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air compressor question

updated wed 24 feb 10

 

MJ on fri 19 feb 10


Hello - I am a relatively new potter and I have been using the sprayer at
class. I am setting up a spray booth at home and need to buy an air
compressor. I have a paasche sprayer. I plan to spray entire pots rather
than just small areas. A big concern for me is the noise since the booth i=
s
outside. Our neighbors are rather close by and I want to disturb them as
little as possible. I am also a cheapskate as I am just starting out, but
willing to go a little higher if the noise is greatly impacted. I do not d=
o
a large volume of pots at this point, and I continue to use class facilitie=
s
for some work.

Would love to hear cautions and ideas.

thanks, MJ

KATHI LESUEUR on sat 20 feb 10


>> On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 8:09 PM, MJ wrote:
>> Hello - I am a relatively new potter and I have been using the
>> sprayer at
>> class. I am setting up a spray booth at home and need to buy an air
>> compressor. I have a paasche sprayer. I plan to spray entire
>> pots rather
>> than just small areas. A big concern for me is the noise since
>> the booth
>> is
>> outside. Our neighbors are rather close by and I want to disturb
>> them as
>> little as possible. I am also a cheapskate as I am just starting
>> out, but
>> willing to go a little higher if the noise is greatly impacted. I
>> do not
>> do
>> a large volume of pots at this point, and I continue to use class
>> facilities
>> for some work.
>>
>> Would love to hear cautions and ideas.
>>
>> thanks, MJ
>>
>>


I do lots of spraying on large pots. I use a "jelly jar" sprayer and
a very small compressor that I bought at Sears years ago. It's a
tankless model that is about 8" diameter. Very quiet. The jelly jar
sprayers don't need a lot of pressure and this works just fine.

KATHI LESUEUR
http://www.lesueurclaywork.com

Vince Pitelka on sat 20 feb 10


MJ wrote:
"I found the following sprayer on the Costco website. Could you let me kno=
w
your thoughts as to whether it would work for spraying glazes? It claims t=
o
be quiet and it appears to have a second tank."

MJ -
It never works very well to include such a long web address in a Clayart
post. I did manage to paste the whole thing into my browser, and if anyone
wants to find that compressor, it would be easier to go to costco.com and
just enter "All Power America QuietZone Series 1.5 HP 4.6 Gallon Twin Tank
Air Compressor" in the search box. But that's beside the point, because
this compressor will be inadequate for any serious glaze spraying, and will
not last long. These compressors trade reliability and longevity for
compactness. They are direct-drive single-cylinder units with aluminum
compressor and piston, and they run very fast and hot. They just wear
themselves out quickly. They are advertised as "maintenance-free" but that
is a joke, because what they really mean is that you cannot do any
preventative maintenance that would extend the life of the unit.

There is no point in buying electric power tools on the cheap, because you
always get what you pay for. Fortunately, if you can scrape together a
little more money, you can get a good compressor that will last you a
lifetime and will run quiet. The best ones for this kind of application
have a separate motor and compressor unit with a belt-drive between them,
mounted on top of the tank. The compressor will have oil-sump lubrication
and a cast-iron cylinder barrel or at least a cast-iron sleeve within an
aluminum barrel. Google "Campbell Hausfeld cast iron" and you will find
compressors perfect for your needs for around $400. If you have a Tractor
Supply Company (farm supply) in your area, they sell Campbell Hausfeld and
they generally have good prices.

James's advice about the motor is generally good, but overkill in this case=
.
For your needs, you can get an appropriate belt-drive compressor that still
runs on 110 volts, so you won't have to worry about running it off your kil=
n
outlet or installing a separate 220 outlet. I have a Campbell Hausfeld 2.5
HP cast iron compressor that I bought 30 year ago at Montgomery Wards in
Eureka, California, and I have never replaced the drive belt. All I have
ever done is bleed the moisture out of the tank and change the oil on the
compressor. It works as well now as it did when I bought it. It has never
given me a bit of trouble, and has sprayed hundreds of gallons of glaze.

