School me in Air Compressors!
School me in Air Compressors! Im looking at buying a used air compressor but dont know what all the different numbers are. I need it to run a grinder, cutting wheel, and sander without having to stop a lot. I found a almost new husky 26 gal compressor although no hp numbers are posted.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,074
Likes: 2
Mainly you want something with a good CFM (cubic feet per minute) rate and a good duty cycle. Make sure it is oiled, don't waste your time with oiless compressors, they are noisy as **** and don't last very long compared to oiled ones.
My 5 hp 60 gal will run continuously using a DA. It will do it though. As stated don't even consider an oil less motor and you will need a 220v circuit for it also. 110v won't do it.
Lots of people buy a big *** compressor and then
cheap out on the hose. All that lung, and then 1/4"
ID line for 50 feet. That's like a big block with pea
shooter exhaust.
Get at least 3/8" hose, and for air hogs like sanders
and sandblasting, consider getting garden hose and
barb fittings. Replumb the compressor with a big ball
valve and a full time plumbed fat hose - the air
connectors are terribly restrictive in their own right.
You can throw more sand with 40PSI and garden
hose, than 100PSI and cheapo 1/4" air hose.
cheap out on the hose. All that lung, and then 1/4"
ID line for 50 feet. That's like a big block with pea
shooter exhaust.
Get at least 3/8" hose, and for air hogs like sanders
and sandblasting, consider getting garden hose and
barb fittings. Replumb the compressor with a big ball
valve and a full time plumbed fat hose - the air
connectors are terribly restrictive in their own right.
You can throw more sand with 40PSI and garden
hose, than 100PSI and cheapo 1/4" air hose.
Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
Some compressors rate CFM at different pressures. 0 psi and 90 psi are common. I only look at the 90 psi ratings, since I run more tools than sand.
We have a 7 or 8 HP 2 stage 60 gal at the shop, it does 11.9 CFM at 90 psi. We don't need any more air for what we do.
the number of stages refers to how many pistons the compressor has. More stages is more pressure/flow. They are usually 1, 2, or 3. PLenty of good singles out there, so don't think that you need to get a 2+.
I agree with the oiless are trash comment.
Also, if the compressor head isn't cast iron, it's junk. walk away.
I wouldn't buy a 110V compressor either. unless you need to for some reason.
We have a 7 or 8 HP 2 stage 60 gal at the shop, it does 11.9 CFM at 90 psi. We don't need any more air for what we do.
the number of stages refers to how many pistons the compressor has. More stages is more pressure/flow. They are usually 1, 2, or 3. PLenty of good singles out there, so don't think that you need to get a 2+.
I agree with the oiless are trash comment.
Also, if the compressor head isn't cast iron, it's junk. walk away.
I wouldn't buy a 110V compressor either. unless you need to for some reason.
Trending Topics
Stay away from the Husky 26 gallon, its oil less and loud as hell and on top of that a pos mine only lasted a year if that. I only bought it because I didnt have 220v in the garage and it was before I realized how easy it was to wire it up. I have a 60 gallon kobalt unit now, its pretty nice but if you have the room and money get an Ingersoll 80 gallon.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Lots of people buy a big *** compressor and then
cheap out on the hose. All that lung, and then 1/4"
ID line for 50 feet. That's like a big block with pea
shooter exhaust.
Get at least 3/8" hose, and for air hogs like sanders
and sandblasting, consider getting garden hose and
barb fittings. Replumb the compressor with a big ball
valve and a full time plumbed fat hose - the air
connectors are terribly restrictive in their own right.
You can throw more sand with 40PSI and garden
hose, than 100PSI and cheapo 1/4" air hose.
cheap out on the hose. All that lung, and then 1/4"
ID line for 50 feet. That's like a big block with pea
shooter exhaust.
Get at least 3/8" hose, and for air hogs like sanders
and sandblasting, consider getting garden hose and
barb fittings. Replumb the compressor with a big ball
valve and a full time plumbed fat hose - the air
connectors are terribly restrictive in their own right.
You can throw more sand with 40PSI and garden
hose, than 100PSI and cheapo 1/4" air hose.
I would second this...i work for a company that manufactures air hoses..other than the added bulk, there is nothing wrong with using a 3/8 air hose.
Good bang for the buck I just ordered a remanufactured Morgan, 30 gallon oil lubed compressor from Northern Tool. These are units that were originally sold at Lowes under the Kobalt name and were priced around $450. They were manufactured by Sanborn.
