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Porter Cable or Ingersoll Rand Garage Mate?

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madjack

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Joined
Jun 18, 2008
Messages
296
Location
black hills of south dakota
I've got that exact porter-cable built into my race trailer. It uses a lot of juice when I'm running off the generator, to the point that the breaker trips when using the compressor along with inside and outside lights. A 10,000W generator should power all with no problem but for what ever reason the compressor has a high draw. The two roof A/C units with the lights on are no problem, so I've got to assume it's the compressor. I've started using a portable two stage speedair compressor plugged into the same circut and no problems even with the the a/c and lights on.
 
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DRJZ1974

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Jun 16, 2009
Messages
99
mrholeshot
Thanks for the heads-up on the Kobalt! I like the 30 gallon tank on it.
 

KZOC

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Feb 28, 2010
Messages
113
BTW, the IR is much cheaper with free shipping from Northern Tool...
 

z28toz06

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Joined
Nov 30, 2005
Messages
1,012
Location
Connecticut
that kobalt unit looks like a good machine for the money. I bought a 30 gal. pro from sears and it's only 1.6hp. its nice and quiet, but lacks the cfm the other units shown here. I was thinking about buying a larger unit, but, not sure at this point what I'll do.
 

Indy_500

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Joined
Apr 2, 2010
Messages
1,873
Location
Appleton, WI
my dad's buddy loves his 60 gal porter cable. He burnt up a couple IR's but his Porter Cable has lasted him a while now. I have heard though the quality in Porter Cable has dropped in the past year.
 

dwm

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Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
861
Location
Southeast Michigan
Do you need it to be portable or in that size? I recently did a lot of research to choose a new compressor, and was looking at the Garage Mate and everything else I could find in that size. The GarageMate is nice, but surprisingly the Chicago Pneumatic and BelAir (same compressor, different branding) also get good reviews.
I'd still go with the Garage Mate if only due to IR's support network.

Given my experiences at that CFM, I decided to bump up to a 60-gallon single-stage vertical stationary for not much more money (IR SS3L3). $600 at Northern, free shipping (freight, liftgate is another $85). Of course I still had to buy a regulator and filter; I went with a Milton.

To make mine movable, I built a rolling platform for it (I'm moving in March, so it made little sense to bolt it down). Also makes it easier to get to the tank drain. Since I'm still waiting for the compressor to arrive, I don't know how stable it will be. I will add heavy-duty levellers on each side if necessary. Platform is 3/4" birch plywood sandwiched to 3/4" oak plywood (wood glue and twenty eight #12 x 1.25" screws). Cutting the 4.5" hole through two 3/4" pieces of hardwood plywood with a hole saw on the end of my 1/2" drill (with no clutch) tested my mettle a bit. The only hole saw in this size I could find locally was a Milwaukee 6 TPI. Clench teeth, hold on tight, and hope the workbench doesn't spin!

7431.jpg


I still have my old Craftsman 33-gallon oil-free horizontal for portable work (120V but draws 15A at startup). Loud as heck, but it still works after 12 years of heavy use. Needs a new pressure switch, which is on the way.
 

Danglerb

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Joined
Sep 6, 2007
Messages
9,736
Location
SoCal
I bought a 33 gallon vertical Craftsman with a 1.6 hp direct drive oil less on sale a couple years ago for $180. Its very noisy, shakes like crazy, but makes all the compressed air I need without any other issues. I need every square foot in my garage, so a vertical is a must, and I am getting used to the noise, so fair chance I would buy the same if I was doing it again, but I am a fairly infrequent user.

Noisy compressor gave me zero tolerance for leaks, so I ended up with all CEJN fittings, which don't appear to leak at all.

My step up would be one of the deals that shows up at either Lowes or HF for a decent 50 to 60 gallon vertical with a belt drive and iron cylinders. Deals have turned up for as low as less than $300, up to about $450.
 

dwm

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Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
861
Location
Southeast Michigan
I am really interested in seeing how well the platform works for you!