If you do want to follow James's sage advice, I recommend you check out the
compressor at
http://www.grizzly.com/products/13-Gallon-3-HP-Air-Compressor/G0471. Like
Costco, Grizzly Industrial does a great job of maintaining quality and
reliability in the products they sell. This compressor is 220-volt with a
very beefy 3 HP motor, and it would be a beauty for spraying glazes. As
James mentioned, with an oil-sump compressor, you need to make sure to get
an inline oil separator. That's an inexpensive accessory, and the
compressor might even come equipped with one.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka

James Freeman on sat 20 feb 10


On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 8:09 PM, MJ wrote:
Hello - I am a relatively new potter and I have been using the sprayer at
class. I am setting up a spray booth at home and need to buy an air
compressor. I have a paasche sprayer. I plan to spray entire pots rather
than just small areas. A big concern for me is the noise since the booth i=
s
outside. Our neighbors are rather close by and I want to disturb them as
little as possible. I am also a cheapskate as I am just starting out, but
willing to go a little higher if the noise is greatly impacted. I do not d=
o
a large volume of pots at this point, and I continue to use class facilitie=
s
for some work.

Would love to hear cautions and ideas.

thanks, MJ



MJ...

I posted the following in response to a similar question a couple of years
ago. Perhaps it might be helpful:

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

James F on wed 3 sep 08


The problem of noise has it's genesis in the quest for portability, and
stems from three factors: The small, light weight compressors (and other
portable power tools) use so-called "universal" motors. These motors are
small, very powerful, and noisy as h*ll. They are also relatively
short-lived, but have the advantage of running on a standard 15 amp
household outlet. The small compressors also tend to be one-cylinder, so to
generate a sufficient volume of air they need to run twice as fast, hence
twice the noise. Lastly, since the tanks are so small, the compressor
cycles on much more often.

Larger compressors use induction motors, which run much, much quieter. The=
y
also typically have two cylinders, so can run slower, and have much, much
larger tanks, so cycle on with far less frequency. The downside is that the=
y
require a 20 amp outlet (not a big deal to install or to have installed).
They also tend to be oil-filled (as opposed to the "oil-less" compressors
found on portables), so you will want to add an oil separator (not
expensive).

Note also that the small portable compressors like yours have a much lower
duty cycle than the larger paint spray compressors, so in your application,
which I am guessing entails almost continuous duty, I think your little
compressor will prove itself unsuited to the challenge.

Where portability is an issue, I use my small, portable (in a nominal sense
only) DeWalt and simply tolerate it's hellish noise. If I am using it
indoors I wear hearing protection. Where portability is not an issue, I use
a conventional paint sprayer compressor. My own is a Sears Craftsman, but
there are at least a half dozen brands out there, and all of the name brand=
s
will be good, and similarly priced.

Another option is to locate the compressor (of whatever type) in another
room, and pipe the air to where you need it. I am in the process of doing
this in my own studio. One caveat here: If the compressor will be in an
unheated space (and assuming it gets cold where you live), make sure to cut
the power to the compressor before leaving your studio. A friend burned dow=
n
his sculpture studio because his compressor tried to kick on unattended in
the middle of the night in sub-zero weather, the thermal overload protectio=
n
failed, and the motor overheated and burned.

I hope this helps. Be well.

