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How big is your compressor?

Started by hemi68charger, September 29, 2008, 06:49:07 PM

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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
Troy
'69 Charger Daytona 440 auto 4.10 Dana ( now 426 HEMI )
'70 Superbird 426 Hemi auto: Lindsley Bonneville Salt Flat world record holder (220.2mph)
Houston Mopar Club Connection

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.
http://www.cardomain.com/id/mitmaks

1968 silver/black/red striped R/T
My Charger is hybrid, it runs on gas and on tears of ricers
2001 Ram 2500 CTD
1993 Mazda MX-3 GS SE
1995 Ford Cobra SVT#2722

AKcharger


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.

               Bob               



              Going Nowhere In A Hurry

Troy

80 gallon:
Quote from: Troy on July 28, 2007, 11:26:07 PM
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
Sarcasm detector, that's a real good invention.

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.
Pardon me but my karma just ran over your dogma.

hemi68charger

Quote from: John_Kunkel on September 30, 2008, 02:07:15 PM

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

Hahahaha.....  :hah:
Troy
'69 Charger Daytona 440 auto 4.10 Dana ( now 426 HEMI )
'70 Superbird 426 Hemi auto: Lindsley Bonneville Salt Flat world record holder (220.2mph)
Houston Mopar Club Connection

Blown70

Quote from: John_Kunkel on September 30, 2008, 02:07:15 PM

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....!!! :2thumbs:

Charger-Bodie

100 gallon Kaeser 15hp 64 cfm Rotory.
68 Charger R/t white with black v/t and red tailstripe. 440 4 speed ,black interior
68 383 auto with a/c and power windows. Now 440 4 speed jj1 gold black interior .
My Charger is a hybrid car, it burns gas and rubber............

Blown70


moparstuart

GO SELL CRAZY SOMEWHERE ELSE WE ARE ALL STOCKED UP HERE

Charger-Bodie

68 Charger R/t white with black v/t and red tailstripe. 440 4 speed ,black interior
68 383 auto with a/c and power windows. Now 440 4 speed jj1 gold black interior .
My Charger is a hybrid car, it burns gas and rubber............

Blown70

Quote from: 1hot68 on September 30, 2008, 03:26:35 PM
Quote from: Blown70 on September 30, 2008, 03:17:19 PM
WOW what was the Tag on that?

A buck 280.  :2thumbs:

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

Charger-Bodie

Quote from: Blown70 on September 30, 2008, 03:30:33 PM
Quote from: 1hot68 on September 30, 2008, 03:26:35 PM
Quote from: Blown70 on September 30, 2008, 03:17:19 PM
WOW what was the Tag on that?

A buck 280.  :2thumbs:

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

Buck 280 is a joke  :eek2:   That compresser is about  $14,000
68 Charger R/t white with black v/t and red tailstripe. 440 4 speed ,black interior
68 383 auto with a/c and power windows. Now 440 4 speed jj1 gold black interior .
My Charger is a hybrid car, it burns gas and rubber............

Blown70

 :eek2: WOW, yea, I was wondering, see some online that sucker looked expensive.

TUFCAT

Quote from: Mike DC (formerly miked) on September 30, 2008, 02:54:48 AM
 
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.  :eek2:

.....and off the record, during the last two years I've learned Mike DC is usually right about everything!  :2thumbs:

WingCharger

My dads is a 60 gallon. :cheers:
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...

Quote from: TUFCAT on September 30, 2008, 03:51:55 PM
Quote from: Mike DC (formerly miked) on September 30, 2008, 02:54:48 AM.....and off the record, during the last two years I've learned Mike DC is usually right about everything!  :2thumbs:

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

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   :icon_smile_big:

And then continue with more insight...   :cheers:
"Liberalism is a disease that attacks one's ability to understand logic. Extreme manifestations include the willingness to continue down a path of self destruction, based solely on a delusional belief in a failed ideology."

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.
1969 Dodge Charger 500 440/727
1970 Challenger convertible 340/727
1970 Plymouth Duster FM3
1974 Dodge Dart /6/904
1983 Plymouth Scamp GT 2.2 Auto
1950 Dodge Pilot house pick up

John_Kunkel

Quote from: WingCharger on September 30, 2008, 03:58:53 PM
My dads is a 60 gallon. :cheers:
Handles everything.

Hook my glass bead cabinet to it and it'll be flat in about three minutes.
Pardon me but my karma just ran over your dogma.

WingCharger

Quote from: John_Kunkel on October 01, 2008, 05:16:10 PM
Quote from: WingCharger on September 30, 2008, 03:58:53 PM
My dads is a 60 gallon. :cheers:
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

Quote from: WingCharger on October 01, 2008, 05:21:00 PM
Quote from: John_Kunkel on October 01, 2008, 05:16:10 PM
Quote from: WingCharger on September 30, 2008, 03:58:53 PM
My dads is a 60 gallon. :cheers:
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!!!!  :2thumbs: