Im looking in to buying an air compressor to work on my car. I plan to use it for an impact wrench and rachet. I would like for the compressor to be able to remove old axle and crank pulley bolts. The compressor will never need to do extended jobs like die grinders, sanders, or paint guns. I am also considering a small oil lubricated unit for the sake of less noise. I do not have the space for a large 60 gallon unit, but I may be able to swing a 25-33 gallon vertical unit. My budget is about $400 for just the compressor (not counting tools).

If anyone has any recommendations or comments about the adequacy of what I am looking at for this particular application, I'd really appreciate it. I'm not really sure how much CFM the unit should flow to be sufficient to do what I intend.

Thanks,
Nick

 

I would stay away from the oil free style like Craftsman. They are very loud. The oil lubricated ones are alot quieter in my experience.

 

thats what I had heard, so I'm kind of leaning towards that route. no sense in pissing off the neighboors (seeing as I just moved in a month ago).

does anyone have any suggestions on what size impact wrench I would need? I definately need something that isnt going to crap out on me when i try to crack a crank pulley bolt.

 

1/2" drive impact should have plenty of power for most jobs.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by civicross &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would stay away from the oil free style like Craftsman. They are very loud. The oil lubricated ones are alot quieter in my experience.</TD></TR></TABLE>

You should try naming a good brand after you name a brand that you dont like.

 

I have expirence with the Craftsman oilfree, hence why I named them. I have used Puma dual stage oil lubricated and it works well for light work.

 

I have a big oil free husky one. I'm not sure how the oil one ares, but this oil-less one is loud and builds air slow. Other than that I have no complaints.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...55222

I did a little research back then, and it seems like American General is not that bad of a brand, more then likely there made by a bigger brand.

 

What voltage is this thing going to be running on? For things like what you are talking about (mostly impact), they don't draw that much air, and it is usually for really short bursts. This almost falls into the category of really small 110v units, but they need to be decent quality, or you will get one that is going to freeze up and burn down the house in a matter of months.

Now after selling my 13 gallon oil free Campbell Hausfeld unit, I started looking for a small replacement compressor to use on smaller jobs. Might help the electric bill a bit when I don't need to fill up a 60 gallon tank and draw around 16-17 amps at 220 doing it.

Here is one by EatonCompressor.com

http://www.eatoncompressor.com...6.htm

Its oil lubed, but I think it might be direct drive. Decent cfm ratings which should work well enough for impact guns and such. Also has a VERY small footprint. I haven't purchased one yet, as I am kinda looking around for a review of it before I do

Moving up to 400 bucks, here is a decent sears unit. Its oil lubed, and seems to be decent.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...e#tab

Craftsman 25 gal. Air Compressor, 6 hp, Horizontal Tank
Sears item #00919541000 Mfr. model #19541

Also states that it runs on both 220 and 120 voltage, but might be a misprint w/o first checking in store.

As long as you change your oil every month or 2, and use nice synthetic *compressor* oil, they should last a long time.

Also, don't get it into your mind that oil units will be quieter than oil free. Not all are. If a cheaper oil lubed compressor spins at 1200-1300 rpm, its going to be a heack of a lot louder than an oil free unit. To get that quiet all good feeling, you need it to run around 600-800rpm, and most of the lower end compressors won't give that to you. They need the higher rpm to get the higher flow ratings.

 

Some of those ratings are a bit off. 15 amps is only about 2.5-3hp, not 6.5. A true 5hp motor runs around 24 amps or so. A 6.5hp motor would be in the 150lb range, and need a magnetic starter jsut to work

That said, it might turn out to be a decent compressor. The pump itself looks similar to what is on the husky units, and I think last time I looked at the unit in store it had a emerson (st. louis, MO) motor on it.

 

thanks alot for the info. i wasnt aware that oil lubed compressors could be louder than oil-free. and yes I am looking at a 110v application. i think running 220v outside would be more of a hassle than its worth for my application.

 

Just got back from Home Depot, and they sell a 26 gallon vertical unit that is rated the same as the sears, for 299. Its a husky unit with a emerson (St. Louis made) motor. The thing can be wired in both 220v and 120v formats. Amp draw for 120v is 15a, with the 220v at 7.5.

HUSKY
5 Peak HP 26 Gal Vertical Compressor
Model VT6315


A solid CAST IRON, twin cylinder compressor pump for extreme durability. Offers 135 PSI maximum pressure and air delivery 6.6/5.8 SCFM @ 40/90 PSI. Features pneumatic tires, efficient Solberg style intake filter, and a heavy-duty handle. Unit also includes a pressure switch and regulator with outlet and tank gauges.