...James


James Freeman

"All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should
not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed."
-Michel de Montaigne

http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/clayart/

MJ on sat 20 feb 10


James, Thanks for the input. I found the following sprayer on the costco
website. Could you let me know your thoughts as to whether it would work
for spraying glazes? It claims to be quiet and it appears to have a second
tank.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=3D11503861&search=3Daircom=
pressor&Mo=3D4&cm_re=3D1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=3Den-US&Nr=3DP=
_CatalogName:BC&Sp=3DS&N=3D5000043&whse=3DBC&Dx=3Dmode+matchallpartial&Ntk=
=3DText_Search&Dr=3DP_CatalogName:BC&Ne=3D4000000&D=3Dair
compressor&Ntt=3Dair
compressor&No=3D2&Ntx=3Dmode+matchallpartial&Nty=3D1&topnav=3D&s=3D1

Cheers, MJ

On Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 7:11 AM, James Freeman m
> wrote:

> On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 8:09 PM, MJ wrote:
> Hello - I am a relatively new potter and I have been using the sprayer at
> class. I am setting up a spray booth at home and need to buy an air
> compressor. I have a paasche sprayer. I plan to spray entire pots rathe=
r
> than just small areas. A big concern for me is the noise since the booth
> is
> outside. Our neighbors are rather close by and I want to disturb them as
> little as possible. I am also a cheapskate as I am just starting out, bu=
t
> willing to go a little higher if the noise is greatly impacted. I do not
> do
> a large volume of pots at this point, and I continue to use class
> facilities
> for some work.
>
> Would love to hear cautions and ideas.
>
> thanks, MJ
>
>
>
> MJ...
>
> I posted the following in response to a similar question a couple of year=
s
> ago. Perhaps it might be helpful:
>
>
> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>
> James F on wed 3 sep 08
>
>
> The problem of noise has it's genesis in the quest for portability, and
> stems from three factors: The small, light weight compressors (and other
> portable power tools) use so-called "universal" motors. These motors are
> small, very powerful, and noisy as h*ll. They are also relatively
> short-lived, but have the advantage of running on a standard 15 amp
> household outlet. The small compressors also tend to be one-cylinder, so =
to
> generate a sufficient volume of air they need to run twice as fast, hence
> twice the noise. Lastly, since the tanks are so small, the compressor
> cycles on much more often.
>
> Larger compressors use induction motors, which run much, much quieter.
> They also typically have two cylinders, so can run slower, and have much,
> much larger tanks, so cycle on with far less frequency. The downside is t=
hat
> they require a 20 amp outlet (not a big deal to install or to have
> installed). They also tend to be oil-filled (as opposed to the "oil-less"
> compressors found on portables), so you will want to add an oil separator
> (not expensive).
>
> Note also that the small portable compressors like yours have a much lowe=
r
> duty cycle than the larger paint spray compressors, so in your applicatio=
n,
> which I am guessing entails almost continuous duty, I think your little
> compressor will prove itself unsuited to the challenge.
>
> Where portability is an issue, I use my small, portable (in a nominal sen=
se
> only) DeWalt and simply tolerate it's hellish noise. If I am using it
> indoors I wear hearing protection. Where portability is not an issue, I u=
se
> a conventional paint sprayer compressor. My own is a Sears Craftsman, but
> there are at least a half dozen brands out there, and all of the name bra=
nds
> will be good, and similarly priced.
>
> Another option is to locate the compressor (of whatever type) in another
> room, and pipe the air to where you need it. I am in the process of doing
> this in my own studio. One caveat here: If the compressor will be in an
> unheated space (and assuming it gets cold where you live), make sure to c=
ut
> the power to the compressor before leaving your studio. A friend burned d=
own
> his sculpture studio because his compressor tried to kick on unattended i=
n
> the middle of the night in sub-zero weather, the thermal overload protect=
ion
> failed, and the motor overheated and burned.
>
> I hope this helps. Be well.
>
> ...James
>
>
> James Freeman
>
> "All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I shoul=
d
> not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed."
> -Michel de Montaigne
>
> http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
> http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/clayart/
>
>

phil on sun 21 feb 10


Another possibility, is...if one has a really loud, 'noisy' Air Compressor,
just mask the sound by playing a really powerful Stereo System with very
large powerful Speakers.