If there's a Northern Tool nearby, their ship-to-store option is free. The 30 gallon Morgan sells for $300 but I used a $50-off coupon I found online.
Not a bad price for a relatively compact, cast iron, oil lubed 30 gallon unit.
Tipsy
If there's a Northern Tool nearby, their ship-to-store option is free. The 30 gallon Morgan sells for $300 but I used a $50-off coupon I found online.
Not a bad price for a relatively compact, cast iron, oil lubed 30 gallon unit.
Tipsy
I bought a US General 2 stage compressor from HF about 5 years ago now because after looking at it in the store I thought it looked familiar. A couple of google searches later revealed that the compressor and motor were the same as what Belair offered(same part#'s, same parts breakdown etc) I quickly downloaded a 20% coupon and headed to the tax free state of DE and brought it home. The thing handles my air hungry 25 year old 3/4" snap on "shockwave" impact no problem.
I have it setup with 1" flex hose coming off the tank to 1" copper which does a 3 pass drip leg setup going to a filter/ regulator with 1/2" inlet/outlet which then goes to a hose reel with 100ft of 1/2" hose. It also has a 1/2" automatic blowdown that goes off every 2 hours for 5 secs. With this setup I've never had moisture reach the third drip leg. The filter/reg has never had moisture come out the drain, and I have used this thing for everything from air chisels, DA's for the bottom of my boat, spraying paint in my house, to just filling tires.
The only thing I wish I had was the 80 gallon version but due to space limitations the 60 gallon works fine. The compressor can keep up with just about anything you throw at it.
I have it setup with 1" flex hose coming off the tank to 1" copper which does a 3 pass drip leg setup going to a filter/ regulator with 1/2" inlet/outlet which then goes to a hose reel with 100ft of 1/2" hose. It also has a 1/2" automatic blowdown that goes off every 2 hours for 5 secs. With this setup I've never had moisture reach the third drip leg. The filter/reg has never had moisture come out the drain, and I have used this thing for everything from air chisels, DA's for the bottom of my boat, spraying paint in my house, to just filling tires.
The only thing I wish I had was the 80 gallon version but due to space limitations the 60 gallon works fine. The compressor can keep up with just about anything you throw at it.
The stages refer to how many stages of compression the air goes through. My single stage 2 cylinder Quincy only compresses a volume of air one time and is discharged into the tank. In this case both pistons are the same size and move the same volume of air.
In a 2 stage pump the air coming out of one cylinder is plumbed into the other cylinder and is compressed again. In this case you have a low pressure piston and a high pressure piston that is much smaller. If you have 2 pumps with the same hp rating, the CFM will be slightly lower on a 2 stage because of this process.
A good single stage pump will usually produce 135 psi max. A 2 stage will give you about 175psi max.
I just ordered a remanufactured Morgan, 30 gallon oil lubed compressor from Northern Tool. These are units that were originally sold at Lowes under the Kobalt name and were priced around $450. They were manufactured by Sanborn.
If there's a Northern Tool nearby, their ship-to-store option is free. The 30 gallon Morgan sells for $300 but I used a $50-off coupon I found online.
Not a bad price for a relatively compact, cast iron, oil lubed 30 gallon unit.
Tipsy
If there's a Northern Tool nearby, their ship-to-store option is free. The 30 gallon Morgan sells for $300 but I used a $50-off coupon I found online.
Not a bad price for a relatively compact, cast iron, oil lubed 30 gallon unit.
Tipsy
Tipsy
This is what I did except its only 3 passes. I never get any moisture from the 3rd leg. Even after working with it on a long saturday at 95 degrees and 1000% humidity...I have more pouring off me than whats coming out of the compressor lol
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 8,034
Likes: 663
After a lot of research, I'd get a Quincy compressor. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK. Imo. They also have a longer pump life.http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...0475_200350475
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
I'd stay away from the husky also, I had one that was replaced under warranty with in the first 3 months or so and the replacement only lasted long enough for the warranty to run out so now I'm just stuck with a good air tank on wheels.
ΦΑ
ΦΑ
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 36
Likes: 1
I have been using the crap out of this unit for the last 6 months... http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-p...7&blockType=G7
It has not skipped a beat! Paint sprayers, Air ratchet, die grinders... Running a small fabrication business.
It has not skipped a beat! Paint sprayers, Air ratchet, die grinders... Running a small fabrication business.