Hey guys,
I have been reading lots of threads where guys have been painting their own trucks in the yard/driveway... I live in Iowa (go hawks!) where it's humid almost all of the summer so i was wondering how some of you have your compressors/air dryers set up??? I have obviously seen the professional air dryers that are $1500+ that you can hook up but I wanted to see or read about how some of you are set up to spray??? I know moisture and oil are the top two things you want to keep out of your air lines so I want to see your set ups... Particularly the home made moisture traps and filters you have set up... Works good and cheap to make are always a bonus!

PS: I already have a 60gal DeVilbiss and a small Harbor freight water trap... I am looking to make something to improve my water collection so i can paint one of my trucks and do spray in bed liners and such...

 

I ran steel pipe along the garage wall with a deffinite downhill pitch to it. At the end of the run, I installed 2 compressed air filter's, right before the regulator. I also have a mini regulator right before the gun

 

So the basic concept is to cool the air to get the moisture to condensate and then be removed through the filters right??

What do you mean by "compressed air filters"???

I have one of these from harbor freight...


I actually took the regulator off the filter and put it right on my air compressor to regulate the pressure coming out of the main tank (down to 90-100psi instead of the max 135psi). Then I hung the filter on the wall and it does catch quite a bit of water... I just didn't know if it would catch enough to let me do auto painting.

I have also hear of guys putting an extra 50feet of air hose in a small old dorm/hotel room size fridge to chill the air to get the water to drop out. I have a spare fridge and air hose I could do this with but didn't know that it would help any more...??

Also I bought a in-line oiler for my air tools but have yet to install it. I am assuming that needs to be kept on different air hose than what I'll be using to paint with right??? Oil in a air line that goes to a paint is is very bad... right???

 

Yep, that will work...you don't need 2, I just like wasting money. Put the regulator back, you want it protected by the filter. Mount it all, right before your rubber air line to the tool...you don't need to worry or go to extreams, one filter, drained before use, drain the tank when not in use, nite-ly...you won't see any water when painting if you follow the basics, & make a little oiler line if you want, but 2 drops in the tool air intake is enough without useing a line.

 

Yes, the idea is to get the air to cool off (cooler air will hold less moisture) before catching and removing the water. There are many ways to do this, with the simplest being a long distance between the compressor and the filter. You can rig up various cooler types, I have an automotive air conditioning condenser out of a 1970s car that I have been planning on using for this, with a fan blowing air through it.

I would never use in-line oilers, you don't want oil in your lines unless the only thing you do is to run air tools (the only place I have ever seen this is in factories). I use the compressor about 60% of the time with the blow gun to clean and dry things, 30% for inflating tires, and 10% with air tools, so I just put a couple drops of oil into the tools directly before I use them (every few uses). Even then, it's really easy to over-oil air tools, which is really bad when you are body sanding and oiling the car at the same time (oil mist shoots out the tool exhaust and contaminates your surface)!

Also, they make inline disposable filters that you put right at the air gun which I would recommend using as well - this will trap any remaining debris that may be in your flexible line up to the gun. Any body shop supply store will have these.

 

I don't have the luxury of having a long distance between the compressor and filter... I'm in a jam packed 2 car garage. I might try to get some pipe to run along the wall or something but I am thinking my best bet is to chill 50ft of extra hose in that little fridge before sending it out the filter... heck I could mount the filter after on the side of the little fridge!

Thanks for the help guys... I worked in an auto body shop for a while but they were set up with industrial filters and water traps. I didn't know how complex I should make my system in order to get clean dry air to paint with... i'll work on a rig and post pics of my progress later this winter when I have time for "inside" projects.

 

I am wondering if flexable copper tubing (used for plumbing) could be used as a metal piping inside the fridge... think it's rated for a certain psi???

 

I think your going way overboard on that, for a small home garage application, its not needed. You will generate very little water, its different that a production shop running 10 hours shift. Run the pipe on a wall back and forth 2 or 3 times with a pitch, say 25 feet total, couple of filters, a regulator, then a stainless quick connect for the air lines...and call it a day

 

thing is I don't have the wall space to run the pipe... I only have about 8 feet of room between the garage door and the side door in my garage where the pipe could be run and I already have my air hose reel, creeper hang up, and shelf for pneumatic tools with my 60gal air compressor in that space... oh and my arc welder...

 

You could run the pipe outside the garage, with a lead in, terminating at the filter/reg...the wife would love it

 

Yeah I need the wife on me for that like i need a hole in my head!

 

The copper coil is an excellent idea.
It should easily handle the +/- 125 psi coming from your compressor.
Better yet to put it in the freezer compartment or your little dorm room fridge.
With the inlet at the top and a water trap immediately after it.

Really, don't over think it.
Bleed the compressor down before starting any painting.
Put the cheap inline filter and mini regulator right on the gun.
BAN any and all types of silicone lubricant from use in your garage.

 

what do you mean by bleed down my compressor before painting????

I didn't think i was an idiot for thinking of using that copper coil in the dorm fridge... I was actually using some copper coil like that to make a wort chiller for when I brew beer! And yes I was planing on putting the big filter (pic above) after the mini fridge with copper coil. We'll see what supplies I have laying about this winter when it's time to disassemble all my air stuff and put a dryer in...

Thanks Jim!

 

Drain all the air (and condensation) out of your compressor before each painting session.