I need some feedback on an air compressor

[pachanga90]

StreetBu,The system looks great,but make sure you keep water and oil-debris under control before it enters the piping.Everyone says use Galvanized because of corrosion-resistance,but a compressor-guy will tell you otherwise.It is rough on the inside,and traps oil and moisture in the ridges internally.Black Iron,hard-copper or Pex is the best(some use Sch.40 PVC,but it has been known to fail).My old Kellogg puts out 25cfm at 130psi,it will run anything!!Definitely do the homework when shopping,since many give a high cfm-rating at high pressure,and very different at 90-100(operating-range for most).Spend the money,buy one unit and be done with it.Anyone considering daily or even numerous times per week will not regret spending a little extra on a good compressor.Buy one a little larger than you think you need(if you think 3hp is fine,buy a 5hp)the extra "beef" will just guarantee longer service-life,since its' not working at capacity all the time.60gal. is the standard minimum if you want to run sanders or blast-cabinets.Always buy a 2-stage if you can,they build faster,keep up better under demand,and you get higher pressure,which you regulate back down as needed.No matter how many cylinders it has,if they are the same bore-size,its' a single-stage,and will max out about 125psi.A 2-stage will have 2 or 4 cylinders(1 or 2 small,1 or 2 large)and will pump to 150-175psi.Hope this helps.

[Streetbu]

Thanks Pachanga! I thought long and hard about my system design, almost went with cooper for that reason but couldn't swing the extra cost... One of the reasons I have have drains and drops at every outlet. I drain the compressor and the lines EVERY time I use it. I agree with everything else you mentioned too except the HP. Most of the electric motors are overrated and it's not a true factor of the compressor size or quality. Heck mine is rated at 5hp yet it only a single stage. BUT it's a 3 cylinder with the highest CFM you find for it's size, 13.5cfm @ 90psi :D

[Woofhound]

If you're going to paint with it, use the connection farthest away from compressor and install a water trap there. putting water trap at the compressor still allows the air to cool and condense while traveling through the piping.

[bokeasmowl]

I agree with Pachanga, look for a 2 stage compressor. I bought a nice one from Sears years ago and it works great. 2 stage is the way to go if you're planning on die grinders, sanders etc.

[pachanga90]

The other thing is in most cases,don't follow the "Recommended 90psi. Operating-Pressure". Try to get a tire off almost any vehichle at 90psi!Most shops run from 125-175psi,then you can regulate certain tools as needed.Another "Killer" is dryers.If you run one,make sure it flows enough CFM.I know a bunch of guys who bought separators/dryers and put them after the compressor,feeding their main-line.And their air-tools were gut-less.Alot of them have 1/2" NPT inlets/outlets,but the passages are 1/4" or slightly larger.I run a 1/2" Quick-Coupler off my tank to feed my hoses(3/8" and 1/2" hoses).This made a big difference on the 3/8" hose,since the standard is 1/4".The shop I worked at for years ran 3/8" couplers,and it was a great improvement over the standard 1/4" ones.Hope this helps.

[RobCons]

Bigger is better if you intend to use tools that use a lot of air. Yes the manufacturer ratings seem a little lacking in the real world. I use my CH 60 gallon mostly for painting, blasting, and some impact tool use. It does great on everything except blasting. I am looking for a large engine driven towable compressor for that. For most home shops and weekend warrior types the 60 gallon units are fine. I am an ornamental iron guy so hence the blasting and painting.

[G22Yamaha]

I had an Auto repair shop, went thru several snap on compressors. I now
have Castair I718HC2-S 7 1/2Hp . I use it for air tools, cleaning and everything
else in my homeowner Garage. I maintain 175 lbs air pressure ,its avery quiet unit with no problems. WWW.castair. net . I would not be without this compressor, it would be my last thing to give up.

[Kal]

The compressor got put on the back burner for now. I've got too many things going right now and they are all sucking my money out of me like a vampire sucks blood.

[jra007]

Looks like Kal has things cleared up here... if money is not issue then always buy a bigger compressor than you need. BUT, not many of us have endless wallets...as far as HVLP paint sprayers go... a run of the mill sprayer which shouldnt need more than 4-6cfm You could easily get away with a small 1.5-2hp 20-30gal "$199 special" if your just painting a golf cart (its what i have, works fine)... a car on the other hand would need a few 5min breaks to let the compressor catch up. I, like scottyb use electric tools 90% of the time, i just dont like the noise of the compressor running all the time.

[Kal]

I'm not fond of the noise either actually. I just wanted it for my die grinder, impact, possible sprayer..... What I ended up doing is having someone else paint the cart for me to the tune of $400. I really am leaning towards picking up the compressor just so I can save money on the next paint job.