best air compressor?
- Thread starter AbitNutz
- Start date
saabman
Well-known member
Quincy QT-5
I just bought a 5hp Ingersoll-Rand 18+ cfm at 90psi at a great deal. I've always heard that IR was a decent make. I always have bought IR and CP air tools without regret.
Same thing with my Miller Millermatic 211. I know that Hobart and Lincoln are just as good but I learned on a Miller and it seems to make better decisions on settings than I do.
So I'm stuck on decent, at least what I believe are quality tools. Hand tools, not so much. I mean I'll Harbor Freight a wrench but never anything that is hydraulic or electric. However I did bend a 24" breaker bar from them.
Next acquisition is this freakin' lift. I'm just agonizing over it. It's not that something less than a Mohawk A7 will do, it's just that the Mohawk is really seems to be a couple of orders of magnitude above everything else....however $2,000 vs almost $6,000....wow.
Same thing with my Miller Millermatic 211. I know that Hobart and Lincoln are just as good but I learned on a Miller and it seems to make better decisions on settings than I do.
So I'm stuck on decent, at least what I believe are quality tools. Hand tools, not so much. I mean I'll Harbor Freight a wrench but never anything that is hydraulic or electric. However I did bend a 24" breaker bar from them.
Next acquisition is this freakin' lift. I'm just agonizing over it. It's not that something less than a Mohawk A7 will do, it's just that the Mohawk is really seems to be a couple of orders of magnitude above everything else....however $2,000 vs almost $6,000....wow.
rburke65
Well-known member
I bought a Champion 5hp. 2 stage from TP Tools, 19 cfm @ 125 psi. Nice piece of equipment.
jasonreck71
Well-known member
I have to agree, best is hard to judge...I got a 60 gal kobalt for Lowes 13cfm at 90psi and I use it a good bit and couldnt be happier
GeorgiaHybrid
Well-known member
I like Quincy but instead of a QT-5, I would rather have a QR-25, model 325. Running a 5 HP motor, they will make just under 20 SCFM @ 175 psi for the next 50 years or so before needing to be rebuilt.....
They are not cheap but you only need to buy them once.
By the way, I also have a 211..great machine
They are not cheap but you only need to buy them once.
By the way, I also have a 211..great machine
I was set to go the same way with the compressor as abitnutz.. But then came across a 60 gal eagle for pretty cheap. Couldnt pass it up. hopefully it serves me well. lol.
and i still think i should have gone the 211 way. lol. Instead i went for the DVI model. From what i understand pretty much the same as the 211. only with the ability to plug into either 110 or 220.. A gimmick.. yeah kinda. lol. But at the time i didnt have 220 in the previous garage.. and wasnt wanting to buy another welder when the time came. lol.
StaggeringGoat
Well-known member
Harbor Freight.
GeorgiaHybrid
Well-known member
The Miller 211 will run on 215 or 230 just by changing the plug which was the main reason I bought it. At home it runs on 230 but I have had to take it to places where there were no 220 plugs available but was able to weld using 115 plugs. Might still get a 252 for the shop but for now, that little 211 has done everything I have asked it to do up to welding the footpads back together on a big Cat loader. Those were 7 pass welds and they came out great.
Al Bundy
Well-known member
Both the Quincy and the Champion that were mentioned are 2 stage and cost around $1500. The IR SS5L5 is single stage and costs < $900. They all put out similar cfm. I have the IR and I'm very happy with it. But I can't really say which is the best. It depends a lot on what you're looking for and what is important to you.
kams1973
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Saylor Beall 705
The IR should be a good compressor & serve you well. I have the 2 cyl single stage Eaton that is right around 20CFM & was 1260 shipped to the house a few years ago. As for the lift, when I bought mine there was only about 300 difference between the A7 & the System 1 so I went with the System 1 & gained a bunch of capacity which comes in handy when lifting my buddies 1T diesel dually. I have never seen it but have read stories of lower priced lifts being wobbly with a vehicle on them, I can swing off the back bumper of a diesel F-250 on my lift & it barely moves. The lift has paid for itself in 3 yrs with the money I have saved from not having to take my vehicles to the shop & considering it will last the rest of my life & then some I'm happy I got the one I did.
pcmeiners
Well-known member
In the top end models..Quincy,Curtis, Champion (in that order)..
Have a top end Curtis Masterline 5 hp but Quincy has better support as to ability to get parts, documentation and manufacturers response.. quincy also has a premium as to price due to demand.
Agree with GeorgiaHybrid, the QR25 would be my first choice, but I could not afford it..
http://www.quincycompressor.com/qr25.html
Curtis and Quincy both are pressure lubricated, have Cast iron cylinders/valve seats, full ball bearings (not sleeve), mechanically they have the same quality but Quincy has an oil filter and larger stock air filters, and again better support.
"I'm off with a root canal today" ... so the tooth fairy is giving you a compressor ?
Have a top end Curtis Masterline 5 hp but Quincy has better support as to ability to get parts, documentation and manufacturers response.. quincy also has a premium as to price due to demand.
