Questions about compressors

Re: Questions about compressors

Bob Fawcett

>You can buy a pancake style for less than $300. This is adequate for small nailers and blowing dust. If you want to use it for air motors like drills or grinders, you probably need something larger. The CFM rating is more important than the pressure. Look up a tool you might buy and find the CFM requirement. Let this guide you for the compressor. Many can be had with wheels. Most of the inexpensive models are now made in China and there is not a lot of difference between brands. You would probably do fine with a Harbor Freight if it is a lot cheaper than the others. If you have a favorite local store, just buy what they sell.

Re: Questions about compressors

TDRice

>For your purposes you probably want a small oilless. Sngle stage is sufficient. Pancake compressors are good but tend to be very noisy. If at all possible set your compressor outside the shop and run the hose through the wall. Otherwise the noise of even the quieter ones will drive you nuts. Just be sure it is out of the weather with good air circulatiion around it (for cooling).

Re: Questions about compressors

Bernie

>Carole, I purchased a nice Campbell Hausfield cordless compresor

a few years ago. I hang it on the wall to blow out HF and usr with

a brad nailer blow up bike tires ect.. Nice little and portable unit.

Search the web site I am sure they still sell it. I believe it was just over 100.00 I love mine

Bernie

Re: Questions about compressors

don in central IL

>I thought about housing my compressor (noisy) in my unheated garage, attached to my heated shop. I was told that in the winter by bringing cold air into a heated shop I have the danger of condensation. If y'all think that condensation would not be a problem, I'm going to move the noisy thing out of my shop.

Re: Questions about compressors *LINK*

Rick Allen

>Oil will last longer and be slightly less LOUD.

A large tank will require less cycleing of the compresor. With a 25 gallon tank you will find that the compresor won't come on for extended periods of time.

Wheels and a handle let you move a fair sized compresor around BUT the one I recomend is 140 lbs. You can drag it up a ramp but you aren't likely to lift the beast. The good news about air is that a long hose works GREAT.

Good luck with your quest.


My recomedation

Just bought a 30G tank at Lowe's for $179

steve antonucci

>

One more factor

Carole Valentine

>My shop is uninsulated and no heat/AC othere than a kerosene stove. I vaguely remember seeing something about cold weather problems, either starting or something else, with some compressors. What was that all about?

Ice...

Clem Wixted, Jonesboro, AR

>...in the tank if you don't keep it drained.

Re: Questions about compressors

Fog Tanner

>Carole, I bought a Cambell Hausfield (sp?) from Tractors Supply for $360 on sale. It isa 6hp vertical unit with a 60 gallon tank. It has a dual cylinder cast iron pump on it. While slightly outside of your mobility, and mine too, it has a small foot print and a long airhose. I plan on running some pipe for air when I get a few other projects out of the way. The one in my model airplane workshop has pipe around the wall and into my paint room, works really great as I have a quick disconnect at the wall and the paint gun and regulator are connected through a short hose and are mobile. That one replaced a small mobile piston type I used for painting - and I would never buy another compressor from Sears either. Go with a name brand that you can get parts for and that are not a "special production" item.

Like you I only wanted one for a specific purpose, painting in my case. Now I have a second one that is much larger for my garage/workshop/studio (depending on the price of the piece). For the garage portion it airs up tires and runs air tools I have acquired. In the workshop/studio portion it runs a brad nailer, stapler, nail gun, die grinder, angle sander and blows out chips and dust. You will find more uses after you get one.

The piston pump units are easier to service, quiter, and last longer than the diaphram units. The larger the air tank, the longer between service cycles, the small compressors are hard to live with - you want to take a hammer to them and put them out of their misery. The downside to the larger tanks are they are not really mobile, but that is what they make copper or iron pipe for or a long flex hose.

Re: One more factor

Mike Nelson

>Carole, As Clem said, drain the tank regulary if your using it a lot! I wouldn't worry too much about cold weather, these tanks are made to withstand much more pressure than rated. I use a PorterCable oil lubricated. I got the 150psi, big, big difference you will understand when blowing out a tight vase or cleaning theshop/garage!

