Portable Air Comp
- Thread starter Brad Beam
- Start date
It sounds like your air needs aren't too high. Check out the California Air Tools 5510A. Its a small horizontal 5.5 gallon aluminum tank compressor. Very light at 35lbs and very very quite. Down side its only 2CFM at 90 psi. This makes it about the same as a Porter Cable pancake compressor for power but very quite. I have a Dealt/Emglo 4 gal twin tank hand carry compressor. I really like it but this year is the first year its lived in an unheated space. It doesn't like to start in the cold! Some of that is voltage sag in my AC one to the garage but still, it's a pain when I want to air up the tires. The Dewalt is oil lived and I'm sure can handle day in and out work. The CAT compressor is oil free but the low pump speed will probably keep it running for a long time.
nadogail
Well-known member
I bought a Harbor Freight compressser several years ago. Twin tank, oil lubricated pump, it works fine and I would buy it again.
dave*99
Well-known member
After my oil free portable compressor failed I bough a Makita MAC700. It is very quiet and works well. It is very well built and oil lubricated. So it should last a long time.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have a rebranded California Air Tools comp and love it. Very quiet and very light with the aluminum tanks
AffableCurmudgeon
Well-known member
I like my portable 6 gallon Porter Cable
jcthorne
Well-known member
I have been amazed how quiet the CAT compressor is. Replaced my 30yr old Craftsman and never looked back. Great little compressor and pretty reasonably priced. Found it on sale at Amazon for 120.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
I saw a rebranded CAT 3/4 hp "Briggs and Stratton" at Sears the other day.
PDM
Well-known member
Installed that California Air Tools unit in my race trailer and love it.
It's one of the lighter hot dog type compressors on the market and is VERY quiet indeed. (I had a larger generic brand compressor but had steel tanks and a much louder motor that still works,but just too heavy to mount off my roof.
My criteria was weight, as I modified an existing tire rack off the side of my TPD Race trailer as I wanted the unit off the ground, permanently mounted to feed a hose reel, and noise (or lack of it)
Once it's on - easily runs off my Honda 2000 compressor and you really cannot tell it's on from outside in the pits - so it's good to use in the evenings or early morning to air up tires and continue working after hours when you need compressed air.
While too small to run air tools continuously, it works fine to air up tires, use for blowing off engine bay and interiors and was less expensive than going the Viar route that would require an external tank, wiring and plumbing.
I'm sure for your needs, something similar would suffice.
It's one of the lighter hot dog type compressors on the market and is VERY quiet indeed. (I had a larger generic brand compressor but had steel tanks and a much louder motor that still works,but just too heavy to mount off my roof.
My criteria was weight, as I modified an existing tire rack off the side of my TPD Race trailer as I wanted the unit off the ground, permanently mounted to feed a hose reel, and noise (or lack of it)
Once it's on - easily runs off my Honda 2000 compressor and you really cannot tell it's on from outside in the pits - so it's good to use in the evenings or early morning to air up tires and continue working after hours when you need compressed air.
While too small to run air tools continuously, it works fine to air up tires, use for blowing off engine bay and interiors and was less expensive than going the Viar route that would require an external tank, wiring and plumbing.
I'm sure for your needs, something similar would suffice.
Eric29
Well-known member
I have Rolair JC10. It's very quiet and runs nailers when I need it too, although I wouldn't use it for a framing job if I were doing a large construction project. It will run the framing nailer though.
So quiet you can have a conversation while it's running. Great for building in a house that's occupied because it doesn't drive everyone mad with noise. It's also light.
So quiet you can have a conversation while it's running. Great for building in a house that's occupied because it doesn't drive everyone mad with noise. It's also light.
No doubt. It appears to be the same pump as the CAT compressors.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
WWheeler
Well-known member
Same here
I guess it depends on what you want to use it for. I made this little setup back in the late 90's out of scrap I had on hand (all except the two wheels) so that my little pancake would be ready-to-roll whenever/wherever I needed it. Almost 20 yrs later it's still kicking.
>95% of the time it stays parked in the corner of the garage plugged in and on for filling up tires and somehow has remained air tight all these years. Unless I forget and leave a tool, like the air gun or tire inflator, attached it never ever kicks on. When I do want to pull it with me to go inside or on the road to do some trim or whatnot all I have to do is unplug it, tilt it back, and roll'er wherever I want. And if for any reason I need to remove the hose reel I just have to uncouple the air hose, lift out the bolt dropped through a hole in the aluminum angle (the bolt has a short piece of wire attaching it to the handle upright so it doesn't get lost) and the 1-1/2 chunk of Kilz-covered MDF the reel is attached to slides right out. In case anyone wonders that MDF piece was the cutout for a router table insert. It's what I had laying in the scrap pile at the time that seemed sturdy enough for the task. Turns out it was good choice.
AMCguy
Well-known member
I just bought a Makita MAC700. Fabulous little thing. Super quiet, cast iron cylinder, oil filled. Goes from empty to full in about 50 seconds. It's going to be my new show compressor for filling tires, blowing off parts and running the odd impact.
BTW, I was looking at the CAT 5.5 gallon compressor specs. The lies expensive steel tank is 55lb vs 35 for the aluminum. They look the same and probably are all but the same other than weight. If that matters make sure you get the aluminum tank.
mike93lx
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Mine's a Husky one, but it is discontinued. This is the CAT model: http://www.californiaairtools.com/u...ompressors/1-0-hp-air-compressors/cat-4610ac/
ez-duzit
Well-known member
Been using an Emglo compressor for many years without a hitch.
onemore
Well-known member
Been using a small Porter Cable pancake compressor for years with no issues. Primary use is nail guns, no issues and very affordable.
Been using an Emglo compressor for many years without a hitch.
I used almost the exact same unit (said DeWalt on it) for many years. It was sufficient for inflating tires (more than sufficient) and driving my IR 231 impact wrench (one wheel per recycle or one axle nut per cycle). It did get frustrating when using a blow gun. I felt like it ran out of tank before I was ready. An oddly nice feature was actually the small tank size. It takes only 1 minute for the thing to go from empty to full pressure. It was not sufficient for my cheap Walmart cutoff wheel. I would get perhaps 10 seconds of cutting before I lacked enough pressure.
For the moment I have both the DeWalt and a CAT 5510A but I just got (and repaired) the CAT so I haven't really had a chance to try it out. I love the low noise aspect but I suspect when it comes time to really get work done, the extra 1.5 gallons of air won't be better than the 4 vs 2.2 CFM pump. BUT my needs aren't the OP's needs and I didn't have to carry the DeWalt very often. The CAT with the aluminum tank and two handles is MUCH easier to carry.
As a point of reference, for a while I was using a 20 gallon belt drive (5.5 cfm) CH based compressor as an upgrade in my garage. For my needs it was really just fine and the extra tank/pump made the cut off wheel and air gun more practical. Having used the larger tank/pump combo I would definitely suggest going larger if possible but even something like that Emglo can do a lot of good work if it's what you have.
WAPat
Well-known member
I just picked up the 4 gallon Hitachi twin stack, installing hardwood in my house, so far it is great. Fairly quiet, fills quickly, and runs my nailers just fine. Lowe's just dropped the price to 179. I think it is the same as the Emglo above, looks identical in a different color.