I am looking at oiled air compressors in the medium to large size and was wondering if anyone has used the HF brands (Central Pneumatic) or other cheap brands. Let me know what you guys use for your tool needs and paint guns, etc...
I am looking at oiled air compressors in the medium to large size and was wondering if anyone has used the HF brands (Central Pneumatic) or other cheap brands. Let me know what you guys use for your tool needs and paint guns, etc...
They are loud compared to some others. Don't really know about how long they last. The pneumatic die grinder from there is the E36 M3 though.
I've got one that works acceptably for airing up basketballs (yeah...like I do that real often) and tires. I'd probably try to paint with it, but I don't have any hope it'd be good with a sandblaster or die grinder. It's a roll-around model, though...so I didn't buy it for sandblasting or die grinding.
Clem
I've had this one, http://www.harborfreight.com/25-horsepower-21-gallon-125-psi-cast-iron-vertical-air-compressor-67847.html for about six years. It's great for running a wrench, but doesn't refresh fast enough when using a die grinder for a long time.
Get something with a belt driven compressor. The direct drive ones are noisy and don't seem to be rated for the same CFM for the hp/gal of the compressor vs a belt drive.
No.
I did the cheap compressor thing. From a throwaway from the bicycle shop on which I JB Weld-ed the pinholes in the tank (!) through a succession of pawnshop oilless units which I attribute no small measure of my hearing loss.
Junk, every one of 'em.
Then they invented craigslist.
It took 2 years of diligent searching and a number of dead ends. Maybe lots of dead ends. As in literally, there's no house here, hence no 60-gallon Ingersoll-Rand compressor - let's drive 47 miles back home.
Then one day my number hit. I scored a like-new American made Speedair 60 vertical 60 gallon, 220V/single phase, 5hp, 4 cylinder 2 stage. It had been very lightly used in a small shop that serviced handicapped access taxis. I got the guy down to $350, but it turned out he had a Millermatic 185 MIG as well, and I re-negotiated a package for $800 for both. It runs my big blast cabinet effortlessly, and will run a disc grinder no problem. You could port cylinders professionally with it.
I'm immensely satisfied with it. Not like an absence of irritation - a genuine sense of affection for a big green cylinder.
So if you can possibly wait, please do, and find something bigger than you think you'll need, made in America out of cast iron, which preferably will require you to run a 220 line to the garage if you haven't already.
I promise you'll be glad you did.
Hocrest wrote: I've had this one, http://www.harborfreight.com/25-horsepower-21-gallon-125-psi-cast-iron-vertical-air-compressor-67847.html for about six years. It's great for running a wrench, but doesn't refresh fast enough when using a die grinder for a long time.
I have one like that as well. I know I had to change out the plastic air lines on the compressor to copper with compression fittings and metric to NPT adapters. I keep it in the attic in the garage and in the summer when it was 120 up there and the compressor was running for an hour at a time the plastic lines would soften and pop out of the fitting.
I painted like four cars with it and have used it for all my air related tasks over the last 7 years or so. It is indeed noisy.
I prefer cordless electric tools anyway.
I have a little oil less compressor and that damn thing is so loud you litterly want to kill something or somebody while it runs. My ears heart just thinking about it.
I'm currently working on getting a 220v subpanel installed in my place to run the kiln, welder, and 5hp compressor. The current breaker doesn't like the air compressor, I don't know if it is the compressor or the breaker yet.
Don't get fooled into buying a "cheap" air compressor. Sure you'll save some bucks and have a shiny new tool, but if the damn thing ever breaks you'll have to throw it away as replacement parts won't be easy to find. I would rather stick with a name brand and know that a gasket or parts will be around. Also if you buy a bunch of harbor freight tools you end up with a bunch of junk, sure it will do the job but working with a tool and looking at at and seeing where they didn't machine something correctly or finish the tool doesn't inspire any pride. I'd rather have used american tools than any of this third world half made stuff. Just like I heard about the chinese moped engines is that they work great once you rebuild them at 0 hours.
