Good all-around air compressor
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
From: Warwick Rhode Island
Good all-around air compressor
Can someone suggest a good (better than average) all-around air compressor for my garage? Keep in mind that I want the ability to run the typical pnuematic tools and also use it to paint my car down the road. Would you also let me know your thoughts on the use of a in-line dryer (i.e. to use or not to use)? I don't care if it has the vertical tank or not....
Thanks everyone.
Thanks everyone.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Cary NC
How much are you willing to spend? How much space do you have? If you want to paint your car an do it well you need a MINIMUM 60 gallon and an inline dryer.
OPTION 1: Here is a nice 80 gallon. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+%26+Inflators
Keep in mind you will need an electrician
OPTION 2: HPLV Turbine (for car paint) http://www.turbineproducts.com/hvlp-...e-sprayer.html AND another compressor like http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+%26+Inflators for tools.
OPTION 1: Here is a nice 80 gallon. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+%26+Inflators
Keep in mind you will need an electrician
OPTION 2: HPLV Turbine (for car paint) http://www.turbineproducts.com/hvlp-...e-sprayer.html AND another compressor like http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+%26+Inflators for tools.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
A 60 gallon should do the job just fine for what you want. A dryer is nice but not needed if you drain the tank and have a water trap installed. Unless you have a sand blster or a high volume user 60 gallon is fine. I run all my tools off a 25 gallon with no problems. I do not paint with it and a die grinder runs it down a little but it works. Someday I'll step up to 60 gallon. You do not need an electrician. Wiring a 240 circuit is quite easy to do. If you have the room in your panel it is no problem at all. I'm not an electrician and have wired many a 240 volt circuit always to code. Electricity is nothing to be afraid of.
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 17
From: Northern CO
Electricity: respected but not skeered of. Wired many motors or other loads to circuits and haven't burned anything down.
I have a mid-sized sears unit of 25 gal and runs all the non-revenue generating tools I own with no prob (i.e. hobbyist, not a business). Like Gordon, one day I will step up to bigger too.
Campbell Hausfeld makes a great unit too:
http://www.cpocampbellhausfeld.com/
Last edited by Dustup7T2; Mar 25, 2009 at 04:10 PM. Reason: add URL
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,697
Likes: 833
From: WI
Something like this would be a good one:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...68?cm_vc=C5502
Ideally you would want 11-12 CFM@90 for painting and reserve, but this would do everything you wanted. My brother has one like this and he does all kinds of work incl painting. Mine is a 5hp 80gal unit with 18CFM @100psi.
You definitely want a moisture trap with 25ft min of copper or steel line between the compressor and the trap. Here is a thread on that: http://autobodystore.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13858. Biggest mistake is guys that put the trap right off the compressor. It won't work. Harbor Freight has a decent regulator/trap that'll work well.
Mark G
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...68?cm_vc=C5502
Ideally you would want 11-12 CFM@90 for painting and reserve, but this would do everything you wanted. My brother has one like this and he does all kinds of work incl painting. Mine is a 5hp 80gal unit with 18CFM @100psi.
You definitely want a moisture trap with 25ft min of copper or steel line between the compressor and the trap. Here is a thread on that: http://autobodystore.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13858. Biggest mistake is guys that put the trap right off the compressor. It won't work. Harbor Freight has a decent regulator/trap that'll work well.
Mark G
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 446
Likes: 1
From: Cary NC
You don't NEED an electrician but it wouldn't be a great idea to have this be your first experiance with elecricity. I too have wired in a 240 (for my wall oven) but make sure you read up. Depending on your set up, there is a wire that will ALWAYS be live, keep that in mind!
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 5
From: Fayetteville Arkansas
for you it is the perfect time to buy an air compressor... start checking your for sale section in the news paper and call a few pawn shops in the area, you won't believe what is out there on the market b/c of the downturn in construction. I bought a new compressor a few months back... it is a porter cable 60 gallon. It was used for 11 months sparingly and looked all but brand new. It came with the filter, regulator and everything plus 50 foot of hose and I got it for $400.00. That was a steal for what all I got and I found it in my local craigslist tool section! Now is the time to get some good deals on used tools that are in great shape.
hth,
Sully
hth,
Sully
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 345
Likes: 0
From: Sebago Lake Maine
St. Jude Donor '09
Don't get any of those cheap direct drive things no matter how much air they claim to put out. They are crap. They spin a tiny piston at a high rpm and are louder than a 454 with no mufflers.
Something like the belt drive Sears unit someone linked to above looks like a nice unit.
Like Sully said, check used, Craigslist too under tools. People are selling all kinds of stuff right now.
Something like the belt drive Sears unit someone linked to above looks like a nice unit.
Like Sully said, check used, Craigslist too under tools. People are selling all kinds of stuff right now.
Last edited by Sebago Shark; Mar 25, 2009 at 07:22 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
From: Warwick Rhode Island
Thanks everyone for the information. It's certainly appreciated. It looks as though I'll be able to get something decent that's within my budget after all.
I work with an electrician who just happens to do side jobs, especially since times are lean. I'm sure he'd give me a great price and I know he would do a hell of a lot better job than I could.
Thanks again
I work with an electrician who just happens to do side jobs, especially since times are lean. I'm sure he'd give me a great price and I know he would do a hell of a lot better job than I could.
Thanks again