Air compressors - help?, an education Options

[VaccaRabite]

So I went to Home Depot today, armed with some scratch and the will to buy an air compressor and a DA air sander.

HD sells the husky line. So, I went to the tools, found a DA sander (Husky, needed 4cfm @ 90psi, and the box said it would work continously with 20+ gallon compressors).

Then I walked over to look at compressors. They had a Husky 24 gallon compressor that flowed 5.1 cfm @ 90 pis on sale ($225). Score! but then, on top of the motor, was a little chart with reccomended tools and non-reccomneded tools. All sanders and DA sanders were non-reccomneded.

I called over a HD floor guy, who called over another 2 guys, and we could not see a good reason for the prohibition. But, we decided that if the factory did not reccomend it, then it should not be used as such, and I walked over to the electric tool section and bought an electric DA sander. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

I am going to need to buy a compressor by the spring. I'm clearly in the "hobbiest" catagory, and may not use the tool again for a long time aftyer I am done with my 914, but when it comes time to paint, it will probably be cheaper for me to buy one then rent one - given the slow nature that I work. I want to know why the sander was not reccomended, when the compressor could flow the air and had a big enough tank according to the tool. I have theories, but I thought somone here might be able to give better advice.

Thanks

Zach

[Joe Bob]

DAs take a LOT of air....I have the big MOFO......100 gallon tank, 220v and the DA still can get ahead of it.....

[Twystd1]

Good DAs use a bunch of air..

Kinda like cutting the end off of the air hose.... Lotsa air.

What kind of electrical do you have going into your work area?????

That will dictate how big of a motor you can purchase.

So whatcha got as far as electrical???

220? What gauge of wire?

110?

Or are you willing to run an extra circuit for this?

Clayton

[PRS914-6]

The problem with a $225.00 compressor is you get what you pay for. It's "non industrial" so you can't run it all day every day.....A big tank only gets you a reserve. If you run a sander a lot and suck the tank down, the compressor will run and run and they are just not designed to take it. For impacts ratchets, no problem, they don't draw much. A small job using a sander would be OK just not big multiple projects.

Personally, I use a 5 hp 220V industrial model with a large tank but I have a bead blaster and other high demand air tools.

[Dr Evil]

Dude, just get one for less $$$ at Harbor Freight, they would never put a warning about what you cant use (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif)

[VaccaRabite]

I am limited power wise. I only have 110 going to the garage (which is detached), running a 220 circut there (I'd love to do it) would require trenching under my driveway.

Anything that I buy won't be used all day everyday. After the 914 is done, the next task would be running a floor nailer as I continue to lay new flooring down in the house. Mayhaps I'll go check out HF tomorrow and see what they are offering.

I like having the week off. i need to do this more often. :-)

Zach

[Joe Bob]

I am limited power wise. I only have 110 going to the garage (which is detached), running a 220 circut there (I'd love to do it) would require trenching under my driveway.

Anything that I buy won't be used all day everyday. After the 914 is done, the next task would be running a floor nailer as I continue to lay new flooring down in the house. Mayhaps I'll go check out HF tomorrow and see what they are offering.

I like having the week off. i need to do this more often. :-)

Zach

And that's a problem? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

REAL men have 220...how else can you run the manly man kegerator?

[Twystd1]

Check to see what gauge wire you have coming into the garage.

Sometimes you ge tlucky and the PO had 10 gauge wire run.

Ya never know until ya look...

Do you have only 1 SINGLE breaker going to the garage?

Can you pull the MAIN PANEL breaker cover off and see if the same piece of conduit has an extra wire in it you can use for 220?

It's worth a look... Unless you are sure of what you have.

C

[Joe Bob]

You can also she if you can fish bigger gauge thru the existing conduit....

[Brew]

I smoked my Sears 5hp 22gal 6cfm @90 compressor DAing a car the first time I tried it. They just wont keep up with continous use on alot of high cfm air tools (DA, air grinders, etc.). Bigger is always better! And, bonus, if you can get 220 to the garage, you can plug in a real welder. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

That being said, the rebuilt Sears unit is still the only one I have, and it can get most jobs around the house done!

[Twystd1]

In the last month...

I have aquired 2 commercial compressors for a couple of friends to use in their commercial Harley shops..
One 80 gal. and one 100 gal.

Both were under 350 bucks used. I wired em up for nada...

They paid more for the water trap filters and the oil trap filters than they paid for the compresors. (400 bucks)

Oil and water traps are very necessary if you are ever guna shoot paint.

It also helps the tools last longer.
(read no water in lines to create corrosion)

I'm not trying to complicate this.... I just wanna help ya spend your money... (put smiley here)

Z was right about the conduit. Might be able to pull a 220 circuit through your existing conduit. Maybe even a sub panel. then you can do whgatever ya want. welder, compressor, etc....

