Recommend sprayer/air compressor combo for fluid film/woolwax

[avacado11]

I currently have an Amazon Inokraft rust proofing spray gun with 360° extension nozzle running with an 8 gallon 1HP air compressor. Max 120psi.

I’ve tried just about everything and it’s just not spraying as well as I’d like. It’s 70 degrees out today. I get about 5 seconds of spray before I drop down below 80 psi, but regardless it’s barley spitting out any material.

I’m not sure if it’s the cheap spray gun or if my compressor is undersized for this application.

Anybody have recommendations for air compressor size? Any spray guns that’ll work better than this generic one I have?

Home Depot has Husky 20 gal 200psi for $250 and Harbor Freight has McGraw 20 gal 135 psi for $240, 21 gal/175psi $280.

 

[brandon9715]

Definitely could use a larger tank capacity, and make sure the air compressor has a respectable scfm rating. Low scfm means the compressor can't generate pressurized air very fast. The guns that are available from fluid film and wool wax work well.

 

[AdmiralYoda]

Does Fluid Film, Woolwax or other similar viscosity product have any guidance? You may be ignoring the other important spec for air compressors....CFM.

My 5 gallon, 1HP compressor will turn an air tool for a few seconds when it is fully charged with air but it doesn't have the CFM to use most air tools in a meaningful way. I think my compressor puts out something like 1.7CFM at 90psi. Larger air tools need 5-6CFM or more. Air intensive pneumatic tools like sandblasters need 10+ CFM.

I'm not sure how much CFM you need but it may be more than the ones you are looking at put out. PSI is sort of meaningless as air tools generally need to be regulated to 90-120PSI anyways. A higher PSI capacity tank just crams some extra air in there to use before the compressor kicks on and with a smaller sized compressor that will get used up real quick.

***EDIT***
I just checked the tool you mentioned from Amazon. It has a recommended operating pressure of 58psi and requires a minimum of 4.6-5.3CFM at that pressure. There is your problem. You need more CFM. If you are going to buy a new compressor get one that is rated for at least 5.5CFM at 90psi. That will handle this tool and also enable you to use most common air tools.

 

[Kestas]

I have sprayed many cars with woolwax. I was taught to cut it with mineral spirits so it would spray. The mineral spirits flash off after application. I use a 30 gal compressor.

 

[Rand]

120psi is low tank pressure and 8gal isnt helping.. also probably too thick and might need thinned unless you are using a special spray gun designed for FF
Can also preheat your cans of FF.

A 200psi 20gal compressor will have about 10x the usable air vs yours. if you start with a fully pressurized tank of air.

 

[ripcord]

That stuff is thick! You could heat it up first to thin it out, but you would need to be careful not to get burned.

You might want to rent a lot bigger compressor.

 

[crashz]

I try to warm the FF or Woolwax in a hot water bath first and then I use a drill with large bit to mix it and thin it. These products are thixotropic. If you aggressively mix them, they will thin out and load in the gun and spray better.

 

[avacado11]

Does Fluid Film, Woolwax or other similar viscosity product have any guidance? You may be ignoring the other important spec for air compressors....CFM.

My 5 gallon, 1HP compressor will turn an air tool for a few seconds when it is fully charged with air but it doesn't have the CFM to use most air tools in a meaningful way. I think my compressor puts out something like 1.7CFM at 90psi. Larger air tools need 5-6CFM or more. Air intensive pneumatic tools like sandblasters need 10+ CFM.

I'm not sure how much CFM you need but it may be more than the ones you are looking at put out. PSI is sort of meaningless as air tools generally need to be regulated to 90-120PSI anyways. A higher PSI capacity tank just crams some extra air in there to use before the compressor kicks on and with a smaller sized compressor that will get used up real quick.

***EDIT***
I just checked the tool you mentioned from Amazon. It has a recommended operating pressure of 58psi and requires a minimum of 4.6-5.3CFM at that pressure. There is your problem. You need more CFM. If you are going to buy a new compressor get one that is rated for at least 5.5CFM at 90psi. That will handle this tool and also enable you to use most common air tools.

if CFM is the issue than these $300 ish air compressors won’t cut it. 4.0 SCFM at 90 psi across the board. Even the more expensive HF compressors won’t touch 5.5. Willing to invest in a good tank for the garage though. I’ll just have to look around to find a sub $500 tank, new or used, that is still relatively easy to move around. Don’t have a ton of space in my garage.

 

[avacado11]

I try to warm the FF or Woolwax in a hot water bath first and then I use a drill with large bit to mix it and thin it. These products are thixotropic. If you aggressively mix them, they will thin out and load in the gun and spray better.

I’ve tried hot water but haven’t mixed yet. The stuff flows fine and will spray perfect without the extensions on. Almost seems like there isn’t enough pressure to push it through the 18” tube AND out 360 degrees. I only get spray towards the bottom of the nozzle. The holes on top just dribbles out.

I’m fine with it spraying light/slow but at this point it’s a very inconsistent spray. Not even getting coverage on a lot of spots.

 

[Fordiesel69]

I currently have an Amazon Inokraft rust proofing spray gun with 360° extension nozzle running with an 8 gallon 1HP air compressor. Max 120psi.

I’ve tried just about everything and it’s just not spraying as well as I’d like. It’s 70 degrees out today. I get about 5 seconds of spray before I drop down below 80 psi, but regardless it’s barley spitting out any material.

I’m not sure if it’s the cheap spray gun or if my compressor is undersized for this application.

Anybody have recommendations for air compressor size? Any spray guns that’ll work better than this generic one I have?

Home Depot has Husky 20 gal 200psi for $250 and Harbor Freight has McGraw 20 gal 135 psi for $240, 21 gal/175psi $280.

I spray with a large 80 gal coleman professional (piece of crap actually) 150psi compressor and it can hardly keep up. I reduce to 90psi on a regulator so less goes into the air as waste. 90 to 120 is ideal for mine. Any more is just overspray.