So I have been looking to get a compressor to use for minor nailing, but for mostly having air to blow of the wood chips of projects and my lathe and work space, but I have never had a compressor before so I do not now exactly what to look for. I also do not want to spend a lot of money, what do you guys recommend?
Compressor
- Thread starter Jack1064
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snowman56
Member
Check harbor freight
Druid
Member
I like my Kobalt 5.5 Gal 135 psi compressor that I picked up on sale at Lowes for about $79.00. Its portable (dolly), comes with a lot of fittings (blow gun, tire valve, male/female adapters, etc) and does a really good job for a small compressor. I also use it for doing some trim nailing but its not commercial grade. You can also pick up compressors on Craigs List pretty cheap.
Good luck
Good luck
rincewind03060
Member
Figure out what you want, then watch Craig's List. There are deals on used compressors almost every day.
rjwolfe3
Member
I use a small twin cylinder that I paid around $50 for at Advance Auto Parts. It's not the most powerful but I have my big one in the garage. I use it mostly for blowing sanding dust away but will use it for pressure pot once I get one.
S
spiritwoodturner
Guest
First, you need to decide if you want it to be easily portable, or fixed. Anything that you get that's portable will be limited not in pressure, but in capacity. That may become important down the road. For instance, if you ever want to do a vacuum pot a little 1 gallon will take you a while. I use my big one (30 gallons) with 100 ft. of hose to blow my sprinklers out, which it does without working up a sweat. That's not possible with a 1 gallon unit.
Think long and hard about what you may want to do with it down the road.
Dale
Think long and hard about what you may want to do with it down the road.
Dale
JimB
Member
If you go to Sears they have a chart on the wall with their compressors. It gives you their recommendations for pressure and capacity based on what you will use it for. You will also need to decise on oil or oil-less.
I don't have a recommendation for a brand, but I do have one regarding location.
I've had the same compressor for 7-8 years.
I finally decided to put it up in the attic of my shop.
I wired a switch downstairs, and hooked up a hose and reel off of the ceiling.
So now when I want air, I hit the switch, and pull the reel. Very handy, and all of the noise is upstairs.
One thing - make sure that you get a lighted switch. One that tells you if the switch is on. This way, you won't walk away and your compressor calls for power at 3 am.
I've had the same compressor for 7-8 years.
I finally decided to put it up in the attic of my shop.
I wired a switch downstairs, and hooked up a hose and reel off of the ceiling.
So now when I want air, I hit the switch, and pull the reel. Very handy, and all of the noise is upstairs.
One thing - make sure that you get a lighted switch. One that tells you if the switch is on. This way, you won't walk away and your compressor calls for power at 3 am.
bradbn4
Member
Remember don't blow around the head stock with compressed air-- the dust and wood chips can get into the bearing and cause early failure. That warning about driving dust into the Just something that I had heard once at the local hardware store.
If I need to de-dust my lathe I would use my shop vac which I use to suck up the wood / plastic chips -- and if necessary - reverse it to "air sweep" the garage.
The small hot dog shaped compressors ones are useful, they are quite small – on the "cheaper" end of the price scale. But they can sure be noisy for their size.
I opted for a Hitachi 4-Gallon 135 PSI Electric Portable Air Compressor. It is gig enough to drive one nail gun and run other air tools - but still small enough to move around by hand. I have mounted my compressor on a small hand truck so I can move it around or outside to fill up the tires on my car.
Budget
how many CFM rating do you need (required to drive air tools like nail gun, etc)
Noise – oil free is much more noisy that oil compressor
Duty cycle – how often do you feel the need to run it
pressure gauge.
If I need to de-dust my lathe I would use my shop vac which I use to suck up the wood / plastic chips -- and if necessary - reverse it to "air sweep" the garage.
The small hot dog shaped compressors ones are useful, they are quite small – on the "cheaper" end of the price scale. But they can sure be noisy for their size.
I opted for a Hitachi 4-Gallon 135 PSI Electric Portable Air Compressor. It is gig enough to drive one nail gun and run other air tools - but still small enough to move around by hand. I have mounted my compressor on a small hand truck so I can move it around or outside to fill up the tires on my car.
