Right size air compressor for air tools

If you need to run a tire changing machine, though, then you will need 4 CFM or so. You will also need at least 70 PSI to run your tool, as well. Some high capacity floor nail guns for some of the larger jobs will need 2. Fluid film sprayers, which are used to undercoat and rustproof cars, will need air compressors with at least 4 CFM of volume — any less and you may have a hard time running the sprayer for the time it will need to finish a car.

You will also need PSI to run a fluid film sprayer as well. Framing nail guns and framing nailers will need around 4 CFM to be able to keep up with a fast paced framing job. At the minimum, you will need 2. At that volume, combined with a good capacity you lessen the risk of your air pressure dropping below recommended levels which can result in nails being underdriven.

For a typical garage air compressor, you need enough capacity and pressure to run all the air tools you will need.

That will usually include a tire inflator, which needs just 1 or 2 CFM to put out the 32 PSI needed for most passenger tires. You may also have an impact wrench, for which will need at least 3 CFM to run.

In any case, you can plan ahead based on the specs of the heaviest air tool you have or plan to get in your collection. For pneumatic angle grinders, you will need 6 to 6. You will need slightly less for a die grinder, which you can reliably run at 5 CFM — plus you can run a die grinder at 70 PSI as well.

Hopper guns are used to add texture to walls, and just like any sort of paint spray gun, you will need the right air compressor to match. For spray texturing using a hopper gun, you will need an air compressor that can put out at least 2. More volume, like 5 CFM or so, will help a lot for extensive jobs. Impact guns vary widely in the CFM needed to run them, depending on the size.

Depending on the size of the nail gun, or nailer, you may need as little as 1 CFM to as much as 4 CFM to operate your tool at a good pace. On the other end of the scale, framing nail guns, sheathing staplers, and roofing nail guns will need at least 2. Spray painting in general calls for a lot of air volume capacity, and you can expect to need at least 9 CFM from your air compressor to run a low volume paint gun.

A high volume paint gun, on the other hand, will require at least 12 CFM to get a good spread of paint out of it. Heavy duty staple guns, just like the ones used for attaching sheathing around home exteriors, will need at least 4 CFM at 90 PSI or so. Getting enough air volume is important to keep the air pressure consistent, which helps prevent under-driving staples.

Air fed masks, or respirators, are useful for welders that use their tools all day, and most welders will usually need an air compressor in any case. You will also need the proper air filters to ensure the quality of the air going into the air fed masks as well.

Jackhammers, the full size versions, have widely varying CFM needs depending on their size — but even the smallest chipping hammers will usually require at least 35 to 40 CFM.

Most air compressors designed to operate jackhammers are also rated to run several of them at the same time. One common size of air compressor, for example, is the CFM variant. To break off lug nuts, you will need an air impact wrench with enough torque for the job — along with a 4 CFM air compressor to match. At the very minimum, you may be able to get by with 3 CFM at 30 PSI — at this air supply level, you can disengage the safety lock mechanisms of most motorcycle lifts to bring it back down.

Texture guns and texturizing hopper guns will need at least 2 to 2. We will make things a bit simpler with a standard chart of required CFM for mostly used air tools. If the tools are in half-duty cycle, you have to increase these numbers by 2. In every practical application of compressed air, air quality plays a significant role.

It indicates the inclusion of contamination into the compressed air. It will, however, increase the overall cost of the operation as well. So, before selecting the compressor, make sure it comes with the right air quality. The presence of air filtration is quite essential in this regard. Make sure the air is filtered well before taking it into the compressor process. Sometimes, particles sizing from 0. As long as your air tool is up to regular works, you can overlook such a micro-level of air filtration.

To bring out the right amount of air at the correct pressure, sizing the compressor has no alternatives. Here are the steps to the process-. Figure out how much air pressure CFM your air tool requires. The simple tool of doing that is to divide the highest CFM rating with 1. Also, you can pick that up from the manual of your tool.

Determine the duty cycle of the air tool by now. Now, multiply this percentage with the required CFM from the previous step. You will get the amount of CFM that you have to bring out from the compressor. Figure out the psig of the compressor, which is in the case of most models. But some of the compressors can be of psig as well. Buying the right air compressor for the right tool is not an instant job. It takes hours of researches on the technical side, and a day-long analysis of the market.

Hopefully, this complete guide will be the handbook when determining what size air compressor you need for air tools. Hi there! My name is John Patterson. Later in , I decided to share my knowledge with the world. Then I founded this blog to aid others like you with my knowledge and experience. By John Patterson. You can paint large surfaces like a house or even fill some tires quicker. What size is the most adequate for these purposes, though?

Considering that painting a house requires constant spraying, a larger size would be the best choice. Take a look at air compressors featuring gallon tanks, or similar. These larger tanks would help you avoid having to pause every few minutes to refill. If your purpose is to paint a car, you could use a slightly smaller air compressor. Either a 6 or an 8-gallon tank would do this task efficiently. Alternatively, you could use the air compressor to fill tires too.

First, the chart offers average CFM requirements. Always take the time to check your own tools to see what their specific requirements are. Infographic resource: www. What size air compressor do I need for air tools is a question that even professionals ask themselves.

Even though there are other features to consider while purchasing an air compressor, the CFM delivered and tank capacity are the most important considerations that you should keep in mind at all times.

William is the Chief Editor at TheSprucetools. He is passionate about DIY Tools. Mainly he is the owner of a tools garage with over 15 years of experience in the profession.