what air compressor?

chaos254 · Aug 23, 2009

I've been looking into getting a compressor but I'm having a hard time deciding on what size I need(HP, tank size, etc). I have to have a vertical tank because of space, not ridiculously loud, and it has to be 120v since I'm renting and this house doesn't have a 220 line. Is a 120v compressor even worth it? Are 220v compressors better? My dad seems to think its pointless to buy a 120v compressor.

This one caught my eye, Craftsman 33 gal. Air Compressor, 1.6 hp, Vertical Tank, oil free, 150 Max PSI for $299.99.

Also I'm not looking to spend a lot on this, about $300 at the most.

whitesqual · Aug 23, 2009

what are you going to be using it for?
Do you want a portable compressor?

I would look on craigslist and try to find a bigger one used. Or check harbor freight.

turbogt · Aug 23, 2009

This is what I just bought...

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I'm not a fan of oil free compressors... If they break, nothing is replaceable...

My compressor can be wired for either 110 or 220 depending on what you have available..

Chads95GT · Aug 23, 2009

i have a craftsman like the one that caught your eye. it is nice because its 120v. but dont expect it to be quiet. but then again, ive never heard a compressor that was quiet. but overall its a good compressor for running an air gun or air chisel. im going to try painting with it here in the fall. anyway id say its a good compressor for the money. ive had mine for about 5 years now (maybe more, cant remember) and have had zero problems with it.

chad

Husky44 · Aug 23, 2009

I started with a 25 gallon one from Harbor Freight. Don't waste your money. I upgraded to a 35 gallon Porter Cable. Still portable, but a GREAT compressor for that size/style/price range. When I moved into my new house, I bought an 80 gallon 220v beast. I love it, but I only sold my portable because I couldn't come up with a reason to keep both.

If you're not ready to go with a big one (read 220v), I'd suggest you buy the best quality, name brand portable you can find. Craigslist is a good idea. The guy that bought my portable got a STEAL on a great compressor with very little usage.

Be cautious with Craftsman, or the Lowes and Home Depot ones, even if they are a name brand (even Porter Cable or IR). Their quality is a little lower, as they're building them for someone who's a very casual user. If you compare a similar name brand unit from a box store with one from a tool specialty store, you'll see a difference in manufacturing, capability, etc.

You didn't say what you're using yours for, but just about anything will run an air impact (as long as you're not hoping to break loose lug nuts on a big truck). Running sanders, grinders, etc, that run constantly will be a bigger demand on your compressor, and will stress the portables out. You can get better service by buying a little better (as described above). Look for the most running CFM, and biggest tank you can get for your $$. PSI isn't as big a deal as CFM. CFM is what drives your tools. Don't pay as much attention to peak CFM--I'm not even sure what value that number has, besides marketing. Running CFM will give you an indication of how long you can run a constant-demand tool like a grinder before you're too low on air and have to give it a rest to let the tank refill. Too small of a tank, or too low CFM, and you'll spend a lot of time listening to your compressor run, but not being able to run your tools, because you have to wait for your tank to refill (which, if you're impatient like me, will seem like hours).

Find the tools you want to use, and figure out which ones have the biggest air appetite. That'll help inform your decision quite a bit.

FWIW, you'll have a hard time painting a car with a portable. Not saying it can't be done, just saying you'd better be a REALLY GOOD painter, cuz it's going to be challenging with that small of an air supply.

To sum it up: You get what you pay for. You can get a good quality 110v unit for around $350 brand new, better on sale or on Craigslist. Look for biggest tank and most CFM you can afford, with a bias to more CFM over more PSI. I don't recommend oilless at all. And, as an added bonus, the better quality will generally run significantly quieter than the lower end units.

revhead347 · Aug 23, 2009

It's going to be noisy. I'm running a 60 gallon 6hp 2 piston 220V that's quiet, but I think all the small ones are going to be noisy. For 10 years I used the same dry piston 5 gallon roll compressor that I bought at a pawn shop. Here is the difference between a big 220V compressor, and a smaller 120V compressor. First thing is that the size of the tank is really immaterial. The only thing that really matters is the size of the compressor. 120 psi is 120 psi, which means the small compressor is going to run any air tool with as much power as a big one. The only real difference is the time you can run the tools for. If you are using an impact wrench or an air wrench with it, it makes no difference what size compressor you get. The only time it really helps to have a big compressor is when you are using tools that run continuously for a long period of time, such as an air drill, or one of those air powered cut off wheels. If you are not going to be using any of those tools, the one you have listed above will work just fine.