If'n ya live close... I can come over and run it for ya. Used to have a electrical and GC contractors license.
(they gave me one??? idiots...)

Lemme know...

Clayton

[computers4kids]

DAs take a LOT of air....I have the big MOFO......100 gallon tank, 220v and the DA still can get ahead of it.....

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

I have a 60 gallon 220volt compressor and it's perfect.--took my entire teener down to metal. I tried a used 20 gallon and it was worthless.

Where is your dryer. Most houses are wired for both gas and 220. You can run a 15' extension (welding cable) to it if it's close enough. I run my cable out the detached garage and through the "doggy door" when I need to.

[Joe Bob]

BTW....it IS good to have a dryer and a knockout pot...but it's also a GOOD idea to put a bit of oil in the end of ratchets and such before each use....

[Dr Evil]

I am limited power wise. I only have 110 going to the garage (which is detached), running a 220 circut there (I'd love to do it) would require trenching under my driveway.

Anything that I buy won't be used all day everyday. After the 914 is done, the next task would be running a floor nailer as I continue to lay new flooring down in the house. Mayhaps I'll go check out HF tomorrow and see what they are offering.

I like having the week off. i need to do this more often. :-)

Zach

Uh, you got my sarcasm in my last post, right? HF will have cheap compressors, but they will not be better than the ones you saw. I just want to be clear so as to not be blamed for anything later (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Twystd1]

And note the filters in the pic coming off the compressor.

Sweet.........

I have seen so many setups that have an oiler inline with the air supply.

And the guys can't figure out why all of their paint jobs get terrible fish eye.

It's because of the oil in the air lines from the oiler.....

The compressor itself puts enough oil vapor in the air lines to screw up a paint job......

Don't run an oiler in line. (not needed in a home garage scenario)

Just put a couple of drops in the inlet side of the air tool... Done...

Once airlines get oil in em... especially synthetic compressor oil with silicone in it, it's dam near impossible to get the oil out of the lines.

I used to have seperate air lines that I only used for prime and paint.
Just to be safe from fish eye problems.....

Just more useless food for thought.

C

[bernbomb914]

most important is how loud are they. there is a big differance in the oil bath and the oilless type. one is very loud and will drive you crazy while the other is not quite as loud check them before you buy
Bernie

[sww914]

I've had a Husky 220 7hp 60 gal in my garage for 5 years, I've used it for 4 complete paint jobs minus the painting (I rent a booth), countless fabrication projects, a bunch of small autobody & paint jobs, etc., etc., etc., and I've had no problems. It will just keep up with an HVLP gun, it will almost keep up with a big die grinder, a DA will work, but I need to stop and let it catch up every 5 minutes or so. It was $389.00 when I bought it. I couldn't live with anything less, but I don't really need much more. I used to have it plugged in to a dryer outlet with a 40' cord, but when I bought a house it had 220 in the garage, so all is well.
I've painted probably 50 panels here and I've never installed a water/oil trap. I keep meaning to, but it's working well so far, so why bother?
I do, however have a 30' run of pvc before the hose, angled so the water will run back into the compressor after the air cools, and that's what has prevented any water problems.
I'd do the same thing all over again.
Whatever you do, don't but an oil free compressor. Buy one with a seperate pump and motor, with a belt in between. I toasted 2 Sears oil free 6 hp 220 compressors, the ones with an integral motor and pump, while it was still under warranty. The rod went right through the piston both times, the cylinder was oval, and the plastic rings melted.
I sold the 3rd one as soon as I got it, and bought this.
Also, I run Mobil1 after about 20 hours, it doesn't coke up.

[rick 918-S]

The electric DA's work good also. Then you may be able to get by with the largest air compressor you can buy that will run on 110. Best to have 19 cfm for paint.

[gfulcher]

My compressor was built in 1946... not sure what the HP rating of the motor is, but it's big... and QUIET.. you can talk in a normal voice while standing next to it. Runs on 220 and has no problems keeping up with most jobs, regardless of tool, although I haven't tried a blast cabinet with it yet...

New garden-variety compressors, at least the ones I've found are crap, as one other said, you get what you pay for. They are loud and have no ability to keep up. Get an oldie, spend some money on new belts and rings and such and forget about buying another one for a LONG time.

(IMG:http://wugah.com/Gallery/albums/album03/IMG_1286.sized.jpg)

[PRS914-6]

Another tid-bit to consider. If you can afford a good one, make sure you get a 2 stage compressor. This dramatically increases your storage size by using more pressure. I run 150 psi at the compressor and regulate down from there.

I also have my compressor outside the shop so I don't have to listen to it run.