Air compressor recommendations?

[jlm]

Well, my air compressor seems to have croaked on me, so I'm in the market for a new one. The old one was one of the "contractor" series Campbell-Hausfelds, and it worked admirably for about five years. It was a 4 gallon twin-stack design, which I kind of liked. Plumbing the shop for air is a far distant project, so having a smaller compressor that I can move around is essential. Someday, in my dreams, I'll have one of the big 60-gallon boys, but for now I need something semi-portable, 4-10 gallon tank size, decent air rate for general around-the-shop tasks (filling tires, running nailers, blowing dust, etc).

So, anybody got a great compressor they would recommend? Or, maybe more importantly, any brands/models I should absolutely avoid?

[cabinetman]

I would suggest a vertical portable type that's 'oil lubricated'. The only small portable compressors I've had were Speedaire, and they serve me well. Of the portable verticals this one at HF is certainly priced right but I have no knowledge of how good or bad it is. They do have a good return policy.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94667

These are comparable verticals:
http://www.amazon.com/Alton-AT01213-...75914&sr=1-165

http://www.amazon.com/Campbell-Hausf...76119&sr=1-287
.
A suggestion about your shop layout. You could pipe your shop with a quick disconnect at the start of the run. That way might eliminate hose clutter. There is an advantage to pipe the area. Having the filter as far from the tank will remove more moisture than at the tank, and the length of piping will provide cooler air and drains along its length fro moisture buildup removal.

I'm suggesting the vertical portable types as they are a better collector of moisture, easier to drain, and have a smaller footprint.
.

[LinuxRandal]

HF has two contractor style, and three pancake style I am aware of. They never had the contractor one at my local, and the pancake style was generally on sale.

I bought I believe the 90221, but I think they are all the same with different numbers. It would/should have lasted longer, but was left outside when my father went through the Christmas 6 week hospital thing. I forgot about it. I found it this spring and it wouldn't start up, and blew the breaker (rust I think).
The only thing I would add to it, is one of their $5 regulators. We added one after trying to use it with a framing nailer (brothers barn) and it left 1/2" of nail out. Added the regulator and it sank them just fine. It is designed for air nailers/tire filling/portability, it is oil lubed, and I had it for five years. (thought of fixing it until I got a deal on a Quincy, now I won't until I need the portability).

[Charlie]

Deleted by me

[tseavoy]

I have a 25 gallon Devilbiss compressor my wife bought at Sam's club about 15 years ago. It has all the bad things: oil less, direct drive, noisy, not easily portable, etc. But it has worked for me all this time and was inexpensive. I use a portable tank for filling my tires, etc. I keep in the garden shed attached to the shop and run the hose through the wall where it piles on the floor and gets in the way. I don't drain the water out of the tank, so I expect it may rust through some day.

I think this was the model that was subject to a class action suit for exaggerating the horsepower. One look at the motor rating would have made that obvious.

Tom on Marrowstone

[BobSch]

I've had this HF 8-gal. unit for several years.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...5386&Submit=Go

It's a direct drive compressor, so it's noisy, but it does the job.

The latest HF flier has it for $97.

[dbhost]

I've had this HF 8-gal. unit for several years.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...5386&Submit=Go

It's a direct drive compressor, so it's noisy, but it does the job.

The latest HF flier has it for $97.

I have that same compressor. It works for what I want it for... $79.00 sale price. Add $10.00 I think it was for the extended warranty and you are good to go...

[master53yoda]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=94667

The above compressor that c-man mentioned would be my choice, buy it with one of drillman's coupons and put the 2 year warranty on it and it is knda hard to go wrong. It is a true 1.5 HP compressor and one like it that i use is able to feed all my air tools including the 1/2" impact gun and the HVLP spray gun listed below. Mine is all hard piped but the one above can be moved around quite easily.

I have the regulator and filter listed below mounted at the compresor in my piping system to eliminate any oil and water, the piping has been modified so that the regulator can be bypassed as well http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=98904

HVLP spray gun that I use http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/...o?itemid=93305

good luck I did find that it took that size compressor to run the spray gun.

[master53yoda]

one way to get very close to what the true HP on a motor is is to take the "Running load amps X the voltage X.8 (Power factor) / 746 (watts/HP) = Horse Power." this formula is NOT perfect but will get very close unless the motor is High efficiency then use .95 power factor. Bear in mind that most HF motors are 1.0 service factor motors whereas most American motors are 1.15 service factor.

[jabe]

The oil less runs often and noisy. The oiled compressor don't turn on as often but it's heavy. For portability, I like my the oil less PC pancake compressor cause it's light. To run 2 framing nail guns at once, my choice is my oiled twin tank emglo compressor. Both are 1 1/2 HP. Generally oil less are cheaper. For your requirements, a light portable oil less should work fine.

[eezlock]

air compressor recommendations?

I would like to make a reasonable suggestion as to an air compressor choice.
If you seriously want a good quality compressor for the shop....the best to consider is a unit that has a cast iron pump and is oil lubricated/ protected.

Anything less is not going to last very long. A small portable unit is ok...to a point, it is primarily for on site construction/repair work and is designed for a couple of years usage and then thrown away and replaced. I personally don't want a portable unit, most are too loud and not dependable for extended running for powering air sanders and other tools. I personally have and use
an old (60yr old) or older Ingersol-Rand twin cylinder cast iron compressor
mounted on an 80 gallon tank. It runs so quiet that I can stand beside it and carry on a conversation with someone and you can barely hear it run. I would not replace it with anything less....hands down! Think about what you really
want and need, old saying about tools " pay high price now and cry once,
buy cheap junk and keep on crying".

[Hoover]

I have a HF pancake #95499 that works quite well

[thrytis]

I would recommend looking at the Makita MAC700 or the larger MAC2400. I haven't used others, but by all accounts these are quiet compared to most other small compressors. I have the MAC700 and have used it in the house while someone has been sleeping in the room directly above or watching TV in another room without disturbing anyone too much. It isn't light though.