What size compressor

[panhead_pete]

My apologies if this has been covered before but I did do a search as far back as last year.

Im needing to buy a compressor for my shop but need some guidance as to output, size etc.

I need a compressor to run air tools such as drills, grinders, palm sanders and also paint guns etc. I imagine I'll be painting up to 3 cars a year and I cant foresee any time when I would have any more then one tool etc running at once.

Well I hope that wasnt too vague a description of my needs. Thanks.

 

[rsanter]

60 gal would be good
80 gal would be better

bob

 

[tdkkart]

If you're intending to do paint and bodywork you'll be best served to get yourself the biggest bad-a**ed compressor you can possibly afford right up front. Grinding/sanding and sandblasting are probably the hardest things on a compressor, and are very agravating jobs if you have to wait for your compressor to catch up.

Go to a minimum REAL 5HP 60 gallon, and seriously consider at least 7.5HP and 80 gallons. Again, buy the most you can afford and you'll have a compressor for many many years. Either that of buy many cheaper compressors.

These guys have a good reputation:
http://www.eatoncompressor.com/page/page/504413.htm

As does Ingersol Rand and several others.

 

[PurdueSD]

look into Quincy also. I didnt go with eaton because they use chinese pumps. My local farm store sold me 5hp quicy 2 stage 80 gal. Now, if i could just get the garage done so i can give it a review.

 

[Industrial Concepts]

My apologies if this has been covered before but I did do a search as far back as last year.

Im needing to buy a compressor for my shop but need some guidance as to output, size etc.

I need a compressor to run air tools such as drills, grinders, palm sanders and also paint guns etc. I imagine I'll be painting up to 3 cars a year and I cant foresee any time when I would have any more then one tool etc running at once.

Well I hope that wasnt too vague a description of my needs. Thanks.

The best way is to decide on compressor sizing is to get a tool useage chart & do an averaging of how many cfms your are going to be using.

 

[Uncle Buck]

The best way is to decide on compressor sizing is to get a tool useage chart & do an averaging of how many cfms your are going to be using.

And after you have done that buy the biggest and best compressor you can afford!

 

[sierrascout]

For your uses, I would go no lower than 18cfm @90psi. I run a Puma PK6560V and have no regrets buying it. The only time I have run out of air was when I was sanding and my buddy tried to do some grinding. When looking at compressors, cfm is where the money's at.

 

[panhead_pete]

Thanks guys, appreciate the input. Im glad I asked as I would have certainly purchased a smaller one then those suggested and then paid the price...

 

[Steve in Mi]

If compressor noise is a consideration look for low a RPM pump and 1725 rpm motor combination.

 

[Uncle Buck]

And whatever you do, do not buy anything direct drive, make sure the pump is belt driven from the motor. (no offense intended to direct drive compressor owners!)

 

[e-tek]

Those little cut-off wheels are some of the highest cfm users (can be 15-20). You need a 2-stage for sure to keep that or a sandblaster happy. I was just painting a car with my 18.5 cfm@100psi and it kicked in for a few minutes only. The new guns are all HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) and don't take much air.

 

[sierrascout]

That is the way my Puma is, only it is a single stage high cfm(18@90psi), it is made for body work(1man). I could have gone two stage, but for the added expense, it really was not it for only 2cfm.

 

[Kevin54]

A two-stage will pump up faster. The faster it pumps the less heat generated, the less heat, the less moisture. I had a single stage and got rid of it for a two-stage. I would not have a single stage again. I ended up getting an Ingersoll-Rand 80 gallon and it keeps up with all my air hogs.

 

[Mr. Welsh]

80 gallon two stagers are pretty much standard around Garage Journal.

 

[SteveU]

My apologies if this has been covered before but I did do a search as far back as last year.

Im needing to buy a compressor for my shop but need some guidance as to output, size etc.

I need a compressor to run air tools such as drills, grinders, palm sanders and also paint guns etc. I imagine I'll be painting up to 3 cars a year and I cant foresee any time when I would have any more then one tool etc running at once.

Well I hope that wasnt too vague a description of my needs. Thanks.

