Paint set up recommendations?

[65barracudaLA]

I want to invest in a compressor and a paint gun etc. I have to repaint the hood, the deck lid and some other areas, but in the end I want a setup that will allow me to paint an entire car, so I don't have to upgrade at a later time. What are y'alls recommendations? CFM, HP, gallons? Models? Also paint guns?! I'd appreciate your input. Thank you.

(My '65)

 

[67Dart440GT]

You will need to check what gun you want, and match a compressor to the scfm the gun needs to operate. Larger capacity tank will help, and you will need a good line filter as well. If you can afford an air dryer I would highly recommend at refrigerated system over desiccant.

You will also need to match the gun to the supplies you are painting. Each material will suggest a different fluid tip. I prefer Iwata guns as you can interchange fluid tips without change needles like a Sata.

 

[65barracudaLA]

I was hoping to spent maybe up to 600 bucks on a compressor and maybe 200 on a gun. Not sure if that's realistic, but it also doesn't have to be super professional. Rather a solid amateur set-up. I think I'd mostly spray single stage paint (and primer). Since I'm in California with mostly dry heat I think I can get away without an air dryer. A good line filter sounds like a good idea. So far I've really only painted with rattle cans and I don't know much, but I want to learn, because I enjoy painting and my car needs it, haha. I drive the car on a daily basis and in a big city, so it has been and will continue to get nicked here and there.

 

[harrisonm]

This will be a PERFECT gun for you. It costs about $300 with 3 tips. I would recommend getting a 2.2 tip for high build polyester primer. The 1.8 tip will work great for all other types of primer. You can get cheaper guns, but I truly believe this will give you the best bang for your buck, and you DO want a good gun, don't you? I bought a Devilbis FLG3 Finish Line Gun (predecessor to the FLG4) about 20 years ago to replace another Devilbis gun I had used for about 20 years. It was an AWESOME gun. I used it for about 20 years. A while back I needed to replace the FLG3. I bought an Iwata Super Nova. The Iwata works great, but to be honest, after the clear is cut and buffed, there is virtually no difference between an FLG4 paint job and an Iwata job. When I bought the Iwata, I also bought a new FLG4 with 1.8 and 2.2 tips just to spray primer with. So I was so impresses with the finish Line, I bought another one. Devilbis does make a cheaper gun called the Starting Line, but you will be MUCH happier with the FLG4 Finish Line. Whatever you buy, THOROUGHLY clean it after each use. Please feel free to PM me if you want to discuss this further. Painting is pretty easy. I have taught a lot of people how to paint.
803558 Finishline 4 Spray Gun Value Kit Hvlp 1.3, 1.5, 1.8 — TCP Global

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Also recommend an air dryer too. I fought the first 2 paint jobs with descent snakes and water fish eyes. Bought the dryer and wish I had it years ago for sandblasting and my air tools.

 

[barbee6043]

If you are going to use air tools like a DA, palm sander, strait line file, etc you will need a 80 gal and twin cyl that puts out some air. Also that bigger thank helps keeps on the moisture but like said it needs to beset up right with dryer. Good compressors and high end guns are not cheap. It not that you can not get by with less, depends on what you want to do and want to spend.
You can get it done with a $300 compressor and $40 gun also.

 

[harrisonm]

Also recommend an air dryer too. I fought the first 2 paint jobs with descent snakes and water fish eyes. Bought the dryer and wish I had it years ago for sandblasting and my air tools.

Agreed. Here is what I have. It costs less than $100. It has a paper cartridge that looks kind of like a roll of toilet paper. It works really well. I would buy a few extra cartridges, because in humid weather they need to be changed. Just take out the damp one, put a dry one in and let the damp one dry out.
1/2" Water Separators for Air Line Hookup - TP Tools & Equipment

 

[ESP47]

You'll be hard pressed to find a compressor that's capable of spraying an entire car for $600. Remember you're going to have to spend hundreds just to keep the line clean and dry as well.

