Somewhat OT: Air Compressors

[stackie]

OK,

I'm thinking of buying a small air compressor. I would use for:

1. Filling tires when I'm lazy and don't want to pump up a deflated tubie (latex tubes bleed fast)

2. Occasional painting, small jobs only ( like painting a wooden box, etc)

3. Occasional small woodworking (brad nails) etc.

I don't want anything big, so I was thinking about the 1 gallon DeWalt at 24 pounds and 9 inchs wide. Maybe a small two gallon.

Am I just wasting my money and buying an useless item? Any thoughts?

Jon

[johnnymossville]

A small air compressor is a great purchase. I use mine plenty, of course I also do airbrushing.

[barry1021]

OK,

I'm thinking of buying a small air compressor. I would use for:

1. Filling tires when I'm lazy and don't want to pump up a deflated tubie (latex tubes bleed fast)

2. Occasional painting, small jobs only ( like painting a wooden box, etc)

3. Occasional small woodworking (brad nails) etc.

I don't want anything big, so I was thinking about the 1 gallon DeWalt at 24 pounds and 9 inchs wide. Maybe a small two gallon.

Am I just wasting my money and buying an useless item? Any thoughts?

Jon

Not a useless item at all, you will find more uses for it than you mentioned, the only thing is that if you even THINK you might start to use it for bigger jobs requiring constant pressure (like painting a room) you will need a bigger unit. But for the jobs you mention, you will be fine-I would go with the larger size if you are going to use it moderately or more, the compressor will run less, last longer.

b21

[maunahaole]

Make sure you get an "oil-free" type. Especially if you want to do painting. I agree, don't go too small or else it will cycle a lot.

[Hardlyrob]

I use mine just about every day in the wood shop. Agree with all get the biggest one you can afford. Painting in particular takes a lot of air.

I have the 4.5 gal Rigid, and it can just about keep up with a LVLP (low velocity, low pressure) spray gun.

For nailing anything it is fine - framing nailer runs with no problems.

Cheers!

Rob

[Birddog]

Don't buy new, go to a pawn shop. Stick with the professional brands, and "Craftsman" is not one of them. DeWalt, Senco, Hitachi, Emglo (now DeWalt), etc. I'd stay away from Campbell Hausfield, and other "house brand" or discounted brands. They may serve your purposes, but "contractor grade" is worth it IMO.

The oiless "pancake" and "hot dog" types work pretty well. You'll be hard pressed to use any of the small ones for painting anything bigger than a shoebox though.

Birddog

[stackie]

Thanks for the advice.

Shoebox size is about what most of my construction stuff is. Maybe some shelves for a closet, etc.

I was thinking of the Campbell Hausfeld only because of Costco and their return policy if it breaks. But, I will probably go with the one gallon DeWalt.

I have a small one car garage that is chock full of bikes, joggers, trailers, treadmill, etc. So, a small one is in order. Also, quieter may be better if I have to air up early in the morning before little ones are up.

Jon

[CaptStash]

Thought I would chime in here. I have an Emglo twin stack contractor style air compressor that keeps going and going and going. It is not oilless and I think that is probably one of the reasons it has been so reliable. I got it at a garage sale many moons ago.

I recommend you get the best and biggest portable compressor you can afford. Think of it as a lifetime investment. You will be amazed at the possibilities that open up once you have aa compressor.

But...I rarely use mine for filling tires. I have a little portable rechargeable compressor that looks like an overgrown drill that I top my tires up with. It even has an on board pressure gauge. I got it from Brookstone or some such silly catalogue for $30 or so. Cool toy -- but still noisy.

But...some more: No such thing as a quiet air compressor. Maybe for early mornings stick with the hand pump.

My two cents as usual.

CaptStash....

[gregclimbs]

I reccomend a big one as well...

Mine cycles about once a week.

Nice to have it and grab the chuck to inflate the ol' tires.

I haven't used a "pump" in some time...

:D

g

[staggerwing]

Actually, I suggest an oil lubricated compressor. Quieter, and they last significantly longer. The oil free compressors rely on PTFE cylinder seals. OK for very light duty, but little else.

Although I don't have any personal experience with the unit, the specifications on the Makita MAC2400 look good. DeWalt took over the Emglo brand some years back, and they were always contractor favorites. Generally oil lubed too. Spraying paint, and pneumatic tools tend to consume a lot of air. Compressors, and the tools that they run are rated in air consumption (in CFM(cubic feet per minute) at a specific pressure (PSI). Pick the spray gun and tools that you want to run, then find the compressor that you need to make that happen. It might be a bigger unit than you planned. OTOH, nail guns are very handy, and modest consumers.

On spray guns, the current buzz is HVLP, for high volume, low pressure. Quality guns are more efficient in their air consumption habits. A relatively modest job, like spraying a bike frame, can be accomplished with a touch-up type gun and a modest compressor. Pressure pot type systems can also be more efficient in their air consumption habits, but a good system is not cheap. Go to Homesteadfinishing.com for some spray gun ideas. Like bikes, some of the better gear is Italian. :)

[fierte_poser]

Here is mine and its on clearance at Grainger for $158! I paid $400. Great deal if it meets your needs. Will run an impact wrench for loosening stubborn suspension bolts!

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/4B227

Single stage, belt driven, oiled, cast iron pump is the way to go for long life and quiet operation (although still very loud!).

The only thing I wish I had done differently is to get a 'stand-up' unit rather than a 'lay-down' unit.

[Birddog]

Free Air CFM @ 90 PSI 5.5
This is the key stat(see below) when buying a compressor. I can't recall if that's a good number, it's been too long since I went compressor shopping.

Compressors, and the tools that they run are rated in air consumption (in CFM(cubic feet per minute) at a specific pressure (PSI). Pick the spray gun and tools that you want to run, then find the compressor that you need to make that happen. It might be a bigger unit than you planned.
Good advice.

If all you are painting is shoe box size stuff, then use a rattle can. It's far easier than all the muss and fuss of cleaning a Spray gun, selecting the right tip etc.

Birddog

[RPS]

Any thoughts?

JonA couple come to mind.

Oil free compressors can also be heavy duty but cost considerably more. I used many for industrial plant air where the air was used for breathing or where it could come in contact with food products.

As others have stated, the capacity of the compressor itself is measured in standard cubic feet per minute of air it can pump at a given pressure. The air tank (you mentioned 1-gallon) only serves as an accumulator so the bigger it is the fewer times the compressor will cycle on and off. The main advantage for having a large tank is when your need for air is intermittent. Examples would be like when filling a car tire where you need a large volume or when using a large impact wrench for a few seconds at a time. If the air demand is continuous then the compressor has to be able to meet the capacity need on an ongoing basis regardless of tank size.

Note that compressors run cooler and last longer when the discharge pressure is lower, so if time allows it can be beneficial to set the pressure to just above what is needed (i.e. – if you need 30 PSI for a job why run the compressor at 110 PSI and regulate down to 30 PSI?). On a practical basis this becomes a PITA so most operators will leave the pressure setting at the highest needed – likely above 100 PSI to inflate road bike tires. Leaving the pressure setting high also helps eliminate moisture in the air, makes the effective capacity of the tank higher (i.e. – more standard cubic feet of air stored), and reduces number of cycles. On the other hand the compressor won’t likely last as long and will use more power.