Question for GRS gurus on an air compressor for GraverSmith

Hello,

I have a used GraverSmith setup coming to me this Friday.

My question is this;

It states that the GraverSmith needs 1.4 cfm with a minimum of 45 psi.

My compressor that I have puts out .81 cfm and a max of 57psi.

What would happen if I were to use my compressor? ie What would happen? Would it not run correctly?

Thanks in advance,

Bruce

at a glance, it appears you will need a higher capacity compressor for regular use. while you'll actually be running a handpiece at about 15-25psi (depending on which size/model) so pressure would not be an issue, GRS engraving machines do consume a considerable volume of air. i'm not sure what the absolute minimum volume requirement is.

it kind of depends on what you're planning to do with it. if you'll only be setting a few stones and doing a touch of bright cut or lettering occasionally, you might be ok with your current compressor. however, if you'll be running it for 30 mins-multiple hrs at a stretch for more extensive engraving you will almost certainly need a bigger unit.

Thanks Mitch... that's kind of what I thought would be the case. I was just checking to see if anyone had an idea on what would happen.

Mitch is correct that your compressor will be too small for continuous duty and might be OK for intermittent service. If your use is of an intermittent nature, the size of your tank or air receiver will dictate how long the GRS machine will function. If you would like any additional info or detail, please let me know and good luck with your new machine.

I have a small compressor and something I did to help it out was pick up one of those portable 10 gallon air tanks and add it inline. I've got it rigged so I can turn the extra tank on or off - if I'm just doing a small bit for a few minutes there's no need to keep the big tank full. When my compressor runs, it has to run longer to fill the combined space - the regular tank is only 2 gallons so the auxiliary takes it up to 12. But because I then have a much larger volume to work with, the compressor doesn't have to run as often. Before I got the extra tank if I was doing heavy work the compressor would get noticeably warm. With the extra space it doesn't.

Well, unless I fire up the rotary for some serious work - then the poor little compressor just runs non stop.

Someday I'll get a bigger compressor, but that will probably have to wait until I get a bigger workspace.