Im looking for a new compressor.
Does anyone know of a good compressor for under $300 bucks? Not sure whats the max CFM's i can get for that kind of money, but id like it to run the occasional air tool and a sandblaster. looks like something around 8CFMs will work.
i saw this one over at HF....http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=55996 (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=55996) not sure if the brand is any good. WIll need to run 220v up to my garage though.
Quote from: He Man on April 18, 2009, 10:03:35 AM
Im looking for a new compressor.
Does anyone know of a good compressor for under $300 bucks? Not sure whats the max CFM's i can get for that kind of money, but id like it to run the occasional air tool and a sandblaster. looks like something around 8CFMs will work.
i saw this one over at HF....http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=55996 (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=55996) not sure if the brand is any good. WIll need to run 220v up to my garage though.
I would check craigslist for used ones. with all the small business closing, I bet there are lots of newish name brand used ones out there for cheap
tried that cant find any, theres a bunch of diesel powered 80CFM compressors though. lol
i have this one from ingersoll rand, i bought it mainly because of the good reputation of IR.
(http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/images/SS3L3_500.jpg)
$600
but i was also considering this campbell housefield
(http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/images/VT6275_400.jpg)
$400. the one you are looking at a refurb, which saves u 80 bucks
They are both around 3.xhp and 60 gall. so far the IR works flawlessly (also runs on 220v) for all the tools ive used so far, but i have not yet gotten the
chance to do heavy sanding and painting, which are the most demanding jobs. the compressor is loud but at 60gal its hardly ever one. Id say after working
with an impact wrench, hammer, and air ratchet the motor clicks on after about 2 hrs IME
My grandfather uses a smaller horizontal rolling campbell, which he says he likes. He uses it on the bike and cars, the only issue is that it runs on 110v
and it apparently trips the breaker on startup fairly often
CH is a pretty reliable company. They are better than a craftsman from the reviews i have read. They are however not the top of the line. IR will send a tech to your house if they cant help you
trouble shoot your compressor. It also comes with a 3 or 5 year warranty. There may be a reason CH sells refurb units, and IR does not (they fail less?) both are probably fine choices
Sandblasters gobble up air.
If it's occasional it will be fine.
Plumb the air lines proper and you'll get extra storage capacity.
Use as big a pipe as you can afford.
1-1/2" would be ideal for painting/blasting.
For $300 it sonds like a good starter.
btw i have gotten different opinions on whether my compressor can handle a paint sprayer, but for large paint jobs get one with over 15cfm. for small bike parts u may be able to get away with less and a smaller sprayer
Quote from: trouble on April 18, 2009, 10:22:34 AM
Sandblasters gobble up air.
If it's occasional it will be fine.
Plumb the air lines proper and you'll get extra storage capacity.
For $300 it sonds like a good starter.
ain't that the truth... :P
My compressor is 17 cfm at 175 psi.
It runs constantly when I blast.
Occasional blasting...a minute or two
and blasting occasionally...once a month for hours...
are totally different things.
The amount of air needed to sandblast is a function of the size nozzle you use. I can't figure out how to scan a phamphlet put out by Lindsay, a company that makes sandblasters,or you could read for yourself. Since I can't here goes.
3/32 in nozzle uses 10 cfm
60 to 90 lbs. Abrasive/hr
Blasts 1/2 sq ft/min
1/8 nozzle uses 16 cfm
150 to 175 lbs/hr
blasts 1 sq ft/min
3/16 nozzle uses 50 cfm
275 to 400 lbs abrasive/hr
blasts 2-1/2 sq ft/min
If you use ceramic nozzles (the least expensive) they quickly become larger.
After 35 years in the industrial supply/rental business, I can assure you that the manufacturers estimate of compressor output is optimistic to say the least. Especially on these little homeowner units. While I'm at it I might as well tell you that air compressor cfm is stated as cubic feet per minute at 0 pressure, Free air. Tool cfm is stated as cubic feet per minute at whatever operating pressure is recommended, usually, and in the case of sandblasters, 90 psi. A whole lot of difference.
