Well I have put it off as long as possable but it is getting to be a PITA not having an air compresor at the house. I know almos nothing about them though. So I need to know what I should get for my needs. Basically I do pretty much everything in my garage on my cars. I'm a mechanic so I have most every air tool you would expect a mechanic to have. I do want to use a DA sander so I need one than can keep up. I don't mind if I have to stop sometimes to let it catch up but I don't want to be stopping every couple of minutes. Money is an issue. I need the least expensive (not cheap) that will do what I need. I should keep it under $1000. Way under if possable. So, If anyone would like to suggest a model they like I would apreciate it. Also any tech info would be great. I need to know this stuff for when I'm looking at different features and specs. Thanks, Mike
I got a Craftsman oil less 33? gallon compressor 6 monthes ago. I feel a little more comfortable with the oil less these days due to technology. Its worked great so far. I sanded down a whole car with DA and rotary, paint guns work on it fine, and none of my air tools have faltered at all. Got it for 295.00 I believe, or around there. I think the price has gone up some. But its a good useable deal. And it is quieter than my oil unit. Though the reason i had to get a new compressor is the old oil unit (and I mean 1960's old) was pulling WAY too many amps, blowing fuses in the summer heat. The Craftsman works good for me, for a cheaper aternative. Just a thought.
I would not go with an oilless I have heard they don't last long. A have a Extreme Duty Campbell Hausfeld 60 Gal Compressor 220 volt. Works good and has plenty of cfm. to run a DA and Paint Gun. Paid about 858.00 www.cambellhausfeld.com
I got a Porter Cable two-stage 80 gallon (vertical tank) 175 psi compressor for about $750 at Farm & Fleet about 15 months ago. It's built well, works great and keeps up with anything I've tried to run so far. Best deal I found for the money.
You want CHEAP??? Go get an old motor and run half the cylinders to fire it - the other half for your compressor!!! CFM out the wah-zoo! But the best bang for the buck is to find an old industrial one - cast iron heads - slow pump speed - if you get one that's good - it'll last a zillion years. Mine's a 1940's Ingersol Rand - I've run it trouble free for about 15 years now. Cost 200 bucks. I was just at the industrial Surplus (McKeans) and saw a couple dandy's for 450 - I almost drug one home - only thing that stopped me was the lack of about 400 bucks - Oh well my old Ingersol still's running fine......
I bought a factory re-conditioned Cambell-Hausfeld 220v 60 gallon and it works great... Air files, drills, da sanders, etc it will keep up. It won't keep up with a large sand blast cabinet.... My Dad bought an Ingersoll-Rand 2 stage a few years ago and has used it trouble free and it will keep up with a large sand blast cabinet. Andy
Ya want to save money?? Buy the one, once, that you will use for a long long time and not the cheaper "almost what I want" that you will replace in a short time wasting that investment. Get a good upright 220V 2 stage with a big tank. I lived with a 4hp single stage Sears for many years. Waiting for the compressor to catch up is a PITA. I never have enough patience to wait long enough. Sometimes I want to hug my upright Black Max when I turn it off at night.
of course if we followed your advice to the extreme, we'd all have big diesel driven trailer mounted screw compressors that flow 200 cfm, so we could have enough air to sandblast with a 1/2" nozzle! Yeah, having to wait is a pita, and I have to wait for my 25 cfm bigass 2 stage old iron compressor on a big tank to catch up when I'm sandblasting, even with a fresh small nozzle.
I had a Campbell-Hausfield that I paid $450. for back in 1990. 60 gallon tank, 5 HP motor. Worked fine for everything I did and was still running great in 2004. When I moved, I sold it due to running out of weight capacity on the trailer. (After five 800 mile round trips to move cars and shop, I gave up a few things rather than make one more trip.)
(2 part post cuz I'm limited to file size.) I bought one of the Ridgid air compressors with the two little tanks. The model that contractors drag up onto the roof. I needed tire filling capacity at the time and didn't have 240V in the garage. The compressor works fine, but both outlets having regulated air, air bleeds off constantly and it runs more than it should. Another 60 gallon C-H is in the future. My friend bought a Sears oil-less . . . big mistake in my book and I think he doesn't like it too well, but doesn't say anything. Geez . . . those things are so noisy I can't believe it.
I'm not into extremes. A Craftsman open end works just as well as a snap-on for me. All I'm saying is if it comes down to a 400$ tire inflator or a 800$ air compressor go for the tool and not the toy.
Yup, you're right....the point I was getting at is there's always something you can use a compressor for that you'll want to do, that the one you buy won't handle, even if you DO buy the $800 one instead of the $400 one.
I had one of the Sears oilless with a 60 gallon tank. It didn't last 3 years before i had to rebuild it. It ran another year and threw a rod in the middle of a paint job! I went to Lowe's and bought the best one they had with a 60 gallon tank and it's NOT an oilless. It's quieter, fills faster, I like it a lot better. I was going to throw away the whole old Sears one, but looked at the tank and decided to put it in the corner of the shop. I plumbed it i line with the new compressor with a ball valve in the line. If I'm going to use a lot of air, I open the valve which now has 120 gallons of air. Just a thought....
Geezer thats what I did, I went to harbor freight bought their $300, 60 gal vertical and have them in my well house. works great. next time i will have 3 tanks.
I have a 15 gal 150psi 5hp Craftsman I've sanded, primed polished with it.Used my cut-off wheel and use my impact wrench . It's about 10 years old now and it works fine. I don't use it often but it still works and looks fine. Sears has them on sale right now for $200 with a 3/8th air ratchet and otherstuff.
3 cly. Puma, killer compressor, 24 CFM at 100 + psi, out runs my sandblast cabinet. Bought it about 5 years ago and i think it was like less than $700 . Never had a bit of trouble with it and work the hell out of it.!
Belaire 218v. 5 hp. 80 gallon verticle. Excellent compressor. Lowest price was from ASEDEALS.com. There was free freight also. I run a thirsty hvlp, air file, etc. This is the real deal.
Here's some info... http://www.abacamerican.com/belaire_2stage.elec.html http://www.castair.net/ http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/sear...ressors+&+Inflators&displayTarget=Subcategory I own an IMC/Bel-Aire 218V..two stage/240V unit...great for most jobs...I wish I had purchased the 318V which makes a little more air BUT the 218 keeps up with anything EXCEPT high volume sand blasting. IMC's are actually CHEAPER today than when I bought mine about six years ago (at NAPA). The guys are Castair will steer you right. Great products and service. ALWAYS buy the biggest and best you can afford...buy it once and never look back...
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