How big is your compressor?

[hemi68charger]

Hey Gang.......
I'm looking to get an air compressor for my garage and I'm trying not to get something overboard with concerns of family economics... I'm your average Joe looking to use air impact, occasional sanding/painting, etc... Would I be going over board for the 60 gal. big stand-up units or would one of the smaller 30 gal. ones be adequate?..

Thanks for your insight...
Troy

[Dodge Don]

Mine is 33 gal.

I find it just right for a home garage shop. Not big enough for a full time shop though.

[Silver R/T]

got 60 gal in the garage, plenty air just for about anything.

[AKcharger]

35 gal. works for me

[Mike DC]

 
I've had about 3 different large compressors in the last decade, had a couple of them serviced at one time or another, wore out & threw away two of them, still have another couple of smaller ones used in different places that I bought used, etc.



I've learned one big consistent thing:  The newer "oil free" design = shit.   This principle overrides any brand names, any countries it was made, any amount of warranty coverage, size/voltage/power level, etc.  I have learned to only buy the old-school design.  It's the one with an oil-filled iron crankcase that is belt-driven by a separate electric motor perched next to it.   


The next thing I would tell you is that the motor's power is more important than the tank size.  The cfm volume that it's capable of is the important statistic for the motor's power.  I'm not saying a decent tank size isn't important too, but a bigger motor + smaller tank will do you more good than a smaller motor + bigger tank.  Especially where auto bodywork is the intended job. 

[Old Moparz]

Hey Troy,

I have a small, 25 or 30 gallon, upright, Craftsman unit from Sears, that works fine with just occasional use, like weekend work on the car. I first bought it about 12 years ago to run the nail guns building my garage, & it was more than adequate. If you plan on doing anything with the compressor that requires a lot of constant air flow, such as sand blasting like I've been doing, then it will run non-stop. It also runs low on pressure when I'm blasting & I have to stop for a minute or two to let it build back up.

I don't plan on doing much more sand blasting after this little project, but I sure wish I had a larger unit. At some point in the next 2 years I will be building a blasting cabinet to dive into a lot more blasting, & maybe even some part time, side work. I will definitely need a much larger compressor for that, & probably want to make an exterior enclosure on the back of the garage so I don't have to hear it run. They can be pretty loud & get on your nerves, so keep that in mind too.

[Troy]

80 gallon:

I use one of these:
http://www.eatoncompressor.com/catalog/item/504747/172993.htm#image_1

Eaton compressors kick butt! Mine has the continuous run feature and puts out "25 CFM and a free air of 19.5 CFM @ 100 PSI". I've run a D/A back to back with a primer gun four over four hours straight and never ran out of air or had oil/water issues. The customer service is absolutely incredible too. One of the guys hopped in a truck and drove an hour each way to troubleshoot it a while back. I had a faulty run capacitor which they replaced at no charge. He was prepared to swap motors if that was the problem. Also, it's fairly quiet and you can have a conversation with it running a few feet away.

We had a 5 HP, 60 gallon Craftsman at the old shop and it would choke after about 20 minutes with a die grinder and spit out water after about 15 minutes of sandblasting. This thing was so loud that you could here it in any of the four shops that shared it. Most everything found in a big chain store seems about the same to me (except the largest Ingersoll Rand compressors at Tractor Supply).

Eaton also has a good explanation of comparing "features" within the product description:
http://www.eatoncompressor.com/catalog/item/504747/172993.htm

Troy

[Todd Wilson]

With any of the store bought 110volt units you will be able to air up tires and run an impact gun. You will not be able to run a DA sander for very long. Sand Blasting is very hard to do and painting isnt an option. I found out very fast after I had bought my 20gal 5 hp Cambell Hausfeld from the farm store. Its a nice unit with cast iron piston pump but it will not keep up with body work. When I started my body work on my 71 I quickly found out it wasnt enough. I found a damaged freight Sears black Pro series oiless 30 gallon unit. Certainly not a unit I would have even considered but when it was plumbed in with my other unit they both worked together for the DA and painting of the 71. Both ran nonstop when the heavy work started.

If I could do it again I would just got buy a nice upright 220 unit and focus on a better plumbing system for the air in the garage and look into an air dryer.


Todd

[John_Kunkel]

Rule of thumb when purchasing a compressor...........If you can afford it, it's too small.

[hemi68charger]

Rule of thumb when purchasing a compressor...........If you can afford it, it's too small.

Hahahaha..... 

