New air compressor recommends sought

[Flivverking]

 

Time for a new air compressor ,very soon.

My  minimum requirements are for painting with traditional syphon and gravity guns and possibly a new HLVP ?,autobody DAs and longboard sanders ,various grinders. .

 

vertical a must.

Single phase 220

60 gal.min.

5H.P.min.

No oil-less jobs...

 

Any suggested brands,other sizes, reviews or sales going on would be helpfull.

 

[Laughing Coyote]

This is what I bought 3 years ago and still rolling. Use the heck out of it every day.  Usually goes on sale at Xmas time.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ingersoll-rand-80-gallon-5-hp-reciprocating-air-compressor

[wmsue]

Have you looked at TPtools in Canfield, Oh ?
They have compressor sales quite often. I bought mine from TP about 4 years ago and other than replacing the reed valve a few months ago, it has been great.

The IR compressor was my second choice.

Bill

 

[joe_padavano]

I would suggest looking at SCFM, not HP or tank size. A true 5HP compressor should put out about 17-18 SCFM, which will be fine for HVLP, most air tools, and even media blasting. I've got a 7.5 HP at 23 SCFM and it was the best choice I ever made.

[TTR]

3 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

I would suggest looking at SCFM, not HP or tank size. 

+ 1

 

HP or Gallon specs are merely marketing gimmicks intended to impress(?) people who don’t understand (air compressor) technology or its practical applications.
Kind of like selling cars with (impressive?) HP numbers or quantities of cupholders & USB ports or fancy custom wheels.

 

Also, lower RPMs in air compressors is usually better than higher.

 

Edited March 2, 2021 by TTR (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

Look into a Quincy. Northern Tools has those that meet your requirements and you sometimes find them on sale, or it's easy enough to find one of their $50 coupons online.

[Fossil]

I purchased this one from TSC. It was a Christmas 2 hour special. I was more interested in CFM than high pressure. It's putting out 18.1 CFM at 90 psi. It's quiet and I have yet to run out of air.

  https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ingersoll-rand-ss5l5-5-hp-60-gallon-high-capacity-air-compressor

 

 

 

[rocketraider]

2 hours ago, plymouthcranbrook said:

 Now I am looking to see if anyone still repairs these type of motors.

I would think any competent electric motor shop could repair it. 208/220v capacitor start, right?  This is a piston type Sanborn? Know they made some screw-type but those were generally for heavy industry.

[John Bloom]

9 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Look into a Quincy. Northern Tools has those that meet your requirements and you sometimes find them on sale, or it's easy enough to find one of their $50 coupons online.

It is strange the things I remember as I get older.......  As a teenager, 40 years ago I used to earn money in the summers doing work with a buddy on his dad's farm.  He had a Quincy compressor in the barn.  It was used when I first saw it in the late 1970's.  I saw my buddy a couple of years ago at a memorial service for a classmate, we were making small talk standing around with people in attendance and he told me the farm was sold but he has the compressor and it still works.  I think they were made in Quincy Illinois, not sure if they are still made there or if they have outsourced to someplace out of the US.  

 

I keep buying cheap small compressors and throwing them away every couple of years.  You would think I would learn.....

Edited March 2, 2021 by John Bloom (see edit history)

[Restorer32]

Buy the highest scfm you can afford. You probably do not need a 15hp like we have running every day lol.  I would search locally for a compressor repair place.  They often have rebuilt/trade in commercial units.

[joe_padavano]

I'll throw out another option that worked for me. I built a "frankenpressor" for about half of what an equivalent new one would cost. Found a rebuilt Rolair K30 pump, a good tank, and bought a new 7.5 HP single phase motor. With all the small parts, I've got about $1000 into this, and the motor is the biggest part of that. It reliably puts out 23 SCFM and doesn't even breathe hard when I'm blasting or using high CFM air tools. Media blasting is almost pleasant now (well, except for the media in your shorts problem...😲). Another option is to find a used 3PH compressor (which tend to sell for a lot less than single phase) and swap out the motor. I got a my 7.5 HP Leeson motor for about $600 brand new. Brand name 5HP motors can be bought in the $450 range.

[Matt Harwood]

Buy more compressor than you think you need, even if you have to spend a few extra bucks. Nobody ever regrets going bigger but everyone regrets too small. I have a 7.5 horsepower, 22 CFM, 80 gallon unit that's a rebranded Ingersoll-Rand unit and it has been great for nearly 20 years now. Just regular maintenance. We aren't a bodyshop, but it's more than adequate for normal restoration and service work.

 

Also worth mentioning is storage capacity. The 80-gallon tank is great, but here at our shop we also have hundreds of feet of 2-inch pipe distributing the air to various points around the building (this was formerly a shop where they cut granite countertops, so all their saws used lots of air). I would estimate that all that pipe probably doubles the capacity of the system. It really makes a difference. Before when I would use the sandblast cabinet, the compressor would run almost constantly. Now it runs for about 10 minutes, then shuts off for 5, repeat. It keeps up easily with blasting with all that extra capacity. Not that you should necessarily add more storage, but at least buy the biggest tank you can fit in the space. The difference between 60 and 80 gallons can be significant without changing the footprint.

