Hi Robert, Guys

I'm curious about what is the minimum compressor that will adequately paint our models in the 500-700 Sq In range.
I kind of have my eye on a 10 Gal 3 Hp model at Harbour Freight, but I'm not sure a 10 Gal tank would be enough.
Thanks for the help in advance!

Jim Pollock   

Mine is a Campbell Hausfield 5hp 20 gallon Extreme Duty cast iron compressor. That is the minimum for me.

On the other end of the scale is the hopelessly small compressor/tank I've used for years. Believe it's a 3/4 horsepower 2 gallon. I start it up and let it rip. Using the pressure gauge near the gun I take my finger off the trigger, if pressure drops bellow 25 pounds. The configuration recycles often, but allows me to paint a profile fuse all right. Maybe one recycle per coat. Maybe none. I use a gravity feed Ingersol Rand touch up gun. The results look fine. I will upscale soon. The motor is loud. Still makes me flinch when it kicks in. I've kept to this arrangement since it takes up little space. My work area is a small room. Also, the compressor was given to me. Allowed me to learn paint thinning skills, pattern adjustment, distance at which to spray, in other words, a cheap way to gain a feel for the process. Similarly, my first paint gun was bought at a swap, brand new on the plastic display card, cost $10. Painted a lot with that. Did all right until gold dope fouled the hole, wouldn't clean out no matter how long it soaked or how thoroughly I scrubbed. I've learned a lot at little expense. No doubt I'll upgrade. Honestly though, why would you need a 30 gallon tank to put a coat of paint on a model airplane?   

Mine's a Sears job. 20 gallon, 2hp. Works fine. It's my second compressor. The first just didn't have enough poop for the HVLP guns.

My experience with paint guns.
I have both a DeVilbiss and a Binks canister type paint gun. Both of them work fine for painting something the size of a car. When I was restoring cars there were lots of small pieces to paint that didn't require a big gun, so I bought a $ 49.00 import gravity feed with a smaller container. It worked great. A friend of mine saw how good it worked so he bought an identical one. It was a piece of junk. The pattern looked like the spray from a garden hose. Paint guns like many other import items can vary greatly in quality. I picked up a very small gravity feed touch up gun at a swap meet last week. I gave 30 dollars for it, but I saw some later for $25 that looked identical. I have not tried it yet, but if it is any good it should be just right for painting models. Before I even take off the mask I dis assamble the gun and wash all the pieces in cheap lacquer thinner. I also clean out all the passages with a small bristle brush. When I reassemble it I use a very small amount of Vaseline on the needle. I then run some lacquer thinner through the gun. I know that even a little bit of oil or grease will leave a "fisheye". I always run a little lacquer through the gun before I paint. I have never had a problem with "fisheyes". Somewhat off the subject when I use a rattle can for painting I turn it upside down and blow what paint I can out of it as per instructions. I then pull the nozzle off and drop it in a small container of lacquer thinner. I use a small brush to clean the nozzle inside the can and blow every thing out with compressed air. Leave the nozzle out of the can and put it inside the cap. When you use it the next time it is just like using a new can. I buy cheap lacquer thinner for 15.00 per five gallon can. I suspect it is reprocessed, but it works fine for cleaning.

Thanks, guys, for the information.  I'm in the market for a compressor, too.

I'm rather worried about installing the compressor in the garage.  44 degrees north latitude. Won't the air be too cold when it't piped into the house in the winter? 

How about water that collects in the tank freezing?

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Bad news for the LHS: 
Sig spray clear dope is on back order.  Sig says their source may have dried up.  This "buy the paint shop" deal may become mandatory.

When I built my garage, I installed hardline for a compressor to be placed in the garage and plugged into the line. There are pressure outlets in my shop. The hope was that I could flip the compressor on and it was away from the paint and such, down in the cool garage and I could just hook up to the line in the shop. It will work fine once I buy one of those cool upright compressors with the two stage motors. The little Sears I have right now won't handle the volume.

Take a look at the lastest Eastwood catalog. If I ever have the money, I know what spray gun and compressor I'll get.