Advice please!

[hiramelu]

What would you experienced woodworkers advise regarding the installation of an air compressor in a 30x50 shop? I am considering an American Industrial compressor with an upright 80-gallon tank, 180 psi, 5hp 3cyl. Baldor motor, 50 % duty cycle, 24 cfm.

 

[nehog]

What are you going to use the air for?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Open drive or oiless? To me, the "noise" from an open drive is negligable. An oiless like the freebie I have now gets annoying pretty quick if you're sensitive. My oiless is just background noise to me, but an open drive that just chugs along would be nicer...

Tommy

 

[turbowoodworker]

As a woodworker, the only thing I use the compressor for are my nailers. They require little air. Fill your tank while you are getting coffee then go to work. Noise is not that bad especially in that size shop. If it is bad, put on your ear muffs for the two minutes it runs.

 

[Boilerhouse]

Sounds like total overkill for wood working. Biggest user would be spray finishing if and when you do it. Most get by with a compressor <1/2 that size.
If you do other work that involves sand blasting, or high consumption air tools like rotary sanders, then you are well covered.

 

[Kaizen]

24 cfm??? Is that right? Woodworking doesn't need air like that. Small pancake compressor is fine. That thing would be for auto body type work. I make do with my 13cfm 450 buck compressor even though an air sander blows through the 60 gallon tank in ten minutes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[koditten]

There is a reason lots of those direct drive compressors have wheels. Makes it easy to roll it to the curb when you get tired of the terrible noise they make!

 

[PugetDude]

What would you experienced woodworkers advise regarding the installation of an air compressor in a 30x50 shop? I am considering an American Industrial compressor with an upright 80-gallon tank, 180 psi, 5hp 3cyl. Baldor motor, 50 % duty cycle, 24 cfm.

The only reason for 24cfm I can think of in a woodworking shop would be to blow sawdust, planer shavings, and half-sheets of plywood out the door.

 

[Perfectstranger]

Seems perfect to me,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but then again i own 50 hammers and think putting a big block in a car that only weighs 2500 pounds is a good idea. Just saying....... I plan on building a small lean to closet outside my shop for the big tank compressor, and using a few smaller pancakes for most things ie; using a bradnailer 3 or 4 times, adding a few pounds to a tire etc,

 

[James-W]

I think a compressor like that for a woodworking shop is like giving a 12 inch **** to a monk.

 

[JohnK007]

I think a compressor like that for a woodworking shop is like giving a 12 inch **** to a monk.

Bingo! We have a winner !!

 

[beakie]

well there are plenty of tools that can use that air, air sander being one of them.
having too much air would never be a problem, and in a shop that size I would build a room for it with intake air from outside. 2x4 sill & header and 2x3 studs staggered for inside/outside walls (quieter design)

plumb in drops all around the place.




all that said, if it is a dedicated wood working shop, my $$ would goto dust collection first and foremost!

 

[rlitman]

well there are plenty of tools that can use that air, air sander being one of them...

Yep. Any decent pneumatic DA sander kicks the pants of anything electric. But it sure can use air.

One of these days, I mean to explore wood carving and shaping in my sandblasting cabinet.

 

[StingRay]

30 x 50 is a big space with lots of potential uses. If he spray's his finish with an HVLP gun and has any other air requirements at the same time then 24cfm might have just the safety margin he needs. He never said he was a 1 man shop either.

Also if he does spray finish then an air compressor that doesn't have to work hard to make the air requirement won't be as likely to contaminate the finish. There would be less heat and therefore less potential for moisture. Put that big boy in there and don't look back. If you work anything automotive you can't have too much CFM. I can **** 24
CFM dry when running relatively small sand blasters.

 

[tymbo]

24 cfm? Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Go with the 5HP!

 

[matt_i]

The alternative of having a portable compressor is that it can go to jobsites.

I recall nailing up some trim in one of my former houses during a master bath remodel, i had airlines snaked up all the way from the basement with towels duct taped on the quick connnectors so they wouldn't gouge the finished flooring.

Instead, if I had a 2hp portable, I would have simply carried it upstairs and done the job.

Not saying this is a better choice than your original, but its something to think of. If you ever envisioned doing a job offsite like a trim carpentry job then the focus would be clearer for me on the portable. Money no object? Get both

Edit: the 80 gal 3 cyl does seem like overkill, personally I would look for either a 60gal single stage or a 60gal x 2 stage, then take the pressure switch and back it off until you have around 100-120psi tank. Other than a sales sheet "bragging right" there is almost zero need for greater pressure, and incrementally one pays more for having to pump against the greater pressure.

 

[Jeff]

I tried incorporating air for some woodworking projects. Even with a filter/separator there was always water and oil issues. I ended up ditching the concept.

 

[Davefr]

Yep. Any decent pneumatic DA sander kicks the pants of anything electric. But it sure can use air.

How so??

I really don't notice much sanding performance difference between my 5" pneumatic Sioux DA that consumes 15 CFM and my 5" electric Porter Cable 333.

The biggest difference is the noise because my compressor has to run almost 100% in order to supply the air to the Sioux for continuous duty.

 

[gnpenning]

Try and put it in a separate room, the same with your dust collector. Look at TP tools website for plumbing instructions. Keeping water out of your lines no matter what your needs is very important. There is a recent thread here about using copper verse's black pipe. Depending on your tools and skill set as too which would be better for you. Please try and stay away from PVC!


Nothing wrong with having a larger compressor than your current needs.

I would love to see a layout of your shop and any information you would like to give out. Sounds like it's going to be a fun shop to work out of. We love pictures.

 

[ddawg16]

Except for nailers, air operated tools are a PIA. You have to oil them and the air hose is a lot heavier and builkyer to deal with.

As for a 12" **** on a Monk? How would he know it's that big if he doesn't use it?

And....yes on NOT using an oiless......noisy bastards.