Air Compressor Question
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,200
Likes: 233
From: "Nowhere Man"
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
Air Compressor Question
Can anyone recommend a good air compressor for the garage? I need it to keep up with tire pressure, blow dust off the car, etc. I'm not looking for a commercial unit, just something to use at home. I bought and returned a Husky 1.5 gal unit that I wasn't happy with. I'm also trying to stay away from 12Volt models. Thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,022
Likes: 0
From: Belleville Illinois
You can go to Home Depot and get one of their upright models with a 50-60 gal. tank. They run $500-$600 and will last you forever. I wouldn't get anything less. Another place to look is Sears, they have a nice selection.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,003
Likes: 1
From: Life ain't no dress rehearsal, are you gonna wait to get your toys til AFTER you have a heart attack?
I have a Campbell-Hausefield 2 1/2 gal unit that I got at Home Depot that I use for my air tools. It is on wheels and quite convenient. I would suggest also getting an air tank. I use that to fill tires instead of pulling the compressor all over the place.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 4
From: Orlando Floriduh
This comes up alot, but no one ever mentions the noise. The old piston type are much quieter than the "oilless" or diaphram units that are common today although the piston type are still available. So if you have neighbors within a block or so stay away from those oilless units. They are also very annoying running in your work area.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,070
Likes: 160
From: Coralville Iowa
IF you think you're ever going to use an air tools (especially an impact wrench or any kind of body tools) the smaller compressors will never work. They just can't supply the volume these tools require. IF all you want to do is inflate tires about anything will work. I have an upright 27 gallon - only downside is it is noisy as others have pointed out. Works great for a broad range of uses, however. "Commercial level" stuff is really nice but you need to be realistic on how often you will use it and how much room it will take over in your garage.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,762
Likes: 2
I have the Craftsman 2 gal that has a 1 hp oil lubed motor. It's been my experience the oiless units run much louder. My Craftsman is very quiet and it's portable enough that it sits on a shelf.
I got it on sale and so far it's been a very reliable unit. My only gripe was the accessory kit had a lousy hose so I bought a better one. I then purchased an Intercomp Racing fill/bleed/read tire gauge.
I got it on sale and so far it's been a very reliable unit. My only gripe was the accessory kit had a lousy hose so I bought a better one. I then purchased an Intercomp Racing fill/bleed/read tire gauge.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 824
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge LA
bought mine at sears. Craftsman 15 gallon upright tank. Small enough to move around yet enough capacity to handle medium to large jobs. (impact wrench, nail guns, etc,) Watch for sales and you can get some great prices.
I also bought the 100" rubber air hose. You can do a lot of jobs in the garage without moving the tank.
One note though. I ended up putting the compressor on a single circuit. My shop has a window AC unit and a Ice box/freezer . In the summer with all this running it kept tripping the breaker.
I also bought the 100" rubber air hose. You can do a lot of jobs in the garage without moving the tank.
One note though. I ended up putting the compressor on a single circuit. My shop has a window AC unit and a Ice box/freezer . In the summer with all this running it kept tripping the breaker.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From: DFW Texas
A lot of good suggestions here...
However I wouldn't get your hopes up to use it to blow dirt off of your car. The dust and dirt just won't "fly" off of the car and in order to get any significant results you would have to hold the nozzle so close to the car it would take you forever to do the whole car - and you would need a 500 gallon tank.
Perhaps with Rejex maybe? I've never used Rejex so I wouldn't know. Anybody out there tried?
However I wouldn't get your hopes up to use it to blow dirt off of your car. The dust and dirt just won't "fly" off of the car and in order to get any significant results you would have to hold the nozzle so close to the car it would take you forever to do the whole car - and you would need a 500 gallon tank.
Perhaps with Rejex maybe? I've never used Rejex so I wouldn't know. Anybody out there tried?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,762
Likes: 2
A lot of good suggestions here...
However I wouldn't get your hopes up to use it to blow dirt off of your car. The dust and dirt just won't "fly" off of the car and in order to get any significant results you would have to hold the nozzle so close to the car it would take you forever to do the whole car - and you would need a 500 gallon tank.
