Need compressor help, shopping for a new one.

[jeff000]

I bought a couple mastercraft air tools, and love the airtools. But my little portable dewalt compressor is not nearly close to good enough for air tools it seems. The tools seem to have a rating, and the highest rating I want is a SCFM of 4 @ 90psi, for a spray gun.

I have no idea what that means.

On that note, I can get whatever power needed, even 3 phase if it's easier/better/cheaper. But what compressor is good, and inexpensive?
I remember a thread a while back on how to make your compressor quieter too, but I can't seem to find it.

Any help would be great.
And I know the mastercraft tools might not be the best, but really they will collect dust more often than not.

Thanks

 

[djjsr]

SCFM means 'standard cubic feet per minute' and is the unit of measure for the volume of air a compressor pump will generate. Most compressors will give you information for scfm @ 40 psi and another number for scfm @ 90 psi. So that's the volume of air at 40 and 90 pounds per square inch of pressure.

I've recently been looking at 60 gallon compressors that have decent customer ratings and more than a 1 year warranty. I also don't want to spend a lot of money.

I've found that there are a couple that people rate pretty good and that are less than $500. One is a Sanborn at Menards, $479 and has a 2 year warranty. The other is a Campbell Hausfeld at Tractor Supply for $429 with a 3 year warranty. I'm leaning towards the CH because there's many reviews that are positive and the price is significantly lower at Tractor Supply than anyplace else that I've found. Seems like the best deal.

just my opinion

 

[Jvvmusme]

Buy the biggest one you can afford. Your air needs will always increase and you will want a bigger one. It happened to all of us.

 

[jeff000]

Buy the biggest one you can afford. Your air needs will always increase and you will want a bigger one. It happened to all of us.

What's a good size to get? Is it just the size of the tank?
I was looking at ~500$ new ones. But if used ones are good to buy there are lots that were 1000+ going for 500.

If buying used what do I need to look for?

 

[mayday0017]

60 gal 3hp is a decent size for most moderate home users... Meaning you are a guy that likes tools and uses them regularly. And will be using tools that require a decent amount of air.... Grinders Blasters & Paint guns. A 60 gal 3hp can somewhat keep up with these items and get you by, which for most home DIY people this is good enough. If you want to step up to something that will do even better at keeping up you step up into the 80gal 5hp setting. It will keep up with about 90-95% of the needs people will have in a home garage setting or small shop. From there you step into 7.5hp 80gal unit, which will be around 24 scfm unit and will keep up with 99% of the small shops and home users, and really could run a mid size shop assuming it isn't a paint and body shop.

Hope this helps.... I personally recommend getting a used 5hp 80gal unit, you might want to put your geographical location in your profile so people know where you are located incase they know of a good deal.

 

[Jvvmusme]

I woud go for a used 80 gal 5 hp. Nothing less than 60 gal.

 

[Crazy68Dart]

Depends on what you want to do and how much you have/want to spend. It is really easy to get carried away these days, especially when you visit forums online which gives the appearance that you may "need" certain things, but actually may not. You don't need anywhere close to an 80 gallon compressor to run an impact and put air in your tires. However, it is nice to future-proof a bit.

I got an IR (beige) at TSC nearly 10 years ago. It is a 60 gallon twin (not two stage). It has been a good compressor, although probably overkill for what I have done with it so far.

My Dad has a 220v ~30 gallon Sears compressor for as long as I can remember. It is a horizontal type, and is under his bench. He does *way* more than the typical home owner / hobbiest, and it has always been enough for him. Yes, at times you had to wait for it to catch up, just all depends on what your use is going to be. I would not spray paint with it, but it runs most air tools just fine.

 

[TwoInch]

SCFM means 'standard cubic feet per minute' and is the unit of measure for the volume of air a compressor pump will generate. Most compressors will give you information for scfm @ 40 psi and another number for scfm @ 90 psi. So that's the volume of air at 40 and 90 pounds per square inch of pressure.



just my opinion

this is wrong.

SCFM ratings of compressors is not at all about what the compressor will put out, it is about what the compressor takes in, as in unpressurized air, measured at the intake port.

the reason the rating is different at 40psi and 90 psi is because as the PSI increases in the pump cylinder, the small amount of compressed air that is left in the cylinder at TDC expands as the piston goes back down for another stroke and gulp of air, thus allowing it to gulp less air through the intake each revolution as the PSI increases.

air tools are rated on average CFM usage, which is a total ******** rating, and in no way comparable to compressor SCFM ratings. most impact wrenches claim an average of 5cfm usage, when in actuality they are using about 30cfm of 90psi compressed air.

its all a mess, and compressors and tools cant be compared by the given numbers. unless you get into huge 10hp compressors, your average 5hp and under compressors will not keep up with really any air tools being used heavily. its all about tank size, with pump SCFM being second, but also important. more SCFM is always better, bu the tank is what runs your tools.

 

[marinusdees]

5 hp single phase. 60 or 80 gal tank. 1750 rpm motor. Preferably two stage. Oil filled. You asked. I answered.

 

[mbret2004]

I have had my Quincy 80-gallon for thirty years. Never a problem, a little preventative maintenance and she's good to go.

Not cheap by any means but in this line of tools you get what you pay for. Can't say enough good things about the compressor, one of the biggest they are made in the USA.

 

[djjsr]

this is wrong.

SCFM ratings of compressors is not at all about what the compressor will put out, it is about what the compressor takes in, as in unpressurized air, measured at the intake port.

Not always. There's a pretty good explanation here .......

http://www.about-air-compressors.com/SCFM.html

Read both pages.

 

[TwoInch]

Not always. There's a pretty good explanation here .......

http://www.about-air-compressors.com/SCFM.html

Read both pages.

thats not a very good explanation at all. compressor SCFM ratings are measurements at the intake port, at sea level pressure, at 60*, and **% humidity... period. it is a standard. there are measures for discharge flow also, but are a totally different animal.

SCFM ratings of compressors are only good for comparing relative to other compressors, and not about what comes out the discharge.

here is a good explanation of all the term associated with compressors,and air tool usage, and how they relate to one another. read it a couple times, as this stuff gets confusing. http://rodnh.byethost12.com/misc/cfm mystery.htm

 

[kazlx]

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200479713_200479713

Or

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

 

[Jim Johnstone]

Man if you have access to 3 phase power the world of power tools lays at your feet. 3 phase equipment sells cheap since very few people can run it at home. Look on kijiji or craigslist and find a 3 phase industrial compressor and laugh at everyone else.

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2

 

[Crazy68Dart]

A pic of a nice affordable screw compressor just shy of 9 grand. Should be able to handle a 4 SCFM load at 90 PSI just fine...

C'mon all. Did you read his original post?

I'm not a big fan of the oil-free compressors, but it just all depends on the use. I've eyed this one for a while as a semi-mobile compressor that does not require anything special for power. You can find refurbs out there and save quite a bit over a brand new one.

http://www.tylertool.com/dewalt-d55...5168,default,pd.html?start=2&cgid=compressors

 

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