might be able to give better advice.

Thanks

Zach

[Twystd1]

And note the filters in the pic coming off the compressor.

Sweet.........

I have seen so many setups that have an oiler inline with the air supply.

And the guys can't figure out why all of their paint jobs get terrible fish eye.

It's because of the oil in the air lines from the oiler.....

The compressor itself puts enough oil vapor in the air lines to screw up a paint job......

Don't run an oiler in line. (not needed in a home garage scenario)

Just put a couple of drops in the inlet side of the air tool... Done...

Once airlines get oil in em... especially synthetic compressor oil with silicone in it, it's dam near impossible to get the oil out of the lines.

I used to have seperate air lines that I only used for prime and paint.
Just to be safe from fish eye problems.....

Just more useless food for thought.

C