Thread: Garage Painting for Dummies

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Originally Posted by stovens

Roger my compressor is 30 gallons, but not sure on the rest of the specs. I',m incline to shoot some base color on the inside of the cab, before taking it to a pro to do the outside. Who knows it may stay primer gray for a few years just to hide all my mistakes!

Steve,
I hear you. They can put any size compressor atop any size tank, so tank volume really doesn't tell you much. The key is volume flow capacity on the compressor, because once you start using air and you reach your lower set point (usually around 80psig?) if your usage rate is at or exceeding your compressor capacity your compressor will run continuously trying to keep up, until you stop using air - it will never get up to the upper set point (may be 125psig, 150psig, or higher). More tank volume will delay the start of the compressor, but once it starts it may not shut off again. In fact, if you daisy chain several tanks together once your compressor starts you now have a massive volume of air you are trying to make up (to get all of those tanks back to your "compressor off" set point).
So far I have spent about $1000 on getting an area of the barn set up to paint, and it is in no way a pro paint booth. For me, it is a matter of liking to do things myself, and learning as I go. I love the challenge of tackling new things related to the build, and I don't plan to ever be at a formal "car show" where a $10K+ paint job is the expectation.

Roger I'm with you. I have no where near the skills to do show car quality, let alone quality!
I would like the paint to look nice though, just tormenting over self learning curve vs. big bucks shop finish!
I'm off tomorrow so I'll clear out the corner the compressor is in and check out the specs!

Originally Posted by stovens

Roger I'm with you. I have no where near the skills to do show car quality, let alone quality!
I would like the paint to look nice though, just tormenting over self learning curve vs. big bucks shop finish!
I'm off tomorrow so I'll clear out the corner the compressor is in and check out the specs!

Steve, I'd give it a shot. I figure every good painter who ever painted had to start somewhere, plus we've seen a lot of testimonies here that nice jobs can be done in garages. I've done 5 cars now, each has gotten progessively better, and i learn a little more each time. You can do it, brother!