Air Compressor suggestions, anyone?

[cudacharlie]

Hi kids -

I'm a hobbyist finally setting up shop to work on restoring my shaggy Mopars (see avatar), and I'm having a hard time picking an air compressor.

I'd like to use it to run tools such as angle grinders and such, but also to run a benchtop blast cabinet for paint stripping and rust removal. It appears that most compressors that run on 120volt current will work with only the smallest Eastwood blast cabinet, and then only if you use the "nozzle small-ifier" to reduce the flow.

While it would be nice to be able to pick from a wide variety of air tools, I'm hoping to get away without spending $2500 on a compressor if I can help it. Since it will see infrequent (weekend) use, I was a little scared of big, gas-powered, oil-lubed rigs, intended for pro use, that might require a lot of maintenance.

Can anyone suggest a couple of models that might get me up to 15cfm at 80psi?

If those all wind up being gas powered, oil-lubed monsters, then I CAN work with 7cfm at 80 psi... the question is, can I get there on 120volts?

Thanks in advance, and great site!

 

[danski0224]

Odds are, a decent compressor will need to be 220v because there just isn't enough at the 120v level.

I have used blast cabinets, and they need plenty of air.

If you do not have access to 220v, or do not want to run it, then you are stuck making a 110v model work, or you are going the gas engine route.

 

[bmwpower]

Agreed. I did some searching and couldn't find anything with that kind of output at 120V.

I would look into installing a 240V line. It will save you money in the long run.

 

[bdaz442]

Hello Cuda. I'm in the process of setting up my shop also. i have three 442's to restore.
I have purchased a bunch of tools that I will need , Including a Mig Welder, Air tools, and a Large Blast Cabinet.
I will be using a lot of air. I purchased a 20+ CFM Compressor at 135 PSI, and I have not ran it down. To feed a Blast Cabinet , Make sure you get a TRUE 5 HP OR Larger Motor on the compressor.
You cant do that with 120 Volts. If I can answer any questions , e-mail me/

 

[byrdman]

You won't have to spend $2500 to get 15CFM@80psi, but I doubt you'll find that performance in a 120volt model. Not to say it ain't possible, and I haven't been LOOKING for one, but most of the compressors capable of driving a real blast cabinet are 240V +. Is there any way you could run 240?

I'm in the market right now too, and like you, the blast cabinet is driving my CFM requirements. I'm going with a Ingersoll-Rand model, because they are made close to where I live, shops local to me stock them, and they are good compressors. I've got it narrowed down to either the 7.5HP TSN7.5 (25CFM@175), or the 5HP TS51N5 (17CFM@175). It's a little difficult to compare these two models since they don't give you specs at 80psi where the blast cabinets operate, but the 5HP model would probably suffice. In my area, that model is available for local pickup at $1000. The 7.5HP is about $1700. These prices are before tax, without shipping, and these are not FP "fully packaged" models, which means they don't have automated water drains, auto-shutoff on oil level low, "air-cooled aftercooler", "E" series starter(?) etc. I'm leaning towards the 7.5HP model- I know for sure that 25CFM will do anything I'm likely to do. I also like the 3/4" (up from 1/2")output on the HP model in addition to the CFM increase.

 

[cudacharlie]

Wow!

Wow! - Thanks for all the responses, guys.... I can run 240volts if needed, but for a minute there I thought I might be missing an obvious 120v solution.

It looks like with 240volt units I can get to 15cfm at 90psi for around $800 or less, which is do-able.

Thanks again for all the help, and if anyone has a favorite under-$1000 240volt unit, please list it here!

- Charlie

 

[bmwpower]

See here for a bunch of compressors:

http://www.garagejunkies.net/showthread.php?t=588

 

[kartracer55]

I like EATON over IR. slightly more expensive, but alos slower pumps, way quieter, and more reliable pump design. check them out

www.eatoncompressor.com

Just remember dont go oiless, they are loud as hell and wear out very fast. They also dont put out the air you need.

Avoid big box store compressors because they are designed to be throw away. Look at IR, bel aire, Eaton, Quincy, Curtis, Champion, Speedaire, Le Roi. All are good names, and with the big units, all you need to do is chancge te oil in them once in a while and maybe adjust the belts and they will run foreever. The brands I mentioned all have replacement parts readily available.

