Quiet compressor?

[Cheeky]

can anybody recommend a more quiet compressor for nail guns, etc? i have a pc pancake and it's killing me loudly

[jackellis]

I have an old Campbell Hausfeld 4 gallon, 2.5 HP compressor that seems to be fairly quiet. Used it to install some trim last week and the sound level inside was very tolerable.

[TheRic]

can anybody recommend a quiet compressor for nail guns, etc?

What do you call quiet??

Oil-less air compressors are generally louder. Small tanks normally have large compressors on them to compensate for the little air volume.

BIL took a large tank (about 7' X 3') and attached a small air compressor to it (about 20 feet away). Can hardly hear the compressor. The tank holds enough air to run several tools for awhile.

[JTimmons]

I got the same pancake compressor, large basement shop and it makes my ears ring I think it echos (can't tell for sure, hence ears ringing). I've thought about building a box to fit over it out of MDF, cutting holes for the hose and for it the breath, taking some styro foam and insulating the inside to quiet it down a bit.
Never fails to kick on when I least expect it, scares the crap out of me.

[mac_daddy]

I also have the PC 6 gal pancake; I was thinking of making a small cart to push it outside of the workshop (garage) when I am using it. Has anyone thought of a sound dampening enclosure?

[Jeffrey Schronce]

One of this months wood magazines has a little blurb on enclosing a pancake compressor. Recommendations follow others posted here. Make an enclosed box with adequate holes for the unit to breath. They suggested 4 or 5 holes approx 2" I believe. Place those on the back of the box away from you. Lining with egg crate foam rather than styrofoam would likely reduce sound better. REmember to include a door to access pressure settings.

[cwsmith]

It should be obvious, but like so many of us when we're working on stuff we like to do, there is a tendency to ignore some safety factors.... like ear protection!

Oil-less (NL) compressors are usually aluminum cylinder'd, high-speed units which are exceptionally noisey. A lubricated, cast-iron cylinder is somewhat more quiet, but still a bit loud to be around for any length of time. This is especially true in a confined work area.

Buiding a shroud or a baffled container will help, but then you need to provide proper air and heat venting; otherwise you will damage the compressor.

CWS

[Cheeky]

i wear my peltor ear protection around that lil beast, but i have neighbors et al. who complain, and i have to agree, the pancake is obscenely loud.

i'm going to try the makita mac2400

[Rob R]

devil's advocate:

how loud is your hammer?




but seriously folks, i have that same compressor and have found that while it's "recharging" i usually need to go and get a glass of water, pop or take a little pee break. unless i'm going nuts with it, often i'll shut it off when i return, and inside there is plenty of air to run my pinner or 18 for quite a while.

YMMV
rob

[Tom Miller]

I can't even hear my compressor when it's running. But that's because it's in the garage, and my shop is on the other side of the house, in the basement.

But, all gloating aside, if you can figure out a way to put the compressor in a remote location, and plumb air to your shop, you're problem is solved.

Since my basement was unfinished at the time, I was also able to wire a switched outlet in the garage for the compressor, with the switch in my shop.

Regards,
Tom