Me too. I'm a bit worried about it since the compressor is top-heavy, but I won't be rolling the compressor around regularly. This is just so I can get it from the delivery truck's liftgate to its home in the garage, move it again in March without a forklift, and move it for cleaning in that area. The casters are rated for 400 lbs each, and the compressor weighs in at about 310 lbs. The platform is overkill strength-wise, but I can't make it any bigger for stability, else it'll be in my way in the garage (it's going into a single-bay that leads right into my basement via a second garage door). I think it'll be fine for the 4 to 5 months I need it, especially if I add heavy-duty levellers so the wheels aren't the only thing it's sitting on. Or I could cargo-strap the compressor to the wall and chock the wheels. :) It will still take 2 people to move it in March; no way I'd stand on a Ryder liftgate with it and try to operate the lift switch and keep the compressor stable at the same time.
 

mikeweb

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Joined
Jul 17, 2007
Messages
146
Location
Ontario, Canada
I have a IR 24gal GarageMate (version prior to the one you listed) for the last 5yrs and havent had any issues with it other then it needing a replacement pressure switch ($30)
 

6530

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Oct 15, 2009
Messages
300
Location
East Coast
I have the IR Garage Mate, bought barely used. Absolutely love it. I just replaced the stock filters with Solberg filter silencers, and it's much quieter now. I also replaced the OEM pressure gauge with a liquid-filled.

2010-10-26_21-56-24_144.jpg
 
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DRJZ1974

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Jun 16, 2009
Messages
99
I am looking in this size range. I do have a 60 Ingersoll also. As far as Ingersoll support network... In my area it is complete ****! I have only one place that provides warranty service. The company is terrible. I have an oil leak in my 60 gallon and here we are a year later (oil all over the side of my compressor) and not one service person has looked at it. I view the Ingersoll as a complete throw-away if I cannot fix it myself.
 

padronanniversary

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Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
1,367
Location
Minesooooooota
I have the IR Garage Mate, bought barely used. Absolutely love it. I just replaced the stock filters with Solberg filter silencers, and it's much quieter now. I also replaced the OEM pressure gauge with a liquid-filled.

2010-10-26_21-56-24_144.jpg


What does a liquid filled pressure gauge do better over stock ?
 

mikeweb

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Joined
Jul 17, 2007
Messages
146
Location
Ontario, Canada
6530: Do you have a part number off that filter? I have a Solberg dealer near me so im wondering if the filter will screw onto my SS3 pump
 

Flash21

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Joined
Jul 23, 2008
Messages
2,173
6530 - Nice mods, let's see a full body shot of that bad boy. I always liked that compressor and I would have bought it but I wasn't sure it would provide enough air.
 

6530

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Oct 15, 2009
Messages
300
Location
East Coast
6530: Do you have a part number off that filter? I have a Solberg dealer near me so im wondering if the filter will screw onto my SS3 pump

They are Solberg FS-06-050. I bought mine at Grainger, and detailed specs are on the Solberg site. They're rated for 10 CFM each so total flow is 20CFM, which is almost 4 times the rated flow of the compressor of 5.5 CFM @ 90psi. No worries about strangling the pump. They are 1/2" NPT threads and they went right in.

I'd also refer you to this thread that discusses intake noise. That's what led me to use the two elbows between each filter and the pump head, and doing so reduced the impulse noise significantly.
 

6530

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Oct 15, 2009
Messages
300
Location
East Coast
6530 - Nice mods, let's see a full body shot of that bad boy. I always liked that compressor and I would have bought it but I wasn't sure it would provide enough air.

Thanks. I'll take & post better photos over the next couple of days.
 

Bo Heck

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Joined
Jan 3, 2009
Messages
795
I have the garage mate, I love it. Plenty of power, pretty quiet, and I know it'll last me a while if I maintain it. It's also very portable. I would take it over the Porter Cable any day.
 

griff99

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Joined
Jul 12, 2010
Messages
224
Location
New Hampshire
mrholeshot
Thanks for the heads-up on the Kobalt! I like the 30 gallon tank on it.

I have the 30-gallon Kobalt and I am very pleased with it. I have done 0 modifications to mine, other than add a retractable hose reel (also Kobalt) and a mini-filter, and it is plenty quiet. I read all the posts on here where people complain about compressor noise, and based on my own personal experience, this one has no issues there. I am sure you could make it a little quieter, but I don't see the need. My Porter Cable 4.5 gallon hot dog on the other hand...
 

pipsters

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Sep 1, 2010
Messages
4,899
Location
USA
I bought this one from Sears:

25 gallon, 1.8hp 5.8cfm @ 90psi, hotdog style


I went and looked at the Lowes 30 gallon upright, I do like it. I only wish it came in the hotdog style. Depending on what you are doing with it, if you want it to be semi-mobile, I would recommend a hotdog style one like the Sears. It is generally on sale for around $415-$420, I also got another $50 off somehow, can't remember. I like that I can pull it around the back of my house and work on stuff back there as well, much easier than the upright.

