Looking for an air dryer or filter for an air compressor.

[Stampede4ever]

I want to do some sandblasting and painting. Where can I find a decent dryer/filter at? What about HF?

Thanks.

[Camaroholic]

Honestly, no. HF stuff is junk. I have the $26.99 "air filter" from HF, and it's OK for a pre-filter, but it's not good enough to get all the bits out.

If you're really serious about cleaning your air, consider a Sharpe filter, along with a Motorguard filter. The Sharpe would be good enough for sandblasting, and then the Motorguard after that for painting. Even though the Sharpe looks kind of like the HF model, quality wise, there's no comparison. Sharpe is superior.

I got mine from http://www.spraygunworld.com

Sharpe:

http://search.cartserver.com/search/...ywords=SHP6710

Motorguard:

http://www.spraygunworld.com/product...uard%20M60.htm

The way I set my air up, I went:

~40 ft 3/4" copper -> Harbor Freight Filter -> 50' of 1/2" copper coil -> Sharpe Filter -> Motorguard Filter -> HVLP gun

The HF filter in my setup gets quite a bit of moisture. The Sharpe gets a little. The Motorguard, after 2 years, I'm still on the original filter. No problems at all with it. I've been very happy with my setup (see my build thread at Plumbing shop for air ).

I don't use the regulator that came with the HF filter, it is CRAP with a capital CRAP. I have a Campbell-Hausfeld 3/8" NPT in/out regulator, it works MUCH better.

[mrdragster1970]

.

The bad news is good stuff is expensive. I have a blast cabinet & 2 hand blasters & they work ok with 2 cheap dryers.
One at the compressor & one at the cabinet. Painting, you should use a nice filter to get a professional finish.
Good tips & info above.

.

[SilverGhost]

Eastwood has some nice dryers and filter kits as well, check them out.

I have one larger filter/regulator right at my compressor which is working find to keep the crap out of the short line that runs to my blast cabinet. I have three lines coming off that filter on a splitter, one to the cabinet, one for general use(blow gun,etc) and then another heading to my powder coating gun.

I then have another filter at the end of the line that goes to my powder coating gun, right before the smaller regulator that I used to regulate just the gun. Typically the main regulator sits at 60-70 PSI for blasting and blow gun use, and I adjust the one at the gun anywhere from 12-30 PSI depending on what I'm doing powder coating wise.

I have no moisture issues, if i did it would show in my powder work.

[mebuildit]

Check out Craigslist, I found a electric AC condenser for air and it works great. No more water in the lines and I also put a couple of Norgren filters after that as well.