Kurt

chaos254 · Aug 27, 2009

Thanks for all the help, I won't be using it for painting or anything like that. Just basic automotive stuff so mainly impact gun, etc. Noise is a factor mainly because my place is a duplex and I don't want to annoy the neighbors.

Now that I know a 120v compressor will work fine for what I will be doing. What do I need to know about picking up a impact gun and air ratchet? Anything I should look for?

revhead347 · Aug 27, 2009

Yeah, the impact gun is a big deal. All the brands sell an impact gun that has a cone style nose for about $50, those are junk. You're lucky to get 3 uses out of it. Steer clear of the chinese junk at Harbor Freight. I would go right down to Sears and drop good money on an Ingersol Rand. They are a lot of money, but it will last the rest of your life, and torque any bolt off. I got a rebuilt Ingersol Rand 241 at the flea market for $65. If you can find a quality rebuilt, that's also a good option. The air wrench is not as important.

Kurt

Husky44 · Aug 28, 2009

Ditto on the IR, but I'd suggest shopping around. Sears generally doesn't have the best prices, in my experience.

Wear out the internet. You can find some good deals out there.

Not sure what your budget situation is, but if it's tight, here's a suggestion (and what I did):

You can get several different kits at Harbor Freight. Now, their quality is not first class, but I bought an impact gun, a ratchet, an air hammer, and a die grinder, along with a basic set of impact sockets, chisels, grinder stuff, for $100-150 if I remember right. The sockets are actually decent quality (liability of grenading an impact socket improves QC a little). I bought my kit about 5 years ago, and I'm still using the hammer and the ratchet, and all the accessories. Got quite a bit of use out of the grinder and the impact before they went bad.

I've also bought individual HF pieces, like DA sander, grinder, drill...for like $20-40 each. So far, I've gotten good use out of them (drill's dead, others still running). The grinder's held up good through a lot of use cuz I'm a really lousy welder!

No, you're not buying first quality, but it's a good way to get a lot of tools to get started, and you won't spend much coin on tools you don't use very often, but are really handy to have around occasionally. Then, as the pieces crap out, you can go buy a good IR Thunder Gun for $200 that'll last forever.

whitesqual · Aug 28, 2009

revhead347 said:
Yeah, the impact gun is a big deal. All the brands sell an impact gun that has a cone style nose for about $50, those are junk. You're lucky to get 3 uses out of it. Steer clear of the chinese junk at Harbor Freight. I would go right down to Sears and drop good money on an Ingersol Rand. They are a lot of money, but it will last the rest of your life, and torque any bolt off. I got a rebuilt Ingersol Rand 241 at the flea market for $65. If you can find a quality rebuilt, that's also a good option. The air wrench is not as important.

Kurt

Harbor freight sells Ingersoll Rand

Husky44 · Aug 28, 2009

whitesqual said:
Harbor freight sells Ingersoll Rand

Huh. I didn't know that either. Don't live near a store any more, but I don't remember them carrying any name brand stuff (particularly IR) when I did 3 years ago.

Regardless, what revhead and I were talking about were the Central Pneumatic brand stuff.

whitesqual · Aug 28, 2009

Husky44 said:
Huh. I didn't know that either. Don't live near a store any more, but I don't remember them carrying any name brand stuff (particularly IR) when I did 3 years ago.

Regardless, what revhead and I were talking about were the Central Pneumatic brand stuff.

lol, yeah, that central pneumatic stuff is junk!