I'm not quite sure what all the fuss is about the cast iron pumps, aluminum pumps with iron sleeves will dissipate heat quicker, weigh less, and the same style is used in pretty much all cars these days. Aluminum is actually a much more expensive metal.
 

6530

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Joined
Oct 15, 2009
Messages
300
Location
East Coast
6530 - Nice mods, let's see a full body shot of that bad boy. I always liked that compressor and I would have bought it but I wasn't sure it would provide enough air.

As requested.

The compressor itself. I redid the air line out of the tank through a ball valve into a tee so that I have full tank pressure running to the main filter regulator, then a second small regulator to the coiled hose for filling the kids' balls, blowing off the bench, etc. This is more convenient than unrolling the hose every time. I also added the two filter silencers that make a big difference in the noise.
2010-11-07_11-25-28_383.jpg


Better view of the filter regulator mounted to the side of the bench. Note the poor man's air condenser, comprised of 25' of coiled hose. It actually does a pretty good job of liquefying the water vapor coming out of the tank so it can be caught by the filter regulator. I drained the tank for the first time in about 3 months today and not a drop of water came out.
2010-11-07_11-25-41_604.jpg


Air flows out of the filter regulator into the hose reel mounted under the bench. That's about 80' of hose and will reach just about anywhere either in the garage or the driveway. Everything's connected with QD fittings and can be disassembled in a few minutes when I need to move the bench out.
2010-11-07_11-26-10_369.jpg


My work area. The yellow compressor on the right is the first one I bought 10 years ago - it went out a few months ago so I'm going to use the tank as a standalone air tank. After it went out I bought the Makita MAC700 that's just barely visible also on the right, and when I realized that was way too small I picked up the IR on Craigslist. The IR does everything I need it to do, and if I do decide I need a larger compressor I'll step up to 220 volt & something in the 20+ CFM range. That's a long way off, though.
2010-11-07_11-28-34_947.jpg


Sorry about the mess. This is a working bench, and with 3 young kids it seems like something breaks every day.
 

DrSpencer

New member
Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Messages
1
Just bought a IR Garage Mate from Sears today.

Could someone please tell me what accessories I should get?

I get 20% off at Sears, but wasn't sure if their accessories are decent quality, or not (they did have a nice 1/2" IR impact wrench, though).

I plan on using the compressor for auto repair/restoration, home improvement, sandblasting, etc.

Thanks
 

Jbizzle

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 14, 2012
Messages
136
Location
New Mexico
I also have the IR Garage Mate. I have probably had it 2 years. I love it. It does everything I need it to do. I have found that when using air drills, die grinders and such it seems to run a lot but it is supposed to be 100% continuous duty. It is much quieter than my previous compressors. I do plan on adding those filter silencers. Over all great little machine, well worth the purchase.
 

Joe Cim

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Joined
Sep 3, 2014
Messages
48
Location
Mid Atlantic USA
Hello,
I know this is an old post but wanted to see how everyone was making out with the IR garage mate... Back in 2007 I got a new Craftsman vertical pro for home use that runs on 110/115 volts and it still is working fine... But I would like a little more POWER as Mr.Taylor would say... LOL... And I don't want something to be to loud either... I like the filter silencer mod and was also thinking about making some sort of vented baffle box/cab to put it in... I also like the IR design because it looks like it's a good platform to mod out if parts for it ever are discontinued... I know that a 220/240 60-80 gallon unit would be better but for my needs it's what I have to stick to for a while... I don't work at a shop anymore and doing with out a lift is a pain enough but I just about refuse to remove lug nuts with out air unless on the side of the road... LOL... Not trying to run a DA, drill or grinders... My home needs are 1/2 air gun for lug nuts, 3/8 air ratchet, angle die grinder, air chuck and about every other year or so a foot ball or basket ball... Just looking to upgrade and perfect my air system for my needs... I'm also in the works of getting a reel, Milton or Coilhose fittings, and some kind of slick mounting system for everything... "It must be Just So!" As I yell in an OCD voice... LOL And while we're on that subject could we do the whole show your compressor thing? Pics! Lots of pics! LOL
 

cashishift

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 2, 2008
Messages
1,254
Location
Omaha, NE
Question for OP..

why did you add the cast iron pieces off the manifold vs. just screwing the filters into the compressor?
 
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