Compressor Dilemma

[Crazy68Dart]

Frozen with uncertainty over which compressor to buy. Been watching Craigslist for a long time, but have not come across anything that does not either likely need repair, or otherwise unknown hours/maintenance.

My old compressor, and IR 3HP twin could not keep up with a die grinder, D/A, needle scaler, etc. I want to step up to a 5HP, have number 8 wire pulled in the new garage to support it, etc.

The issue is two stage or single stage. I don't like the size of the 80 gallon compressors, so been looking at 60 gallons. 60 gallon two stages are less common. Seems I can get a higher CFM single stage for around the same price as a lower CFM 2 stage. I might do some sand blasting some day (cabinet and/or pot), so I want to have something that can handle that okay. I've been looking at 15 CFM+ units (in that range) for the most part.

Not looking for the cheapest option but like everyone don't want to throw money away.

The CFM ratings are aggravating too (the lack of consistency), not sure if I am really comparing apples to apples in a lot of cases.

Quincy, Puma, DeWalt, etc. all seem to be in the same ballpark price range, I think Quincy is probably the nicest unit (best pump, motor, etc.). Puma offers a 40 gallon two stage which is interesting due to its size and reviews say it is fairly quiet.

Ideas/comments welcome!

 

[Z2V]

Have you looked here?
https://www.eatoncompressor.com/piston-compressors

 

[Furd50]

Two-stage has a higher volumetric efficiency. Run the pressure 145 cut-in and 175 cut-out and regulate the output to 90 psi. Using more pressure does nothing but waste air. You might have to go to 100 psi regulated output to make up for pressure losses through the hose and fittings.

 

[sberry]

At 20 cfm you will lose about a pound a foot thru a 3/8 hose.

 

[2oolhound]

Your location may play a part. I looked for a compressor for over a year on CL but always saw great deals in neighbouring cities 50 miles away that were more industrial than the non industrial city where I live. They were always better deals price wise too.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

Have you looked here?
https://www.eatoncompressor.com/piston-compressors

Interesting... about 3 hours from me. Have to search the board for other info on these, first quick look they seem pretty nice and competitive.

Do you have one?

 

[Z2V]

Yes, I bought a pump from them, this one. It's quiet as a church mouse running at about 800 rpm. I paired it with a 5 hp motor. They are great people to do business with.
https://www.eatoncompressor.com/bare-pumps/7-5hp-3-cylinder-2-stage-air-compressor-pump

 

[FullRaceMerc]

I don't know how much room or power you have available, but this was our solution:

At work we used to use a lot of air. When we bought the new bigger compressor, we hooked it up side by side with the old one. We plumbed them together with a valve in between. So now we can run the new one as a stand alone with the single tank, run the new one with both tanks for a lot of volume, or run both compressors at the same time for a lot of cfm. Usually we ran the single but bumped it up to both on high demand days. Keeping the smaller one in place basically cost the same as outright replacing the existing, but gave us more options depending on the current demands. Once we got the Kundig wide belt sander we dramatically cut down our air use, so currently we use the new one as a stand alone.

 

[Firebrick43]

Interesting... about 3 hours from me. Have to search the board for other info on these, first quick look they seem pretty nice and competitive.

Do you have one?

I have one as does a buddy. Both 5 hp 80 gallon units. Went to the factory to pick it up. As z2v they are quiet. Wouldn't say church mouse quiet but you can talk to someone on a cell phone next to it running and they can't hear it!

Both a 6 years old. Nothing done to mine, buddy had the aftercooler gasket leak after 4 years. Sent him a new one no questions asked.

 

[bastage]

I really wanted that Puma 40 gallon... Spent months drooling over it & laughing at the cost of everything on craigslist.. Then the night before I was going to order it I came across 6hp 60 gallon 2 stage for 800 & sent a quick message offering 500.. 20 minutes later I was loading it on my trailer. I still kinda wish I had gotten the 40g puma because it would have probably been quieter by a fair margin, but at twice the price I paid I dont think it would of been that much quieter.

 

[srr]

Frozen with uncertainty over which compressor to buy. Been watching Craigslist for a long time, but have not come across anything that does not either likely need repair, or otherwise unknown hours/maintenance.

My old compressor, and IR 3HP twin could not keep up with a die grinder, D/A, needle scaler, etc. I want to step up to a 5HP, have number 8 wire pulled in the new garage to support it, etc.

The issue is two stage or single stage. I don't like the size of the 80 gallon compressors, so been looking at 60 gallons. 60 gallon two stages are less common. Seems I can get a higher CFM single stage for around the same price as a lower CFM 2 stage. I might do some sand blasting some day (cabinet and/or pot), so I want to have something that can handle that okay. I've been looking at 15 CFM+ units (in that range) for the most part.

Not looking for the cheapest option but like everyone don't want to throw money away.

The CFM ratings are aggravating too (the lack of consistency), not sure if I am really comparing apples to apples in a lot of cases.

Quincy, Puma, DeWalt, etc. all seem to be in the same ballpark price range, I think Quincy is probably the nicest unit (best pump, motor, etc.). Puma offers a 40 gallon two stage which is interesting due to its size and reviews say it is fairly quiet.

Ideas/comments welcome!

Are you talking about horizontal or vertical? I went from a 60 to an 80 two stage and the difference is night and day. Vertical compressors don't hog a lot of real estate. It's better to go bigger and have no regrets than to buy too small.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

I was using a 60 gallon IR 3 HP single stage twin vertical. I was never thrilled with the recovery and it would not keep up with demanding tools and produced a lot of moisture.

I am talking about vertical. 80s are just huge, and super heavy. I know there is not much to do about that, but 60s just seem a little more manageable and not as enormous. They don't get moved around a lot, and I am probably over-thinking the size thing.

New garage is 36x30. I "have the space", but I also know how quickly it fills up. 100 amp service to the garage. Have number 8 pulled for a 5HP compressor.

I've look from everything from the HF 2-stage 60 gallon to the Quincy.

The Polar Air units looks nice, good cfm for the money, and appear to be well built (by the weight alone!)? Not 100% USA components, but I'm not sure what is anymore, maybe the Quincy is 100% USA? Nothing wrong with that for sure, but I realize the global economy we live in, so that is a nice-to-have but not mandatory as long as the components are not junk.

The sound is another factor, any of the more mainstream compressors are going to use a higher RPM motor and spin the pump harder, makes a lot more noise.

Too bad they don't have a 60 gallon 2 stage model!

 

[ddawg16]

I would go 80 gal....that 20 extra gallons does wonders for tasks such as sand blasting....

Another option, if you use that much air....get a smaller 2-stage and find a used tank and put it in parallel.

 

[Grandmaster]

Too bad they don't have a 60 gallon 2 stage model!

If you are referring to Polar not making a 60, they do make one in their industrial plus series. I think this basically is their "fully packaged" models that come with extras. in this case it only looks to be auto drain, and dual control, but being that this has a smaller tank having dual control might be advantageous when you are going to be using a lot of air. Set it on continuous run and have at it!

https://www.eatoncompressor.com/pis...ingle-phase-60-gallon-vertical-air-compressor

 

[Z2V]

Too bad they don't have a 60 gallon 2 stage model!

I would bet that Polar would be glad to put one together just like you want it.
I dealt with Megan when I got my pump.

 

[CompressorPros.com]

Sandblasting takes a ton of air. Not sure if you are still looking, but we have access to one BelAire 318VL for a really good price. We are selling it for $1799 with free standard shipping to the lower 48 states. If liftgate is needed, that is $75.

This is a 25 CFM compressor with a vertical 80 gallon tank.