| Author | Message | ||
     Zane |
So how does everyone get their compressed air. I don't have any in my home garage and would like something to air up tires, run an decent paint gun. Nothing heavy duty, just some compress air once in a while. What does everyone use and would you recommend it? | ||
| Cruisin |
No matter what you get, pay attention to the CFM and the PSI. A nail gun needs a small amount of high pressure...easy to do. Something like an impact gun needs a lot larger feed of air, usually at a lower pressure. Look at the tools you plan on running and buy one that will support that (a nail gun might be 90psi, but an impact only 40psi, but at a larger CFM). Just my take on it... | ||
| Zane |
Thanks Cruisin, I'm looking at one with a 20 gallon tank and a constant 125 psi. I don't see me needing more capacity than that. Has anybody had luck, good or bad, with a particular brand? The one I'm looking at is a Husky brand and has a Briggs and Stratton ELECTRIC motor on it. B&S's little 4 strokes run great but I don't know a thing about their electric motors. | ||
| Loki |
Got a 5hp, two stage, belt drive, 30 gal by craftsman in the shop. Ten years old and keeps on pumping. | ||
| Slaughter |
Look at the CFM on the tool you are intending to use. Size the air compressor for the highest CFM. Let's say the spray gun is 18 CFM at 90 psi... that will probably need 3-5 HP - maybe a single stage compressor... but that's marginal. Check your tool requirements, check the compressor output. Tank size and psi isn't half of the info you need to know. | ||
| Rah7777777 |
I'm in the same boat, need one for the house. I'm wanting a low noise motor. From my understanding the oil free motors are a bit louder?? But I have LOTS of air tools to use, so it has to keep up! | ||
| Old_man |
For my bike tires, I have one that connects on to my battery tender connection. I carry it in my tank bag. I always have air. | ||
| Zane |
I live in a subdivision so noise is an issue for me too. Sears is advertising one with a 78 db rating for $319. 6.3 scfm @ 40 psi and 4.9 scfm @90 psi. I'm sure that would do most any job I'd have in the near future. Right now I don't have any air tools but can see that changing in the future. | ||
| Slaughter |
I'm sure that would do most any job I'd have in the near future. Unless it's spray painting. Trust me, you don't want the air pressure to be varying hi/lo/hi/low while you're trying to spray. You are also not going to be able to drive any real air tools with that compressor. (Message edited by slaughter on March 24, 2009) | ||
| Oldog |
the lower noise sears units ran slower but developed higher pressure, the "oilless" units are loud! I have a craftsman on an upright tank its noisy. the tank helps for periods of peak use, oil lube is better if you are going to use it much, the B&S electric motor is BS its likley made in china, baldor / US are good solid motors. cast iron construction oil lubrication 2 stage is best for reasonable use. Motors are cheap, IMO go belt drive, ( common with oil lube ) home cheap-o sold IR branded oil lube units consider your actual usage of tools, and as Steve said pick the sizing based on the largest tool. I have worked on piston compressors having 6 cylinders and bores better than 7" and strokes exceeding 7 1/2" oil lubricated cast iron parts last a long time! OH btw you want Oil lubrication / cast iron  | ||
| Zane |
I spray painted a lot when I was young. Worked in a body shop in high school. You're 100% right about air pressure and painting. But I'm not painting cars any more. Just small stuff, like a bike and such. What would you recommend for a home garage? | ||
| Ourdee |
You can always put the compressor in the laundry room and plumb the air to the garage. That way the noise won't disturb you while working on the bike. | ||
| Hootowl |
I'll repeat what's been said earlier for emphasis: The oil-less compressors are LOUD. I kick myself for not spending the extra $50 for the oiled model every time I turn the thing on. It also seems to get quite a bit hotter than my friend's oiled model from the same manufacturer, Porter-Cable. The oiled units sound like they're pumping air. Mine just sounds like it is vibrating. | ||
| Dfishman |
You need at least 12 cfm to spray paint. | ||
| Zane |
Jeeze Dfishman, I had no idea you needed that much air just to run a paint gun. Of course back than I didn't know much of anything....lol Thanks for the tip. | ||
| Woody1911a1 |
"You need at least 12 cfm to spray paint." for motorcycle sized jobs anything in the 5 scfm @40 will do . impact wrenches , die grinders , sanders forgetaboutit. the oil-less are LOUD ! and have a limited life span . unfortunately most home shop sized are such . a great buy is this http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet /ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId= 10053&productId=100083906 it is large but will power almost anything and for the money can't be beat . it's made by campbell-hausfield . lowes sells the same line only in blue . before you buy a craftsman oil-less read the reviews . | ||
| Oddball |
http://www.quincycompressor.com/rotary_screw.html The QGS looks nice. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
For the motorcycle I use the best compressor on the market http://www.bestrestproducts.com/c-10-cyclepump.asp x I don't have any other, but my mother is an artist that requires stable dry air for her airbrush. She swears by Costco's house brand. I do not know who make them but i have personally seen Costco's house brand air compressors take a serious beating. They offer them in sizes from small household versions, to versions that require custom installation. | ||
| Chopped58 |
I agree with everyone that says the oil-less are loud! I had a craftsman oil-less, 20 or 30 gal IIRC, couldn't keep up with say a die grinder, or cutting disc. Tried using it with a bead blasting cabinet and eventually it stopped working. I now have (another craftsman) 5 hp two stage 220v 60 gal, and it works well. Like buying a welder, buy the biggest you can afford. You may want to use tools that require more air later on down the road (plasma cutter, media blasting, etc) | ||
| Xb9ser |
Air compressers are like shop buildings. Figure out what size you need and double it!! | ||
| Oldog |
Ocasional use shop on price and tank size the oil less units are noisy if that is an issue the other slower machine makes less noise, If you are painting a lot of bike stuff go oil / iron bwlt drive 20 gallons or better one mod I would do is to pipe the tank drain out from under the machine to ease the tank draining | ||
| Hexangler |
This little gem has been running in my shop, non-stop for the last 6 years. It has enough air to run a MISTER for my lathes, mill, or grinders. Also works for bursts of air for cleanup, tire pressure, stoking the BBQ briquettes, portable, etc. I also have a large hand-me-down 4 cylinder oil-less that came from my dad's 8 complex dental office. Even that one is not enough to constantly run a die grinder. Probably need a larger upright tank for that purpose. So the little one sees the most use. http://www.thomasairpac.com/products/airpac/airpac_electric/T-617HDN/t-617hdn.jsp  | ||
| Thumper74 |
I have a 25 gallon Craftsman that is enough for small paint jobs with an HVLP gun. Depending on your area, you may want to check out Napa/CarQuest auto parts stores. Many of the locations with machine shops are closing and you can buy KILLER compressors dirt cheap. As well as brake lathes, etc. | ||
| Ducxl |
My poor father back in 1983 set me up with a '65 Falcon.He embarked on buying a 5hp Craftsman compressor and spray gun to paint it. The pressure would drop and it couldn't keep up with the needs of the paint gun. Had to keep stopping and waiting for the compressor to store enough pressure.Poor guy had the best of intentions  CFMs' are where it's at!!! CFM!! THe machine shop i'm in now has twin screw drive 300hp compressors |
