Small air compressor - Porter-Cable C2002 and PCFP02040

[rd400guy]

I'm looking to buy a small air compressor for my garage, to replace my very old Sears/Craftsman inflator.

I'll be using it for inflation, blowgun, and getting into some more projects requiring finish/brad/pin nailers.

Both of the compressors I'm leaning toward (unless persuaded otherwise) are made by Porter-Cable:

C2002 looks like it'd be good for all of the above tasks. It has higher tank volume and pressure (longer between recharges), and a little lower price. Oil-free, lower amps, lighter weight, but lower SCFM.

PCFP02040 is oiled, smaller tank volume and pressure, and a bit more expensive. But it looks like it delivers higher SCFM, so might be useful for future foray into other air tools (drill, grinder, ratchet, maybe even impact wrench?).

I'm not looking to buy an 80 gal. 2 stage 240V unit right now - that's way beyond what I currently need or will need in the foreseeable future.

So any opinion, advice, experience with these two models would be appreciated.

TIA

 

[rd400guy]

UPDATE

So I bought the C2002 - but looking at the owner's manual, it does NOT list a break in procedure. On the P-C website, drilling down to online owners manuals, they have different "types".

The older/lower type numbers' OM does list a break in procedure (run 15 min. w drain valve open - similar to other compressors).
The newer/higher type numbers' OM does not list break in.

I submitted the question to their technical, and it came up with FAQ:Which compressors no longer require the break-in procedure?.

So now my question is, WHY would they no longer require break-in?

 

[DBordello]

How do you like this compressor? I am thinking about picking one up.

 

[rd400guy]

So far, loving it. I've just been using it for tire inflation, blow gun, and finish and pin nailers. Does the job fine. I most likely will not use it for something like air sander / grinder or HVLP gun. I'm potentially going to pick up an impact wrench, but the new cordless impact drivers do damn good for all but the toughest frozen / high torque fasteners - and I'd probably use a breaker bar then, anyhow.

I believe PC has been phasing out a model of nailer that's been prepackaged with this compressor so some of the big box home improvement / tool stores are running deals where you can pick up the compressor and one to three nailers (depending on the store and combo pack) for close to the price of just the compressor alone.

Also, the black Friday prices were pretty good on them, but since it's January, they're probably gone. I'd look for a closeout on the compressor and nailer combos if I were you. [FWIW, maybe a month after I bought mine, the same store was running the exact same combo pack (with the 16 ga. finish nailer) for $20 less than I bought it. Took my receipt back and they credited me the difference.]

I can't really comment on the noise, as I have nothing to really compare it against compressor-wise. But between a compressor, torpedo kerosene heater (in the winter), circular/table saw, shop vac, router, etc. I tend to wear my -33 dB earmuffs almost all the time nowadays. Even for lawnmower and weed whacker. Everything's noisy; this is no exception. No I would not put it in the nursery with a sleeping infant.

Only thing I don't really like, is the drain valve is a bit of a PITA to utilize. You pretty much have to pick the whole thing up to drain the water off. Good thing it's light! I'll probably get scolded for this, but I don't drain the water off every time I use it.