Air Compressors - which one should I buy?

66replica

66replica

The Wrecking Crew
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I'm looking to buy my first air compressor for my garage. I'd like to use it for painting, blasting and grinding. I currently mostly build motorcycles but I could see restoring an old truck in the near future. Here is my criteria:

Able to paint a motorcycle (car is a bonus), blast parts, grind for a decent amount of time
Priced under $800
Durability - I'd like a tool that I will have for a long time.
Size - I'm currently leasing and would have to move this beast at some time in the future
110v preferred, but I can always run another line in the garage.

Here are two models I'm currently eyeing:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200377421_200377421
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_158284_158284

Thoughts?
 
i'd shoot for that 60 gallon, they aren't as big and bulky as you think. im also in the same spot looking one for my garage, i'm looking towards those PUMA one's as well have heard nothing but good from reviews.
 
Just another option, I'd look for a higher quality one used. Two years ago, I picked up a Quincy QR25 compressor for $350 on craigslist. It's built like a tank, and will outlast me. I've seen a few of them since I bought mine. Either way, go as big (flow) as you can afford. You won't regret it.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
 
The bigger and more powerful you get, the longer and more consistent of a load cycle you have. THis is especially critical in painting where you might do a *lot* of light coats and don't want any variation in pressure.

I've found that even huge uprights are a lot easier to get at and take up a much more practical piece of floor space (and as a result, are much less likely to get buried under a garagevalanche or collect crap on top) because it's easier to throw crap on the side instead of drape it over the top.
I've been a fan of Campbell-Hausfeld for a while, but in this case, the upright 60gal is a better bet for sure.
Do they offer that one in a 2-stage?
 
Skyler, I'll give you some advice since I've been there done that.

I run paint, a blasting cabinet, an outdoor blaster, all of the air tools you can shake a stick at, etc. If I were you, I would look for at least a 5hp 60+ gallon. The blasters will EAT your air with a quickness, especially when you run them through a dessicant air dryer like you're going to have to. Mine is a 5hp 60 gallon, and it will STILL cycle constantly. I want to go bigger now. Those are going to all be in the 240v range, so you'll have to run an outlet. The smaller ones are fine, but doing what you're looking at doing, you'll quickly outgrow them. The one I ended up with is a Husky model from Home Depot. It was a good price, but is barely big enough for my needs. My plan is to buy another 80 gallon 8HP for general shop use and move the 60 gallon to paint booth duty. Just some advice.
 
60 gal min for what you are trying to do. Anything less will just piss you off waiting for it to recover.
 
Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll start looking towards bigger models. Any brands in particular I should consider?
 
Got me thinking and looking too :) Not sure I can afford the floor space but maybe...
 
Listen to Kanticoy. You are trying to do too much with too little. The fly in the ointment is the media blasting. It uses massive amounts of air. I use a portable oilless compressor with a 15 gallon tank for spray painting and it works fine. (It makes cleaner air than the big compressor in the back.) For media blasting, I fire up the big job in the basement. It has a 3-phase, 7 horsepower motor. It's capacity is only just enough for continuous blasting. It's on cycle is about 80%. It is THAT close to running continuously when blasting. If you go less than 5 hp, you will be frustrated by constantly having to wait for the compressor to catch up.

Don't consider anything less than 5 horsepower, and it will have to be 240V.

Here is the compressor I use for blasting. It is a rotary screw type compressor. High volume, but limited to 100 psi.

Compressor.JPG
 
I have to agree that both compressors you are eyeing are inadequate. You will need at least a 60 gal tank. 5 hp motor is OK too. Check out the pump. The harder it is for it to shed heat, the less air you will get out of it. I have a V twin cast iron pump on mine. It has a 5 hp motor (240 V) and 60 gal tank. At the house, it's adequate. It runs all my air tools. It will pretty much keep up with a DA sander. It won't run a big buffer. If I blast with it, it will keep running. Like I said, fine for the home shop or even a garage, but not a body shop. Mine will probably outlast me.