----- Original Message -----
From: "MJ"


> Thanks so much for all of the good information. Several ideas and I am
> sure
> my neighbors will appreciate it.
>
> Cheers, MJ
>
> On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 11:22 AM, John Post
> wrote:
>
>> I couldn't take the noise, suiting up in a mask and the whole process
>> of spraying glazes. When I sprayed glazes in community studios I was
>> only doing a few pots at a time. Then when I started spraying glazes
>> regularly in my own studio, I found I really disliked the whole
>> process. It's just a personal temperament kind of thing. I liked the
>> way my sprayed pieces looked, but I just didn't enjoy the process.
>>
>> Right now I'm on the fence about a slab roller. I've been making some
>> sculptural forms where one would be really handy, but like a spray
>> booth, it takes up lots of studio space and I'm trying to decide if I
>> really need it.
>>
>>
>>
>> John Post
>> Sterling Heights, Michigan
>>
>> :: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
>> :: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
>> :: youtube channel :: http://www.youtube.com/user/MrPostArtTeacher
>>


---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
-----



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23:34:00

Conrad Krebs on sun 21 feb 10


Hi MJ,

One idea would be to have both a small air compressor along with a
separate small air tank. Keep the compressor inside and use it to fill
the tank. Then carry the tank outside and hook it up to your sprayer.
The tanks are sold by many hardware stores as well as, I believe, by
Sears. The tanks have a handle at the top so they can be carried with
one hand. The tanks weigh maybe 15 to 20 lbs.

Conrad

James Freeman on sun 21 feb 10


Vince, others...

Sage advice? Wow! I'm honored!

Just to clarify a small point, I didn't mention 220 volt compressors. As
you say, They are overkill in this application. My own Sears Craftsman
compressor, like your Campbell Hausfeld, runs on 110 volts. It does,
however need a 20 amp, 110 volt outlet. The power draw when a compressor
first kicks on is tremendous. While my compressor will occasionally start
on a household 15 amp circuit, it usually just pops the breaker. If the
compressor is cold, or folks are running air conditioners, or any high-draw
appliance is running concurrently, it's just not going to work on a 15 amp
circuit. BTW, running a 20 amp line is not much more expensive that a 15
amp, maybe $10 more. It only means a bigger breaker, #12 wire instead of
#14, and a slightly different outlet.

Good point also on the cast iron cylinders or cast iron sleeves, which I
forgot to mention. Like any tool, one gets what one pays for. My DeWalt
portable, which I mentioned, does have a cast iron cylinder. It runs about
$100 or so more than the cheaper units such as the one form Costco, so one
needs to decide if it will get enough use to warrant the extra dollars spen=
t
on durability. I'm with you, though; get the best tool you can afford.
Another advantage to buying a larger, "real" compressor is versatility and
resale value. With a "real" compressor, you can fill your tires, run air
tools, sandblast rusty equipment, inject salt into your salt kiln, or myria=
d
other things should the need ever arise, and since they are more versatile,
they appeal to a wider target audience should you ever need to sell it. On
the other hand, you're not going to pop it in your trunk and take it to the
birthday party to fill balloons.

All the best.

...James

James Freeman

"All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should
not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed."
-Michel de Montaigne

http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesfreemanstudio/
http://www.jamesfreemanstudio.com/clayart/



On Sat, Feb 20, 2010 at 8:18 PM, Vince Pitelka wrote:

>
> James's advice about the motor is generally good, but overkill in this
> case.
> For your needs, you can get an appropriate belt-drive compressor that sti=
ll
> runs on 110 volts, so you won't have to worry about running it off your
> kiln
> outlet or installing a separate 220 outlet.
>

phil on sun 21 feb 10


One Rule-of-Thumb or generality for conventional type Piston Air
Compressors, would be -


If the Air Compressor is a 400 RPM-ish, Wet Sump, Cast Iron
Compressor-body...Belt run via Electric Motor, it will be 'quiet'.

If high RPM and Alluminum Alloy Compressor-body, 'unitised' construction, i=
t
will be 'noisy'.


