Why use a compressor?

[Johnny chaos]

I just went through some issues with my compressor, while I was fixing it I started contemplating "why use a compressor"? Now, some items are obvious but with so many corded and cordless tools available what are the upsides to owning/using a ginourmous compressor for work in the garage?????? The obvious answer is I already own all the tools to use with it. Would plugging in or charging a tool be more or less efficient than filling an 80 gallon compressor in terms of electrical usage? I apologize if this is a silly question or if it has been asked before, I just started thinking about it and thought I would ask

 

[Dennis93]

I think it's because air tools tend to be cheaper and more powerful that their cordless/corded equivalent. Also, for just blowing around air to clean up dust around the shop it is helpful. An airless sprayer is also terrible for finish coating or fine finishes, and you would need an air compressor then. Also for nail guns, the only ones I know that can keep up with an air nailer are the Paslode guns but you have to keep buying charges for them, so that really cuts into the cost.

 

[Richard D]

Are you high?

 

[jethrodawg]

If you have to ask this, I can only surmise that you don't regularly work on a car. Good luck finding non-air powered impact wrench that can take off strut bolts. Pnuematic powered tools are way more powerful (with correct compressor).

I have a 30 gallon 150 psi compressor and use it all the time. In the winter I use it with a wand to blow the snow off my tractor before bringing it back into the garage and keeps all the slop from dumping on the floor. In summer, I blowing off the grass after mowing before the tractor comes back inside. I can "sweep" the whole garage in minutes using air.

With compressor in garage at the ready, it takes minutes to keep tabs on my vehicle tire pressures.

There's so many cheap air tools (chisels, impacts, ratchet wrench, etc) and having an air hose you can swap between them quickly. Cordless tools even without a cord you have to cycle between batteries and charge cycles.

Don't get me wrong, cordless and/or electric powered tools have a place but having an air compressor is one of those tools that the average homeowner shouldn't be without.

 

[blacK20]

I'm not sure what your applications are, but if you work on cars enough you will understand that cordless/corded tools will never replace all your pneumatics. Try using your cordless equivalent tool where you'd usually use your 1/4" air ratchet to zip valve covers/timing covers/oil pans/under dash or anywhere space is very limited. Axle nuts and crank bolts that have never been moved in a decade? How about filling your tires with air.

 

[Steevo]

I just looked online, and nobody sells a battery-powered blast cabinet.
I also don't know how I'd blow off things I have scrubbed in the parts washer. Maybe using a hair dryer?
I also frequently check and air up tires on my six tractors, four vehicles, two bicycles, and a trailer or two. Hard to do without a compressor.

 

[sberry]

I can see a question here. As for energy air is terrible, it one reason we use 4 1/2 grinders, wear/tear cost to zing a common application, 6x in electric alone. Air is used when convenience and manpower costs dwarf the expenses or there are specialized tools that just do not work as good any other way.

 

[G_P]

Pneumatic tools tend to be smaller than an equivalent electric tool.
Also just the blow gun for cleaning makes having my compressor worthwhile.

Sent from my C5120 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Zeke]

How else can you make funny noises with your fingers?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Even though I don't use it everyday, I find it valuable to have.

 

[Oldbear]

Try blowing something off with your own breath.

 

[Big-Foot]

I just looked online, and nobody sells a battery-powered blast cabinet.
I also don't know how I'd blow off things I have scrubbed in the parts washer. Maybe using a hair dryer?
I also frequently check and air up tires on my six tractors, four vehicles,

I have a slow air leak in the left rear of my truck.. I wonder if electrons will plug the leak or make it leak faster???

 

[ryno]

ever fill up your car tires with a bicycle pump?

 

[wmartin]

ever fill up your car tires with a bicycle pump?

To be fair, he said '80 gallon compressor'.

I can certainly see the value, for me at least, of a small compressor for tires or running a stapler or finish nailer. A large one? When I've had them, I hardly used them. Those quiet Rol-Air JC10s are pretty cool.

The ones that are a mystery to me are medium sized compressors. To big to be portable or cheap, to small to run much of anything that's a real air hog.

 

[bbmach]

I just looked online, and nobody sells a battery-powered blast cabinet.

All about the right tool for the job. Bead blasting, need 1/2" drive sockets or using a DA sander? Air Compressor.

Putting together a cabinet with 80 1/4" nuts and bolts, Phillips trim screws or something sensitive to being over torqued? Rechargeable.

