I'm about to get a air compressor for my garage to work with air tools and the such, but I want it to be able to handle a Sand Blaster. I've been shopping around for a little while and found 2 in my price range. When it comes down to which is best I'm not sure so I wanted to see if someone could help me or if there was something better in my range. Heres a link to them: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductCompareView?storeId=6970
Won't let me open the page, gives me some kind of execute error. You will want a two stage compressor to run that sandblaster. Buy on the high side of your budget and worry more about the pump than the motor. The HP ratings are all suspect, but if the cfm rating is good, and it will be better with a two stage unit, then that's what you are looking for.
Get the biggest one you can afford(or not), you won't regret it. Even a small blaster requires 12-15 cfm @ 90psi to operate. Don't forget an air dryer too.
I bought a Eaton air compressor..$850.00 shipped from Ohio to Maine...it was on sale on Ebay before Christmas. These are made in the USA..it's one hell of a heavy duty compressor...everything on it!!!! I'm impressed with every part on it.....I have a spot vac*** sandblaster "Quik Blast" and it handles it without any problems..They make 100's of compressors. I've used it for about a month and decided to move it into the ba*****t...You can order it with different colors also for no extra charge..The shipping box was top notched also...USA all the way...5 yr guarantee. Its has a big *** motor also... It's a great company and they're hiring at the moment...I guess a new factory is opening...that must tell you something.. check em out!! http://www.eatoncompressor.com/page/page/504413.htm
You will need to spend $800 to get a decent compressor . Don't buy the cheap ones at the Home Depot & Lowes for $400 . They won't work for what you want it for . Save your money and get a good one that will last . You will be much happier if you wait and save for a nice 2 stage compressor !
To run a sand blaster you will need a pump that can 18-24 cfm at 90 psi,and even at that you are pushing it.i have an older unit that claims 18 cfm at 90 with a refrigerated dryer and it works well for rims and intakes and brackets and such,you can get away without the dryer if you use a couple good moisture traps,but when you start combining traps and filters you will start seeing pressure drops and cfm loss.i dont know what your budget is but plan on 1500.00 at least.quincy qt-5 units work well,they make a few different models with different cfm ratings.you can probably get a ingersoll at tractor supply for about 1200.00 as well.hope that helps
I forgot about eaton,they make good units as well!!!im kind of a snob since i work for a company that sells quincys!
I spent $1800 on an industrial grade Campbell-Hausfield 5HP, 80 Gallon upright, and spent the same amount over the next 2 years repairing the valves, air transfer tube ( 4 times), cracked motor support bracket and finally a cracked tank. Junkyard gave me $40 for it as s****. Good riddance but an expensive lesson.
28 years ago I purchased a used IR 7.5 HP 3 phase 2 stage compressor with a 60 gal tank for about $800.00. I had to spend another $285.00 for a single phase motor for it. I went with a 5 HP motor and a smaller drive pully. The pump only turns 600 RPM and is pretty quiet. It keeps up with my bead blaster no problem. In fact it starts, pumps up, and shuts off and I never stop blasting. Best bang for the buck I ever spent. This thing is still going strong.
Ignore horsepower ratings, you are buying air volume. Two stage simply means more air pressure, up to 180 psi, again has nothing to do with volume. If your blast rig says it needs 20cfm at 90 psi then buy at least 20% more cfm than that...compressors are like guns, when you really need to use it you will want the biggest one you can get... Check out DeVilbiss. .
Looks like you're in a big enough area to have a commercial air compressor service company to contact. Most of them sell true industrial duty compressors that are reconditioned for a fraction of their original price. And like mentioned above, CFM is everything. Avoid the bLowe's, Harbor Fright, Home Repo stuff. A good compressor can last a home shop for a lifetime. I have my 10hp from my shop here at home, also have the 5hp that dad and I got in the 70s, both still work like new. Watch for shop closures and buisness/industrial auctions.
Totally, I'd get a used industrial one off craigslist. I dunno if anyone mentioned you're gonna need 220, any of them that run on household aren't big enough to do the job you want, regardless of what the ratings say.