Phil
Lv

Steve Slatin on sun 21 feb 10


And, for what it's worth, there's a Hitachi
widely available for prices down to and
including 200 simoleons (Model EC89) that
might be a little noisy for your application,
but is cheap enough to justify building a
sound box (chip board with foam on the inside)
which would make it quiet enough and
runs on 120 v with direct induction motor,
and a cast iron oiled pump.

I stopped researching after I found this
because I decided to stick with dip and=3D20
pour, but I would have bought the Hitachi
over the QuietZone.=3D20

Steve Slatin --=3D20




--- On Sat, 2/20/10, Vince Pitelka wrote:

> MJ wrote:
> "I found the following sprayer on the Costco website.=3DA0
> Could you let me know
> your thoughts as to whether it would work for spraying
> glazes?=3DA0 It claims to
> be quiet and it appears to have a second tank."
>=3D20
> MJ -
> It never works very well to include such a long web address
> in a Clayart
> post.=3DA0 I did manage to paste the whole thing into my
> browser, and if anyone
> wants to find that compressor, it would be easier to go to
> costco.com and
> just enter "All Power America QuietZone Series 1.5 HP 4.6
> Gallon Twin Tank
> Air Compressor" in the search box.=3DA0 But that's beside
> the point, because
> this compressor will be inadequate for any serious glaze
> spraying, and will
> not last long.=3DA0 These compressors trade reliability
> and longevity for
> compactness.=3DA0 They are direct-drive single-cylinder
> units with aluminum
> compressor and piston, and they run very fast and
> hot.=3DA0 They just wear
> themselves out quickly.=3DA0 They are advertised as
> "maintenance-free" but that
> is a joke, because what they really mean is that you cannot
> do any
> preventative maintenance that would extend the life of the
> unit.
>=3D20
> There is no point in buying electric power tools on the
> cheap, because you
> always get what you pay for. =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A

Vince Pitelka on sun 21 feb 10


Steve Slatin wrote:
"And, for what it's worth, there's a Hitachi widely available for prices
down to and including 200 simoleons (Model EC89) that might be a little
noisy for your application, but is cheap enough to justify building a sound
box (chip board with foam on the inside) which would make it quiet enough
and runs on 120 v with direct induction motor, and a cast iron oiled pump. =
I
stopped researching after I found this because I decided to stick with dip
and pour, but I would have bought the Hitachi over the QuietZone."

Steve -
Because I am fascinated by this stuff, I did a little research. There's no
question that the Hitachi unit would be much better than the QuietZone, and
with a cast iron compressor barrel and oil sump, it will be a lot quieter
than an all-aluminum compressor, but the output is very slim for spraying
glazes. The 2HP Campbell Hausfeld cast iron compressor puts out over twice
the CFM of this unit. Also, these direct-drive compressors always tend to
run hot, so you would be asking for trouble if you placed it in any sort of
sound-proof enclosure, unless you are talking about a room-size enclosure.

I communicated with MJ off-list, and the sound is really a non-issue,
because her primary concern is that she doesn't want to bother her neighbor=
s
with the compressor noise when spraying outside, and she can just leave the
compressor indoors and run the hose outside.
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka

John Post on sun 21 feb 10


I couldn't take the noise, suiting up in a mask and the whole process
of spraying glazes. When I sprayed glazes in community studios I was
only doing a few pots at a time. Then when I started spraying glazes
regularly in my own studio, I found I really disliked the whole
process. It's just a personal temperament kind of thing. I liked the
way my sprayed pieces looked, but I just didn't enjoy the process.

Right now I'm on the fence about a slab roller. I've been making some
sculptural forms where one would be really handy, but like a spray
booth, it takes up lots of studio space and I'm trying to decide if I
really need it.



John Post
Sterling Heights, Michigan

:: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
:: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
:: youtube channel :: http://www.youtube.com/user/MrPostArtTeacher

MJ on sun 21 feb 10


Thanks so much for all of the good information. Several ideas and I am sur=
e
my neighbors will appreciate it.