Perhaps with Rejex maybe? I've never used Rejex so I wouldn't know. Anybody out there tried?
However I wouldn't get your hopes up to use it to blow dirt off of your car. The dust and dirt just won't "fly" off of the car and in order to get any significant results you would have to hold the nozzle so close to the car it would take you forever to do the whole car - and you would need a 500 gallon tank.
Perhaps with Rejex maybe? I've never used Rejex so I wouldn't know. Anybody out there tried?
My compressor is barely able to blow all the dust out of my home computer. Maybe I should spread some Rejex on those parts.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,271
Likes: 182
From: Manassas VA
The first thing you have to decide is if you are willing to install 220 volt service in your garage. All decent compressors require 220. If you are limited to 120 the choice is severely limited to lower cfm (cubic feet per minute) models.
I never knew anyone who once they bought a compressor and saw how useful it was for many things besides your car, didn't wish they had got at least a 60 gallon tank, 15-20 cfm model. Nothing is more a PITA then running your fine air tool cutting something and having your compressor unable to keep up with the required air flow or spraying and seeing your spray pattern go to shyt because the compressor is losing tank pressure.
I'd stay away from the oil free types. They make a real racket and wear out the rings rapidly if you use them at all. Their is no filter on the incoming air into the cylinders and any particles in the air get into the cylinders and chew up the cylinder walls and the rings.
I never knew anyone who once they bought a compressor and saw how useful it was for many things besides your car, didn't wish they had got at least a 60 gallon tank, 15-20 cfm model. Nothing is more a PITA then running your fine air tool cutting something and having your compressor unable to keep up with the required air flow or spraying and seeing your spray pattern go to shyt because the compressor is losing tank pressure.
I'd stay away from the oil free types. They make a real racket and wear out the rings rapidly if you use them at all. Their is no filter on the incoming air into the cylinders and any particles in the air get into the cylinders and chew up the cylinder walls and the rings.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Sears has them on sale online. We have an upright medium size compressor and it has worked great for years.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+%26+Air+Tools
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...+%26+Air+Tools
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 343
Likes: 1
From: Houston TX
I have a craftsman 'old school' compressor with a divorced compressor and electric motor connected via belt drive. It is super quiet and is 27 years old. It has had zero problems and it was actually a hand me down from my father. 20 gal tank and it has enough scfm to supply an impact or air ratchet all day long (twin cylinder compressor)
Whatever you decide on, be sure you drain the tank every time. I personally would recommend a divorced compressor as opposed to the oilfree noisemakers. I had one and GAVE it away because it was deafening to operate it in the garage and took forever to pump up to 110 psi.
It is always better to have too much than not enough
Whatever you decide on, be sure you drain the tank every time. I personally would recommend a divorced compressor as opposed to the oilfree noisemakers. I had one and GAVE it away because it was deafening to operate it in the garage and took forever to pump up to 110 psi.
It is always better to have too much than not enough
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
If you just want to fill up your tires you can buy a portable tire pump at Sears for $30-$50. I've got one I use at the track with a contained (and removable) digital gauge that works quite well. I can set the pressure I want and it stops when it gets there.
If you want a decent home/shop model I suggest you get one with enough capacity to drive an impact wrench and other tools. The cost isn't that much more to buy one that 'does it all.' That's much better than buying one only to discover later on it can't do everything you want it to.
If you want a decent home/shop model I suggest you get one with enough capacity to drive an impact wrench and other tools. The cost isn't that much more to buy one that 'does it all.' That's much better than buying one only to discover later on it can't do everything you want it to.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,042
Likes: 6
From: Bedford, TX
I have a craftsman 20 gal. model with the dreaded oiless diaphragm compressor. Yeah, it makes a racket while it's running, but once the tank gets up to pressure (60 is enough for tire filling) you can just shut it off. I got it on sale almost 20 years ago. I was intending to get a much smaller one but the sale was too good to pass up. It runs a paint spray gun just fine too.