Painting our cars is a bit more complicated than painting other objects. This process requires skills and patience as the all-around paint must be proportional and smooth. Cars have a lot of areas that cannot be exposed to paint. We can use small air compressors for the job and small professional brushes for finishing touches.
Air compressors are a great tool to paint or repaint your car as you see fit. The air compressor is initially used to make spray paint that efficiently gets the job done. When we’re using a small air compressor, we’re basically using a smaller tank size for the paint. There are many benefits to using a small air compressor. It is easier to carry and handle while painting. However, the major drawbacks of air compressors are that they need to be refilled constantly, which means that there will be inconsistencies in the flow of the paint and its strokes.
However, if you believe you can easily handle the smoothness of your small air compressor, by all means, go for it. Small air compressors generally cost less than large and standard-sized ones as well. We have gathered some of the main steps you must follow in order to do a good job at painting with a small air compressor.
Equipment You Must Have To Paint A Car With A Small Air Compressor
- Reliable spray painting gun (a spare one as well)
- Counterparts of the painting gun: filters, regulators, and disconnectors
- Air compressor that compliments the spray gun
- Long and flexible hose
- Safety gear: gloves, mask, and goggles
How To Get Started
Before you begin your paint job make sure to prioritize your safety first. Put on the goggles and gloves to minimize contact with the toxic paints on your skin. Most people also wear suits for the purposes of doing such tasks to cover their whole body. Cover your face entirely with the help of a mask as well. Make sure you do not inhale any of the toxic fumes directly through your nose or mouth.
Once you’re taken care of your personal safety, the next step is to get your equipment together. Begin by attaching the hose to your spray painting gun. The other end of the hose must then be connected to the compressor. You can use the other counterparts such as a filter or regulator as you see fit for the task at hand. Once the equipment is all ready to use, make sure to place it somewhere you can easily move around the compressor to fully cover every inch of the car as you go.
The trick to the smooth running of your air compressor is to make sure that the air compression unit/system is operating on a stable level of CFM required to make the system run. The CFM indicates the intensity of the air pressure that will come out of the spray painting gun. It is important that the CFM is not too low that the paint fades away and not so high that the paint starts doubling and making uneven strokes.
Once you know that your air compressor system is all good to do, you can start preparing your paints. Paints and their solvents must all be mixed together in recommended and adequate proportions suited for the task at hand. There must be a good ratio of all the materials so there is consistency in the paint over the car. A good tip is to test out the spray painting gun on a separate surface before you directly start painting the car.
Once you have completed all the initial steps, you can begin painting your car with a small air compressor. You must paint a single balanced layer of paint all over the car. Some paints are thicker in consistency and only require a single coat. However, if you believe your car needs another coat of paint, you must wait at least another 12 hours before doing a second coat.
Conclusion
Varying small air compressors must offer different kinds of functions with different intensities. You must research the kind of air compressor you need to perform your task. For the purposes of painting a car, small air compressors are usually good enough. These will most likely cost less as well as require less expertise and effort as well. It is not so difficult to paint with the help of a small air compressor once you get the hang of it. You’re good to go as long as you follow the steps accurately.
