Ok, I'm going to start some bodywork on my car. Not gonna paint it myself, but I wanna do the bodywork as much as possible. But my questions is primer. I wanna use "the good stuff" and not what I used on my previous project (canned duplicolor). So in order to spray it well, will a cheap little compressor from Walmart/Checkers do well to get the primer onto the car? Or maybe even one of those smaller/bit more expensive ones from Sears? I plan to do a section at a time (hood, roof, door, fender etc etc) so will these little compressors have enough oomph to put out for just primer? Thanks in advance!

 

allways get the biggest compressor u can afford. U can get 6hp 60 gal. from homedepot for like 325.00. Not only for spraying primmer. But if u wanna do the bodywork there is a ton of air tools that will make it easier and faster. Them little ones will work for spots. Not the hole car.

 

Its closer to 450 if I remember correctly. Craftsman has a 6hp 33gal for 280 listed. They also have a 6hp 60gal for around 500.

 

If you only prime, you can probably get away with doing sections at a time. Definitely not going to fly if you want to do any painting.

I had the 33gal, 6hp craftsman mentioned and that thing was a piece of crap (in fact, it was worse than my friend's 6 year old, 5hp 20gal campbell). If you are serious about cars, getting a 240V 7HP 60gal minimum is the best thing you can possibly buy. If you don't have that extra $150 now, just finance the thing. I bought my compressor from sears with full year 0% financing and it is one of the greatest things I ever bought. Downside is that they are stationary units and you have to drill the concrete to install them (just make sure you are not hitting the rebar ).

 

I also purchased that sears compressor, did the painting last year with it... it was saying "*yawn*, please give me some real work, im bored" all throughout painting :P

though the DA sander put it right to work

 

thanks for the responses guys! I've been thinking, and I think those little dinky walmart ones are probably way to small. I'm gonna maybe look at the ones from Sears that are reasonably priced. I agree with Jay on the biggest you can afford thing.....sadly, for me that's not much lol

 

I love my 60 gal sears unit. It handled sand blasting yesterday like it was nothing. I wouldn't go less than 60 ever agin if I was going to buy a stationary unit. (hope you have a truck to get it home in)

 

the first car i did I had like 31/2 hp 30 gal tank. It worked but it took forever.So a small compressor will work. butits a pita. Its not that hard to get a couple 100 more to get a better one.