Tough choice on tool purchase

[Tree Farmer]

Hope everyone had a nice holiday. I have one of those once-in-a-while dilemmas--a good dilemma. It seems that I have collected about $180 in gift cards to Lowe's. Now, I have two tools I've done without for years and would like to purchase: (1) a small, but accurate and reliable drill press (like the Delta 12") and (2) an air compressor, primarily for brad nailing. My thoughts are that I may use the gift cards to purchase one of these at Lowe's and then get the other sometime this Spring at Harbor Freight. So that being said, which would you guys recommend I purchase at which store?

Thanks for your $0.02!

[dkhoward]

My personal choice in this case would be to put the gift cards towards one of the compressor/gun packs that both lowes and home depot sale. THey usually include a good quality oilless pancake compressor, a crown stapler, a brad nailer and sometimes even a finish nailer. I know that I have seen kits from porter cable and from bostich. Its the biggest bang for the buck that I have found.

[jackellis]

...and then depending on where you live, look for a used tool to fill the other need.

[sweensdv]

I agree that the compressor would be my first choice here also. A combo deal like Dennis mentioned would be OK but not my first choice expecially if you already have a nailer or two. Your ears will thank you later if you spend a little more now and get yourself a good quality quiet compressor.

As far as the drill press is concerned, you can get a good quality reliable DP from Harbor Freight for well under $200. You might be able to get a good quality and reliable compresser from Harbor Freight but you won't get a quiet one.

[JimD]

I bought the Bostitch combo with a 16 gauge finish nailer and later added a PC 18 gauge, a Bostitch 23 gauge, and a HF stapler. The only one I was a bit disappointed with was the HF - and it is clearly worth the money, it just doesn't want to drive longer staples unless the pressure is REAL high. The Bostitch compressor is noisy, as oil less compressors tend to be. I also spray with it, however, and I wear hearing protection most of the time in the shop so I can live with it.

I don't know what kind of drill press you are thinking of. Mine is an old Craftsman. I like the fact that I can go from low speed (like 250rpm) to high speed (like 8000) easily on one set of pulleys. I do not like the lack of a crank to adjust the height of the table. Those are the features I would look at. I think a drillpress is one of those "big iron" things that HF could be OK for but I would want to see what they do for speed control. For a compressor, one of their oil type may also be a good way to go if you don't spray or know how to rig a good oil trap. You do not need a big or real good compressor for brad nailing. My 1.5 hp, 6 gallon Bostich rarely cycles for the nailing I do - one pump up of the tank will drive at least several dozen nails. Even a very small compressor will drive a brad nailer. I have thought about getting one for jobs not worth dragging my bigger compressor to but bought a tank with regulator instead. It also works for a couple dozen nails or more. The only thing I do not recommend from your list at HF is their nailers - and they are worth the money but I think spending more for the better brands makes sense for nailers (and I am not sure if you are thinking nailers or just a compressor).

Jim

[maxparot]

HF has a good selection of drill press models to choose from but their small compressors seem to be hit or miss. Considering that I'd say play it safe a get the compressor at Lowes and the drill press at HF.

[Tree Farmer]

Thanks for the advice

My thoughts paralleled what you guys have posted...I'd figured that the best option would be to buy a decent compressor from Lowe's (with a 3-to-5 year warranty) and then pick up a press from HF (even if it's the benchtop model that's received good reviews here). I'll let you know what I decide!

Thanks again for your opinions!

[boblon]

I don't know if your only thinking of buying a very small compressor strictly to run a brad gun or something a little bigger for general shop use, so this may not apply, but...

...I find a shop compressor one of those things that once I got one, I don't know how I ever got by without one. They are handy for all kinds of things and I am contstantly reaching for the hose for one thing or another.

Just my .02

BobL>

[messmaker]

I agree. I use my air compressor at least times as much as the drill press. I have several HF air tools and they do fine but i really like Porter Cable.All but the smallest drill presses can do most WW jobs although the HF floor unit that goes on sale for under $200 is very popular.

[JimD]

My 1.5hp Bostitch compressor is marginal for spraying finish and will not run a cutoff tool I bought from HF (it depletes the tank in about 15 seconds). For running a brad nailer, however, it is plenty. Once you have air you may, like me, start wanting to do more with it. A bigger compressor would then be handy.

Jim

[Tree Farmer]

Purchase made...a nice deal!

Well, guys, here it is: I went to my local Lowe's to pick up some paint supplies and wandered through the tool crib. The Powermate vendor was there and saw me ogling the various compressors. He shared with me that he was going to be marking down some of last year's Kobalt compressors as soon as he got the store managers approval. Of course, I camped out right there and waited. Eventually, I walked out the door with the 20-gallon, 1.5 HP model NIB (Item 233885) for about $64.

It came with a rather large tool/accessory kit (including a die grinder, cut off tool, air hammer, and impact wrench). I think I'll try selling the tool kit on ebay, since I don't do masonry, welding, or auto body work.

Funny thing, as soon as I loaded mine on a flatbed cart, two other "tool vultures" swooped in and picked the remaining two NIB. The vendor saved the open box model for himself!

By the way, I still have over $100 in gift cards left!

[gimpy]

Jon, nice score. I don't have a Lowe's nearby and am not familiar with the Powermate brand. Is that a Lowe's brand (like Ryobi is with HD). HD here has a 26 gal "Husky" compressor with six tools marked down to $289 (I think). I was just wondering if they are comparable to each other. I don't remember the hp of the motor. Been thinking about buying it, but, am going around and around with my better half over it.
Just curious, Thx, Frank

[Al Garay]

At Lowes, look at the Hitachi compressor which is much quieter than the pancake ones. There was a thread recently describing the differences. You can pick up the Porter Cable brad nailer for $40-69.

For the benchtop drill press, look at the Ryobi or Grizzly.

[Cheeky]

At Lowes, look at the Hitachi compressor which is much quieter than the pancake ones. There was a thread recently describing the differences. You can pick up the Porter Cable brad nailer for $40-69.

For the benchtop drill press, look at the Ryobi or Grizzly.

I highly recommend the Hitachi pancake (75dB compared to the 92dB PC pancake).

It doesn't take nearly as long to compress and recharge too, and it's easy enough to tote around (i only nail, dust things off and fill tires....i don't need a huge compressor).

$135 after coupon

[Tree Farmer]

Jon, nice score. I don't have a Lowe's nearby and am not familiar with the Powermate brand. Is that a Lowe's brand (like Ryobi is with HD). HD here has a 26 gal "Husky" compressor with six tools marked down to $289 (I think). I was just wondering if they are comparable to each other. I don't remember the hp of the motor. Been thinking about buying it, but, am going around and around with my better half over it.
Just curious, Thx, Frank

Hello Frank. Based on the vendor's activities that day, it seems that his firm makes quite a few of the "brand-name" compressors. Mine is actually branded a "Kobalt", which is Lowe's store brand of hand/power tools. As for "loudness", it registered about 84 decibels. I'm an old rocker, so 80+ decibels doesn't seem as loud to me as my old tube-driven Marshall amps.

Also, based the experience of many others here, I went to HF and bought the 46309 brad nailer and a 50' hose. Looks like I will be selling the "bonus" tool kit on ebay.

Since I have $100+ remaining in gift cards, I may wait a while and buy the 12" Delta press. If the gift cards were for HD, then I'd probably buy the Ryobi. That said, HF's 12-speed large benchtop DP seems intriguing, except that I can buy their larger floor press for nearly the same price.