I've owned two Campbell Hausfields and my wife had a little portable plastic one, will never own another, they may hold up for occasional use though all of ours bit the dust shortly after the warranty did. I think they call that 'planned obsolescents'! Important point, use a heavy extension cord if very far away from outlet! One last tip, go to Big Lots and buy an 'AirAce' 5$+- about 12" long with a red plastic squeeze handle and long thin metal tube in front. Best thing I ever found to clear chips or clean practically anything. Sorry about the long post. Mike

Re: Questions about compressors

Ron in Drums PA

>I have a pancake compressor and it fits my simple needs.

My vacuum compressor (which I use for my vacuum chuck) has a port where the air exits. I use it to blow out a hollow forms and should be able to handle everything else that you mentioned. A gast pump goes for around $300 or less. I've seen them on ebay for less than $100

Compressors are like lathes you can pump a

Leo Van Der Loo

>little bit of air with a big one but not a lot with a small one.

You can buy cheap and keep upgrading, or buy a good quality cast iron oil lubricated one, and use it the rest of your days and your grand kids will be using it long after your gone.

As for the cold shop, compressors don't like to start up when cold but do get warmed up when used, on the other hand clean air is better for you and also for the compressor, there are always trade offs, but also ways to deal with it, like warmers etc.

Have fun and take care

Leo Van Der Loo

Re: Questions about compressors

Bill Crommett

>Carole : I like Rick Allens recomendation. I bought a new compressor three years ago because the old one, a used Sears, was starting to make funny noises. The new one was an oil-less one and made so much noise that I relegated it to the barn for inflating tires and using it for the pressure washer where it was exposed to the outside and a distance from my ear. I put the old one back in the shop for blowing dust from HFs and clothes. It is still running and making funny noises, but it is quieter, and it must be 25 years old by now.

My 2 cents *LINK*

Gary R

>Carole:

Some things I have learned on compressors when I was shopping a few years back:

1. You can never have enough capacity

2. If you buy name brand, it will be your last compressor purchase

I opted for one of the market leaders - Ingersol Rand. I have a stationary, 60 gal unit.

I pasted in a link for a unit that would fit your short and long term requirements. One major item to look at is the cfm rating at 90 psi. That's where you will use most high volume air tools. You may find yourself wanting to gt a grex air powered sander for finishing turnings, or even a needle scaler to add texture. Both of those devices are air hogs, and would require more than a small pancake compressor.

Parts will ALWAYS be available from Ingersol Rand. If you have a Tractor Supply (Name of store) near you, they may stock - my local store does.

With the oil design, my unit is MUCH quieter than my previous oiless unit. I would not recommend going oiless.

As mentioned in an earlier post - keep tank drained after use - main issue with cold conditions.

GR


http://www2.northerntool.com/product/207226_207226.htm

Condensation

TDRice

>Most condensation occurs in the tank. If you do not drain the tank often enough you will start getting a lot of moisture through your hose. (DAMHIK)Here in eastern Colorado where the average humidity ranges around 2% (well it seems that dry)often enough is monthly. In Ill. I suspect more often is better. My compressor is in an unheated garage and I have never had a problem.

Re: Questions about compressors

Barry Irby

>Carol, I have a small 5 or 6 gallon tank with a single piston compressor. It cuts on at about 80 psi and off at 110psi. It's a Sears unit, actually manufactured by Emerson. I have had it 35 years. I now have it in a exterior closet out side my shop that also houses my DC. It's a little too small to spay paint with, but I have used it for that anyway. It's lower pressure is a little too low for many nail guns, but I use it for that anyway. I actually have a much larger unit, but it crapped out and I went back to this little beast. I would rather have a unit that would produce the five or may seven CFM needed to run a spray gun and the ninety plus PSI consistently for nail guns, I'm too cheap to buy one. I would complain about this one, but it wouldn't listen. Actually, considering I have had it as long as I have and changed the oil about once every ten or fifteen years and drain the tank almost that often, I have no complaints. My shop is small and I ran the hose in through a hole in the wall and use one of those stretchy curly hoses.

