Talk Me Out of Selling This . . . .

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I recently picked up a brand new in the crate 7.5 HP 80 Gallon Sears/Craftsman Oilfree compressor. I have a Porter Cable pancake style compressor I use for nail guns. I want to venture into so light spray gun in the future.
Question : Do I really need this thing? I bought it because the store manager unloaded it on me one day when I showed up with a U-Haul to pick some things up. Not trying to gloat but Craftsman catalog has this thing listed at $650 and I paid $140. I am thinking I could sell it and make quite a few bucks off of it (get $400?) but would I find myself needing it in the future. I thought it would be handy for spray gun applications but after reading here and at sawmillcreek seems as most are getting by with HVLP with small pan cake compressors. I thought keeping the big one and selling the small one made sense until I needed to install some crown molding today.
What do you think folks . . . . Deal or No Deal (my 3 year old is infatuated with that show).

[JTimmons]

7.5 HP 80 Gallon for $140.00 I'd keep it. You can't go wrong for that price. Sell it and I bet you'll find be kicking yourself later.

[ryan.s]

How the heck did you get it for 140? I say you definitely scored. I started out with a husky 2 gallon compressor, when that crapped out I went to the craftsman 6 gallon pancake (same one as the porter cable/both made by the same manufacturer). After a couple of months when that stopped working I picked up a 15 gallon vertical craftsman which has held up quite nicely. I'm able to use it for spray guns, ratchets, die grinders, nailers and such. Only thing is when using it for the spray gun it's basically always running so that it can keep up with the gun.

My philosphy on compressors is that it is an invaluable tool in any workshop and the bigger the better. With an 80 gallon tank you will pretty much be able to run any pneumatic tool you want without having the compressor runnning all the time, the oiless ones can get pretty loud.

Basically I guess what I'm saying is I would definitely keep it if I were you. Also keep the pancake for the nailers. I still use my original 2 gallon tank every once in a while even though the motor doesn't work for quick jobs around the house when I need to use the nail or staple gun. I just charge it with the larger compressor and saves me from lugging around the 15 gallon tank.

[just4funsies]

The first thing I bought when I set up my shop was a Campbell-Hausfield 7.5-hp compressor (went horizontal, because it fits under a bench). Had a shop air system built in when my house was built. Although I don't use it EVERY day, I have never been sorry that I went for the extra capacity. There simply isn't any tool or feed rate that it can't handle. A good investment, and it was much more $$ than you have in yours. I'd keep it at that price. You'd spend the profit if you sold it, and you'll never get another at anywhere near that price.

[ted van halen]

I'm still running w/ a conventional 2-horse craftsman w/ 30gal. tank I inherited from a dead uncle 12+ years ago. It was old when he got it. Old funky green color. Still works like a champ but the deal you got!! That's cheap at twice the price. I'm w/ the rest. Keep it. Or sell it to me for a MILD profit of 10-20%

Ted

[Ken Weaver]

Don't sell it. Its one of the handiest things in the shop. Just like clamps where more is better, compressors - at $140, bigger is better.

[Jim Boyd]

snip

My philosphy on compressors is that it is an invaluable tool in any workshop and the bigger the better. With an 80 gallon tank you will pretty much be able to run any pneumatic tool you want without having the compressor runnning all the time, the oiless ones can get pretty loud.

Basically I guess what I'm saying is I would definitely keep it if I were you. Also keep the pancake for the nailers. I still use my original 2 gallon tank every once in a while even though the motor doesn't work for quick jobs around the house when I need to use the nail or staple gun. I just charge it with the larger compressor and saves me from lugging around the 15 gallon tank.

I agree keep both but saying an 80 gallon tank won't run all of the time is sorta false. It depends on the output of the pump. And I would highly suspect the the motor is not 7.5 hp. Still a u-suck-gloat

[Andrew Benedetto]

I have the DeVelbiss(manuf) of the CM clone which is actually better in the pressure switch(replaced mine 2x,finally went to a squareD with heavier contacts) and air filter. My friend has yours in his shop with no problems. I paid $650 at Costco years ago. That is a super steal, no way our sears would do that price drop. I would never go back to a 1 stage for the shop. Keep it, you will not be sorry. I worked as a mechanic and for heavy use you need a 2 stage. The vertical tank takes up little space. I used large rubber funiture carpet protectors under the feet, upside down under the feet prior to bolting it down to the concrete. I also added an elbow,nipple, to run the drain to the front for easy access.
Oh yea, I agree, you really due suck for this gloat!

UPDATE: OILLESS, forget it, to holdup under HD use. I was talking about an oil lubed one. My neighbor has to keep his door closed when he run his CH oilless, another friend was in the middle of spraying a car and the connecting rod broke on such a compressor,the recovery time is very long too. Made a real mess out of that job and he tossed the compressor due to repair costs. He the got a 2 stage oilubed one. I would sell it but good luck getting $400.

[Tom Miller]

I thought keeping the big one and selling the small one made sense until I needed to install some crown molding today.

You can get a couple hundred feet of 1/4" hose and still be ahead on that deal. (You shouldn't have any trouble running nailers with that hose.)

Or, keep both, as suggested.

Regards,
Tom

[jbalders]

I recently picked up a brand new in the crate 7.5 HP 80 Gallon Sears/Craftsman Oilfree compressor. I have a Porter Cable pancake style compressor I use for nail guns. I want to venture into so light spray gun in the future.

I believe Thom (Thom2) has one similar to that. His neighbors hate it.

The oil-free compressors tend to be REALLY loud, considerably more so than the oiled compressors.

[Thom2]

Nuh-uh!!!

I believe Thom (Thom2) has one similar to that. His neighbors hate it.

The oil-free compressors tend to be REALLY loud, considerably more so than the oiled compressors.

NOT ANYMORE!!!

I sold that obnoxious POS and took a hit to buy this ......



I've heard that the newer oilless are much quieter now, I haven't actually been around one to find out but there's NWIH I'll ever go back down that road.

For $140 I'd certainly entertain the idea of keeping it, or at least selling it for enough to buy the Husky like I have, 80g tank is a little ignorant size-wise. I had in my possession a SpeedAire 7hp 2-stage 80g for $75 right after I bought this Husky, I decided the 80g just took up too much floor space for what I need a compressor for (I still cry about getting rid of it tho'). Any way you look at it, you're in a PRIME position to add a much underestimated piece of equipment to your shop.


Thom
with happier neighbors in PA

[Jeffrey Schronce]

You can get a couple hundred feet of 1/4" hose and still be ahead on that deal. (You shouldn't have any trouble running nailers with that hose.)

Or, keep both, as suggested.

Regards,
Tom

LOL. . . . I thought about that today. Shop is about 25 ft from garage entrance and 75 ft to living room. 150 ft should cover it. Of course that is just insane (which means reasonable on my twisted scale).

I remembered today that when I got out of college I rented a room from a guy who built custom cycles. He had a big 'ol compressor and I remember a 2" or so clear hose running outside with a muffler on the end of it. Anyone have any knowledge of such an application and does it work with this type of compressor.

Note : I also did the typical man thing and bragged that it is bigger than it acutally is. Upon checking today it is 7 hp and 60 gallon.

[maxparot]

I'd sell the oilless and use the money to get a 5hp 30 gallon oil lubed compressor. The one you have is noisy and takes up way to much room in a small shop. Oiless are designed to be maintenance free but don't last over the long haul. A properly sized compressor will run all your tools (5hp or more) and not take up more room than needed. Bigger tanks are best for multiple users it gives the pump time to catch up for a single user a 30gal tank will remove the pulsation from the pump.