CFM @ Load??

[faterotong]

Hey guys, newbie here looking to buy his first compressor. I'm looking at the Devilbliss Pro Air II. It's a 25 gallon tank that was sold at Costco before. Here's a link to an ad: http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-tools-equipment-AIR-COMPRESSOR-W0QQAdIdZ50219238

I was wondering if it would be enough to run impacts, ratchets, a cut-off tool and possibly paint? I know the paint is probably going to be unlikely, but I don't see myself doing much painting anyways.

Ideally I'd be buying a 60 gallon compressor but due to space constraints, I don't think it's going to be possible.

Now, I was looking at the IR 2135QTiMax, and it says that it requires 4.4CFM, but then there's another spec saying that CFM @ Load is 24CFM. What does this mean?

Thanks guys!

 

[SteveU]

The 4.4 cfm is averaged out over time while the 24 cfm figure is what the gun actually uses during the time you have the trigger pulled. Since an impact is an intermitten use tool you can run one off a compressor that puts out less than the full draw cfm. Now something like a sand blaster that draws 24 cfm you had better have a compressor that at least comes close to that or it won't work since it is a constant draw tool. Cutoff's are also a high draw item, if you are using a smaller compressor make sure you get a good one as they use less air than the cheap ones.

 

[kartracer55]

Average CFM is basically the amount of air the tool would need if it ran for a few seconds out of a minute at sat for the rest of that minute.

At full load is what the gun would need if you were blasting away at a nut full bore for a minute. So if you had some giant nut that gun was struggling to remove and you had to hammer at it for a minute, it would go through 24 cubic feet of air at 90 psi.

For most tools, average cfm is multiplied by 4, however impacts are different, they use more air when they are hammering then when they are just spinning so the rule doesnt really apply. Honestly though, that compressor should be able to handle the gun, but not to its full potential.

Painting is out of the question, and a cutoff tool for a short burst at a time. An air ratchet would sloly drain it and you will have to wait for it to catch up.

Jim

 

[faterotong]

Thanks for the replies guys! Now if only I could convince my parents to let me buy a 60 gallon tank. hehe

 

[nissan_crawler]

Build your own, that's what I'm doing.

30 gallon, 18 cfm @ 100 p.s.i.

I have space constraints, too.

5.3 @ 90 p.s.i. will get aggravating, my current one is 6.4 @ 90, and it flat out *****.

 

[faterotong]

nissan crawler: wow, 18CFM? Have any plans I could borrow? I'm a bit of noob to be honest. hehe

 

[engnerdan]

nissan crawler - Your still not done with that thing yet?

-Dan

 

[goodfellow]

Hey guys, newbie here looking to buy his first compressor. I'm looking at the Devilbliss Pro Air II. It's a 25 gallon tank that was sold at Costco before. Here's a link to an ad: http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-tools-equipment-AIR-COMPRESSOR-W0QQAdIdZ50219238

I was wondering if it would be enough to run impacts, ratchets, a cut-off tool and possibly paint? I know the paint is probably going to be unlikely, but I don't see myself doing much painting anyways.

Ideally I'd be buying a 60 gallon compressor but due to space constraints, I don't think it's going to be possible.

Now, I was looking at the IR 2135QTiMax, and it says that it requires 4.4CFM, but then there's another spec saying that CFM @ Load is 24CFM. What does this mean?

Thanks guys!

Impact guns; yes, but it will not provide enough air to efficiently run a grinder, cut-off wheel, or a professional spray gun (either HVLP or conventional HP). You could spot paint, or work one panel at a time, but for continuous use it can't cut it.

Even a standard single stage 60 gal. unit will be marginal when working with continuous duty air tools such as DA sanders, high speed grinders, and professional spray guns.

 

[faterotong]

Thanks, goodfellow. I'm really only using it to run an impact gun and not much else. Maybe inflate tires? heh. I'm only exploring the possibility of using the compressor for other jobs.

If ever I paint, I would be painting little parts of the car at a time, not the whole thing anyway. I'll give it a shot sooner or later. hehe

 

[brantjs]

To put this into perspective, I'm using a P-C 6 gal pancake compressor w/ 3/8" rubber hose right now. A 30 gal would be a huge step in the right direction for me, but I'm holding out for a 60-80 gal. My little pancake turns on once per wheel when removing lugnuts w/ the 1/2" impact (IR231). I've got a 3/8" impact that is much better on air, just doesn't have the same kind of grunt. I bought it specifically because I knew it was going to be a while before I could get a larger compressor and the air draw (and size) makes it more suited for the small tank. It takes about 6-8 seconds of running an IR1200 ratchet before it kicks on...that's pretty sad, but for tight spaces, it's a heck of a lot easier than hand turning fasteners. Same goes for the impacts...it may run the compressor frequently, but at least it will turn the gun long enough to break loose pretty much any fastener that I've encountered.

 

[faterotong]

well guys, I decided to get off my lazy behind and check what kinda outlets my garage has. It's got a 120V/250V plug, it's 4-pronged so I should be good if I buy a 60 gallon compressor that runs off household current right? Now can you guys help me decide if I need to spend~$620CAD for a Porter Cable C7510 (http://www.deltaportercable.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=11527) or should I splurge for a ~$1100CAD for an Eagle MaxAir C5160V1-MAP (http://www.deltaportercable.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=11527)

Mind you, those prices are Canadian and are tax in. The final option would be purchasing an IR (http://www.sears.ca/gp/product/B000...3/104-2899273-5459960?ie=UTF8&searsBrand=core)

I, for the life of me cannot figure out which model it is from the Sears website but the closest I found was that it's an 2340L5.

Which one would you guys suggest? I imagine that I could potentially paint using any of these compressors also right?

Thanks!

 

[Uncle Buck]

Thanks for the replies guys! Now if only I could convince my parents to let me buy a 60 gallon tank. hehe

Boy howdy does that dilemma ever bring back some memories for me!

 

[faterotong]

Boy howdy does that dilemma ever bring back some memories for me!

I've convinced them already to let me setup a 60 gallon tank in the garage, now I just need help deciding if the extra benjamins are worth it for the IR or not. haha

 

[SteveU]

One way to look at it, if you get an industrial compressor now it will likely be the last one you ever have to buy, get a homeowner duty one & you will buy another sometime in the future.