Help me select a air compressor for my shop

[adamant118]

I don't want to break the bank nor do I want to have a unit that's not going to be satisfying. Apparently I have a small Craftsman probably less than 5 gallon Maybe 125 psi if that and it serves me well but I think I need a little more. I was leaning more towards a hundred 50 psi because I see what's out there. Harbor Freights got some good sales soon as Craftsman. So give me your input like it be logical

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[jonesg]

I don't want to break the bank nor do I want to have a unit that's not going to be satisfying. Apparently I have a small Craftsman probably less than 5 gallon Maybe 125 psi if that and it serves me well but I think I need a little more. I was leaning more towards a hundred 50 psi because I see what's out there. Harbor Freights got some good sales soon as Craftsman. So give me your input like it be logical

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The HF are usually deafening.
I would go better, maybe husky.
There's a jump between $350 29 gal and $1200 80 gal with not much in between.

 

[dwasifar]

Apparently I have a small Craftsman...

Apparently? Did you just discover this?

 

[ItsNemo]

What's not break the bank? $100? $500? $1000?
What power do you have available? 120v plug in? 240v hard wired?
Do you want it portable or stationary?
What tools do you use with your current compressor?
What tools do you want to use that you can't?

 

[FTG-05]

What's not break the bank? $100? $500? $1000?
What power do you have available? 120v plug in? 240v hard wired?
Do you want it portable or stationary?
What tools do you use with your current compressor?
What tools do you want to use that you can't?

Geez, what's with all the negative waves man? You act like you need relevant information to make an intelligent recommendation!


Here you go OP: https://www.eatoncompressor.com/ind...ingle-phase-80-gallon-vertical-air-compressor

Given the in depth info provided by the OP, good as recommendation as any.

 

[dogdog]

If you don't needed one of those super high capacity air for things like spray gun or alike.
and if you plan to keep that in your work vicinity... I think one of those quiet compressor like the California Air Tool series are a good investment (I think there are other brand ridgid also have the quiet compressors).... be careful of those pan-cake compressor or oil-less ones, they can be very loud when you are close by... I have craftsman 15 and craftsman 33 gallon...as well as a no-name 5 gallon... you really don't want to be close by when they are running... ear rings after a while.


This is one of those times I say, Don't go for those HF compressors cheaper oil-less ones unless you are going to that certain 2 stage 60 gallon ones.


There is also that thread about the scroll compressor from..???? eastwood I think.

Also these things... It's about the CFM the compressor can put out at certain PSI... ..... not just about PSI.

 

[Davefr]

I don't want to break the bank nor do I want to have a unit that's not going to be satisfying. Apparently I have a small Craftsman probably less than 5 gallon Maybe 125 psi if that and it serves me well but I think I need a little more. I was leaning more towards a hundred 50 psi because I see what's out there. Harbor Freights got some good sales soon as Craftsman. So give me your input like it be logical

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Logic would suggest you match the compressor to the tools you'll be using and add a little fudge factor to the number.

Of the high duty cycle air tools you'll be using, what's the CFM rating of the highest one?? Multiply that by 1.25X and that should be the min. CFM you should look for.

Answer that question first and then move on to things like noise, voltage, portability, etc.

 

[Schurkey]

Geez, what's with all the negative waves man?

Oddball! Is that you?

I love that movie.

Logic would suggest you match the compressor to the tools you'll be using and add a little fudge factor to the number.

What's the CFM rating of the highest-CFM air tool you use?? Multiply that by 1.25X and that should be the min. CFM you should look for.

Answer that question first and then move on to things like noise, voltage, portability, etc.

FIFY.

I know folks with "direct drive" air compressors. Yes, they'll squeeze air, yes, you can run air tools from them, sort of. They're so noisy they'd drive me bat-**** crazy if I had to use one in my own shop.

Air tools and 125-psi shutoff pressures DO NOT go well together. The single-stage compressors that go to ~155 psi could be a real advantage. Maybe. I've never used one.

I had two single-stage compressors, a 2-horse /20 gallon, and later a 5-horse/60 gallon--neither of which I could put a regulator on because I never needed less pressure than what was in the tank. I was thrilled to dump 'em and get a 2-stage. I pretty-much ended my water-in-the-air problems, and the tools have proper power.

 

[Tallpilot]

The HF are usually deafening.
I would go better, maybe husky.
There's a jump between $350 29 gal and $1200 80 gal with not much in between.

Do you own one? The direct drive might be loud; I don’t know. The belt drive 29gal is a great compressor and with a coupon represents a good value. I highly recommend it. It is reasonably quiet too.

 

[jonesg]

Do you own one? The direct drive might be loud; I don’t know. The belt drive 29gal is a great compressor and with a coupon represents a good value. I highly recommend it. It is reasonably quiet too.

I have the HF 21 gal vertical, its in the basement of the house, the garage is plumbed with rapidaire pex Line.

My wife thinks the noise is the hybrid heat pump. "It saves us money".

 

[Tallpilot]

That's funny. I'm glad I went with the 29 gal but it was twice as much as the 21 gal. You are correct there is not much in between the price points and the jumps are big. I don't have 240V in the garage so that helped make the decision.