How this tool works (and why it focuses on CFM)

Compressors get marketed with horsepower, pump design, and “max PSI,” but the real limiter for most DIY and shop setups is
airflow (CFM) at working pressure. Your tools don’t care what a compressor is rated at in horsepower on a box.
They care whether the compressor can supply enough air to keep pressure from falling while you work.

That’s why this tool sizes around CFM demand and compares it to what a compressor can realistically produce
given your electrical power. Tank size matters too—but tank size only determines how long you can work before
pressure drops. It cannot increase continuous airflow.

What we calculate

• Tool demand: how much air your tool needs (CFM), adjusted by your trigger/work rhythm.
• Airflow balance: whether the compressor can keep up continuously, or whether you’re drawing down stored air.
• Usable air time: how long you can work before pressure falls below a usable minimum.
• Recovery time: how long the compressor needs to refill the tank back into a usable range.

Pressure assumptions used in the model

• Painting: spray guns typically run around 30–40 PSI; we treat 50 PSI as a conservative minimum usable pressure.
• Air tools / blasting: most require around 90 PSI to perform normally, so we treat 90 PSI as the minimum.

The math (for the detail freaks)

This model is intentionally practical. It does not try to simulate heat, pump efficiency curves, or wear. It uses conservative,
real-world approximations to answer one question:
Can the compressor replace air as fast as your tools consume it, for as long as you want to work?

Why electrical power can be the hard limit

Airflow is created by horsepower, and horsepower is limited by electrical power. For practical real-world use,
continuous airflow falls into three broad categories:

• Shared 115V circuit ≈ 4–6 CFM continuous
• Dedicated 115V / 20A circuit ≈ 6–8 CFM continuous
• 240V power ≈ 10–18+ CFM continuous