Jim

 

[astroracer]

If running air tools and a blast cabinet are a high priority on your list you should go with a two stage compressor. You will get very frustrated with a single stage as they will run out of breath halfway through a job... Especially if you plan to do any full vehicle painting using HVLP... The bigger the better (of course...)

 

[kartracer55]

If running air tools and a blast cabinet are a high priority on your list you should go with a two stage compressor. You will get very frustrated with a single stage as they will run out of breath halfway through a job... Especially if you plan to do any full vehicle painting using HVLP... The bigger the better (of course...)

Not always true. Our eaton is a 7.5 hp pump with a 5 hp motor, so it only pumps to 135, but puts out 20 cfm, which is more than mosty any air tool needs intermittantly, and what most air tools need for continuous use. Maybe if you need high pressure for a blaster, but our compressor for example is sufficient to run a die grinder all day long, without having to work too hard. If you plan on running only air tools and not a blaster, dont bother going two stage becausea two stage generally takes longer to pump up, and therefor will have to work much harder if your running a tool that consumes more air at full load than it can produce, and that will mean more wear and tear on the pump.

Jim

 

[bmwpower]

Not sure I follow the 2 stage vs. 1 stage arguement. I thought the idea of 2 stage compressor was that the pump could be driven at 2 speeds: a low speed and a higher speed. Which speed depended on the need. If you had a low need for air it would run on slow speed. If that need increased the high speed would kick in.

I would think it would be hard to compare 2 different model compressors, one a 2 stage and the other a 1 stage. It would all depend on the CFM output of the compressor and when the different stages would kick in.

If you mean by "taking longer to pump up" it takes longer because it has to start in low speed and then kick into high speed, it may be so. But it would still depend on when the compressor kick on. The 2 stage may kick on earlier than the 1 stage and be able pressure up faster.

Not to say anyone is right or wrong. Just trying to get a handle on the everything.

 

[rickairmedic]

axuaaaaally a 2 stage compressor of the same basic size and power of a single stage compressor will put out alot more CFM's and PSI due too the fact of a 2 stage compressor has exactly that 2 stages basically the first piston compresses the air some then it runs through the second piston which compresses the air more as where with a single stage compressor the air is only compressed once before going into the tank not exactly text book explanation but more of a laymans terms explanation Kart racer put up some links too eaton compressors in another thread wqhich has some very good info on single and 2 stage compressors .bang for the buck wise 2 stage is the way too go if you have THE BUCKS there is a very good reason they are usually almost double the cost of a same horsepowered single stage .


Rick

 

[kartracer55]

axuaaaaally a 2 stage compressor of the same basic size and power of a single stage compressor will put out alot more CFM's and PSI due too the fact of a 2 stage compressor has exactly that 2 stages basically the first piston compresses the air some then it runs through the second piston which compresses the air more as where with a single stage compressor the air is only compressed once before going into the tank not exactly text book explanation but more of a laymans terms explanation Kart racer put up some links too eaton compressors in another thread wqhich has some very good info on single and 2 stage compressors .bang for the buck wise 2 stage is the way too go if you have THE BUCKS there is a very good reason they are usually almost double the cost of a same horsepowered single stage Rick

As Rickairmedic posted, a two stage compressor will compress air to a certain pressure, and then that compressed air enters another, smaller, cylinder, which compresses it even more.

AS fro the cost, Thats not always true. You can geta 5 hp eaton 2 stage or a hp/7.5hp pump single stage for the same price, and The single stage puts out something like 3 more cfm, and pumps up much faster while still running at the same speed, so if you are using tools that draw huge amounts of air, the compressor wont work as hard to keep up as a two stage would, because the two stage is compressing the air twice. Think of it, a bit simple I know, as two cars, each being a pump. Both cars are trying to get to the same place, 20 cfm. If both are goign the same speed, but one has to stop for gas(the second compression stage) which do you think is going to get there faster?


This set up is one of the reasons I highly recommend eaton. first is their quality, but second because they offer setups not usualy found on store brand compressors that are also much more reliable. The two stage compressor cannot pump up as much air due to the HPLV design, which focuses on producing higher Psi. If you can find them, compare the CFM @90 ratings of two equal hp compressors, one a single and the other a two stage.

Jim