Compressor for auto repair shop??

[robbiegtp]

Im in the process of opening my own auto repair shop.2 man shop. It is going to have 2 lifts and and alignment lift. I will also be running one tire machine. Would this compressor work out fine for the shop?

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-prof...916477000P?prdNo=4&blockNo=104&blockType=G104

 

[robbiegtp]

anyone use that compressor?

 

[jdsac]

For that kind of money or possibly much less you are better off getting a used
real commercial unit that has a quincy or equivilant pump. Search Craigslist they come up often. Something like this would work

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/tls/3316642216.html

 

[RCRGarage]

For that kind of money or possibly much less you are better off getting a used
real commercial unit that has a quincy or equivilant pump. Search Craigslist they come up often. Something like this would work

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/tls/3316642216.html

Completely agree. Stay away from Craftsman compressors for pro use, especially for $1200!

 

[Jim Johnstone]

Does your shop have 3 phase? Just for comparison's sake look at this:

http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-...mpion-10-hp-Air-Compressor-W0QQAdIdZ410655513

This thing is under a grand and puts out around 35cfm with a pump designed to be run for 50 000 hours between rebuilds. This would put that craftsman to shame.

There are tons of good used compressors for good prices, in particular if you have 3 phase available.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

Craftsman is not the realm you need to be in if you are a professional mechanic. That and you don't really want to hear it run all day long and annoy both you and your customers do you?

Quincy QR is what you want. A QR-325 will run your shop and is far and away the best piston compressor pump money can buy. It puts pumps that are highly regarded by members here to shame.

GD

 

[JASTECH]

Hmm, Wasn't Quincy a Coroner?...j/k
They are indeed high quality compressors.

 

[Rickntenn]

What you want is one of the Quincy or Ingersoll rotary screws.

 

[robbiegtp]

so would this be a better option?

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200350475_200350475

 

[firebox40dash5]

Completely agree. Stay away from Craftsman compressors for pro use, especially for $1200!

Me three. Next door shop had a decent-ish compressor that threw a rod a few weeks ago. Went out and bought a Lowes 5hp compressor to get by... and it died the next day.

We've got maybe $800 into our old Speedaire, and it got fully rebuilt. Replaced the pump that turned out to be totally toasted, used single phase motor to replace the 3 phase one, and even had to put a new check valve in. All that, and it's still cheaper than that Craftsman, and will no doubt last longer even though it's already decades old.

 

[kiatech]

We use an 80gal compressor like that at work and we have 5 guys in there working at all times.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

We use an 80gal compressor like that at work and we have 5 guys in there working at all times.

What brand and model? Are you absolutely certain it's the same one linked to in the first post?

No question it will work for a time - it's how often you will have to replace it that gets expensive and wastes your time. That simply is not an industrial or even a light commercial use machine. It's for hobbyists and home shops.

For industrial use even the Quincy QT that some people think highly of around here won't cut it. I have seen plenty of them fail after a few years of hard industrial use - the reed valves, splash lube, and lighter castings aren't cut out for that world. The QR will handle anything you can throw at it and beg for more - often for many decades. I've reconditioned QR's from the 40's that were still making air when they came in for an overhaul. I've rebuilt QR-350's from coast guard tug boats that had been in service for 30 years and STILL made enough air to pass an orifice test.

GD

 

[EOC_Jason]

Go to your local Northern Tool and buy a Quincy... It will last forever, or until you replace it with a bigger one...

 

[RECox286]

Be smart. Be careful. Be kind to yourself. Get an industrial rated

machine that shuts off at 175psi or better, has a humongous reservoir,

pumps 25 cfm minimum (more is better) and runs slower than you

can run. (ah ha) That being said, you won't find such a machine at

Big Box, Sears, or any other discounter/importer, but it will do what

you will be asking it to do, and for many decades...

Uncle Bob

 

[bsaint]

Id spend the extra money and get a Champion over a Sears anything.

 

[kiatech]

What brand and model? Are you absolutely certain it's the same one linked to in the first post?

No question it will work for a time - it's how often you will have to replace it that gets expensive and wastes your time. That simply is not an industrial or even a light commercial use machine. It's for hobbyists and home shops.

For industrial use even the Quincy QT that some people think highly of around here won't cut it. I have seen plenty of them fail after a few years of hard industrial use - the reed valves, splash lube, and lighter castings aren't cut out for that world. The QR will handle anything you can throw at it and beg for more - often for many decades. I've reconditioned QR's from the 40's that were still making air when they came in for an overhaul. I've rebuilt QR-350's from coast guard tug boats that had been in service for 30 years and STILL made enough air to pass an orifice test.

GD

Its a Saylor Beall VT-735-80 with a 5HP Baldor.
Its also outside in the elements with a just a canopy over it.

 

[GeneralDisorder]

Its a Saylor Beall VT-735-80 with a 5HP Baldor.
Its also outside in the elements with a just a canopy over it.

That's completely different from what he posted. He posted a cheap 80 gal. Sears machine. Bad form to tell someone "that's what I use and it's great!" when what you use is a totally different animal. The SB's are good machines. Not in the catagory of a Quincy QR but definitely a huge step above anything Sears has or has had in the last 30 years.

GD

 

[GeneralDisorder]

Go to your local Northern Tool and buy a Quincy... It will last forever, or until you replace it with a bigger one...

Northern tool doesn't even have the high end Quincy's. They deal in the QT's and such which are a big step above Craftsman but don't compare to the real industrial QR pumps. Completely different - the only thing they have in common is they both are blue, are oil lubed, and make air.

GD

 

[bsaint]

No offense, I know you love pushing the Quincy's, but I think QR pumps are overkill in most applications someone would use commercially. QR is really only needed when the air is critical like with boilers. Has there been any study that a pressure lube vs splash lube will last differently sitting in a corner running a couple times an hour in an automotive shop? I have a customer with a 1925 Champion splash lube that he uses everyday.

The OP will love a
Champion
Saylor
Gardner Denver (used)
Curtis
Kellogg-American (used)
IR (gray pumps)

 

[EOC_Jason]

You can special order the pressure lube models through NT... Fortunately for me there are actually a few different authorized Quincy dealers in town, but prices are pretty much fixed for new models. Sometimes you can talk them into a few bells & whistles for freebies, but that's about it.

The pressure lube models do have a longer warranty...

In all honestly, for the duty cycle that *most* people use a compressor... I don't think there is really any difference in splash vs pressure. If you are getting into the serious industrial setting where it will be running a lot higher duty cycle, then yeah a pressure lube with the spin-on filter would be the way to go to ensure longevity. However you still will have to perform regular maintenance and clean the valves now and then... sooo....

But anyhow, I would rather spend a little extra for a QUALITY compressor and also one that is made in the USA. Not necessarily a Quincy, I really like the Saylor Beall, Kellogg American, Garden Denver, and Champion compressors too. When shops depend on air to run their business, downtime because you have to rebuild a cheap chinese pump will probably cost you more in downtime than if you just bought the better compressor in the first place.

The new IR pumps everyone says is garbage. They source parts from all over and the quality has really gone down hill for their models that you find at like Lowes and NT. Older models seem to be much more reliable though.