Agree with GeorgiaHybrid, the QR25 would be my first choice, but I could not afford it..
http://www.quincycompressor.com/qr25.html
Curtis and Quincy both are pressure lubricated, have Cast iron cylinders/valve seats, full ball bearings (not sleeve), mechanically they have the same quality but Quincy has an oil filter and larger stock air filters, and again better support.
"I'm off with a root canal today" ... so the tooth fairy is giving you a compressor ?
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olytdi
Well-known member
Hmmmm. Once you've determined what your air demand is, I think the 'best' compressor can indeed be identified. Now if you want to start saying that things like cost are a consideration, or noise, or longevity, or, or, or....then you can start to make trade-offs.
If you need 20 or fewer CFM flow, relative quietness, want to purchase a compressor once, want good parts availability, excellent customer support, and rebuild-ability, then the Quincy QR25 325 has already been mentioned and probably impossible to beat. Everything else is some sort of trade-off which is fine.
However, you can pick these up in various states of disrepair for very reasonable prices if you are vigilant and patient. Ask me how I know!
If you need 20 or fewer CFM flow, relative quietness, want to purchase a compressor once, want good parts availability, excellent customer support, and rebuild-ability, then the Quincy QR25 325 has already been mentioned and probably impossible to beat. Everything else is some sort of trade-off which is fine.
However, you can pick these up in various states of disrepair for very reasonable prices if you are vigilant and patient. Ask me how I know!
GeorgiaHybrid
Well-known member
I'm rather partial to the blue machines with the pressure gauge on the front, like Georgia Hybrid.
But mine is a little dinky one compared to those monsters you picked up....
Mmfh
MEMBER EMERITUS
I'll put in another vote for the Quincy. I have a fairly new 10 hp IR, it already has a knock in the pump. This is there big commercial model, constant duty.
The Quincy's have pressure oiling system, oil filter, and all iron pump. The valves on the pump are rebuildable, or mostly just need cleaning. Parts are easy to get.
Another thing, they are quieter than most as the RPM is slower! The older IR compressors were great and led the industry for years, not any more. As far as really which one is the best, I'd say Hands down, Quincy!
For general home owner use, just about anything will work and the IR's will work for years without problems. Again, if you want the best, Quincy.
Mm
The Quincy's have pressure oiling system, oil filter, and all iron pump. The valves on the pump are rebuildable, or mostly just need cleaning. Parts are easy to get.
Another thing, they are quieter than most as the RPM is slower! The older IR compressors were great and led the industry for years, not any more. As far as really which one is the best, I'd say Hands down, Quincy!
For general home owner use, just about anything will work and the IR's will work for years without problems. Again, if you want the best, Quincy.
Mm
Licensed to kill
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2010
- Messages
- 61
I bought a DeVilbiss (sold as Devair and is now DV systems). They are as good as it gets. While there may be others as good, I doubt that there are many better but they are pricey. This is the one I got, the second one down 247 5HP. The pump is rated for 20,000 hours of service before requiring a rebuild, They are also very quiet for a compressor. It would be the last compressor you will ever buy unless you decide to go bigger. http://dvsystems.ca/products/air-compressors/piston-air-compressors/hdi-5-to-30-hp
JCQuick
Well-known member
I use to work for a saylor beall distributer and went with a quincy instead very nice piece and works great
I took the best internet price to the local distributer and they beat it. made me feel good support the locals
I took the best internet price to the local distributer and they beat it. made me feel good support the locals
But mine is a little dinky one compared to those monsters you picked up....
hehe
steve246810
New member
Air compressor basic information.
1 HP electric motor = 4 SCFM flow at 80 PSI
3 HP (real HP) = 12 SCFM flow
5 HP (real HP) = 20 SCFM flow
The compressor guys have been cheating and running the pumps faster to get more flow, so they put 3,600 RPM motor on and run the snot out of a 3 HP pump and get close to 20 SCMF with a fast running pump.
Quincy, Gardner Denver, Champion are all great units.
FYI, you can't really get over 4 SCMF per horse power, just FYI
1 HP electric motor = 4 SCFM flow at 80 PSI
3 HP (real HP) = 12 SCFM flow
5 HP (real HP) = 20 SCFM flow
The compressor guys have been cheating and running the pumps faster to get more flow, so they put 3,600 RPM motor on and run the snot out of a 3 HP pump and get close to 20 SCMF with a fast running pump.
Quincy, Gardner Denver, Champion are all great units.
FYI, you can't really get over 4 SCMF per horse power, just FYI
HIRISC
Well-known member
Quincy (biased)
HAP
Well-known member
Here's my "best" compressor; 8.6 CFM @5,200 psi. My wife is ok too...LOL
R,
HAP
R,
HAP
brslk
Banned
oilslick
Well-known member
If you can find a running 325 Quincy to compare with others in same class you will note how quiet it is while running compared to all others I have ever heard. Hands down no doubt thet are cool machines and who doesnt love having an oil pressure gauge on a compressor?