I needed a little generator in a hurry a while back and bought one from HF. It was a Chicago electric. It was a good little generator. The thing would run 8 hours with a light load on 1 gal of gas. It started first or second pull even when it had sat over the winter. Only downside was it was a little noisy. Had it for 4 years and sold it with my camper. Never thought about getting tools there until that. I always thought that their stuff was like the junk you see at those mobile tool sales. I bought a engine stand from one of those. Don't do that! Big mistake! I have bought several things at HF with good results.

Husky44 · Aug 28, 2009

whitesqual said:
I have bought several things at HF with good results.

Actually, so have I. You just have to be very careful about checking it out for quality, etc.

My first compressor came from there, and it was JUNK!

I've got quite a few of my air tools from there, as stated above. Also, most of my accessories (like impact sockets, etc).

Hand tools, beware. I've picked up things that I'm not going to use often from them, and had pretty good results, knowing that I'm not buying Snap-on. Bought a pickle fork from them once. Didn't know you could make one out of pot metal. Ever split a pickle fork in two? The good news was, I took them both pieces, and they gave me my money back.

I'm not a HF hater, I just tell people to KNOW what they're getting.

revhead347 · Aug 28, 2009

I didn't know that HF sold IR either. I avoid that place. Cheap tools get your hurt. You can ask my old coworker, he got 41 stitches in his face from a Chinese impact socket.

I think electric grinders work better than air grinders anyway.

Kurt

99FiveOh · Sep 1, 2009

I had a Coleman Powermate 60 Gal and it was the nicest compressor I've ever owned. I bought it from a pawn shop for 300 bucks and it was like brand new! And boy was it quiet, when I first fired it up, I expected it to be about as loud as 30 gallon compressors, but I was suprised.

I think the problem with smaller compressors and noise is they are made with aluminum instead of cast iron and they have much smaller strokes. And my old Campbell Hausfeld 30 gallon only had one piston, so it was loud enough to wake the dead! My gas powered one isn't too loud and you can put mufflers on them to make them really quiet.

And it just so happens my wife used to work at Harbor Freight. I think they make more off the interest for holding your money until you return the tools than they do selling them! Seriously.

99FiveOh · Sep 1, 2009

And just so everyone knows, HF does make some good stuff, I just got one of these bad boys here:

And it's nice! The lighting failed on me already, but I put in a quality light and it's good to go..

bditty50 · Sep 1, 2009

I've been looking for a compressor too and I think a 25 gallon would be fine for just a few air tools. I don't have a large garage I almost want to put the compressor in my attic above my garage to keep the noise away and keep the compressor out of sight but, I'm not sure if its safe. What do you guys think?

99FiveOh · Sep 1, 2009

If you got a horizontal compressor and laid it carefully on some rafters I think you'd be just fine. Just make sure it's clear of everything because it will create lots of heat! I will also vibrate alot, so make sure it's fastened down somehow.

bditty50 · Sep 1, 2009

So you dont think there would be any danger in doing an install in the attic? I would just put a switch to turn it on and off in the garage and run a pipe to drain it down in the garage as well. Then I'd run a copper pipe to an air hose spool.

Husky44 · Sep 2, 2009

bditty50 said:
Then I'd run a copper pipe to an air hose spool.

Do a LOT of research on hard lines for air systems. Many folks will tell you not to use copper; others will tell you how Jim-Bob's had it in his shop for years, and he hasn't blown up yet.

Other options:

Black pipe--the old standard, however, if you don't have good plans to manage the moisture in the lines, it will rust, scale, etc, and can mess with your tools.

Plastic--Eastwood, for one, and I'm sure there are others, who are selling some form of plastic line/kit to plumb your garage/shop for air. Again, do your homework, the standard water plumbing lines from Home Depot probably isn't the right answer. Make sure you're planning for the max possible pressure, along with a good size safety factor on top of that.

I'm not sure what the OSHA standard is, but I'm sure there is one. I wouldn't just go off some bozo on the internet's recommendation (this bozo included!). Screw this up, and you've got plenty of pressure to burst your lines, and the right kind of line can become shrapnel--instant grenade, no C4 required.

what air compressor?

chaos254

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Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

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Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

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Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

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