Budget
how many CFM rating do you need (required to drive air tools like nail gun, etc)
Noise – oil free is much more noisy that oil compressor
Duty cycle – how often do you feel the need to run it
pressure gauge.
rdunn12
Member
I have this setup you can get at Lowe's.Mine is a little older and only came with one brad nailer.The compressor and brad nailer have worked without any problems.It works well for what I use it for,the brad nailer,blowing things off,airing up tires,the usual stuff.Mine is about 2 years old and yes it is a little on the noisey side.And not a bad deal at 279.00 for what you get.
wdcav1952
Activities Manager Emeritus
My first was an oiless compressor. It was LOUD, and when it wore out some minor part, the advice was to throw it away.
Whatever you get, make it a compressor that needs oil. Quieter and lasts longer, IMHO.
Whatever you get, make it a compressor that needs oil. Quieter and lasts longer, IMHO.
bitshird
Member
I agree with Cav, get an oiled compressor, the rotary vane type are noisy and wear out quicker as well as produce more moisture in the air.
TellicoTurning
Member
I don't have a compressor yet and probably will be several months before I spend the money on one, but definitely agree on the location idea... I built a separate closet outside on the end of my shop for the dust collector... I really didn't leave much room in the closet, but I think I can put a shelf over the DC motor that will accommodate a small compressor and I've already wired a plug out there.
hughbie
Member
i got mine from walmart......i think it's an 8 gallon.....and more than enough for nailing AND pressure pot......
just make sure it's not an 'oil free' compressor.....usually not large enough in volume and very very noisy........
just make sure it's not an 'oil free' compressor.....usually not large enough in volume and very very noisy........
Randy_
Member
The bearings in all modern lathes are sealed/shielded and blowing dust into them is not very likely.......not something to worry about in my estimation. For someone who has a very old/antique lathe with bronze sleeve bearings or babbitt bearings, that might be good advice.
nava1uni
Member
I have a 1.5 gallon Craftsman compressor. I have had it for about 3 years. I used to have a larger compressor, but it was noisy. I bought this smaller one to use with an upholstery stapler and have used it a lot with no problems. If you are using a compressor to blow off dust make sure that you wear and mask and eye protection to prevent driving small particles into your eyes, skin or sinuses. Don't use the use to blow dust off of your skin.
Randy_
Member
I have a generic 2 HP 4.6 gal. double tank, oil lubricated compressor that I bought from PEP BOYS on a sale for about $80. I use it to blow up bike tires, car tires, footballs, soccer balls and to blow dust around my shop. I also use it to run a small brad nailer and a pin nailer. Can't say how it would do with a gun for bigger nails? I spent about another $10 bucks to put a lever operated ball valve on the lower tank to make draining condensation easier.
I found the compressor to quite noisy in a closed room and that a good part of the noise came from the intake filter. I got rid of the dinky little filter that came with the unit and made a replacement from a 2 liter Coke bottle and a small bathroom towel rolled up inside the Coke bottle. That reduced the noise quite a bit; but it is still louder than I would prefer.
Only real problem I ran into was a power source. The compressor will just barely run on the 15 amp circuit in my garage and on a cold day or trying to restart when there is pressure in the tank, the breaker will usually trip. Fortunately, I have a 20 amp circuit close-by and a 10 gauge ext. cord. I have purchased all of the goodies necessary to put a 20 amp circuit in the garage; but haven't gotten around to it yet.
I found the compressor to quite noisy in a closed room and that a good part of the noise came from the intake filter. I got rid of the dinky little filter that came with the unit and made a replacement from a 2 liter Coke bottle and a small bathroom towel rolled up inside the Coke bottle. That reduced the noise quite a bit; but it is still louder than I would prefer.
Only real problem I ran into was a power source. The compressor will just barely run on the 15 amp circuit in my garage and on a cold day or trying to restart when there is pressure in the tank, the breaker will usually trip. Fortunately, I have a 20 amp circuit close-by and a 10 gauge ext. cord. I have purchased all of the goodies necessary to put a 20 amp circuit in the garage; but haven't gotten around to it yet.
rjwolfe3
Member
Randy,
I would like to know more about your replacement intake filter. Maybe a picture would be awesome. Thanks.
I would like to know more about your replacement intake filter. Maybe a picture would be awesome. Thanks.
GouletPens
Member
I use a Porter Cable 6 gal pancake I got from Home Depot with 3 nail guns and a bag for $279. I love it and have used all three guns on many occasions. It's larger enough to keep on without running continuously while turning, but small enough to transport if need be. It's oilless and loud as crap, but I built a box to keep it in (vented of course so it doesn't burn the motor up). Works well for what I need.:biggrin:
Randy_
Member
Rob: I can do that; but it will have to be this weekend. I'm busy with Trivia Contest stuff right now and I need to charge up the batteries in my camera.
