What Size Air Compressor?

mundamanu · Jun 9, 2004

I am buying a property that is coming with an Allis Chalmers 160 with R1s (I do not know if they are loaded).

It seems that an air compressor would be a good thing to have on the property. Although, the only thing that I can think of using it for is to maintain tractor, truck and car tire air pressure and using it as an air gun for cleaning. Any suggestions for other uses would be appreciated.

What size would you recommend?

Bird · Jun 9, 2004

What size air compressor? Impossible to answer without knowing what it will be used for. A one hp, 2 gallon tank will do what you've listed so far (as long as you don't run that blow gun too long at a time), but if you're like most of us, you're going to find out that an air-compressor is one of the handiest tools there is, and there's almost no limit to the number of "attachments" you'll eventually accumulate; impact wrenches (whether regular or butterfly) and air ratchets are almost necessary, but then there's the air powered grease guns, paint guns, drills, sanders, saws, grinders, sand blasters, air chisels, siphon guns, etc. etc. Do you need one that's portable; i.e., you can carry to wherever you will use it? Or will you have enough air hoses to reach everything? Is there electric power where you'll use the compressor or do you need a gas powered one?

TresCrows · Jun 9, 2004

BIG, the bigger the better. 220V. You need a huge tank and don't fool around with those stupid oilless junkers. Get a two stage if you can afford it. I use mostly air tools, I use it for painting, I use it for tires and stuff. I blow my tractor and cars off. There is no substitute for a large tank and a strong motor with high flow. Any air tool will consume copious amounts of air. J

SnowRidge · Jun 9, 2004

(... and don't fool around with those stupid oilless junkers.) 

Oilless junkers indeed! How dare you, Sir. I'll have you know that my twin tank Coleman "contractor" compressor accumulated 10, maybe 15 hours of running time before it took loooonger and looooooooonger to recharge the tank. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Even my wife thinks it's near death. Now if I can just convince her that corner of the shop already wired for 220 needs a really big honker compressor to make it feel whole. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Anybody have any opinions of the Huskys at HD, or the Campbell Hausfields available here and there?

SnowRidge

MikePA · Jun 9, 2004

to maintain tractor, truck and car tire air pressure and using it as an air gun for cleaning. 
For just these requirements, one of the little portable air compressor Home Depot is advertising on TV would work. You wouldn't be able to do anything else, though. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

As Bird indicated, knowing what else you might want to do with it, as well as if you have 220v available, is needed for a better recommendation. Also, does it need to be portable or can it be a fixed location?

RobertN · Jun 9, 2004

Boy oh Boy! My oilless has worked fine for over four years now. But, IT IS SO DANG LOUD YOU CANT HEAR YOURSELF THINK OUT IN THE GARAGE< ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER WITH THE DOOS CLOSED!

Mine has held up. After learning what I did AFTER buying it, I think I have done ok. It's a 5hp 60gal upright.

I wonder... What makes a higher hp compressor tick???

See, I had a 2hp twin cyilinder compressor before. But, someone... didn't drain the tank often enough; it rusted through.

I still have the motor(put a polishing wheel on it, bench mounted.) and the "compressor"(in the shed, under bench)(I kept everything except the tank).

Coud I run that twin cylinder compressor with a 5hp motor and get more umph...???

Bird · Jun 9, 2004

Snowridge (and RobertN), the oiless compressors I've dealt with had a teflon coated aluminum cup for a cylinder and a piston that uses a metal (not sure exactly what kind of metal) piston ring. As the teflon coating wears off, the compressor gets louder and slower. That's the bad news. The good news is that you can completely rebuild it in well under an hour, and probably for only $20 to $40 depending on how many parts you replace. Now of course if the reed valve breaks (which also happened to me once), it will never get up enough pressure to shut off, but again, you can fix it pretty quickly for under $15 for parts.

Phred · Jun 10, 2004

I agree oiless is not worth a d&^*. I have a small oilless and have been longing for a real compressor for sometime. Sure it runs my air tools, but I need to stop and wait for it to catch up.

IR is the best in my humble opinion. I have several air tools from IR and they are very high quality.
The price of thier compressor is competitive with the others if you shop around a bit.

TresCrows · Jun 10, 2004

"Anybody have any opinions of the Huskys at HD, or the Campbell Hausfields available here and there?"

Which ones??, The 220volt uprights will do fine for all but the biggest air hogs. The ones I am thinking you are talking about really don't quite make the CFM they claim continuously but they do OK. I knew that when I bought the one I have out back. The one back home in my hanger is an IR and it is a twin stage and makes gobs of air.
I run a lot of air tools. Almost all of my drill motors are air and I would not even consider drilling a hole in my airplane project with an electric drill. I use lot's of air /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. This past weekend painted a rear fender hugger for my motorcycle. Then I shot my tank and side panels for another motorcycle. To run a spray gun you need lot's of air. That is a recurring theme--lot's of air.
Oilless compressors are essentially junk, they will quit on you when you need them the most. Don't bother with one except for the lightest and most infrequent useage. J

MikePA · Jun 10, 2004

mundamanu requirement:Although, the only thing that I can think of using it for is to maintain tractor, truck and car tire air pressure and using it as an air gun for cleaning. 

TresCrows:Oilless compressors are essentially junk, they will quit on you when you need them the most. Don't bother with one except for the lightest and most infrequent useage. 

I think we have a match. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif