Official Luthiers Forum!

I've been thinking about replacing my shockingly loud air compressor from Lowes with a California Air Tools 10020C Ultra Quiet. I had a chance to demo one at a local woodworking store a few weeks ago, and it was honestly a little shocking how quiet it was.

My primary concern is whether enough it pumps out enough air for my Iwata HVLP gun once the tank's depleted. Iwata says I need something that makes 8 CFM at 18 PSI to keep up. The 10020C produces 5.3 CFM at 90 and 6.4 at 70.

California Air Tools didn't get back to my request for info when I called, and I'm not finding a lot on calculating CFM at X PSI online. Is anyone here familiar with how to do that? Do you think this compressor will produce 8 CFM at 18 PSI for the Iwata?

Maybe this will help.... https://www.about-air-compressors.com/calculating-cfm/

_________________
Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Wow! That fried my brain into a crispy critter. I am glad I don't need to know anything about CFM.

That website is actually why I started this thread.

I gave them another call yesterday. They said the compressor probably produces 7 1/2 CFM at 20 PSI, but also that what every coating actually needs in order to atomize is different---which makes complete sense. In the end, I spray a guitar a year. I can wait for it to recycle if need be as I spray.

They say a lot don't they?.... LOL

Some truth there. Different gun/material set ups like different pressures which of course means a difference in CFM. But here is the real deal on needs. Your gun needs X cfm to function at Y psi. As long as you have enough flow (cfm) it's all good. Undersized compressors can often provide enough psi to keep your gauge happy but lack enough volume of air (cfm) to efficiently move the droplets. Pressure is what causes the atomization at the tip/cap of the gun. Volume is what transports the atomized coating to it's target. So it is possible to have correct pressure and get good atomization (droplet size) and still get lousy transfer with lots of surface texture, uneven build and more wasted material as it doesn't wind up on the instrument but on the floor as dust or in your filters.

There are other things that affect volume available like plumbing, hoses and regulators....so even a compressor that is up to specs can be made less than optimal by other things in the chain.

_________________
Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

True that. I recently upgraded my quick connects to high flow connections and it seems to have made a real difference. Especially when using pneumatic sanders and stuff, but also for spray finishes.

https://www.amazon.com/ColorFit-Milton-HIGHFLOWPRO-S-314VKIT-Coupler/dp/B077Y7P9PW/ref=sr_1_5?crid=16WGJIJ4HSHKF&keywords=high+flow+air+compressor+fittings&qid=1572021710&sprefix=high+flow+air%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-5