Art Fuldodger
Member
There are a few of brands that are actually unique in their models: Porter-Cable, Dewalt, and Bostitch (I may be missing one or two). However, if you look at virtually all other brands (Campbell-Hausfeld, Craftsman, Husky, Kobalt, Coleman, etc.), you will notice that they all have near-identical models... just a few cosmetic differences. Included in that list is, of course, Harbor Freight.
There are only a very few actual manufacturers of compressors. The majority of the brands are having the same Chinese factories make runs of their usual models with some cosmetic differences.
Because of that, I don't know if debating between *most* brands is even worthwhile, about the only real difference is going to be warranty.
As for my compressor, my mother-in-law knew that I wanted one, and gave me one for Christmas. She had got it off of the clearance table at Target, of all places. She said "If it isn't the model you want, there is a gift receipt, and get the one you do want."
My heart sank. The clearance rack? And even if I took it back, what compressor would TARGET have that I would want?
I opened it up, prepared to smile anyway. To my suprise, I found a very nice unit. I don't recall the HP of the motor, but it's in the ballpark with all of the other upper-end 120V units in terms of air production. (Any bigger motor would be 220V.) It's oiled, runs well, and is quieter than smaller oilless compressors.
I used it happily for half of a year, until my wife backed the car over it. Luckily, all that broke was the regulator and air intake, so I replaced those and still use it. With an air chisel, it does a FANTASTIC job of taking out tile, and it will (of course) run a framing nailer all day long. And it's nice to be able to top off my bicycle and bike trailer tires each time I take the kids out for a ride.
One other use of your compressor is to blow out your sandpaper... my blowgun lives on my compressor most of the time. My three-year-old LOVES to take the blow gun and let the air out of the tank when I shut it off.
One tip: Put a female quick-release on the output of your regulator. On each hose, put a male QR on one end, and female on the other. That way, not only can you switch hoses quickly, you can daisy-chain your hoses as well. I cut my long rubber hose into shorter lengths that are more convenient to keep coiled, and daisy-chain them when necessary.
Oh: Don't use automotive oil in your compressor. And change your oil after the first couple (or few) hours of use. The break-in period will give you some nice, dirty oil to drain out!
There are only a very few actual manufacturers of compressors. The majority of the brands are having the same Chinese factories make runs of their usual models with some cosmetic differences.
Because of that, I don't know if debating between *most* brands is even worthwhile, about the only real difference is going to be warranty.
As for my compressor, my mother-in-law knew that I wanted one, and gave me one for Christmas. She had got it off of the clearance table at Target, of all places. She said "If it isn't the model you want, there is a gift receipt, and get the one you do want."
My heart sank. The clearance rack? And even if I took it back, what compressor would TARGET have that I would want?
I opened it up, prepared to smile anyway. To my suprise, I found a very nice unit. I don't recall the HP of the motor, but it's in the ballpark with all of the other upper-end 120V units in terms of air production. (Any bigger motor would be 220V.) It's oiled, runs well, and is quieter than smaller oilless compressors.
I used it happily for half of a year, until my wife backed the car over it. Luckily, all that broke was the regulator and air intake, so I replaced those and still use it. With an air chisel, it does a FANTASTIC job of taking out tile, and it will (of course) run a framing nailer all day long. And it's nice to be able to top off my bicycle and bike trailer tires each time I take the kids out for a ride.
One other use of your compressor is to blow out your sandpaper... my blowgun lives on my compressor most of the time. My three-year-old LOVES to take the blow gun and let the air out of the tank when I shut it off.
One tip: Put a female quick-release on the output of your regulator. On each hose, put a male QR on one end, and female on the other. That way, not only can you switch hoses quickly, you can daisy-chain your hoses as well. I cut my long rubber hose into shorter lengths that are more convenient to keep coiled, and daisy-chain them when necessary.
Oh: Don't use automotive oil in your compressor. And change your oil after the first couple (or few) hours of use. The break-in period will give you some nice, dirty oil to drain out!
I dunno. Even though most reasonable people wouldn't be able to blow dust in them, there's always one guy somewhere with his regulator set at 125PSI that will stick the end of his blowgun right up to the bearings... sort of like the people who take a pressure-washer to their bicycle at close range, and wonder why they need new bearings in the wheels and bottom bracket soon after.