Cheers, MJ

On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 11:22 AM, John Post wrot=
e:

> I couldn't take the noise, suiting up in a mask and the whole process
> of spraying glazes. When I sprayed glazes in community studios I was
> only doing a few pots at a time. Then when I started spraying glazes
> regularly in my own studio, I found I really disliked the whole
> process. It's just a personal temperament kind of thing. I liked the
> way my sprayed pieces looked, but I just didn't enjoy the process.
>
> Right now I'm on the fence about a slab roller. I've been making some
> sculptural forms where one would be really handy, but like a spray
> booth, it takes up lots of studio space and I'm trying to decide if I
> really need it.
>
>
>
> John Post
> Sterling Heights, Michigan
>
> :: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
> :: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
> :: youtube channel :: http://www.youtube.com/user/MrPostArtTeacher
>

phil on mon 22 feb 10


Hi John,



Very elegant...


Possibly places which re-fill the old Walter Kidde C02 type Fire
Extinguishers would be worth looking into also for re-fills.


Of course, a good two-stage Regulator, for bumping it down, and snug Soap
and Water 'tested' fittings, would be ideal...as is knowing how to rightly
Close the Tank Valve, and, un-do the Regulator setting after each use...to
open the Tank Valve, and, set the Regulator anew, for when using again...

Like that, and no blown Regulator diaphrams or blown Air Brushes to
disappoint.


Many old stories and used to be Photos scotch taped to walls of Fastner
Wholesalers, of guys having used Bottled Gas for running SENCO or BOSTICH
other Pnuematic Staplers or Nailers, and blowing the Be-Jeeeeezes out of th=
e
Stapler/Nailer Body, for not having closed off the Tank and un-did the
Regulator after last use, and, or rather, finding the Regulator blew
internally for not being un-done when the Tank Valve was opened again, and
or got reset somehow, allowing way too much pressure to the Hose and Gun.

Like the never see 'em anymore used-to-be Photos on walls of Welding Supply
joints, of Bottled Gas Tanks having fallen over just right and hit their
Valve Body on something with no 'Cap' on, and, took off 'Like a Rocket' (
into the Next County, clean through anything in their way ) when the Valve
broke off low.


Lol...


Otherwise, with right care, and right basic habits...and chain the Jug up t=
o
a wall or fixture so the Jug can not ever fall over...and...


Nice way to go indeed...


Phil
Lv



----- Original Message -----
From: "John Rodgers"


> Back in the day ( 1990's) when I did a lot of airbrushing - noise was a
> big concern where I was. After a bit of research, I found a surplused
> 240 cu. ft. CO2 cylinder, had it tested, and installed a new valve -
> total cost $85. I then bought a liquid-to-gas regulator(don't remember
> cost) to mount on the tank. I had the tank filled with LIQUID carbon
> dioxide (pretty cheap back then) , mounted the regulator on the tank
> valve, hooked up my airbrush hose and brush, and had at it spraying all
> kind of things. Worked beautifully with no noise at all but the sound
> of the brush itself. A tank of CO2 lasted quite a while.
>
> John Rodgers
> Clayartist and Moldmaker
> 88'GL VW Bus Driver
> Chelsea, AL
> Http://www.moldhaus.com

MJ on mon 22 feb 10


Phil - I think I used to live next to you. :)

On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 7:29 PM, phil wrote:

