what air compressor 2 buy???

[DOUGHBOY]

ok, got the tax $$$$$$$$ and going to buy a compressor.... what would be a good brand to buy???? looking to spend about 700-800, want for running air tools, sanders, blast cab, etc.

so what would be a good brand to buy or better yet where is the best place to buy it in the
st. louis area???

thanks for the help guys!!!

[hankj]

There will be as many opinions as there are compressors. You need to know what your needs will be in SCFM in order to size your compressor correctly. Be aware that nameplate ratings are on the low side. Just the way it is. You need to decide on single vs. two-stage, 120V vs. 240V, etc. It all depends on the volume you'll need.

I have a 14-year old Campbell-Hausfeld 5 HP 240V compressor that has been great. No matter the brand, I'd get an oil lubricated piston pump. I've always liked Ingersol-Rand beacuse of thier reputation in industrial applications, but i've never owned a "homeowner" type I-R.

Hope that sheds some light.

Hank

[MigManiac]

Dual stage,240volt,60 gallon tank, DO NOT GET AN OIL LESS COMPRESSOR. The ones that use oil last alot longer.From my experiance.

[abooker]

Do you have a Tractor Supply Co. near you. If so this is the compressor that I plan on buying. Ingersoll-Rand, TSC part number 34-82560. Sells for $699.99. Delivers 18.1 CFM @90 PSI, max pressure 135 PSI, tank size is 80 gallon, 100% continuous duty, all cast iron pump, 230V single phase. For the price I think this is the most bang for the buck. with the 18.1 CFM's it's big enough to run most air hogs.

[MigManiac]

Sounds like a pretty good deal,To bad i dont need a new one.
Couldnt sneak that past the wife.

[newtoit]

Take a look at these:

http://autobodystore.net/Merchant2/m...tegory_Code=C1

The second one down, BEL218Vw, is the sweet spot.

[Mike W]

I have an old wakesha two stage, all cast iron. It will outlast me.

[patrickmcveigh]

I second (or third or whatever) a two stage, oil lubricated cast iron compressor. Tank size itself isn't that big a deal. IR will outlast you provided you change the oil.

Otherwise, you'll get stuck with my compressor, which I think just about everyone else (excluding here) has. A 60 gallon, upright, 1 stage "7 HP" model, sold by Devibless/Craftsman/Husky/Who knows who else. It's nice, but it will not keep up with a blast cabinet for too long, and even a HVLP gun will really make it sweat.

[Portable Welder]

Try to find a good brand name, However just because you never heard of the company does'nt mean its not a good one, I have a ( Saylor Beall ) which I had never heard of untill after I bought it. Thats the one I use in my shop. It is a 80 Gal. tank with a cast Iron pump and 220V single phase but a dual stage.
However this one is going to run probally just under $ 2000.00
If you cant afford that here are the features you want to go for
A single stage will only pump up to about 125psi, A dual stage will pump up to 175PSI
If you are going to be sand blasting or running a impact wrench the extra pressure means you can twist off a tighter bolt.
A cast iron pump will typically last longer than alluminum pump.
make sure you get a 220 model.
I also have a Ingersorand compressor on my truch with a honda motor,It sits way up in the air and is exposed to all the road grime and elements for the last 5 years and has never let me down.

[kid]

as stated earlier, to run a blast cabnet or pressure blaster, you will be dissapointed with anything else but a 2 stage "true" 5HP or bigger, with 80 gal. tank. My Ingersol-Rand has worked perfect for the last 12 years, so I can recomend them. But even with 18.9 CFM at 175 psi, I can still drain it down, constantly running a 6" orbital & air grinder at the same time. If I needed to buy one tomorrow, I would look at either a Curtis, or Champion, your looking at atleast $1300

[DOUGHBOY]

thanks for the info.. i looked at a 7hp 60 gal compressor yesterday.. buchheits has it on sale for 600.00. looked pretty good until i got there and read the tank... 7 hp peak... dont think i will be doing that...

abooker... i will look into tsc..

thanks again guys...

[Sandy]

.. i looked at a 7hp 60 gal compressor yesterday.. buchheits has it on sale for 600.00. looked pretty good until i got there and read the tank... 7 hp peak... dont think i will be doing that...

Smart move if you can afford it. I use the angle die grinder bodies for flap wheels, wire ropes and cut offs all the time. I'm always out running the supply. Air hammer works great on wheels and such but if you have to hammer away at something it'll starve out real quick.

Mine says 5 hp and 5.7cfm at 90, so something close to double that would probably be a good work horse. The compressor sets idle a lot, but when you do run it you want it to be there for you. Big is good.

[Sberry]

Yes, 12 cfm is a bare minimum and 25% more is really workable and will keep up with most tools like wire wheeling or sanding a car. My main comp is 12 and i added another 16 on. The 16 is a junker but only works when demand is really high. My 12 is a heavy duty job, old one and is a real workhorse. I have a 40 cfm on my truck and hook it on to the system when I really want to sandblast. I can do small jobs with the 2 shop units but wouldnt mind finding another one about 15 cfm for shop so I could blast continious with shop air. With the second unit we never have to wait on shop air even with a couple guys. My primary sits behind the blanket to keep the sound down and the air from both units hits the condensate tank in the middle before it goes to the building manifold. I keep the cut in pressure of the secondary lower so it doesnt come on unless its really needed. I have it about 10# lower than the cut in on the primary so it the draw drops below the cut in of the first one the second comes on.

[Sberry]

Collection of air stuff. I only run 4 regs to cover the whole place, the paint air is a secondary so its adjustable on the spot and a small secondary filter to keep an eye on water. I had to trim the rings on the full size hose reel to fit in my truck. I run 1/2 inch hose on it so I can run 3/4 air gun and flexability isnt much of an issue as it would be in the shop.

[Sandy]

My primary sits behind the blanket to keep the sound down and the air from both units hits the condensate tank in the middle before it goes to the building manifold.

Is the big propane bottle the condensate tank? I've got a small experimental 20 pounder on mine and it seems to cut back on about maybe 20% to 25% of the spit running wide open. It's just in and out, no baffles or traps. I was thinking of a larger one for moisture and capacity.

Any tricks? Where do you place the input and output?