I'm sure most of us use air tools less, one way or another, since cordless come along. FWIW, I haven't touched my beautiful Snap On pneumatic drill in a loooong time.

 

[Jaguar Fan]

... I have a 30 gallon 150 psi compressor and use it all the time. In the winter I use it with a wand to blow the snow off my tractor before bringing it back into the garage and keeps all the slop from dumping on the floor. ...

Thanks for this tip! I think I now found a reason to get a good compressor - just to blow snow off my cars in Park City before bringing them in during Ski Season.

 

[jethrodawg]

Thanks for this tip! I think I now found a reason to get a good compressor - just to blow snow off my cars in Park City before bringing them in during Ski Season.

And not only stops the slop, but also helps reduce chance of rust.

 

[Fixnair]

Air tools will not electrocute you. You can use them wet without fear. The run cooler and as been said before they are more powerful for their size. Also you can load them down to stall without burning them up. Besides that they just sound cool. Pretty simple to repair too.

 

[Fortress68]

A compressor allows for much more fine adjustments when spraying. I haven't found an electric sprayer yet that allowed for as fine of pattern adjustment or volume of material delivery as an air system. (not that I am a super advanced professional painter, but I come from a long line of them.)

 

[zcar751]

I can't believe no one has pointed out the most obvious of all reasons to have an air compressor. SO YOU CAN BUY MORE TOOLS

 

[sberry]

with 5 hp you can blast a pinch if you have to, run a sander. seen many simple tire shops use these. anywhere north of 15 cfm is pretty respectable. you can slide by on less, if you are really going to the trouble this kind of thin provides full service if needed. air is simple to regulate speed and power, great for wire wheels, sanding and impacts,,,,
I mention impacts becaues its easy to focus on bust out power buy my CP gun has 4 speed forward and regulated air, air gun can be feathered to go slow, we do not rip lug nuts on like nascar, couple passes, run down lightly lubed and slow and with it in the right gear, watch and feel socket use a tighten pass.

 

[sberry]

A compressor allows for much more fine adjustments when spraying. I haven't found an electric sprayer yet that allowed for as fine of pattern adjustment or volume of material delivery as an air system. (not that I am a super advanced professional painter, but I come from a long line of them.)

I agree but I was tempted to try a 5k$ graco on a truck. I painted a couple big tanks with one,,, different macine, i have used other electric including my titan i paid a grand or so for, they are ok but that big one was good. it was super smooth. i think its about the best one they make, an air gun is lots cheaper and reliable.

 

[1Garageman]

1. Our air compressor tools won't have a damn batter go bad on us!
2. Air tools are a lot cheaper and many you can get more power, torque, in on them constantly than you can on battery powered tools.
3. Air tools are cheaper and last longer!
4. My wife, YES my wife, is in love with it, so I buy all kinds of tools and gadgets for it, and SO DOES SHE!!!!

 

[JakeKohl]

The battery powered tools (specifically the impact wrenches) are getting a LOT better than they used to be. I have come to like mine and not having a cord or air line to deal with is a bonus. I haven't replaced my air ratchet yet though...but they have those too.

Now, that said, I do use air for other things that make it hard to replace. Blowing the fine dust out of the shop, filling tires, sandblasting, and wetsanding gelcoat with a pneumatic jitter bug on refinished boats with no fear of electrocution.

 

[Timido]

just do both problem solved. At home I have a 2hp compressor and air and electric tools. I find myself using electric grinders and cutoffs more than air. I can get away with small compressor so far. I do have a 60-80 gallon 5hp in my future.

 

[tylernt]

I know I'll get flamed, but I'm not a fan of air either. Compressing air is VERY inefficient, an electric tool is FAR more efficient than the equivalent air tool.

Plus air is noisy. Both at the compressor, and at the tool. Also, compressors big enough to run big tools are rather expensive and often require a 240V outlet (more $$$).

Of course I do have a small air compressor for inflating things and cleaning things, but other than my palm nailer and a stapler, I'll buy an electric tool over an air tool any day of the week. For example, I got myself a big electric (plug-in) impact wrench that has rattled off every fastener I've thrown it at, and I can't think of any other tools I might want where electric can't do the job less expensively and more quietly.

 

[countrytech]

Pshhhtt... just buy duplicates of each type, and then build/buy/restore more creative space saving tool storage cabinets and drawers and then a bigger garage to hold them all - it's the GJ way!!