I bought my compressor at Northern Tool. It's a IR, two stage, 175 PSIG max pressure, (@90 PSI) 80 gallon upright tank. I don't remember the HP rating, but I bought the biggest compressor I could get. The sales guy asked me what type of company I had, that I needed a compressor that big. When I told him I was putting it in my garage/shop area, he looked at me like I was a tard. I have been happy with it so far, I use it often, so far, so good.
i bought a used 5hp, 12 cfm, ingersoll rand with a 60gl tank for $400 at a yard sale, it wasent that old when i got it 3-4 years tops, i ran it for 15 years till i sold my place and left it behind, no problems at all, kept the oil changed and the filter clean, i have a pressure tank media blaster holds just about a bag of copper slag, i paid $400 for that brand new, i used that setup alot, had the wait for the air to build up every few min but so what, i did car frames, boat trailers, wheels and what ever i wanted, now i'm in a different shop, the compressor was built in the 30's, rebuilt in the 60's, its 3 phase i dont know the cfm but its a big machine, it cant keep up to well but what the hell i had to stop and dig the sand out of the back of my neck every now and then anyway, god i hate that feeling, the only compressor i never had to stop and wait for was probly over 100hp screw machine i used to do highway rig trailers.
Eaton, Quincy, Castair, Bel-Aire are all good. Most discount sellers sell cheap compressors with inflated HP and CFM numbers. My Bel-Aire is a 5hp two-stage that puts out 15+CFM at 120 psi and it handles my blast cabinet OK but runs alot unless I put in a smaller nozzle on the gun. Outdoor sandblasting? Just not enough air... you have to wait for the compressor to catch up after three or four minutes... pretty aggravating. I SHOULD have bought the next bigger 19+CFM unit... mine is good but not good enough. Unless you have at least $1500.00 to spend you'll never buy one big enough for continuous blasting.
I got an Emglo 5 HP 2 stage 4 cyl cast iron pump; ~18CFM @ 175 PSI; probably 6-7 byears ago out of the local cl***ifieds; it has YET to have a hard time keeping up with ANYTHING I've thrown at it. Coulda had a 120 gallon 10HP (forget the brand) for almost free; but (figures) (1) it was 3 phase which I could not use and (2) I had JUST bought the one I currently have. I thought about gettin that one and putting a 20HP Kohler I had laying around at the time on it! My Emglo is not quite as well known as a Quincy but those Ive talked to in the compressor biz say this one's every bit as good; and I've had offers to sell for double what I pd (and more than Farm&Fleet wants for their 5 HP 80 gallon compressor) but I declined! I'm having too much "fun" with it; the only problem I have with it (and I think it has to do with the length of line I gotta run from my shed on the opposite side of the house out to my garage) when blasting I run into trouble with clogs because of moisture in the line. I didnt have my current garage when I bought the compressor yet so I set it up in the shed so I didnt have to hear it banging in the house when I was working in my old (attatched) garage. I need ~125' of hose to get from my comp to my garage.
Craigs list and local papers for used shop compressors is only option to spending real money for a usable new compressor. I traded someone for a good Craftsman portable this old Wayne from a shop:
Wayne is a grand old name in air compressors. The 5hp vertical is a Kellogg-American, the 10hp with 2 tanks is a Speedaire (Grainger brand name). I have $1295 in the 10. 4cyl, 205 gal (2 tanks), 35cfm @ 120psi, single phase 10hp farm duty motor. It fills to 150psi from empty in 6min, cycles for 1min 15sec., 42 amps start and I think 28 amps running. Read that last part as cheap to run in the grand scheme of things. I used the 3ph motor in my shop, when I moved out here to the country I bought the 10hp 1ph from Grainger, brand new for $645 out the door simply by asking the salesman to discount the sale as much as he could. It listed (their price) for $749 and he got it down to $599 + tax. I'm telling all of this for everyone reading. Times as they are just ask for the deal. You'll get it most every time. I paid $650 for the compressor and the extra 125gal tank from a body shop that was closing and used it at my shop for 3 years, been running it this way for 6 years but certainly not every day. Think it through and be creative. I also set up the house shop with a 200amp service (all residential service is 250 amps in) so I can run things as needed, and for safety's sake I shut off the air compressor when I weld with the bigger mig or tig. Yes the lights dim on start...I can live with that.
NOISE!!! What did you say my compressor makes to much dam noise. A cheap compressor has to turn faster to pump the same quan***y of air as a good compressor does. I have a Quincey 325 5HP compressor, it runs all my air tools, a TIP gl*** bead cabinet, a TIP pressure sand blaster, and paint guns. Cheaper compressors run faster, create more water in the air and won't last. My Quincy has an oil pump for pressure lubrication instead of splash. An oil filter for regular maintenance. It pumps 18cfm at 150 psi. You do get what you pay for. If you can't afford a good one now, save your money until you can you won't regret it
Hmm, Older thread but, Whats the best deal out there today, quality and moneywise for something that would be ok for occasional light bodywork and painting? (5hp 80 gallon?)
i just bought a bel air' for the money i spent it was well worth it . i do not have to wait on it when sand blasting and it keeps up with all my air toolsy
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