Planning to buy a small air compressor but not clear what exactly; it could be even one of those used to inflate tires.
I want to clean PCs / equipment gently but effectively and I want it to have a small tank (reservoir?). It will be used for an aerograph and small air-driven machines.
My questions:
How do you call in English the valve regulating the pressure at the output?
It's called a regulator!
I want it adjustable so how to tell what range it should cover?
The regulator will be designed to handle the specifications of the compressure's pump/reservoir tank. It will allow you to adjust from 0psi to whatever the max. output is.
Those 12V units, are they worth the expense?
Automotive portable compressors for filling tires and beach balls are worthless for your application. You would do far better by blowing your breath on dusty PC boards- seriously. You need a air tank to store the accumulated air to build up pressure. The only reason your breath has pressure is because your lungs hold a certain amount of air and it compresses as you take in a deep breath. Exhaling it has it exiting out with some pressure. Same goes for a true air compressor & holding tank.
What else to look for besides a filter / water trap?
Filter/water separators are mainly for protecting air tools from moist air rusting internal parts and for painting. Paint sprayers need to assure moisture and oil do not mix with the paint. For blowing off dusty items, don't bother with that extra cost. The amount of moistyre in the compressed air isn't any different than the relative humidity of the room you are in when working!
Oil, is it a no-no for what I want it?
Huh? I don't understand the ? Good compressors require oil inn their crankcase cause it's nothing more than an engine without fuel exploding in it. Instead it's taking in air, compressing it, then exhaling it. Oil is also used in air tools to lube internal parts. There are specific types of oil used for the cylinder crankcase and for air tools. There are oiless type compressors that operate dry. They do not last long and fail early on by principle. Many even have rubber or vinyl piston rings that wear out fast. A decent compressor is just like a small engine, has a crankshaft, camshaft, a crankcase needing oil to lube things, a cylinder and piston with plenty of sealing rings, valves, filtered air intake, etc. ... it's just missing the spark plug!
Found what locally is called "dentist compressor", fitted with a tank and small in size.
Always took for granted compressed air. Now I know that I know nothing about.
Please, few short sentences preferred than googling and reading long articles. Little time available here. Believe me.
The local tradition in the shipping business say that by December everything slows down. Not true. Full ahead as ever. Always. For years.
Why people insist in repeating legends?