Not sure if this belongs here in the tech section, but since its technical and gonna be used on a C4 here goes. :D

I want to pick up an air compressor for misc work on my car. They have a really nice units, but not real sure what would be best to get. I went to sears and I think I found the one I like.

Its a Craftsman 30 gal upright tank, with a single 6 HP motor. Oil free so I know the noise will be higher, but with my occasional use, can't imagine it will run much. It comes with a 3/8 craftsman ratcher and impact wrench. I priced the ratch and impact alone and they are each ~50 bucks.

What are you guy's thoughts on it...Buy or wait? Oh yeah the price is 329.00

:cheers:

 

Kragens (CSKAuto) is having a big sale on compressors right now. They have a 2 gallon for $99 or an 11 gallon for $199. They also have an air tool set for $99. They are 'Powermate', which is made by 'Coleman'.

Go to http://www.cskauto.com and click shop, then punch in these part numbers:

VP0000201
CL0551109

Just thought you might want to check them out before you go with Sears.

 

My dad was letting me borrow his small 10 gallon. It just wan't enough to keep up with the power tools. So i think I am gonna need something a bit bigger..

 

Sounds like a good deal. Air tools use a lot of volume and not much pressure. Would make a great Christmas present (I hope my wife is reading this :D ).

 

Sounds like a good one.
Check out http://www.harborfreight.com/
for power tools cheap. Impace wrench or wrachet for ~$20
is their normal 'sale' prices. Sign up and let them send you
their monthly catalogue.
They may have a store near you.

 

92vette,

That place is AWESOME for pricing! Cool thanks you just probably cost me another 400 bucks! :lol:

 

I have the above Craftsman and I love it. Its a liitle loud but not too bad. I read somewhere that the new 2 stage pump by craftsman is a lot more quite but cost twice as much

 

If you want to compare catalog prices...the harborfreight catalog is here ( thanks to http://catalogs.google.com )

HarborFreight catalog

 

I would get at least a 5hp 60 gallon air compressor.A bigger air compressor won't get worked as hard, and it will maintain a higher pressure giving your air tools more power.

 

The oil-less Crapman units did not last long,.... but that was a few years ago. I'm not sure who is making them, for Sears these day's.

 

:cheers: Look at the CFM rating! And the Max PSI

30 gallons isn't much and horsepower doesn't mean much if CFM is low. Ocassional short duration air tool use at 90 psi may be ok, but if you want longer duration say for spraying, air cleaning, this thinh will run out of breath!

I have one and wish I hadn't bought it. It really is too light on CFM and storage capacity

Jack

 

I have a 6 horse 30 gal Crasftsman that i love runs every air tool i have and thats alot. My compressor is 8 yrs old no probs. I would skip the discount air tools though I dont care for crfstman impact guns I have an ingersol and a Mac. Both excellent but pricey. The only drawback to these little compressrs is that when running a DA or a mini disc grinder causes the compressor to cycle too often. :D

 

With air compressors, a couple of considerations.

For heavy duty air tools, namely, grinders, polishers, larger dual action sanders, air files, basically body shop tools, a two stage compressor, 220Volt, 80 gallon tank is required. The tools simply require lots of air, high Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM). Running those tools is like having a hole in the side of your air tank. As stated above, if your compressor is tasked to support those tools and to little capacity, the compressor head section will likely develop way too much heat. Aluminum compressor heads/jugs are cheaper but typically not used on higher end units. Cast iron coupled with 220volt Baldor electric motors, US made stuff.

Most guys will not be using air files, six inch grinders, pneumatic buffers, etc.

Those 30 gallon Sears units are quite attractive. With 30 gallons, 90 PSI, air wrenches, 1/2 & 3/8 are well within specs. Air drills, no problem. Maybe even some light grinding/sanding. They don't take up much space. Make sure you check for the 20 amp 120AC plug, you MAY need a different outlet. Not sure if they use a 20 amp plug. 15 amp plug, no problem. Not sure on that model.

The cheaper import guns tend to lack the torque associated with better units. They may not have torque selection, ie 3-4 application torgue settings.
Still, for tire removal, exhaust, 1/2 and 3/8 drive stuff, no problem.

Air compressors are great. I may not have a 383 stroker spraying nitrous through CNC heads HOWEVER I do have an air compressor. His name is THOR, sporting a 125 psi 2 stage compressor, 80 gallon tank, 220 volts, 5Horsepower US made Baldor electric motor with magnetic start fed by a 40 amp circuit. Twists steel like rubber. I need to chill.

Buy something. For your application, 30 gallon seems pretty good to me. Sears has some newer 2 stage stuff but not sure about smaller tanks on a 2 stage. You will love an air compressor.

dlmeyers 90 coupe zf6 3 speed shocks


[Modified by dlmeyers, 10:10 PM 12/5/2002]

 

I bought one a year ago and it works great for me :cheers:

 

Another thought...don't know if you have such a store like here on the West coast-Costco. I compared Harbour freight, Sears, Kragen etc, for equivilants and found the best buy at Costco-got a 60gal, 7hp Coleman Powermate upright for less than 400 bucks. But it is 220volt-don't know if you have 220 already wired.

 

Well fellas, thanks for all your help...

I went and bought the unit last night, and it seems to be pretty decent. I only had a bit of time to play around with it, but it seems to be have enough ***** to keep up with the tools that came with it.

Thanks for all your help...

jesse

 

I used to have the Sears 60 gal/6hp, my reasoning for the 60gal stand up was so no one would borrow it :D It worked fine but it was a little loud. Then it burned up in the garage fire :( I now have the 2 stage model and love it, much quieter. It has a 25 or 30 gal tank but at 190 psi it has about the same compared volume as a 60 gal tank. Not sure about the price anymore, seems like about $399, insurance bought it :D

 

yeah they are a little on the loud side...i was thinking of putting it in an enclosure with some sound proofing, but then again..I can roll it out the garage door to the outside when I am going to be using it and then just close the door and leave the air hose under the door. Peace and quite again, with the neighbors bitchin up a storm :D It should get them used to the late nights of the 406 with no exhaust running out in the garage. :lol:


[Modified by ski_dwn_it, 11:36 AM 12/6/2002]

 

I would not get the oilless. It will wear out sooner, and when it does, it can't really be fixed 9i.e. it's a throwaway). for $400 you can get a 26 gal belted cast iron compressor. If the motyor burns up, you can replace with almost any 56 frame electric motor. The compressor should last for ever, but if it does'nt, it can be rebuilt.

Don't look at HP, look at the pressure & volume it delivers. Most compressors will give you volumetric flow rates (i.e. CFM) at two pressures: 90 psi & 40 psi. You will notice that all equally rated motors don't do the same amount of work.

For a 5 HP motor, you will need a dedicated circuit (unless you want the breaker to flip on you all of the time). As long as you need a dedicated circuit, you might as well go to a 230 volt motor. Also, most dual voltage motors (i.e. 115/230 volt) don't do the work that a 230 volt motor will do. My 5 hp 230 volt compressor will deliver about 12 cfm @ 40 psi & 10 cfm @ 90 psi. Most 115/230 volt 5 HP will only do 6 cfm @ 40 & 5 cfm @ 90.

 

I have had a Craftsman Pro-Series 25 gallon 175 PSI vertical compressor for that past year, and am very pleased with it so far. One of these days I'd like to get a big compressor, but lack the garage space for it now.

Question for those of you that use air tools. Is it normal for air ratchets and other tools to spray out a fine mist of oil? Or am I over oiling them?