Both of the units pictured are single stage pumps. Not very efficient over 125 psi. If I had one, I would set the switch for 125. The one Ducpainter is talking about is probably a two stage 5 or 10 hp industrial unit.
Yep...
5 hp 2 stage Quincy. It's an older unit, but runs great.
I used to use a single stage 5 hp Sanborn sold as AMP (Air Moving Products) I would have to stop regularly for the thing to catch up.
Another thing to keep in mind when you pick a compressor is duty cycle. The 'homeowner' type units are not built for continuous running.
Quote from: ducpainter on April 18, 2009, 03:15:07 PM
Yep...
5 hp 2 stage Quincy. It's an older unit, but runs great.
I used to use a single stage 5 hp Sanborn sold as AMP (Air Moving Products) I would have to stop regularly for the thing to catch up.
Another thing to keep in mind when you pick a compressor is duty cycle. The 'homeowner' type units are not built for continuous running.
Those old Quincey pumps are pretty good. One of the few with pressure oiled lower ends.
If you ever need parts talk to ACS (Air Compressor Sales) in Macon Ga. They sell wholesale to anyone with a credit card.
Quote from: 64duc on April 18, 2009, 03:20:34 PM
Those old Quincey pumps are pretty good. One of the few with pressure oiled lower ends.
If you ever need parts talk to ACS (Air Compressor Sales) in Macon Ga. They sell wholesale to anyone with a credit card.
I'm not positive this is a pressure lubed model, but I don't know for certain. Looks like any other pump.
I wish I knew that before...I bought a replacement dipstick for it. They didn't use
any lube when they billed me... that's for certain.
Quote from: ducpainter on April 18, 2009, 03:31:13 PM
I'm not positive this is a pressure lubed model, but I don't know for certain. Looks like any other pump.
I wish I knew that before...I bought a replacement dipstick for it. They didn't use any lube when they billed me... that's for certain.
I'm not positive about smaller models like that but I know the 15 hp are. Pressure guage on the opposite end from the drive belts.
ACS can supply parts for almost any compressor ever made.
I would stay away from the Harbor Freight jobs if you are going to use it a lot. I bought a 33 gal. Sears Craftsman on sale, I think it was discontinued, but it has 6hp peak and pumps all the air I need to run a 1/2 in. impact. Haven't tried a spray gun, but I'm sure it will run a smaller touch up style gun. It was about $235. I believe it retailed for $329 last year.
Quote from: He Man on April 18, 2009, 10:11:46 AM
tried that cant find any, theres a bunch of diesel powered 80CFM compressors though. lol
Hard to believe you can't find smaller used compressors on CL. Aren't you in a big city like NYC? I tried searching the NYC Craigslist tools section and got 59 hits, most all of them smaller shop compressors. A good used real compressor fro $300 is a lot better than a new $300 compressor. A compressor is one of the most useful shop tools you can get, if you get a good one. If you get a little POS it's just frustrating unless all you want to do is fill tires with it.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/search/tls?query=compressor&minAsk=min&maxAsk=max (http://newyork.craigslist.org/search/tls?query=compressor&minAsk=min&maxAsk=max)
Quotesmaller used compressors on CL
im looking for bigger better. i already have a little POS thats frustrating me, cant even run my air grinder for more than 8 seconds on full power. [thumbsup]
Put in $300 max and you get 39 hits. of those 39 hits, 1/3 of them are comparable to the 2.6cfm i have, the other are only slightly more powerful. the last third arent even air compressors, just tools that use compressors.
overall, ive never been pleased with HF stuff unless its downright cheap things that you woudlnt care if they broke. corndog, which model do u have? 6hp sounds like it can supply more CFMs then i need ATM.
He Man....
If you are going to be sandblasting you really need a 2 stage pump.
Really.
Is there anyway to find a ~8CFM two stage for around $300-400. Everywhere i look, the two stages are basically twice as expensive as the regular singles.
Quote from: He Man on April 19, 2009, 09:33:03 AM
Is there anyway to find a ~8CFM two stage for around $300-400. Everywhere i look, the two stages are basically twice as expensive as the regular singles.