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Randy_
Member
I don't recall if the manual for my compressor calls for an oil change after a break-in period......will have to check it out. Regardless, it would be a good thing to do and I am going to get some compressor oil so I can do it when the weather warms up a bit.
Art: I like your idea of using quick disconnects and chaining shorter lengths of hose. First thing I did was change out the original short hose for a 25' hose that would reach out into the driveway; but that hose is sort of overkill in the shop. Think I will buy some quick fittings so I can use either hose. thanks for the idea!!
bradbn4
Member
True - but then I rather not think about removing the head stock on my Powermatic lathe - it weighs something like 100 lbs. It was no joy for me to put it on the lathe by myself.
I remember both the shopsmith & wood turning instructor indicating it is not a good idea to clean the lathe with a high power air compressor. I guess I could dial the pressure down to 50 psi or so -- another issue would be blowing air into / under the seal which would cause other issues.
Hmm - I guess I should always stick to the shop vac for cleaning up the lathe.
Randy_
Member
I haven't tried it; but it wouldn't surprise me if as little as 10-15 PSI would be more than enough to blow away the dust on your work area??
As a vac or as a blower?? I can insert the hose of my shop vac in the exhaust port and use it as a blower. It puts out a very gentle flow of air that would not seem to be at all threatening to lathe bearings; but is very effective in blowing away dust and chips.
I just tried a little test with my compressor. 10 PSI didn't do much: but 25 PSI moved dust and chips pretty well without seeming to be particularly aggressive.
As a vac or as a blower?? I can insert the hose of my shop vac in the exhaust port and use it as a blower. It puts out a very gentle flow of air that would not seem to be at all threatening to lathe bearings; but is very effective in blowing away dust and chips.
I just tried a little test with my compressor. 10 PSI didn't do much: but 25 PSI moved dust and chips pretty well without seeming to be particularly aggressive.
gljjr
Member
When looking for a compressor, get the highest CFM rating you can afford. CFM ratings have less to do with HP than you might think. A good Ingersoll Rand compressor in a 2hp might have double the CFM of the inexpensive brands now on the market. Having said that, for most uses, the inexpensive brands work just fine. I have a 5hp Campbell Hausfeld with a 20 gal upright tank. It replaced my 30 year old 2hp Craftsman. Both machines have similar CFM ratings. They both have similar noise issues (IE REALLY LOUD). The old Craftsman was 220v and the new one is 110v. The old one was an oiled one and was replaced as the motor and motor relay/pressure switch went out. The only quiet compressor I have ever heard was one at the gas station I worked at in the '70s. It was a 3 phase, 120 gal unit that they had fabbed up a custom muffler on the intake. It really worked well and you could talk in a normal voice standing right next to it.
I will likely be replacing the current one with an industrial upright version that has over double the CFM rating from what I have now (5.5 cfm at 90 PSI) so that I can run my impacts without having to stop and wait for the compressor to fill up.
Also, instead of cutting your hoses short, purchase a good hose reel and put a 50' hose on it. Then simply pull off what you need for the job and roll it back on when done. Each quick release in the system is a leak waiting to happen! They are great, but I prefer to limit them in the system.
I will likely be replacing the current one with an industrial upright version that has over double the CFM rating from what I have now (5.5 cfm at 90 PSI) so that I can run my impacts without having to stop and wait for the compressor to fill up.
Also, instead of cutting your hoses short, purchase a good hose reel and put a 50' hose on it. Then simply pull off what you need for the job and roll it back on when done. Each quick release in the system is a leak waiting to happen! They are great, but I prefer to limit them in the system.
Randy_
Member
Finally got some nice weather with the sun out. Here are a couple of pictures for you, Rob.
1. Compressor with muffler.
2. Adapter - 3/4" plywood with bolt holes to match the intake manifold and a Coke bottle top epoxied and drilled to match the intake of the compressor.
3. Muffler - 2 liter Coke bottle with the bottom cut off and stuffed with a small bathroom towel.
4. Replumbed drain/pressure relief valve.
Attachments
rjwolfe3
Member
Cool thank you, do you mind if I use it for myself?
Randy_
Member
Be my guest. I hope it helps with your problem.
artistwood
Member
i have a campbell hausfield 2 gallon "pancake" compressor from wallmart. i gave around 60 bucks for it. it works great in my shop but wouldn't be able to run a compressor powered vacuum system very well but it will work.........bear