Bill,
If you elect to put a filter inline, a couple of things I learned while painting a car. One was that you can attach an auto oil filter bracket on the wall and put a new oil filter on it. This works wonders in controlling moisture output from the compressor tank. Then there's a little filter made to screw onto a paintgun between it and the hose, that will also fit between a air nozzle and the hose. Those two things will assure no debris or moisture/contaminants.