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Seriously tho, I went thru this trying to figure out what type of a compressor/tools that I needed for my shop, and it really comes down to what you will be doing and balance it for cost/space requirements.

Air compressor for my nail guns, airing tires, blowing stuff off and cleaning. Electric just doesn't work there.

I use electric tools for stuff like my angle grinders, cut off tools, saws, drill, etc. because they tend to work better and it made more sense to store electric tools instead of a giant air compressor for space savings. I also use electric sanders because it would cost too much and take more space than I can dedicate to a compressor large enough to power them. Plus I am not generally running them for hours on end, so heat build up is not an issue.

Where money is a factor compared to the rarity of use, I have a pneumatic impact wrench because it is a lot cheaper than a strong enough cordless one and on a single vehicle my 1hp/30gal(?) compressor works good enough.

 

[VWPORSCHEGT3]

tires , impact, blow gun... my tiny like 20 gallon 3 1/2 hp Ingersoll rand one is just fine... noisy as hell but it works great. I wouldn't have it any other way

 

[the gypsy]

Please excuse my ignorance BUT aren't air tools safer in the garage if there are flamable fumes around seeing as they don't produce any spark on startup. As mentioned before they do not overheat, very hard to burn a tool. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[tylernt]

Please excuse my ignorance BUT aren't air tools safer in the garage if there are flamable fumes around

The concentration of fumes necessary to support combustion are usually so high that you'd be woozy/dead before a spark could light it off.

Obviously don't go drenching your electric tools in gasoline before hitting the switch, but getting to dangerous levels of air/fuel mixture without it being real obvious to you is pretty hard.

 

[Highbeam]

Technology on cordless really has improved over the decades. Teaching old dogs new tricks is still hard.

You need an air compressor for some things like airing up tires, nail guns, and blowing. So you've got it anyway. If you're going to have one anyway then you get to consider each tool's cost and abilities.

I do believe that the air compressors use will be low in most shops but they don't cost anything just setting there and when you need air, you need air.

 

[mudhog]

I got a 5hp compressor that I use but I don't even plug it in unless I know I'm going to need it. I use it for tires and my new nail gun framer but when I'm tinkering with my hot rod or something I just use my hand tools rachet etc. even for drilling or grinding I tend to grab the electric ones even though I have everthing that runs on air too. It just seems easier for me to drag a cord around unstead of a air hose I guess, or just habit because I owned electric for years until I got the compressor. A lot of work is outside of my shop so running hoses out that far is not praticle. Her I am knotching my poles for my shop extension I'm at least 100' from my compressor that is fixed not portable.

 

[shedfull2]

Fixing mine up now so i can use my new Plasma cutter

 

[shooting4life]

I have a 5hp 60 gallon verticle IR and all I use it for is tires, a palm nailer and blowing out the garage and I think the purchase was worth it. I got it used for $300 off of craigslist, look for a major brand used.

 

[Johnny chaos]

I have been busy in the shop so this is the first time I've come back to check on my question....
Some good responses (bead blaster was a good one) I have a rather large blaster from TP tools I don't think I could live without it It never crossed my mind when I posted....... Filling tires that's another I overlooked. I guess the biggest reason for my question was my compressor was ******* me off...we have since made up but thanks for the responses.

 

[CNGsaves]

In addition to previous replies, here's a few more in favor of air compressor:
a) $100 savings every year blowing out your own sprinkler system
b) good air compressor is long-term investment (sometimes lifetime) so the cost per year is very low
c) battery or electric powered tools become outdated / fail much quicker than an air ratchet, air drill, air impact, cutoff tool, air grinder, etc.
d) filling portable air tank to go air up tires on hot rod found in barn you scored on CL
etc, etc, etc, etc

 

[ddawg16]

Blowing up the kiddy pool

 

[RVDan]

I need the air compressor for my staple and nail guns, and blowing bearings dry after cleaning them, and filling tires, but that's about it. My 18 volt SnapOn impact takes the biggest lug nuts off with no issues. I drill holes in truck frames with my cordless drill. I'm not familiar with an air powered grinder that will take a 4.5" cutoff wheel so I use electric.

 

[waggie]

plasma cutter.
misting system for milling machine and lathe.
pumping up bicycle, motorcycle, car tires.

 

[04fivefour]

electric impact doesnt come closer to my 800ftlb IR impact lol