I'm going to be picking up a Craftsman upright 30 gal 6hp 150psi compressor soon. The only thing is I need it to be quiet. I've already found some guy who built his own box for it and has a fan duct blowing or sucking air from the top.

What I want to know is if I could build the box a little bigger and spray some type of insulation to kinda soften the noise level. He said that while the compressor is in the box the noise level is a 4-5. While it's out of the box it is a 10.

I'm looking to muffle it down to a 2-3. I mean I would like to be able to use it at night and what not and not bother anyone. Thanks in advance.

 

First off, do not get an "oilless" type compressor, they are very loud. Regardless, I suggest making a box for it and placing it against the wall *outside your shop*. Not only is it very quiet, you get the floor space it would have consumed.

 

spend more money on a real comercial type of compressor they run at slower rpms and are much quieter than the crapsman stuff. You can also get an intake muffler from mcmaster carr they work well

 

Definitely gonna agree with the other guys. First thing for a quiet compressor is do not buy a loud one in the first place. The oil-less are LOUD.

 

30 gal is sooo small buy an 80 gal. then it will cycle less also. I agree with the above post move the compressor outside and it will be very quiet.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by aspec101 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">30 gal is sooo small buy an 80 gal. then it will cycle less also. I agree with the above post move the compressor outside and it will be very quiet.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Gallon size is important, cfm is just as important.

 

rotary screw

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PhoenixTurbo.com &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">rotary screw </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep try Kaeser compressors sounds like a fan is on

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kb58 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">First off, do not get an "oilless" type compressor, they are very loud. Regardless, I suggest making a box for it and placing it against the wall *outside your shop*. Not only is it very quiet, you get the floor space it would have consumed.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I have yet to hear a comercial unit quieter than my craftsman, other than screw type compressors. Usually shops place them in a closet somewhere though, so they it is quiet everywhere else.

 

i hate to bring up an old thread, but has anybody had luck quieting an air compressor a good bit? i have a 30g unit and its loud as *****, and there is no "outside the shop" for me, the garage is small, and the screw type even used are not too realistic for me, any help is greatly appreciated. this thing is just too loud.

 

I put mine up in the rafters of my garage, and the R13 insulation on the adjacent walls does a pretty good job of soaking up the sound. It is much better now than before I did that.

 

mine is just sitting in the garage but has an intake muffler and it makes a world of a difference.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RCautoworks &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Gallon size is important, cfm is just 10x as important.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Edited that for you..


Gallon size wont be ANYTHING without the high CFM...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Nocturnal &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm going to be picking up a Craftsman upright 30 gal 6hp 150psi compressor soon. The only thing is I need it to be quiet. I've already found some guy who built his own box for it and has a fan duct blowing or sucking air from the top.

What I want to know is if I could build the box a little bigger and spray some type of insulation to kinda soften the noise level. He said that while the compressor is in the box the noise level is a 4-5. While it's out of the box it is a 10.

I'm looking to muffle it down to a 2-3. I mean I would like to be able to use it at night and what not and not bother anyone. Thanks in advance.</TD></TR></TABLE>

then don't get a compressor, it will always be loud, you can do the things listed here

box with a fan, intake muffler, larger cfm / gallon tank, slower motor........but dude it's an air compressor it will always make noise........ myabe lookinto something else

maybe those small *** harbor freight compresors and everything else electric, like cutoff wheels and grinders........drills etc they all have electric counter parts.....cordless snap-on impact wrench..........it will be hard not to find a quality electric version of a pnuematic tool if you need to be quiet.

it's like saying i need to weld but i can't have the light and heat......... it's not possible right?

 

Where does most of the noise an air compressor creates come from? My guess would be the intake.
Maybe you can adapt an intake system from a small motor with good results. Nowadays everything with a motor is made to be quiet..
And as far as certain parts of the metal on the compressor ringing/having resonant vibration, ie, the top of the tank/support for the motor/pump, some dynamat type material would work. I have an IR compressor, and that whole top piece makes a surprisingly loud ringing sound. It completely goes away when you put your hand on it. I need to damp that, it's quite annoying.

if you build a box, make sure you can still get at everything to service it if you need to..

 

dynamat on the tank good idea

 

I got a 15 gallon craftsman compressor last christmas and I have used it all of 5 times. Its a good size for my 1-car garage in a condominium complex but its loud as hell...I cant hear myself think so I rarely use it. What do these intake mufflers you guys are talking about look like? Where can I get one? Part number?

 

make sure you do not cover the cylinder wall it self. Got to keep the heat down.

 

Here's ours sitting in the corner -



We have the two intake filters routed outside and it made absolutely no noise difference. Talked with the manufacturer about having it outside and they said not to have it outside if it gets colder than freezing here (which it does).

We're going to build a box around it and see if that helps. We're going to put insulation on the inside of the box and then have a fan going to the outside kick on whenever the compressor is on to let noise outside and cool it during the summer.

 

i think if the OP wants it to be REALLY quiet he really needs to go the electril tool route, **** i mean there are GOOD quality electric tools out there............. just pisses me off when people write tools off as **** becuase it doe'snt have an air hose connected to it

i STROLGY recommend that the orignal poster gets electric versions of the tools he wants to use. it sounds like he is in a tight sound oridnece are and he doesnt do hefty *** work

i belive he isnt building a rat rod or swapping motors everyday or doing heavy fab so he really does'nt need an air comressor.......he needs electric!!!!!

and it will save him time and money too, he's not working all day so he does'nt need an 80 gallon (which can be expensive) to charge up

he is spending money running the compressor, wasting time wating for the 80 gallon to get up to operating pressure, spending more for the tools and accsessories, and spending money on the silencing equipment

when he could've gotten a $100 electric cutoff wheel......that take less electricity to operate

 

Just get the oil type/ belt driven compressor. So much quieter

 

I don't have many air tools, but would like to invest in a decent compressor. Can I get a commercial quality compressor for $1000-$1200? I would be using it to operate my tubing bender, paint cars, run cut off wheels and grinders. Nothing too crazy.

Any recommendations?

Should I get a dual stage compressor for better CFM at pressures above 100psi?
Should I get a 80 gallon tank?
110v or 220v? ( I have the power for 220v if needed).
How much CFM do I really need? 15cfm @ 100psi?

For me this is my hobby shop that I am at twice a week if that. I don't need the best of the best. Just a tool that will be reliable when I need to use it. Not a compressor used day in and day out.

Justin



Modified by Justin Olson at 1:16 AM 2/7/2008

 

220v for positive regardless of anything else

 

I have a loud red one form Sears. I bought a quite black one from Sears for work.

At least spend the money for the black one from Sears.

They make much less noise, you can talk next to it.

 

Justin, buy the black one from Sears.

We take the red one with us to the track and built rota's car with it.