Questions for 60 gallon compressor owners

[PT Doc]

For those that have 60 gallon compressors, have you:

wished you had an 80 gallon?
wished you had more cfm?
wished you had more max psi?

I'm torn between a 60 and 80 gallon Quincy and don't want to wish I had something down the road. I guess everyone knows their needs today but its nice to have flexibility down the road in case you need more.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Kenwc]

I have a single stage 60 and what I wish is:

2 stage, with a smaller tank with same or better CFM and quieter. Mine can be heard all over the hood.

 

[MartyO]

wished you had an 80 gallon?
wished you had more cfm?
wished you had more max psi?

Other than the size cfm and psi are not affected as much by tank size as they are compressor pump size.

 

[padronanniversary]

just get the 80 gal and don't look back, else you will always question your decision.

 

[shoot summ]

nope, nope, and nope....

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

No, but I've wished I had a 120 gallon tank...
Yes, more air is a constant want.
No, ~100 PSI is all I need and want.

Most importantly though I wish I had spent longer looking and settled on a quieter, lower RPM compressor.

I have a 5HP, 60 Gallon IR compressor with a SS3 pump. If it had a larger, quieter, slower running pump so I could maintain my CFM with less noise I could probably easily live with the other shortcomings, more air and more air storage would be nice but IMO a quiet compressor is more important.

 

[Skin]

20 more gallons for air hungry tools is really nothing. I'd take a 60 gallon with a stronger pump over an 80 gallon with a weaker pump any day of the week.

Let the pumps' output sway you, not the tank capacity.

 

[PT Doc]

So which one:

Quincy 60 gallon 2 stage:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...75?cm_sp=Upsells-_-Top Sellers-_-Product Page

Quincy 80 gallon 2 stage:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...?cm_sp=Upsells-_-Top Sellers-_-Product Pagecy

 

[Jim Johnstone]

I'd take the 80 gallon for sure, simply because it has a far superior pump on it. Lower RPM, higher output. It will be quieter than the pump on the 60 gallon, and last much longer since it's spinning slower.

So which one:

Quincy 60 gallon 2 stage:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...75?cm_sp=Upsells-_-Top Sellers-_-Product Page

Quincy 80 gallon 2 stage:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...?cm_sp=Upsells-_-Top Sellers-_-Product Pagecy

 

[bgott]

Get the 80 gal.. The next thing you'll want is a bead blaster and an 80 gal. beats a 60 gal..

 

[MartyO]

Are you a doctor? Does 700 extra bucks mean much to you?

What do you do in your shop? What do you see yourself doing in your shop in the foreseeable future?

 

[PT Doc]

Are you a doctor? Does 700 extra bucks mean much to you?

What do you do in your shop? What do you see yourself doing in your shop in the foreseeable future?

Yes 700 is not chump change to me but the price difference is more like 450 here in town.

Sanding, grinding. Welding not too far off on the future. Maybe plasma cutter also.

Thank.

 

[pipsters]

It's only 2 CFM, I'd save my money if I were you

 

[dwm]

I have not wished for an 80-gallon. To me it's all about the pump, and the tradeoff of 60 gallon versus 80 gallon has to take space and weight into consideration. If you've got space for the 80 and it's going to sit in one place for a long time, go for it. But the CFM and pump life difference isn't hugely significant for the 2 Quincy models you posted. They should both be good for 50,000 hours, and for typical non-professional use that's more than a lifetime.

 

[slip knot]

I got a 60 gallon single stage and don't have a time when i wished for a bigger compressor except when the guys are BSing about their compressors. I run a impact, air file, DA sander and small bead blast cab with no issues.

 

[williaty]

I have the Lowes/Kobalt version of the 60gal

1) No, 80gal vs 60gal makes no difference in the real world

2) Yes. More CFM is always better. No matter what you buy, there's always going to be one or two things you wish you had just a little more CFM for. Buy the compressor based off CFM and price and the hell with anything else. In my case, the unit is great for lots of air-hungry things like big impact wrenches, blowing **** out, etc. However, for anything where you hold the trigger down and don't let go, I wish I had 5-10 more cfm. Painting with a full-sized automotive sprayer (though a detail gun is fine), running a grinder non-stop, running a sander non-stop, yeah, I wish I had a bigger pump.

3) No, psi does nearly nothing for you once you get over 100psi (safely above most tools' working pressure). It's all about the flow.

 

[rodm1]

Bigger is always better with compressor. I went from a oil lease 60 gallon to a big industrial 120 gallon and it whose worth every penny and lots of them.

 

[softailgarage]

Bigger is always better with compressor. I went from a oil lease 60 gallon to a big industrial 120 gallon and it whose worth every penny and lots of them.

yeah, but thats a 60gal diff,not 20 & 2 cfm. save $700.00, 60 gal. will be fine

 

[PT Doc]

Thanks for the many different points of view. Too bad you cant spec out a 60 gal tank with the pump/motor of the 80 gallon unit I linked to. I really want the quietest setup do it looks like ilk be getting the 80 gallon unit. Thanks again for the help.

 

[rlitman]

Good choice. As for a 60 gallon, that's a VERY nice one, but my Dynabrade RO eats 16+CFM, and having the ability to use it continuously is a great thing. Not many 60 gallon setups can do 16CFM out of the factory. That was why I sold my 60 gallon, and bought an 80.

 

[70chevellegsp]

CFM is the only spec that matters for compressors. The manufacturers may not put the size of pump you want on a 60 gallon tank, but there would be absolutely no difference in performance of the same pump on a 60 or 80 gallon tank. Get the compressor with the most CFM that you can afford.

 

[MartyO]

CFM is the only spec that matters for compressors. The manufacturers may not put the size of pump you want on a 60 gallon tank, but there would be absolutely no difference in performance of the same pump on a 60 or 80 gallon tank. Get the compressor with the most CFM that you can afford.

Exactly!

 

[six-T-seven]

Sanding, grinding. Welding not too far off on the future. Maybe plasma cutter also.

 

[LARSOFVT]

I have owned a Quincy 2 stage 5hp with a 60 gallon tank for a couple of decades.
I have sandblasted with a pressure pot sandblaster many times with no problems. Not huge jobs, stuff like car wheels, rear ends, springs and control arms. I can't remember my exact nozzle size but the compressor never seems to have trouble keeping up.

 

[PT Doc]

CFM is the only spec that matters for compressors. The manufacturers may not put the size of pump you want on a 60 gallon tank, but there would be absolutely no difference in performance of the same pump on a 60 or 80 gallon tank. Get the compressor with the most CFM that you can afford.

It would effect overall cost though.

 

[PT Doc]

He asked so I simply stated what my intentions are. Oh, you haven't seen the mig welder that needs 17 cfm to run?