Anyone use this air compressor?

[dbhost]

Harbor Freight 94667.

I know a lot of guys use lower capacity compressors, but I need something that will not only drive a nail gun, but run my impact wrench, ratchet, air hammer, and an HVLP.

[LCHIEN]

well, the manual says it takes a 20A, dedicated circuit at 120V.
that'll give ou a bit more (33%) power and CFM than the usual 15A, 120V compressor, but I wonder if its still enough for the tools you want to run.

[dbhost]

That's one of the issues I am concerned about...

I was trying to avoid running 220V, looks like I might have to in order to get this handled...

[MikeMcCoy]

I have an older version of that one and ran it on a dedicated 15 amp circuit for several years with no problem. I don't know if I would attempt painting a car with it but it's always met my needs.

[dbhost]

I have an older version of that one and ran it on a dedicated 15 amp circuit for several years with no problem. I don't know if I would attempt painting a car with it but it's always met my needs.

Not car exactly. But I do have automotive projects I want to do...

#1. Repaint the toolbox on my truck.
#2. Repaint the brush guard / nerf bars on my truck.
#3. Paint some fender flares. (My truck as 35x12.50's, stock size was 235/70R17, HUGE difference, too much tire sticking out of the fender and I don't want black flares).

Other than those few tasks... I don't really need that much compressor... The rest is impact wrenches, air ratchets, die grinders, nail guns etc... I can do that with a little 8 gallon compressor no problem...

Space wise I would be better off with a smaller compressor too... Maybe I will borrow my BIL's paint booth to shoot my bits and pieces...

[Tom Slick]

It will work for your needs. If you don't already own a spray gun I recommend that you buy a "detail gun". They hold less material and use less air, both are a good thing when working on smaller projects.

[master53yoda]

This compressor is a true 2.5 HP compressor based on the amp draw shown in the owners manual. What you really need to look at is the CFM requirement of the paint gun you are using and compare it to the compressor cfm output at the same pressure. The tank size will give you about an effective 30% more CFM then the compressor is rated at if you can allow it to refill the tank every 5 minutes or so. this should only take a minute or 2 to refill. You also will need to put an oil/water separator on this as it is an oil filled compressor.

This compressor must be operated on a 20 amp circuit, the amp draw at full load is 14.6 amps, and do not use an extension cord that is less the 12 gauge., the shorter the better!

[dbhost]

During its use, since the air compressor and dust collector wouldn't be used together, and both can be turned off... I am thinking about sharing the circuit for those two... Dedicated at the time of use as it were. No extension cords...

I am SERIOUSLY rethinking the size needed. Painting projects are few and far between. I will NEVER paint a car in my shop, barring a MUCH larger shop space with an area I can at least temporarily section off as a paint booth.

[Hoover]

The compressor seems to be a good value. You might not NEED the capacity now but opportunities might come up in the future. Your call.

[herb fellows]

I think you really have to look at the tool requirements. You might 'get away with' a bit less than stated, but it also might aggravate the he double hockeysticks out of you waiting for it to catch up.

[dbhost]

Right now the call is capacity vs. Space... Seriously tough call...

[jonmulzer]

You are building a shed in the future. How about a small bump-out, just big enough for your compressor on a back corner? It gives you the space the compressor would use up and gets the noise out of the garage.

[dbhost]

Space in the shed was what I was worried about...

I wonder if I can swing a bump out without expanding the footprint of the shed....

Not so worried about noise in the garage, not convinced that I need a compressor that big in MY shop is all..

I do have access to a full on body shop (12 bays indoors one side, 4 bay wide full environment control paint booth (heat, hunidity, dust etc..) with to say the least, ample compressed air... So access to a large compressor for larger spraying jobs.

IF in the future my need grows, it will be due to hauling up stakes and scooting down the road somewhere. Until the economic mess we are in gets squared away I don't see that happening... When and if that happens, I don't want to be hauling any 60+ gallon monster of a compressor. Heck, I'm not even sure I want to drag a 15 gallon compressor around without help...

[jonmulzer]

Trust me, once you get the air compressor outside of the workshop where you barely hear it when it kicks on, you will wonder how you ever managed with it inside. At my father's place his compressor is in a back storage room now with a light switch in the shop that is lighted to let you know when it is on to turn it on and off. Very quiet and if I ever move where my shop is not in the basement I will be figuring out how to get my compressor out of the shop also!

[Lonnie in Orlando]

I have that compressor.

I've used my HF HVLP gun (#90977, 5.9 CFM), and a full pressure HF gun (#91009, 5 CFM) with it to paint some outdoor furniture. Kept up OK, but I didn't push it.

I suggest you buy an extended warrenty. Previous HF compressors that I have owned crapped out from various problems before the warrenty was up. At least the replacement policy is good!

- Lonnie