[Blown70]

Rule of thumb when purchasing a compressor...........If you can afford it, it's too small.

Very TRUE!!,  fortunately I did get one from my brother used a year.   $225. think its a 50 gallon tank, and 220V.

I would STILL LOVE something bigger....!!!

[Charger-Bodie]

100 gallon Kaeser 15hp 64 cfm Rotory.

[Blown70]

WOW what was the Tag on that?

[moparstuart]

 that baby is impressive

[Charger-Bodie]

WOW what was the Tag on that?

A buck 280. 

[Blown70]

WOW what was the Tag on that?

A buck 280. 

K, um that a IA term?  $1,280?  what needed to power it Volt? 

[Charger-Bodie]

WOW what was the Tag on that?

A buck 280. 

K, um that a IA term?  $1,280?  what needed to power it Volt? 

Buck 280 is a joke     That compresser is about  $14,000

[Blown70]

  WOW, yea, I was wondering, see some online that sucker looked expensive.

[TUFCAT]

 
The next thing I would tell you is that the motor's power is more important than the tank size.  The cfm volume that it's capable of is the important statistic for the motor's power.  I'm not saying a decent tank size isn't important too, but a bigger motor + smaller tank will do you more good than a smaller motor + bigger tank.  Especially where auto bodywork is the intended job. 

My 32 gal stand-up is WAY too small for any large projects. Like Mike DC already pointed out,  CFM is lacking with todays units.

Most will have decent tank volume (and max psi around 150)  ...but look at that ALL IMPORTANT cfm rating.  I wish I did. 

.....and off the record, during the last two years I've learned Mike DC is usually right about everything! 

[WingCharger]

My dads is a 60 gallon.
Handles everything.

[PocketThunder]

I would definitely build a room in the corner of your garage for one.  Or put it up in your garage attick maybe...

.....and off the record, during the last two years I've learned Mike DC is usually right about everything! 

I've noticed that too.  But i miss the thought breaks he used to put in his posts... like this

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   

And then continue with more insight...   

[41husk]

I have a 60 gal Campbell Housfeld 7horse, I got from Cummings tool on sale for $499.  It's a 220v and it sits in the corner of the mopad and is hard piped out the back of the building into the garage.  I can use it in the building, the garage or basement and has met all my needs.

[John_Kunkel]

My dads is a 60 gallon.
Handles everything.

Hook my glass bead cabinet to it and it'll be flat in about three minutes.

[WingCharger]

My dads is a 60 gallon.
Handles everything.

Hook my glass bead cabinet to it and it'll be flat in about three minutes.

It handles my bro's bench-top sandblaster just fine.

[Blown70]

My dads is a 60 gallon.
Handles everything.

Hook my glass bead cabinet to it and it'll be flat in about three minutes.

It handles my bro's bench-top sandblaster just fine.

BENCH TOP?  That is like blowing up a tire.  Try a larger unit you will see soon enough. Like JOHN said.  TRUST me kid that guy does KNOW A LOT!!!! 

[A383Wing]

I got a 5hp, 60gal upright.....220v......has not failed me yet....

Bryan

[Bandit72]

i know a guy here in town who built his own, he used the compressor from one of those big cooler rooms like in restaurants and liquor stores and such....i dont' remember what he had for a tank on it. It was powered by a 220 electric motor of some sort. That thing would make some air!

[Steve P.]

I have an 80 Gal, DeVilbiss. 6.5 HP, 2 stage.  It will keep up with everything except my blast cabinet. BUT, my back can't take allot of blasting so it works out.. 

[BigBlockSam]

i want to get a 60 gallon. upright  but i don't have 220 in the shed and i can't find a 60 gallon. 110 . my 40 gallon doesn't keep up with the body work  i do . 

[Mike DC]

 

  ( Thanks for the compliments back there, a couple of you.    )

[hemi68charger]

Thanks to all for your input..................  Maybe for Christmas.............. 

[rav440]

Rule of thumb when purchasing a compressor...........If you can afford it, it's too small.

i got a 60 gal 6 hp to replace my 30 gal 1 1/2 hp . now im looking for a bigger compressor . the 60 runs my sand blasting cabinet fine but not to my standards . so im shopping around again .

[Steve P.]

For everyone looking for a compressor to use for a blast cabinet or open blaster, you should make sure the new compressor is made for CONTINUOUS DUTY. Also keep in mind that the aluminum heads are noisier than iron and the bigger the intake filter is the better all the way around.