Air Compressor Opinions

Vaughn McMillan

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I'm considering upgrading from my tired old Auto Zone buzz bomb air compressor to a real, 220V vertical unit. I've been wanting a better (and quieter) compressor since I last asked this question back in 2006. My little Grex air sander uses 8 cfm of air, and that's the highest duty cycle tool I use. It's really the only air tool I use right now, other than the blow gun. If I ever decided to try sandblasting, it would very likely be small scale stuff on wood, not something like an auto chassis. I'm tight for space, so I'm looking at 60 gallon units. And as I mentioned, noise is an issue. I want something substantially quieter than what I have now.

I know Ingersoll-Rand is universally recommended. I'm looking at their lower-end 3hp and the 5hp 60 gallon units. The 3hp model puts out 10.3 cfm at 90 psi, and the 5 hp gives 18.1. I'm trying to figure out if the extra 8 cfm is worth the $300 difference, considering my use. I think either would deliver ample air for my needs.

Then I also have been looking at the three-cylinder 3hp unit from Eaton. It's rated at 14 cfm, and it costs a bit more than the bigger IR unit, but it also has a few extras that look good on paper. (Easier access to the drain valve, for one.) The Eatons also appear to be built like a brick...well a brick something...and I've read favorable things about them. They have a 5-year warranty vs. 3 years for the IR. I get the impression I could call the owner of the company and get any questions answered. And as a bonus, it can be had in purple. :laugh2:

So...my questions: What are the advantages - if any - to having three cylinder as opposed to one? Would a three-cylinder compressor be quieter than a single-cylinder model? Are the extra two cylinders worth the extra money? Would I be better off saving the $300 or $400 for other tools and just get the 3hp IR unit? Would a purple compressor be cool or what?

I'm open to suggestions...:dunno:
 
Certainly there are other guys with more experiance than me on this subject, I'm sure they will chime in.

My stupid air compressor is on the fritz again, same part, the one I just replaced, still leaks air on the release valve, thus, you are doing the right thing in buying a good compressor! :thumb:

Seems to me the most common spot where money is shaved off these units is the motor, I'd want to know the make of the motor on each unit, a good quality motor is worth the extra money to me, otherwise, any of the three units you mention would most likely do just fine!

Build a small enclosure over the top of the unit, have it lined with sound absorption material, then put a hook, a rope, and a pulley on the ceiling, if you need to get to the head of the compressor, just pull the rope. :dunno:
 
vaughn,
i called and spoke to the guy who owns eaton..the e-bay compressors....right? anyway the pumps are made in italy, motors in tai/chi, at least that`s what he told me 4-5 yrs ago.
for my money there`s only two piston pump manufacturers i`d spend money with, the first is quincy and the second is i-r.....but ONLY their industrial line not the borg/tractor supply line, the two you mention by i-r are the lower end units......better to pony up a couple hundred more and never have to buy another compressor in your lifetime.
quincy only does compressors.....i-r does lotsa stuff but their industrial stuff is still well built.
don`t rush into buying a compressor, research and try to talk to a few folks who own what you`re looking for....and remember that once you have a good dependable air source the world of pneumatic tools is open to you:eek:
 
I'm not gonna talk about specifics because none of the models you are talking about mean anything to me.

However, as a man who has wasted money on 5 compressors on the way to getting to where I am now, which is OK but nothing special, I would second tods recommendation of better is better. If I had bought the bigger compressor that I needed at the start I would have saved a lot of money.

That is my best advice. I will send you an invoice for the 2c in due course.
 
Vaughn sandblasting takes big air. I would go with the biggest cfm you can get. With the biggest tank you can fit in. I have the 5 hp 80 gallon IR that has no problem keeping up with my sand blaster. It is going on 8 trouble free years (knock on wood) The IR's have an auto drain to help keep the tank dry. Mine is set to blow off every 15 min for 3 seconds.
As for the noise build a small shed off the back of your shop. Keep it in the dog house so to speak. I have mine in the attic, you can hear it run but it is not over whelming.
 
My experience in owning and selling air compressors over the years has been that the two-stage, low rpm pumps will last longer, give a steadier supply of air at the rated capacity and will be much, much quieter than the other styles. If you can afford to buy your last air compressor now, look at spending extra to get one that turns slower while providing the same volume/time.

cheers
 
here`s some more advice:eek:........if you can`t afford to spend the bucks for a "good" stationary unit now and still need air then look at a "good" single stage, 20 gallon tank american made construction compressor.
my jobsite quincy can be talked over while it`s running and would sell for more than i paid for it 6-7 yrs ago.
a good comparison would be trying to power your shop with solar cells vs pole power....and air is power...or stored energy, so having a source of dependable stored energy (like pole power) is perferable to having an intermitant or unreliable source.
cry once.......
 
I was hoping you'd chime in, Tod. I'm guessing the I-R industrial line you're talking about is the Type 30? Like this one? And I guess the comparable Quincy would be this? They both look like great machines. Any idea why the lower-end 5hp I-R puts out slightly higher cfm numbers? (18.1 vs. 16.8.) Any idea if one would be quieter than the other? I realize the initial pressure is higher with the two-stage units, but if I'm using 60-90 psi tools, that extra air only gives a longer time before the pump initially kicks in, if I understand things correctly.