...and for good reason...
you get twice as much air...basically.
You won't find a new one in that price range.
I paid $400 for the single stage Sanborn I have and that was >15 years ago.
Cheapest I've seen is at Lowes or Home Cheapo for $800-1K. Those are Campbell Hausfield. Northern has an Ingersoll for about the same price.
People sometimes sell good compressors for cheap that just have some very minor problems. I got a two-stage I-R model 30T for $25 and all that was wrong with it was a screw came loose and one of the flapper valves wasn't seating.
The secret to getting good deals is being patient and not being in a hurry. If you want your compressor right now then you have to pay the price. But if you're not in a real rush and keep looking around I think you will eventually find what you want at your price. The listings on Craigslist change all the time and just because what you want isn't there today doesn't mean it won't be tomorrow. I've had very good luck with Craigslist myself and I live in a much smaller area with a lot fewer listings.
im not in a rush, i still have to finish this semester so im looking to buy one within 1.5 months time frame. Guess ill keep my eyes peeled for a single stage. the 2stages are just way to costly right now.
QuoteI paid $400 for the single stage Sanborn I have and that was >15 years ago.
I have one very similar that I got about 15 years ago, I looked at Sanborn and ended up wtih a $400 DeVilbiss (sp?) from Costco. I think the CFM rating is about the same. The DeVilbiss has been absolutely bulletproof and I can't guess how many hours on it. Soon as it seemed like it was broken in I changed the oil to Amsoil (sorry for the Amsoil plug, I don't particularly like the company but credit where credit is due) and I've never bothered to change it in 15 years.
For an orbital sander and painting mine works just fine, although being a hacker painter I probably paint slow. It works OK for sandblasting but most of my sandblasting is on small stuff and I turn it down so that I don't get carried away and damage something. I also got one of the small pressure pot sandblasters and it works a lot better than the suction type that I used to use.
Quote from: Langanobob on April 19, 2009, 09:59:19 AM
I have one very similar that I got about 15 years ago, I looked at Sanborn and ended up wtih a $400 DeVilbiss (sp?) from Costco. I think the CFM rating is about the same. The DeVilbiss has been absolutely bulletproof and I can't guess how many hours on it. Soon as it seemed like it was broken in I changed the oil to Amsoil (sorry for the Amsoil plug, I don't particularly like the company but credit where credit is due) and I've never bothered to change it in 15 years.
For an orbital sander and painting mine works just fine, although being a hacker painter I probably paint slow. It works OK for sandblasting but most of my sandblasting is on small stuff and I turn it down so that I don't get carried away and damage something. I also got one of the small pressure pot sandblasters and it works a lot better than the suction type that I used to use.
I bought mine for general farm shop use.
It will run a sander, impact etc...
I even used it for my paint shop. I use an HVLP gun with low cfm requirements...or I used to. I bought the gun to match the output of the compressor.
The pump and motor are fine, but the tank rotted out.
With my new used compressor I can use any gun made, and have added a couple of SATAs which have very high consumption.
The saying "I'm too poor to buy cheap" should really apply here. You already have a shitty compressor (assuming you bought it), it was probably a budget issue. And now, you're trying to do something similar.
If you save up and scrimp and sell some shit you don't need (including the old compressor) you can end up with a proper two stage large pump that will happily run anything you want for the next twenty years. If you don't want to be looking for a bigger compressor in two years, just save up and take the hit now.
Quote from: littlewiseass on April 19, 2009, 07:51:32 PM
The saying "I'm too poor to buy cheap" should really apply here. You already have a shitty compressor (assuming you bought it), it was probably a budget issue. And now, you're trying to do something similar.
If you save up and scrimp and sell some shit you don't need (including the old compressor) you can end up with a proper two stage large pump that will happily run anything you want for the next twenty years. If you don't want to be looking for a bigger compressor in two years, just save up and take the hit now.
We have to remember that he's a student :) As I recall, my student tool buying binges were probably more of a release from exam pressure and the usual student BS with very little logic involved.