• Up to 5,000 hours of extended life
• Space saving vertical tank is ideal for the garage or limited space environments
• Sturdy, robust handle and wheels for easier portability
• Designed to channel air over the pump for maximum cooling
• Automotive style changeable air filter
• Protective belt guard designed to channel air to cool the pump
• High quality oversized gauges
• American made CAST IRON pump
• 26 Gallon vertical tank
• Semi-pneumatic tires
• Over 35 percent quieter and 60 degrees cooler than aluminum pumps with cast iron sleeves


Online price is listed at 377, but in store it was only 299. Maybe its only on sale for a bit?

 

ON a side note, I was speaking to a friend of mine, and his Dad just bought a Kobalt 30gallon oil lubed unit from Lowes. He says that the unit is quieter than an electric tire pump, which says alot. I think a decent oil lubed unit in the 25-30 gallon range is where im going to focus.

 

A fog horn is quieter than most 12v electric tire tire pumps

 

My sears 33 gallon has never let me down.
Screw being loud, if it does the job and actually has the power go for it.
I had a harbor fright speedway series 4.5 hp 25 gallon and it couldn't even take off a freakin lug nut

 

Any compressor that gets to a certain pressure will power a good air tool the same. Its just air. If you can't take off lug nuts.. upgrade to a non-HF impact gun

 

You don't need a large compressor at all for just lil air tools. I have like a 5 or so year old craftsman 1.5hp 12 gallon that runs 1/2" impacts and other lil tools that don't require a lot of cfm. Oil free are loud, typically run hotter and dont last as long (thats what everyone says) the lil craftsman i have is oil free and runs like a champ, i just picked up a 25 gal porter cable jetstream 6hp, which is like 2-2.5hp running probably. It puts out 8.3scfm at 40psi which should be fine to paint my car since i've found a few guns that require low cfm. Basically unless its going to get used a hell of a lot i wouldn't worry to much about whether or not its oil free, a lot of guys out at the jobsites run oilfree pancakes or 15 gallons and have been for a few years and they use them every day.


edit: also wanted to add Campbell Hausfeld makes a lot of companies compressors (husky,sears,portercable, some ingersol, almost every damn company lol)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NB &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ON a side note, I was speaking to a friend of mine, and his Dad just bought a Kobalt 30gallon oil lubed unit from Lowes. He says that the unit is quieter than an electric tire pump, which says alot. I think a decent oil lubed unit in the 25-30 gallon range is where im going to focus. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I had the opportunity to listen to this compressor this weekend. It's about as quiet as most hondas at idle with an aftermarket catback exhaust.

 

I haven't seen any IR compressors not made in house. The compressors even on the smallest 110v units I have never been able to spot on a cheaper product trying to find parts for various items. Now the motors are a whole different story. Even the chinese made compressors and **** have USA made electric motors. They must be cheaper here or something???

On the other hand I have seen CH, Husky, sears, etc all use almost identical parts. I have also seen some advertised against eachother when model numbers were the same and the only difference was the first 2 starting letters. It was quite an LOL moment

 

I believe you are right about only the motors on the IR compressors, what i had read was talking about motors not the actual compressors themselves. Thats wierd that most compressors use USA made ones, i guess it is cheaper?

 

Possibly, or the failure rate is so high on the others they they had to find a better source? All I know is even the cheap *** US General compressor at Harbor Freight on there 3 hp model had the exact 15A Emerson (St. Louis) motor on it. Wacky I say.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 90blackcrx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">http://www.harborfreight.com/c...55222

I did a little research back then, and it seems like American General is not that bad of a brand, more then likely there made by a bigger brand.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Just to let you guys know, there is a 20% off coupon, and that would bring this compressor under $300.

Anyone care to comment on it ? Thinking about buying it

 

^Its stats look great. 14.15cfm@40psi and 13cfm@90psi is a hell of a lot for a 330 dollar compressor. Do coupons work on used items though? I know some places coupons only work on regularly priced items etc.

The foreign ones dieing out fast could be a possibility also, but i think they would last long enough for the lil 1 year warranty (non commercial use) most cheap compressors offer. who knows, as long as its a place in the states that makes a good product and is not going out of business to overseas competition is good enough for me to say keep using them haha.

 

Those ratings are pretty inflated for only a 15 amp (3hp) unit. Go to the store anc hck one of them out in person. Write down all the brand names you see on it. find out what company makes the motor, pressure switch, and compressor pump. If the tank is ASME it should have the appropriate plaque welded onto its side with possibly DOT codes.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by own6volvos &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Those ratings are pretty inflated for only a 15 amp (3hp) unit. Go to the store anc hck one of them out in person. Write down all the brand names you see on it. find out what company makes the motor, pressure switch, and compressor pump. If the tank is ASME it should have the appropriate plaque welded onto its side with possibly DOT codes.</TD></TR></TABLE>3

I will do that next time I go there, even though they were all out of the 60 gallon model, but the same company makes like a 30 gallon, and that was there.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by accord387 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Do coupons work on used items though? I know some places coupons only work on regularly priced items etc.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I have a harbor freight right buy me, and thats what the coupon is. Even though I have no truck to get it home on.