> Another possibility, is...if one has a really loud, 'noisy' Air Compresso=
r,
> just mask the sound by playing a really powerful Stereo System with very
> large powerful Speakers.
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "MJ"
>
>
> Thanks so much for all of the good information. Several ideas and I am
>> sure
>> my neighbors will appreciate it.
>>
>> Cheers, MJ
>>
>> On Sun, Feb 21, 2010 at 11:22 AM, John Post
>> wrote:
>>
>> I couldn't take the noise, suiting up in a mask and the whole process
>>> of spraying glazes. When I sprayed glazes in community studios I was
>>> only doing a few pots at a time. Then when I started spraying glazes
>>> regularly in my own studio, I found I really disliked the whole
>>> process. It's just a personal temperament kind of thing. I liked the
>>> way my sprayed pieces looked, but I just didn't enjoy the process.
>>>
>>> Right now I'm on the fence about a slab roller. I've been making some
>>> sculptural forms where one would be really handy, but like a spray
>>> booth, it takes up lots of studio space and I'm trying to decide if I
>>> really need it.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> John Post
>>> Sterling Heights, Michigan
>>>
>>> :: cone 6 glaze website :: http://www.johnpost.us
>>> :: elementary art website :: http://www.wemakeart.org
>>> :: youtube channel :: http://www.youtube.com/user/MrPostArtTeacher
>>>
>>>
>
>
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>
>
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>

John Rodgers on mon 22 feb 10


Hi.

I use a Chicago cyclone sprayer I got from Harbor Freight. Back when I
bought it - I think I paid $90 for it. The compressor is really more
like a blower as it produces a continuous stream of air for the
spraygun. Pulling the trigger actuates the gun and it sprays the glaze.
The spray gun and tank are all plastic, and the hose is somewhat like a
vacuum cleaner hose. I have put my setup through some hard use and it
has held up well. The noise level of the unit when running is like a
large vacuum cleaner. For a cheap way to go that is effective - I
recommend it.

If you don't mind spending more money - then an HVLP gun, air hose, and
cast iron two cylinder compressor with large vertical storage tank and
capacitor start motor would be the way to go.

But for the occasional use - I'd go the Harbor Freight unit.

John Rodgers
Clayartist and Moldmaker
88'GL VW Bus Driver
Chelsea, AL
Http://www.moldhaus.com



MJ wrote:
> Hello - I am a relatively new potter and I have been using the sprayer at
> class. I am setting up a spray booth at home and need to buy an air
> compressor. I have a paasche sprayer. I plan to spray entire pots rathe=
r
> than just small areas. A big concern for me is the noise since the booth=
is
> outside. Our neighbors are rather close by and I want to disturb them as
> little as possible. I am also a cheapskate as I am just starting out, bu=
t
> willing to go a little higher if the noise is greatly impacted. I do not=
do
> a large volume of pots at this point, and I continue to use class facilit=
ies
> for some work.
>
> Would love to hear cautions and ideas.
>
> thanks, MJ
>
>
>

John Rodgers on mon 22 feb 10


Back in the day ( 1990's) when I did a lot of airbrushing - noise was a
big concern where I was. After a bit of research, I found a surplused
240 cu. ft. CO2 cylinder, had it tested, and installed a new valve -
total cost $85. I then bought a liquid-to-gas regulator(don't remember
cost) to mount on the tank. I had the tank filled with LIQUID carbon
dioxide (pretty cheap back then) , mounted the regulator on the tank
valve, hooked up my airbrush hose and brush, and had at it spraying all
kind of things. Worked beautifully with no noise at all but the sound
of the brush itself. A tank of CO2 lasted quite a while.

John Rodgers
Clayartist and Moldmaker
88'GL VW Bus Driver
Chelsea, AL
Http://www.moldhaus.com



MJ wrote:
> Hello - I am a relatively new potter and I have been using the sprayer at
> class. I am setting up a spray booth at home and need to buy an air
> compressor. I have a paasche sprayer. I plan to spray entire pots rathe=
r
> than just small areas. A big concern for me is the noise since the booth=
is
> outside. Our neighbors are rather close by and I want to disturb them as
> little as possible. I am also a cheapskate as I am just starting out, bu=
t
> willing to go a little higher if the noise is greatly impacted. I do not=
do
> a large volume of pots at this point, and I continue to use class facilit=
ies
> for some work.
>
> Would love to hear cautions and ideas.
>
> thanks, MJ
>
>
>