I have one of these. It contains to two 2HP rubber mounted compressors and tank in a sound insulated box. My garage refrigerator is louder.
Buy a higher end compressor or you'll pay more in the end. Buy used, all kinds of shops going out of business. I sprung for a nice compressor 12 years ago and am happy I did. My buddies Craftsman unit (similar specs) lasted2 or 3 years.
I bought and returned at least two cheap air compressors and had given up on getting a good one when I lucked out on a 60-gallon 2-stage Devilbiss compressor. I've never, ever regretted that purchase even when almost killing myself moving it into and out of my basement. (yes, that was bought before I built the garage.)
There are some tools that Harbor Freight actually does well, and I don't know about the air compressors but I sincerely doubt that's one of them. Get a big momma compressor from an American brand and you will not regret it. Buy one of the HF ones and I bet you will.
In reply to Grtechguy:
Uhh... That is out of my price range. And 95% of everyone else here.
Harbor Freight used to sell the US General brand, which I had heard good things about. I'm not sure they still carry those. If I ever get a house with a nice workshop or separate garage, I'm going to have me a bodacious compressor. We have scrapped some remediation systems that used a rotary screw compressor, but those are long gone. I think they were three phase too.
Ok, I think that the point has been made, I will get a nicer 60 gallon+ from a local manufacturer. Anyone seen any good sales lately?
Thoughts?
http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/bfs/3098731486.html
Here is another possibility
http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/tls/3210378832.html
singleslammer wrote: In reply to Grtechguy: Uhh... That is out of my price range. And 95% of everyone else here.
Out of mine too...thankfully it was free (came out of medical practice due to hours). But, seriously...check with your dentist. They can only run them for so many hours.
Grtechguy wrote: Out of mine too...thankfully it was free (came out of medical practice due to hours). But, seriously...check with your dentist. They can only run them for so many hours.
no wonder our medical costs are out of control ;-p
why can't they just put a lean-to off the back of their practice and run some schedule 40 like everybody else.. 
singleslammer wrote: Thoughts? http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/bfs/3098731486.html
That is a kick-ass compressor right there. make sure it's 220v single phase - not 3 phase - and buy it, pronto.
In reply to xflowgolf: The expensive part isn't the quietness, the expensive part is the "oil free".
If you bolt the tank to the floor, it will be quieter. Much quieter than the usual setup with the tank sitting on a pallet. This surprised me.
I've got a good 220V 5hp compressor in my garage that I bought new. I like it. No regrets at all.
I've also put together a DIY compressor setup. I bought the tank and motor (with a seized compressor) from a local shop and dropped a 5 hp dual cylinder HF compressor on it. It took a bit of finangling to hook everything up and it's not been trouble-free - my father-in-law has it, but he's had to deal with a missing check valve in the compressor. Still, it probably ended up being about 1/3 to 1/2 the price of my new setup and it's rated a bit higher for CFM.
singleslammer wrote: Thoughts? http://columbiamo.craigslist.org/bfs/3098731486.html
I like that one, but check the tank to make sure the rust you can see is very superficial. A rusted out tank is dangerous. You would want to clean that up and spot prime it right away to keep it from spreading. The price is decent especially considering the brand is a good one but it's not a steal.
The other one I would pass on; hvac compressors are made for long life at low psi's and have small tanks. They're reliable as all hell but not made for pushing 90psi air tools. Plus, twin engine? That's just bizarre.
In reply to motomoron:
Why do I need to avoid 3 phase? I should probably figure out what my garage 220v is wired to.
Because you don't have 3 phase electricity to your house (almost certainly).
singleslammer wrote: In reply to motomoron: Why do I need to avoid 3 phase? I should probably figure out what my garage 220v is wired to.
Like ClemSparks says, you almost certainly don't have 3-phase power. Unless you're in a commercial building. The compressor is listed as a single phase so assuming he's correct it should work for you.
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