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