cabinetman

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Some good advice so far, and I'm sure there will be a lot more. I'll try to help you determine size and keep my response as simple as possible.

A given compressor has a certain (hp) motor, and a air pump, that fills up a tank (gallon sizes). For what ever the output is, it fills the tank to a pressure that is regulated by a gauge. When the tank reaches that poundage (PSI), the gauge shuts off the motor.

The air demand for tools is pretty simple. The data that comes with the tool tells what range of (PSI) the tool runs at in a range that makes it effective. The tool has a cubic foot per minute (CFM) air requirement that drives the tool at the PSI. The less the setting for PSI to the tool, the less CFM is required.

For example, lets say you have an air drill that is supposed to run at 90 PSI, and the CFM needed to run it at 90 PSI is 8.0.
If your compressor has a maximum output of 6.0, what will happen is that the air supply in the tank will run the tool until it runs down to the "kick on" pressure and run continuously trying to fill up the tank to the "kick off" pressure.

Well since the compressors output is less than the tool demand , the compressor will stay running to get there, but it won't happen. Then, the tool will start to slow down to the actual output the compressor is struggling to maintain. Remember, it is trying to fill the tank and run the tool at the same time.

So, if the output is greater than the demand of the tool, it will manage to fill the tank and eventually shut off. Fortunately you have the option of stopping the use of air and wait for all the previous to take place, if the compressor is too small.

This all sounds like I covered it, but I haven't had my morning nap yet, and if I missed something, somebody is sure to let me know.

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