I agree with those who said buy a name brand and bigger than you think. Get it over with. Get one with wheels or maybe just buy an extra hundred feet of hose to use to move the "air" around. Also buy the snap couplers so you can add hose and gadgets as needed.

Re: Questions about compressors

Lan Brady

>Carole,

I use the 30 gal, 5hp, oiless from Sears. It is light weight and portable. I cannot define if it is loud or quiet. Thats a personal reference. The CFM's are limited for "big" tool usage.

When I buy an air tool , I just look at the CFM requirement and keep it under 4.0 and have no problems.

I use it with:

automotive touch up gun to spraying finish

air hammer for dimples

Air nailer for construction

2" orbital sander

Impact wrench

Well the list goes on and on.

Good Luck in your decision, Lan

Re: Questions about compressors

Carole Valentine

>Well, seems there are as many recommendations as there are WCers! LOL AFter checking some of the recommendations and seeing the prices for shipping, I think I am just going to have to wait until someday when I get to the "city". The PC one at Tool barn was $325 + $215 shipping! Another from HD was $370 + $125 shipping! Gas is high but it ain't THAT high! LOL

Thanks for all your help folks. At least now I have some answers to base my decision on.

Re: Questions about compressors *LINK*

Rick R

>Carole,

Here is the best explanation of the different types of air compressors that I have ever seen, by none other than Forrest Addy:

Enjoy!

Rick


Air Compressors for Newbies- by Forrest Addy

Re: Questions about compressors

Bill Hale / woodspinner

>Carol

No matter what you buy it will be noisy. I have a kids play house outside my shop with my compressor and vac system inside. I insulated the inside with fiberglass insullation for noise and it is great. I ran a 4" line from the vac. (sewer pipe) from the wall to several locations in the shop with a gate valve on the ends. The air lines are 3/4 Sch 40 pvc. ( 480 psi rated ) from the wall to several locations also. Quick connects on the ends for the hose.

My installation brings the lines in to the shop low and up to the celing then as needed.

I just duct my vac line output, via a flex line, out on to the ground.

That should be in WC Articles!

Carole Valentine

>Maybe Forrest would let it be added to that section. Great article!

Re: Questions about compressors

Barry Turner

>Your needs are similar to what mine were. I expected to use a compressor mostly for blowing dust and shavings off the lathe, occasionally for spraying finishes and running a brad nailer. Noise was a prime consideration, as my compressor had to live in my shop along with me. Portability would be a plus.

Most of the time a pancake or similar compressor would be sufficient. But, buying a small portable compressor would be buying a noisy little demon that would cycle very often. In the end, I sacrificed portability and low cost for a Home Depot compressor with a 60-gallon tank. I paid $429. Heck, some of the pancakes are over $300. Starting with a full tank, I can blow dust and shavings all day before it ever kicks on. Its noisy when it runs, it just seldom ever runs. It has enough capacity to handle most air tools on an intermittent basis. It is an oil-lube, single stage compressor. Oil lubes are quieter and allegedly have a longer life. If I ever need portability, I'll just have to buy, rent or borrow a small one. But I love my large compressor.

Re: Questions about compressors

Bill Crommett

>Watch out for PVC. Even high pressure PVC can rupture, and if you leave the pressure on some night and a fire occurs the PVC will melt and the pressure will feed the flames like no bellows you have ever seen.

Re: Questions about compressors

Bill Hale / woodspinner

>Bill

You are correct on that. I have the vac. and compreesor on digital remote switches. When I leave the shop I just hit the all off button. Part of the reason is also something in the system leakes a little and if I don,t turn it off it will run randomly when I am not in the shop. Wife gets OPed.

Bill