Smallest compressor for spraying

[johndi]

My wife wants our cedar fence stained this year. I'm going to take the opportunity to try to convince her that spraying will be much faster and easier and that means I need a compressor capable of spraying finish. Of course after the fence is done I'll have a new compressor and will be able to use it for finishing.
Keeping in mind that PSI and CFM make my head spin, what size would be the minimum required.
I need to try to stay near the low end price wise to get this past the wife.
Thanks

[tomsteve]

i would strongly suggest an airless sprayer for a fence. one of harbor freights gems:
https://www.harborfreight.com/airless-pa...62915.html

ive made quick work on about 400' of fence with an airless and someone following behind to backbrush.

 if you use an HVLP type gravity feed gun with a 32 oz(ish) cup, youre going to be refilling a LOT.
a pressure pot would help, but  without at least an 80 gallon 2 stage, the compressor is going to run a LOT. it will require some down time to cool down. it will build up heat and moisture,too.
even with an 80 gallon 2 stage its going to run a lot,build up heat and moisture.
and low end would be $1000 used.

or use

[jteneyck]

What Tom said.  You want an airless for exterior work.   You may be able to find a model that allows you to spray fences, siding, etc., and also interior cabinets by using the appropriate spray tips.  Like everything, you need to do your homework to determine what best meets your needs. 


John

[Cooler]

All the guns specify how many CFMs you need.  All the compressors specify their CFM outputs.  It is easy enough to figure, but most require about 4 to 4.5 CFMs for spraying.

The alternative is to hook up to a  large holding tank.  Fill the tank with air and you are probably good for 5 or more minutes of spraying.  But that is going to add a couple of hundred dollars to the cost, and it might be cheaper to just buy a bigger compressor.

https://www.amazon.com/Industrial-Air-IT...B01N1F1YF0

[tomsteve]

  It is easy enough to figure, but most require about 4 to 4.5 CFMs for spraying.

im not sure which spray guns those are but seems like theyd be air brushes. most i know of use around 12 CFMs.

[Cooler]

im not sure which spray guns those are but seems like theyd be air brushes. most i know of use around 12 CFMs.

I based my observation on the guns (Campbell Hausfeld) at Home Depot.  Those are low rent and they ran 4 to 5 CFMs.   https://www.homedepot.com/p/Campbell-Hau...775521-_-N

That was still higher than my pancake compressor could handle.  So I bought (but have not yet used) a HVLP sprayer.

I looked at the professional grade guns ($400.00 to $700.00) and those all used the higher (11 - 13) CFMs you quote.

So I stand (partially) corrected.

I believe that if you run your compressor so that it is not cycling on and off and is running constantly you will wear it out in a hurry.