The lesser single stage pumps are siamese cylinders, usually in an aluminum pump. Look at the specs and see what the continuous output is. More heat=less air, and it seems like you're dealing with more water, too, but I could be imagining that. If you don't buy enough compressor, you'll just be buying another one.

I'll add that you probably don't need a two stage pump. That's where the price takes a big jump. But, a big two-stage compressor will keep up with blasting activity very well. With a single stage, your compressor will run continuously while blasting, and occasionally you'll be waiting for it to catch up.
 
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/SPEEDAIRE-Single-Stage-Compressor-4ME98?Pid=search

Compare CFM @ 90 psi for this one compared to what you're looking at.

A compressor like the one above you should be able to buy used in your price range, or save your money and buy a better one later.
 
Plenty of used compressors on the local Craigslist. Almost as many posts for used compressors as there are for prostitutes............ ;D
 
I like the quality of Ingersoll Rand. I was only able to afford the SS3. Works well for most jobs. Blasting and grinding needs a break every so often. With your budget, you can get SS5. They are both 240v, single stage, vertical, 60 gallons. You can find these used. I got a great deal on a hardly used one and the PO put a nice 1/4 turn valve at the bottom to release the collected water periodically.
 
My advice is to avoid oil-less. They are noisy. I would look for a belt drive compressor with at least a 60 gallon tank. I currently have a Campbell-hausfield that I love.
 
Tank size is actually pretty irrelevant, as is max PSI.
What you want is the biggest SCFM you can afford (and afford to run ;) )
A bigger reservoir just means it takes longer for motor to kick in, but, if compressor is too small, it takes a l.........o.........n.........g time to build pressure back to where you can use it.
I got a bit spoiled when I was working in Britain, the SMALLEST compressor was 80 SCFM @100psi constant supply (and the big one, 600SCFM @100psi through a 2" hose :eek: (mostly Ingersol-Rand screw type) 8)

There also seems to be some confusion on singe and two stage pumps, single stage can be multi cylinder, (V-twin)
Two stage has high and low pressure pumps (120~240psi and up to 500~600psi)
The multi stage can be 3,000psi or more, but that can easily kill you so I don't go near them ;D
 
crazypj said:
Tank size is actually pretty irrelevant, as is max PSI.
Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing this out. A lot of posters seem to be stuck on tank size, which has nothing to do with compressor capacity.
 
True, tank size is not related to compressor capacity. Normally bigger compressors will just have a bigger tanks anyway. When the compressor is off, then the tank is the factor. The compressor comes in when it has to cycle on and fill the tank. Bigger compressors fill the tank faster. Bigger tanks empty slower. Then you get lower duty cycle and less stress on the motor.

Right now, I have no 220 in my garage. So my 60 gal tank can only fill with my backup compressor which is a 1.5gal portable. It takes a loooong time to fill, maybe 30 minutes! But I can use the full tank for awhile for small jobs before it gets too low.

Maybe I'm wrong but it seems the air flow out of tank has nothing to do with the compressor (when it's off). Whether my 60 gallon tank was filled with it's own compressor or a little one, the air flow/output is the same once the compressor is off. I'm thinking the SCFM is the rated flow with compressor on and the tank is at the minimum PSI (when the compressor switches on)?? It seems the airflow is different between fillup (compressor on) and emptying (compressor off).
 
eyhonda said:
I'm thinking the SCFM is the rated flow with compressor on and the tank is at the minimum PSI
Click to expand...

No, they are rated at specific psi. Usually, the SCFM rating is given at more than one pressure. Example: My portable oilless compressor is rated:
6.9 SCFM @ 40 psi
5.5 SCFM @ 90 psi

My big compressor is rated at 36 SCFM @ 100 psi. (It's maximum pressure.)
 
What sort of SCFM should one look for to do efficient soda blasting?
 
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