Air Compressor Recommendation

[sward]

I picked up a Paasche Air Eraser in the past to do some "fine" prep work on some of my fossils. I ended up having to wait to get an air compressor. I'm now about ready to get an air compressor to continue my work.

I'm planning on a small 110v compressor as I might use it for other things eventually, but for now, the main use will be for the air eraser. I've looked at some at a big-box hardware store just to get some ideas, but since this is my first adventure into compressed air, I thought I might need to do a little more research.

I would like ya'lls recommendation on what size air compressor should I be looking at. Also, what pressure do most of you run on your air eraser?

Thanks for any input you may have.

[erose]

Quiet.

[vellis]

Well it says "Requires a compressor 1/3 HP or larger that can deliver up to 70 PSI" so you can definitely stay on the quiet side. I have a Sears 5HP 25 gallon one and it is LOUD. I have a really small one for painting with an Paasche airbrush, that is quiet enough to sit on my kitchen table, but no air eraser. If you think you may get an air scribe or air engraver sometime and want a compressor that will run that too, it will be a big loud one.

The one thing I can think of if you want to get a much quieter one, you may want to get with Paasche and see what CFM of air that the air eraser will use at 70PSI, and match or make sure your compressor even exceeds that by a little. My guess is that it will use more than an airbrush, since it is throwing abrasive out instead of paint.

Btw, the Paasche airbrushes that I have and have used are NICE. You can tell that a lot of time went into designing them by how they feel in your hand and how balanced they ar when you are holding them. So I am guessing that you will be really happy with your air eraser.

Be sure to post some before and after pics.

[erose]

Another way to deal with noisy compressors is to house them in a different room. In addition the larger the tank the longer the period of time between the motor running or not. Air hose is relatively cheap and not hard to run.

[Raistlin]

I bought this one.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00916471000P?sid=IDx20070921x00003a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=00916471000

I got it on sale though with the same stuff and an air hose. I use it in my garage though for other stuff as well. It and the air ratchet came in really handy when I put together my sons play set out back. It runs my Paasche and anything else I hook too it. It can be noisy though.

I plan to have my fossil work station down stairs, unless I get some sort of small out building. Either way I will need to run air hose when I get my work area set up. Right now I just do air erasing by an open garage door while wearing a mask and glasses.

[steelhead9]

Get an oil cooled one, MUCH quieter and more efficient. Sears has some good ones.

[Malcolmt]

I have the paashe compressor that I used to use for air brushing. It is not really capable of running the air eraser. If you can stand the noise any of the oiless pancake type compressors will run the paashe , get at least a 5 gallon tank. They go for between 100 and 200 dollars. I used to use a Porter 5 gallon 165 PSI compressor with the air eraser. typically ran it between 20 and 30 PSI using arm and hammer baking soda. Make sure you use a blast cabinet that at the very least has a shop vac attached with a HEPA filter (they make dry wall bags for the shp vacs. You only get one set of lungs

[Terry Dactyll]

I bought a 150 litre compressor this time because of the bigger the air storage capacity and a motor to cope with those requirements... small die grinderas and air chisels really strain the smaller compressors having them running non stop sometimes... also I housed it in a seperate garage well away from my preproom area...