Recommend Air Compressor

[eduardostewart]

hello,

im looking for ideas on brand and size comp to get for the garage. it will need to handle everything up to novice body work (air hungry tools) including painting. possibly blasting as well.

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[jloehlein]

Wait for a 30% off sale from Zoro and get one of these? 80 gallon, 7.5hp, with aftercooler and auto drain.

 

[CNGsaves]

^ ^ ^ This. . . . or build your own from CL finds . . . .
. . . . Quincy compressor . . . . 80 to 120 gallon tank . . 7.5HP or more Baldor motor

 

[redmondjp]

Yup. Quincy, Saylor-Beall, Champion, some Ingersoll-Rand. Crack open a cold one and starting reading compressor threads here - there are scores of them.

In your area, there are probably some gems to be found, so once you know what you are looking for, scour CL and other used listings in your area.

You're much more likely to find one with a 3-phase motor on it, which should be a few hundred $ at least less than if the same unit has a single-phase motor. So don't rule this option out, but do the math to make sure that you don't overpay.

Plus, most of the time, you can't run a 3-phase unit to test it, so that factors in heavily as to how much you should pay - keep in mind that it can cost well over $1K to rebuild some of the industrial compressor pumps, and you need special tools (spanner wrenches for the valves) as well. So a non-testable compressor with a 3-phase motor on it isn't worth that much as you have to consider the cost of a single-phase motor ($400-800), motor starter ($50-250) (range is due to 5HP or 7.5HP), and what else the compressor may need in order to get into running condition.

 

[Rossco]

Take a serious look at a Devilbiss / Devair / DV Systems 247.

Don't take my word for it.

 

[CNGsaves]

Here's great example of "put together" compressor from CL finds:

. . . . Quincy 325 with Baldor 5 HP motor

 

[sld961]

SpeedAire 460/3 phase 5HP/80Gal Air Compressor - $800
http://williamsport.craigslist.org/tls/5481074177.html

 

[fastbike02]

Air compressors are like women, get the nicest one you can afford! That being said, for my home I bought a porter cable 60 gal from tractor supply for around 550 and its never gave me a problem in the past 3 years despite me treating it like a red headed step child

 

[tenlug]

Quincy

 

[redmondjp]

SpeedAire 460/3 phase 5HP/80Gal Air Compressor - $800
http://williamsport.craigslist.org/tls/5481074177.html

That's a really nice unit - looks like it has a pressure-lubricated compressor pump with an oil pressure gauge and spin-on oil filter. Maybe somebody else can chime on with who made that compressor - Looks like a Champion to me but could also be a Saylor-Beall. Add a 5HP single-phase motor and starter (may be able to use the existing one, depending upon its rating and contactor coil voltage, after the heater strips are changed) to that and you are set to go.

 

[matt_i]

For me, an air compressor is something I want to buy and mostly forget except drain the tank and change the oil twice a decade. That said, I'd like a new ASME tank and some kind of initial warranty. I have had an excellent 19 year experience with I-R T-30.

However, I installed a Quincy for an industrial project that ran probably 75% of a solid 2350 straight hours unattended (24x7x14days) and then 75% of 48 hrs on every weekend after that for a couple of years without the slightest complaint. Much harder than I could ever hope to work a compressor. Based on that experience, supposing I ever had to buy another one it would be a Quincy.

I always worry about the hidden cost of used compressors, or bare compressors. Not that I don't feel confident about repairing the machine, but its just not a project that I would like to take on, source parts, do a rebuild, etc, I'd rather be doing something else.

 

[rburke65]

I bought a Champion 5hp, 60 gal., 2 stage from TP Tool. Very happy with it.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Picked up a 60 gal unit from Lowes and I love it. The *only* thing it doesn't do is supply the most recent HVLP paint gun I picked up which wanted 14 cfm at 40 psi. But it does keep up with the media blaster, any tools I use, etc. It was the typical $500 range. Today, I think I'd shoot for the next model up at $800 to get that little bit more, and I could sell the existing one for $350 or so on Craigslist, if I ever get around to it.

 

[CompressorPros.com]

I wouldn't go smaller than a 7.5HP with painting and sand blasting, unless it is small parts.

We carry several brands...BelAire and CP have the best warranty

http://www.compressorpros.com/7-5-hp-air-compressors/

 

[Kaizen]

don't focus on hp. focus on cfm's. I'd shoot for 14 plus. I have the small husky one in the 450 range which is what I wanted to spend at that time. I think 11.5 cfm and 60 gallon tank. a little angle grinder with a 2 inch pad will burn through the tank in 15 minutes and I have to stop and wait for it to build up again. things like a da sander are hogs. remember in your cost to include some kind of dryer and filter. esp if you will be using in freezing temps.

 

[CompressorPros.com]

Agreed...CFM is the most important. With a piston air compressor, regardless of brand (even those that claim 100% duty) you need to oversize by 25% to allow for down time. Again, if you are doing small parts, not critical and you can go small, if you are painting or blasting large areas, you will run a small compressor to death.

 

[theoldwizard1]

im looking for ideas on brand and size comp to get for the garage. it will need to handle everything up to novice body work (air hungry tools) including painting. possibly blasting as well.

^ ^ ^ This. . . . or build your own from CL finds . . . .
. . . . Quincy compressor . . . . 80 to 120 gallon tank . . 7.5HP or more Baldor motor

If you drop your requirement for sanding/sand blasting a 5hp 60 gallon would be good and you will save a lot of $$$