Air Compressor

[JohnMo]

Looking for recommendations 

 

After a new air compressor for my garage (man cave, not commercial). Needs to be ok for air tools, not make a racket, single phase, budget? - not break the bank

 

My last air compressor was like this one

 

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/tools/garage-workshop/compressors/sip-v300%2F100-vertical-compressor-675810.html?cm_mmc=Google+PLA-_-Motoring>Tools>Garage+Workshop>Compressors-_-Motoring>Tools>Garage+Workshop>Compressors-_-675810&gclsrc=aw.ds&&_$ja=tsid:|cid:18241192209|agid:|tid:|crid:|nw:x|rnd:2205970339728796520|dvc:m|adp:|mt:|loc:1007327&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlsy5BhDeARIsABRc6Zvtp8DwvKw1falhYtSayVdUQk7qLs9Gt9tVzKyRmGHOUuvpOgQeuicaAqMyEALw_wcB

 

But wasn't the best, lasted about 5 years before giving up, seemed to be poor driving an impact driver, on anything more than wheel nuts.

 

Any ideas or recommendations?

[joe90]

  On 12/11/2024 at 18:50, JohnMo said:

Needs to be ok for air tools

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Then you need to specify the the output required for the tools you have.

[JohnMo]

  On 12/11/2024 at 19:14, joe90 said:

Then you need to specify the the output required for the tools you have.

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It seems to say 5cfm at 90psi.

[Russdl]

I got mine from here very pleased with it but it hasn’t had too much hard labour. Mainly spray painting, pumping up tyres and blowing dust around. 

 

 

 

[dpmiller]

All piston compressors are noisy. Box it or outdoor enclosure is all you can do for that...

 

The oilfree vertical you've got aint 10cfm, maybe calculated but no way in the real world. The piston leaks like a sieve on them. Plus IIRC that model is a brush motor and revs it's n*ts off.

 

^ that one in the piccy above is the same unit that Lidl sell occasionally and is a real sweetie for the money, the pump is overbuilt compared to  SIPs and Sealeys of the same class

 

required cfm depends on the type of tool, and whether the demand is continuous or intermittent. Eg for a rattle gun, hose size is more important than pump capacity- it needs a good jag of air to break a bolt loose which even a small tank will contain, but if there's a bottleneck at a hose or fitting well... 

 

Tell us what tools they are and how you use them

[JohnMo]

  On 13/11/2024 at 05:26, dpmiller said:

Tell us what tools they are and how you use them

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Have an Ingersol Rand 1/2 drive impact driver and Ingersol Rand die grinder. Both are not used often, but when I do use the usage can be prolonged. With decent compressor I will also start spray painting.

 

  On 13/11/2024 at 05:26, dpmiller said:

hose size is more important

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I upgraded my hose a few years ago to the biggest I could find at the time, but will probably replace with a decent hose reel.

[dpmiller]

I'd say you'd need a good 7-10cfm for either of those and if you're considering spraying remember that there might be an air-fed mask in the equation.

 

If you're short on space this is a good option:

 

 

https://www.sgs-engineering.com/stanley-fatmax-b350-10-90v

 

as that's the same motor and pump the "normal" belt drive machines use

 

[gaz_moose]

id get one of the silent ones that use fridge compressors, the direct drive and belt ones are always too noisy, the cfm will be terrible but no hobby size compressor will run things like a sander for any decent amount of time anyway.

[scottishjohn]

  On 12/11/2024 at 18:50, JohnMo said:

Looking for recommendations 

 

After a new air compressor for my garage (man cave, not commercial). Needs to be ok for air tools, not make a racket, single phase, budget? - not break the bank

 

My last air compressor was like this one

 

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/tools/garage-workshop/compressors/sip-v300%2F100-vertical-compressor-675810.html?cm_mmc=Google+PLA-_-Motoring>Tools>Garage+Workshop>Compressors-_-Motoring>Tools>Garage+Workshop>Compressors-_-675810&gclsrc=aw.ds&&_$ja=tsid:|cid:18241192209|agid:|tid:|crid:|nw:x|rnd:2205970339728796520|dvc:m|adp:|mt:|loc:1007327&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlsy5BhDeARIsABRc6Zvtp8DwvKw1falhYtSayVdUQk7qLs9Gt9tVzKyRmGHOUuvpOgQeuicaAqMyEALw_wcB

 

But wasn't the best, lasted about 5 years before giving up, seemed to be poor driving an impact driver, on anything more than wheel nuts.

 

Any ideas or recommendations?

Expand  

having been involved incompressors for garages all my working life 

 

size of hose from compressor is a usual cause of poor performance  as small pipes will not pass enough air especially if they are long 

 3/8" or 10mm should be miniumum  not 5/16" as some supply ,fine for air line but not for air tools 

 the 9" air grinder and 1" air wrench used 1" hoses  coupled to the galvanaised ring main at 1/25" size

 sander or air grinder are very thirsty on air supply 

I would question the need these days for a big compressor + air wrenchs as battery powered wrenchs are  so good  and can be used anywhere 

you won,t find many garages using air tools  now 

 secondly size of receiver (stroage tank ) you can do quite alot if receiver is large enough  even with a smallish compressor

  anything under 10cfm is a toy  and the general rule is 1hp per 4cfm

   and if thinking of spraying, anything under 20cfm will never run a spray  gun and air  fed mask   continously ,and you must use a water seperator when painting or using an air fed mask

cold air from shed then compressed makes lots of water if compressor is working hard

 and yes  the cheap chineese diy units do not last,running to fast to get output to last 

 i had an IR 25cfm with 200litre tank  which i got secondhand 40years ago and was still going fine when i gave up 

 

 but fitted a screw compressor to run the paint shop  40cfm  and run sanders ,grinders,spray guns and air fed masks etc  and air never got hot,so cut down amount of moisture it made  

 

 If you still got oldone plumb its tank into the new one   to increase capacity 

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2024 by scottishjohn