Air drills, grinders, and sanders are all high consumption tools so the advise to get a REAL 5 hp (not a box store 5 hp PEAK) compressor is good. There are single stage compressors, Eaton is one & I'm sure there are others that will handle all this but stay away from the ones with "SPL" on the motor tag for hp and look for something that draws around 20 amps @ 240v. Depending on your budget, I would go with a Eaton 2 cyl single stage on an 80 gal tank at the low end (around 1300 shipped) to a 5 hp 2 stage Quincy that Northern tool has for 1999 with free shipping. I have the Eaton and have used it to run everything you mentioned which it does no problem. Last weekend I used a 90* die grinder to sand down 2 adirondack chairs that the finish had peeled from which took 30 min of pretty much non stop running. Compressor kept up and actually got to where it would have shut off if I hadn't had it on constant run several times during this period. About the only reason to get a 7 1/2 hp is if you are doing a lot of sand blasting or are going to have more than one tool going at a time.

 

[Ed_cj2a]

I went ahead and bit the bullet and got higher end unit. I have never regreted the purchase. It will keep up with die grinders, sandblasters, drills. It will get a little slow with two guys using DA's




http://www.excel-equipment.com/catalog/champion-vr58-volt-single-phase-advantage-series-p-299.html

 

[sierrascout]

So what I gather from the standard around here an 80 gal two stage with 14cfm will build faster than my 18cfm single stage. I do not think so. It will have a higher pressure, but not more cfm. I am new here, but not new to compressors. I answered a question truthfully, not the standard reply.

 

[PoorOwner]

Yup it's the CFM that fills the tank.. more CFM fills up the tank faster.

Two stage is more effecient to build up higher pressure though that's why they always go up to 175 PSI.

 

[W-Cummins]

1:A two-stage will pump up faster.
2:The faster it pumps the less heat generated, the less heat, the less moisture.
3:I had a single stage and got rid of it for a two-stage. I would not have a single stage again. I ended up getting an Ingersoll-Rand 80 gallon and it keeps up with all my air hogs.

1, Wrong, a two stage compressor will not pump up faster than a comparable single stage model. In fact it is SLOWER as it does more work, re-compressing the air after the first stage.

2. Wrong it's not faster, and puts more heat into the air compressing it to the higher pressure ( more work in and more heat too)

3. So you had a POS compressor and then got a better one. Not a use full comparison of a single stage to two stage compressor. More like I had a bicycle and now I have a Corvette

1: Yup it's the CFM that fills the tank.. more CFM fills up the tank faster.

2:Two stage is more efficient to build up higher pressure though that's why they always go up to 175 PSI.

1, Good so far!

2, hummm... That's a slippery one.... Yes at some point it is necessary to add additional compressor stages to get an efficient machine to compress to higher pressures. I think that some place around 125-150 psi that it becomes a problem ( at least it appears that way, and it seems to be reinforced by the way compressor manufactures, select the pumps, used on their air compressors). I think it is rather strange how the 2 stage reciprocating compressor, became to be the "standard" of the low end industrial air machines. There is not many good reasons to compress the air to the higher pressures, that a two stage machine can produce (175-250 or even some as high as 500 psi). Most all air powered tools are operated at much lower pressures, even blasting is normally not done at more than 125psi... The larger rotary screw machines are normally all single stage and 125 psi max and run most of industry just fine. My guess??? is that due to the cyclic operating patterns of smaller reciprocating pumps, and the need to maintain 125 psi for some uses, required a 125-150 cutoff pressure and thus the use of 2 stages??

William.....

 

[SteveU]

So what I gather from the standard around here an 80 gal two stage with 14cfm will build faster than my 18cfm single stage. I do not think so. It will have a higher pressure, but not more cfm. I am new here, but not new to compressors. I answered a question truthfully, not the standard reply.

My Eaton is a single stage & will run any air tool I own no problem. Personally, I have never felt a need for anything larger. One thing I found curious is that my compressor came with a 3/4" outlet and the 2 stage came with a 1/2" outlet. In this class of tool it is like arguing which is better, a 30-06 or a 45-70 if everything you shoot will be within 100 yds, the deer (or the tool) won't know the difference & both will get the job done.