Compre3ssor comparison

[GS-Louie]

Yep, time to beat that horse again.

I am thinking of buying either the Menards Sanborn® 3.7 hp Belt Drive 60-Gallon compressor Model Number: SL3706056 or the NorthStar 3 HP, 60-Gallon Vertical Tank Item# 47500.

As best I can tell, the units differ in the warranty (Menards 2 yr, NS 4 years), the NS has V cylinders, the NS weighs 305 lbs and the Menards weighs 247 lbs. The NS has a few extra fittings. As of today, the pricing is Menards is $380 and the NS is $569.

Is the NorthStar worth $190 more? I plan to use it in a typical homeowners garage. The heaviest load I can think of would be blowing off my tractor after I mow and running a impact wrench.

Are there any opinions on these compressors, good or bad? Which would you rather have? Why do you think your choice is better than the other?

Thanks for the help.

Lou

 

[Skagit Scrounger]

Yep, time to beat that horse again.

I am thinking of buying either the Menards Sanborn[emoji768] 3.7 hp Belt Drive 60-Gallon compressor Model Number: SL3706056 or the NorthStar 3 HP, 60-Gallon Vertical Tank Item# 47500.

As best I can tell, the units differ in the warranty (Menards 2 yr, NS 4 years), the NS has V cylinders, the NS weighs 305 lbs and the Menards weighs 247 lbs. The NS has a few extra fittings. As of today, the pricing is Menards is $380 and the NS is $569.

Is the NorthStar worth $190 more? I plan to use it in a typical homeowners garage. The heaviest load I can think of would be blowing off my tractor after I mow and running a impact wrench.

Are there any opinions on these compressors, good or bad? Which would you rather have? Why do you think your choice is better than the other?

Thanks for the help.

Lou

Those Sanborn specs seem suspiciously close to the Husky 60 gallon at Home Depot: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-6...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=COaAtIDl9tcCFQVtfgodBk4OIg

If they're from the same source then that Menards Sanborn is a heck of a deal.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[engineer2]

I've had the Sanborn from Menards for a couple of years with no issues. Same deal: heaviest use is blowing dust off.

 

[EOC_Jason]

They are rated the same CFM... Sanborn has been around forever, but their pumps and motors change from time to time...

I've heard horror stories with warranty on NorthStar stuff and Northern Tool... Meanards on the other hand people seem to love. I've never really read of people having to warranty anything directly with Sanborn though but if they were real horrible I don't think they would still be in business...

Bottom line, I would buy the pump from Menards...

 

[metlmunchr]

I've got a 15 yr old 5hp 2 stage Sanborn that's been in daily use for several years. Had to replace the belt a while back, but otherwise no problems at all. It does have a US made motor and an Italian pump made by a subsidiary of Atlas Copco, so if those items have migrated to China on newer ones then the comparison is likely useless.

 

[Fixin'Stuff]

I bought my Sanborn 28 years ago. 5HP (Marketing HP), 240 volt, 25 gallon horizontal, rolling tank, twin cylinders. It's had the **** run out of it and it just keeps going. Porting heads with a die grinder for hours on end, sanding cars, impact guns, sandblasting, etc.

Alas, the quality of damn near anything that we can buy today is not likely to be built to last like that. It seems like everything has been value engineered to just outlive the warranty.

 

[maxpat82]

60G that's a big *** tank for what you want to do with it. a 20G would do the exact same.

even with a "regular" 5-7cfm pump would be plenty enough!

sure for 400$ it pretty cheap to get though.

 

[GS-Louie]

Thanks for the opinions. I'll pop for the Sanborn the next time they have 11% days at Menards.

Lou

 

[bdbecker]

Thanks for the opinions. I'll pop for the Sanborn the next time they have 11% days at Menards.

Lou

Looks like the $389 price is a sale price - normally $449. Waiting for the 11% sale will end up putting the price at just over $400.

https://www.menards.com/main/tools-...al-air-compressor/p-1444439609007-c-12910.htm

 

[GS-Louie]

The regular price is $399.99. It is on sale now for $389 ( a reduction of $10.99). 11% off brings it down to the $350 price. Maybe the price is different where you live?

Lou

 

[redmondjp]

The regular price is $399.99. It is on sale now for $389 ( a reduction of $10.99). 11% off brings it down to the $350 price. Maybe the price is different where you live?

Lou

And that, for a brand-new compressor with a warranty, beats the pricing of 99.7% of all Craigslist 25-year-old worn-out compressors with the same specifications.

So for what it is at that price, buy it!