Everything needed to paint really starts to add up after a while. I wouldn't invest in the tools unless I planned on painting at least 3 cars at some point.

 

[Jim Kueneman]

You'll be hard pressed to find a compressor that's capable of spraying an entire car for $600. Remember you're going to have to spend hundreds just to keep the line clean and dry as well.

Everything needed to paint really starts to add up after a while. I wouldn't invest in the tools unless I planned on painting at least 3 cars at some point.

I have painted 3 cars and can run a sandblaster cabinet all day with this (it does run constantly so you have to watch it on hot days)

Husky 60 Gal. Stationary Electric Air Compressor-C602H - The Home Depot

 

[barbee6043]

A lot an be done with just a little.. been there, done, it doing it. You have to learn how to make it all work ... not the easiest, or the best. but beats paying $8000 to do one car!

 

[Scamp Rhonda]

I have painted 3 cars and can run a sandblaster cabinet all day with this (it does run constantly so you have to watch it on hot days)

Husky 60 Gal. Stationary Electric Air Compressor-C602H - The Home Depot

That looks about the same as the one I bought over 10 years ago. The information is about the same except different brand and it was rated at 8 hp. But I'm not sure I believe that after comparing yours and mine. Everything else is very similar. Anyhow, I'm very happy with mine and it will paint cars and run other air tools. Like Jim said it will run continuously if you run certain air tools continuously.
Steve

 

[65barracudaLA]

Thank you all for your input. That husky compressor looks great, but I won't able to get 230V to my garage. But since I'm starting sort of from scratch this is all helpful information. Being able to run a blast cabinet would also be a great asset. That air dryer seems affordable. Jim, I followed your Duster and Dart builds and I can only hope to paint cars like you do someday! I don't mind spending a bit more on everything. I guess I'll have to find out what I really need and what I can afford.

 

[barbee6043]

We can tell yo what you really need and you can get started with way less and learn all the details involved with trying to do body/paint. You will learn the limitations of what you have. I learned long ago the difference in a twin cylinder 80 gal tank and big motor and the lesser models, besides price.
Learning is fun even for an old fart like me!
Without 220 are at the mercy of that.

 

[65barracudaLA]

I've done pretty everything myself on the car (if you care, here's my resto thread 65 Barracuda daily driver ). Lots of trial and error, but lessons learned. One of the few things I didn't do myself was the paint job. I only paid 1500 bucks for it, but looking at it I'm sure I could have done better than they did. Anyways, I hadn't even thought about voltage yet. Already learning, haha.

 

[Jim Kueneman]

Thank you all for your input. That husky compressor looks great, but I won't able to get 230V to my garage. But since I'm starting sort of from scratch this is all helpful information. Being able to run a blast cabinet would also be a great asset. That air dryer seems affordable. Jim, I followed your Duster and Dart builds and I can only hope to paint cars like you do someday! I don't mind spending a bit more on everything. I guess I'll have to find out what I really need and what I can afford.

So we have an electric stove against the front wall of the garage. Guess how I acquired 220V. Just need to coordinate with the wife during meal time.

 

[65barracudaLA]

I grew up in Germany and every outlet had 230V... but here in L.A. I'm glad I found an apartment that has a tiny garage that has no power at all (and is too far from the kitchen). Everytime I want power in the garage I need to bring out a looooong extension cord - it's probably 60-70 feet from the kitchen to the garage. But all of that information is still really useful. Maybe I'll just get a smaller and possibly used compressor now to learn/ experiment. The first thing I need to paint is the deck lid - which is fairly small anyways. And then the hood, which is probably the largest panel I'll paint for a while.

 

[65barracudaLA]

I haven't found a good combination of compressor plus gun for that I could run on 120V yet. Now I really need something soon, because someone crashed into my Barracuda the other day. I know you guys will probably hate the idea, but what do you think of these turbine sprayers like the Fuji Mini-mite 4?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D4NPPNM/?tag=fabo03-20

Has anyone here actually used one?