I guess another thing I'm trying to figure out is whether the difference in durability between the low end and the industrial models would ever be an issue in my case, considering I'm not a full time woodworker. I can see how it'd make a big difference for a guy in your shoes, but I can't help but wonder if the cheaper one would also last my lifetime. (On the other hand, the extra $260 amortized over the next decade or three ain't all that much money.) ;)

I'm also not ruling out getting a used one. I had to pass on a great old Kellogg American a while back because I simply couldn't have fit it. I've been keeping my eyes on the local Craigslist.
 
newbie on compressors

vaughn i used tods opinions and found a used quincy its 5hp and with there tech support folks got the combinatin i needed to allow for air tools.. and this was a older machine the folks at quincey still helped me out.. its not silent but its way quieter than the pancake i was temporaly using and better than any contrator model i have used in the past.. i would recommend a quincey just fo rthe tech help i received but the compressor is great and i have it in a seperate room but you can talk over it while in there if need be. i vote for quincy used or new!! and if you ever decide to change intersts the quincy will resale very well... you dont find many good used compressors as you alredy know
 
vaughn, i`m not up on the model numbers:eek:.....but i think i can answer your questions about cfm and single stage vs 2 stage..
i`m betting that the pump speed on the quincy is lower than on the i-r hence the reduced cfm....the lower pump speed would lead me to think the quincy would be quieter and live a little longer?
compressed air is a double edged sword....the pneumatic tools will outlive electric tools many times over, are generally smaller and more ergonomic....but.......in order to generate compressed air you need to burn electricity, the energy consumed to compress the air is fractionally greater than the energy delivered to the tool. a compressor, either single stage or two stage will use more amps during it`s last 20-30 psi than it does for the first load of air, by storing more air (energy) at higher pressure a two stage unit will consume less electricity to deliver one cfm of air....now a two stage pump becouse of the higher working pressure will get hotter and wear sooner than a single stage. the heat will cause more condensation but that`s addressed after the pump....over the years folks have voted with their wallets that the energy/longivity issues a two stage pump carries are worth the money.
used is always a good/great option! just make sure the pump manufacturer is still in business. tanks in an industrial enviornment are good for 20+ years under roof.....10+ exposed to the weather and are replacable.
 
Since no one addressed the cool factor, I will. :type:

Purple is the color of royalty. :)

What could possibly be more cool than that? :dunno:

And who deserves is more than you? :D :thumb: ;)

'Nuff said. Waaaayyy cool, Vaughn.
 
vaughn

i know little about compressors but that they provide compressed air. but I have heard that Rol-air is also a good option. not sure what the prices look like, and how they compare, but it could broaden your search a little.

maybe if someone else knows more about their quality they can chime in.

just a thought

good luck
chris
 
To make it short & sweet, (for a change):D.... I'd take a used slow turning & quiet "Quincy" over any brand new unit on the market, any day. I could not even begin to remember all the 30 to 40 year old Quincy's I've seen over the years that are still working fine, and that sure makes them cost effective.:thumb: (annnnnd...I'll bet you find more uses for air if the compressor noise doesn't drive you nuts every time it runs. (OK.....it was still short for me).:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
Vaughn...are you up for a road trip?

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/tls/636630727.html

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http://kansascity.craigslist.org/tls/636628284.html

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Jeff, did the rest of that guy's shop burn down, or was the fire confined to the compressor room? :p

There's this one locally, but I'm having a hard time figuring out where I could fit it. A 60 gallon tank would be difficult enough...this 80 gallon just might be too big. (According to the seller, the single-phase motor is a 5hp Baldor.)

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/bfs/629480794.html
 
Jeff, did the rest of that guy's shop burn down, or was the fire confined to the compressor room? :p

There's this one locally, but I'm having a hard time figuring out where I could fit it. A 60 gallon tank would be difficult enough...this 80 gallon just might be too big. (According to the seller, the single-phase motor is a 5hp Baldor.)

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/bfs/629480794.html

vaughn if the price is in your range,you could always park it outside in a small shed and pipe in the air to your shop..
 
vaughn do you have hard dimensions for each size tank? surely there can't be that much difference right? not sure how much wiggle room you have though.

hope you can fit it
 
vaughn if the price is in your range,you could always park it outside in a small shed and pipe in the air to your shop..
Larry, I've asked the seller how tall it is. We have a shed outside the garage that it might fit in. Due to the layout of our yard, and the things already in it (like the HVAC unit), I don't think I could add another shed big enough. The shop is in the garage...the front faces the street and has the rollup door, so it can't go there. One side's attached to the house, so that's out. The back is already taken up by the existing shed (with a low roof) and the HVAC unit. The remaining side is along our only access path from the front to the back yards. It's pretty narrow, so a compressor enclosure would severely limit what (and who) could fit through the passage.

Looking at other 60 gallon and 80 gallon compressors, the 80 is just enough bigger to make it tough to fit. Most of the 60s I've seen are in the 20" x 23" range for the footprint, but the 80s are more like 26" x 38".

I also think he may be a bit high in his price (thanks for the advice, Tod), but I'll wait to see the dimensions before I try haggling him on the price.

Keep in mind this would be WAY overkill for my needs. I figure at the most, I'm in the shop 3 or 4 hours a day, and that's usually only 4 or 5 days a week. Aside from my little Grex, I won't be using it for sanders. (I like a ROS with a vacuum hookup for dust.) I really don't need a compressor that's built to power a full-time mechanic shop. Still, if the price is right, I'll consider it. ;)
 
That unit should last forever, and IF you ever wanted to sell it, I sure don't think you would lose any money. Just think what kind of a Vacuum rig you could make to hold vac chucks & when you get that itchy feeling to do something different and start Vaneering some high dollar art objects with exotics.:D I still say that I'll bet you find a LOT more uses for air when it is plentiful AND quiet.;) (I guess you could always buy it and when you run across a compressor of some kind with a 60 gal tank, you could swap the tanks out and resell the other one).;) I sure would like to have one of those units. Hope you can find room for it, 'cause I sure don't think you will ever regret it.:thumb:
 
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