He Man, what really helped me during my student years was getting a part time job on a ranch where I had full access to their shop for my own projects. Somehow I don't think there are many job openings for ranch hands in NYC, but any place with a workshop is good.
Also, change your major from civil engineering, I don't think it's a good fit for you ;D
littlewiseass, what's up with your dramatic name change? At first I thought it was one of the moderators messing with you, but since you've kept it I guess it was self-induced. You lost a bet?
Quote from: Langanobob on April 20, 2009, 05:57:37 AM
littlewiseass, what's up with your dramatic name change? At first I thought it was one of the moderators messing with you, but since you've kept it I guess it was self-induced. You lost a bet?
He's been a little wiseass forever.
It's not dramatic in the slightest. ;)
what are you going to school for?
is there any way you can write it off as educational expense and pay for it with some of your student loan money? or write it off on taxes?
does your school have any similar equipment around that you could "use"?
just some thoughts :)
Quote from: He Man on April 19, 2009, 09:33:03 AM
Is there anyway to find a ~8CFM two stage for around $300-400. Everywhere i look, the two stages are basically twice as expensive as the regular singles.
The smallest two stage made is a 5 hp. What we've been talking about so far are piston type pumps. Even better for sandblasting is a single stage screw type compressor. Unfortunately they are even more costly.
Quote from: 64duc on April 22, 2009, 02:08:02 PM
The smallest two stage made is a 5 hp. What we've been talking about so far are piston type pumps. Even better for sandblasting is a single stage screw type compressor. Unfortunately they are even more costly.
Sure...
go ahead...
throw a wrench in the works.... [laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
I use a screw comp at work nearly daily. [thumbsup]
But it's the size of a passat (50hp) [thumbsup]
Check AMerican IMC or now the go by Bel Aire. The make a really good two stage 5hp.
Screw type.... that sounds pretty mean. like a screw driven super charger! how many CFMs would that be? ;D
Im a Civil Engineering Major, and i pay out of my own pocket for tution (dirty cheap $4000 a year).
I've been looking to get a compressor for the longest time, my shitty 2.6cfm doughnut shape one is WEAKSAUCE! i just dont want to drop $$$ on the biggest baddest compressor since honestly, it would get used heavily for a few days out of a the month, and other wise sit dormant. that refurbed one is looking reallllyy good, but im afraid of it breaking down since its a refurb, and im not sure if its show room refurb, droped of a truck refurb, or custoemr return refurb...
Buy a small-ish contractors compressor, 2 HP, that puts out 4-5 CFM at 90lbs. Make sure it's oil lubricated. That will do everything you need except paint and sandblasting. Hook it up to an aux. tank for more reserve air and you'll be able to get by doing small painting/blasting jobs without too much drama. I've got a 20 yr old Bostich pancake compressor I bought essentially DOA. I put new rings and conn. rod in it and I've beat the crap out of it since, framing, roofing, siding, you name it. The only time I've run out of air with it is nailing off subfloor.
He Man,
By now you have to have a serious case of DuMF00 (Ducati Monster Forum Opinion Overload) ;D I don't think you've mentioned exactly what you plan on sandblasting? If all you plan on doing is an occasional small part in preparation for paint or powdercoating, you can use a little patience with a small compressor and wait for it to catch up with you. If you're going to be doing a lot of larger parts then you need a bigger one as has already been pretty well covered.
Also, do you already have the sandblaster? If so what is it? That will help in picking a suitable compressor. My apologies if you've already answered these questions.
Quote from: He Man on April 22, 2009, 09:18:22 PM
Screw type.... that sounds pretty mean. like a screw driven super charger! how many CFMs would that be? ;D
Very similar to the super charger. The smallest I've seen is 5hp 18 cfm, the largest 900 cfm. probably 400 or 500 diesel hp.
Quote from: Langanobob on April 20, 2009, 05:57:37 AM
littlewiseass, what's up with your dramatic name change? At first I thought it was one of the moderators messing with you, but since you've kept it I guess it was self-induced. You lost a bet?
Typically, one of the mods will mess with me (one in particular who should be paintin' stuff), and I'm too lazy to change ti back.