220 or 110 volt. Not too small that it'll run all the damn time. Not too pricey either. What yer experience?
<font color="green">Not to jump your post dude but I need the same info. 220 - 2 stage for me please... RASHY </font>
I bought a 220v Ingersol-Rand, two stage, 60gal tank, for $500.00 at Home Depot. It was on sale - marked down from $995.00. It's rated for constant run, and has been flawless. Mutt
I had one of those 220 volt oil-less compressors on a 60 gal. tank probably the loudest damn compressor you ever heard, I was glad when it started going ***s up! bought an 80 gal job with the 2 stage pump and used the smaller tank as a cool down reserve. I'm a cheap ******* so I bought the Home Depot one on sale too. I have a buddy that picked up a used compressor from a garage for cheap, huge tank and a mammoth slow turning pump that he parked out back. tons of air and not too noisy at all. here's mine though.. you can also see in this picture the minor flood I am having to fight this morning Paul
I picked up a "U.S. General" at Harbor Freight recently, 'cause I'm cheap! 220v, 60 gal, 6.5 horse, 130 psi, only $397... Apparantly it's made by Campbell-Hausfield for Harbor Freight. It's quiet compared to my old Sears 15 gal oil-less model. Not sure how it stacks up against the bigger boys, but this thing will run my cut-off wheel at 90 psi all day long and never worry about it. Here's a link to their site, although it's listed as $479 there. I picked it up at their Jacksonville store for $397. Air Compressor I've been quite happy with it so far.
I have a Craftsman 5hp oiless w/22gal tank that I have used for years. It produces about 11cfm @40psi and about 5.5cfm at 90psi. Works well for a home compressor. Think it was about $350 when I bought it and they seem to have come dowm some in price since then. Over the weekend it took a dump... wouldnt compress more than about 35psi so I took it apart.. figured I had nothing to loose. The piston ring was warn out and the tin cylinder was scored. Got on the phone with Sears and for about $45 have ALL the parts coming to completely rebuild it, including new valve plate. Beats having to buy a new compressor.
IR is a good brand but pricey, except that sale price is doable. I'll check HD see what they got. I've heard Sears' compressors are made about as well as there ratchets these days. Not sold yet on Husky or CH from Harbor Frieght. Thanks
I got my IR from costco several years ago it was the last 7.5 hp 80 gal tank they had on sale 695 have never seen one like it there since, but they have the 60 gal ones. Fairly quite runs all day no problems
I bought mine from Snap-On, 6.5hp 80 gal. It had 12 hours on it and I paid 2100.00 for it. I needed a high CFM rating for spraying bed liners. I bought it in 1998, and it has been awesome. A little on the pricy side, but tools are an investment. I also have an oil less type from sears, and I can't hear myself think over that thing running. It works OK, but I can't say I would suggest buying one. JP
So are the 2 stage ones the quietest ones? i am buying a house with a garage soon and I'm gonna need a quiet one.
I got rid of my oil less one for two reasons - 1 - It di not have enough capacity and 2 - the sound of it was giving me drainbamage . Spend the money if you 're in it to win it . It will be worth your while. I bought a Husky made by ingersol rand and have had no problems yet . I think campbell hausfield is making them now . goodluck . swaZZie
I've got an oilless. I didn't realize it would buzz LOUD. It's going under a lean to outside when I find time to build one. The latest Harbor Freight had a 4-1/2 HP w/ vert. tank for $159. Sounds like one of those I should know better but just can't resist.
Excellent topic! I've wondered about this, too, and will be buying a 220v in the next year for my shop. On a related note, I was in a big resto shop one time and the guy had a closet built in the corner that he kept his compressor in. Insulated, but vented for air movement. Kept the noise down. In my shop, I've built a 4x6 closet in the back corner, using 2x6 studs, R19 insulation and an 3 foot metal exterior door. (it's seven feet tall, with 2x6 ceiling joists and 3/4-inch plywood decking on top, giving me storage above it). It'll keep the compressor noise down, and with the closet, I can stash the compressor inside, and then I've got two more corners to put big power tools where the closet walls meet the walls of the shop. I just don't like the idea of keeping a compressor outside in the elements. -Brad
Brad - Make sure you have good airflow around the motor. I've had mine trip the thermal breaker here in Florida when I was running high volume tools on a hot day without the AC running. (And mine isn't in an enclosed area) I would highly suggest that a fan be rigged to flow air to the motor in any hot area, especially the South. Just a pedestal fan will help extend the life of a motor. Mutt
I am in the market for one as well. What do you guys think of this PUMA? I want to run a grinder, DA, and my blast cabinet. I've just got a small oilless 26 gallon CH now and blasting is SLOW.
Oilless are all ****. Craftsman has gone all ****. Even Campbell-Hausfield is ****. Quality - get a good 2-stage Quincy. If Quincy is a bit pricey for ya keep in mind that you want a cast iron pump (most cheapies are aluminum) for quiet & durable. Treat it like a car, change the filters & oil regularly (once a year is 1000 times more than most folks do) & it'll last you a lifetime.
Yep those brands are ****. On the subject of closet fer air compressors. My buddy has an auto repair shop in his backyard (nice set-up). A few years back he renovated to add more space and I help a little with the layout. He poured a small slab of concrete out side, enclosed it with intake and exhaust fans mounted high. He gotta good deal on an old compressor and placed that hooked up to his old compressor to work as a slave for more volume. Works great! Maybe Ryan can have a TOOL TECH WEEK. Or the TOOL-O-MATIC.
Here's a question. As usual I bought one that was ALMOST as big as I needed. Dumb ***. It's a 30gal 5hp Campbell Husfield vertical. It works for spraying paint but won't keep up with my DA Sander. I was thinking of buying another similar size one and running them hooked together. That way I don't have to waste the one I have and I could have great capacity and portability (my wife takes it home for air-brush use occaisonly). Anyway, In theory this will work. . . but I have never seen anyone run two medium sized compressors . . . am I missing something?
On the fan in the closet: Yeah, I'm going to do something there. One guy I know ran a small fan aimed at the motor and pump, hard wired to one leg of the 220v system, down-stream of the automatic switch. When the compressor kicked on, so did the little 110v fan. I love that idea! Hey praisethelowered-- I've got an old 2-horse, 220v Craftsman compressor with a 15- or 20 gallon tank. A friend gave it to me a few years ago, because someone gave it to him before he bought a big upright. My plan from the beginning was to put it in my garage, and get a biggun for the shop. When we built the house, I had the (confused) contractor put a 220 outlet in the garage for my little compressor. It's overkill, but it's great for pumping bike tires, balls, car tires and I'll eventually run a line down into the ba*****t for an air brush. Get a big one you really want, and take the "small" one home for utility duty. Besides, you'll lose less floor space in the shop with one upright tank rather than two next to eachother. Plus you'll be the coolest dad in the neighborhood--Saturday is "bike tire day" here. -Brad Oh, and I'd love a Tool Tech Week!
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