 

Bottom line? Spend a little more and you can get a lot more compressor. You won't regret it.

[Bhigdog]

57 minutes ago, joe_padavano said:

I'll throw out another option that worked for me. I built a "frankenpressor" for about half of what an equivalent new one would cost. Found a rebuilt Rolair K30 pump, a good tank, and bought a new 7.5 HP single phase motor. With all the small parts, I've got about $1000 into this, and the motor is the biggest part of that. It reliably puts out 23 SCFM and doesn't even breathe hard when I'm blasting or using high CFM air tools. Media blasting is almost pleasant now (well, except for the media in your shorts problem...😲). Another option is to find a used 3PH compressor (which tend to sell for a lot less than single phase) and swap out the motor. I got a my 7.5 HP Leeson motor for about $600 brand new. Brand name 5HP motors can be bought in the $450 range.

 

Quincy and Champion have a good reputation. Older Ingersol T-30's are excellent but I understand the new ones are made off shore and have been cheapened.

Lots of ways to skin this cat.

I recently bought a Champion 5HP, 3 phase, HR5-8 compressor on an 80 gallon tank for $200 including the motor starter and pressure regulator. The company was basically junking it because the motor was noisy and it took too long to make air. I didn't need another compressor. I already have a good T-30 but it was too good a deal to pass up and sounded like a fun project.

I put new bearings in the motor for $30 and gave to my son who used it to make a rotary phase convertor.

The compressor pump's disc type valves were badly worn and two springs broken. A couple of hours lathe work rebuilt the valves and wound new springs from .032 music wire.

I hydro tested the tank to 50% over it's rated 200 pound max.

A new Weg 5 HP single phase motor was bought on Ebay for $339, a new pressure switch for $24 and a motor starter enclosure for $10.

After assembling everything the unit builds up 0 to 175 pounds in 6.5 minutes. A few seconds faster than factory specs.

I realize that this isn't the way to go for many but for about $600 I have an industrial grade compressor that lists new for about $3000.

What was actually more important to me, it was a really fun and rewarding project. I learned a great deal about compressors, how to inspect and hydro test and the differences between makes and grades of them..........Bob

 

 

 

 

[TTR]

I bought my first compressor about 30 years ago from an estate sale of an old repair shop (owner, a friends f-i-l, had passed).

It was a smaller, commercial quality IR with about 15-17 cfm output running at 1750 rpm w/3 hp motor.

Appearance-wise it looked like it was built in ‘40s or ‘50s, although the tank had some hand-stamped (with center punch) dates suggesting 1939(?) and until then, it had probably been sitting outdoors its entire life.

 

I paid the asking price of $200, took it to my newly established shop, cleaned and serviced it and used for next 15-20 years pretty much daily, until by mere happenstance, a recently (at the time) established wrought iron (doors, gates, etc) fabrication shop* about a mile from mine had about a year old commercial quality IR of almost twice the size of mine, both physically and in performance (22-23 ? cfm at 1750 rpm w/7.5 hp motor), sitting outside, up front with a “for sale” sign.

 

They had probably paid between $4K-$5K, were asking $1400 obo, I offered $1000 cash which they promptly accepted and helped me load it with their forklift** to my truck.

 

I then switched compressors and day or two later rolled the old one to curbside with “for sale”-sign indicating $800 (asking ?) price. It wasn’t more than couple of hours later I had a guy inspecting it & offering me $600 in cash which I accepted.

 

My second one, now 10-15 years old, still seems to be working as good as the day I bought and I don’t really expect to buy another one in this lifetime.
No counting maintenance/service consumables, distribution plumbing or cost of operating electricity, I might still be financially ahead on my compressed air.
Not bad for 30 years.

 

* Turned out they were closing and went out of business 

* It wasn’t until few days later when I realized I should probably ask about the forklift as it was also nearly new quality unit and possibly available for similarly discounted pricing, but by that time they were all done and gone. I left a note on the front door, but never heard back.

 

Bottom line (advise);

Unless you can afford to throw money away and expecting to use compressed air semi-seriously for anything involving constant/extended need of it (i.e. air tools, media blasting, painting, etc) stay away from anything at Harbor Fright, Home Depo/Lowes, etc.

All they sell is inexpensive throwaway junk.

Edited March 2, 2021 by TTR (see edit history)

[28 Chrysler]

If noise is a problem and money is not look at the smaller turbine units. These are high CFM , I had a larger I.R. that put out 25 CFM @ 125 PSI

[Flivverking]

That's all some terrific and logical input and advise .It's very appreciated.

My self-impossed buget is keeping it under 2 grand.

[plymouthcranbrook]

13 hours ago, rocketraider said:

I would think any competent electric motor shop could repair it. 208/220v capacitor start, right?  This is a piston type Sanborn? Know they made some screw-type but those were generally for heavy industry.

Yes, regular I believe dual piston. There was a place not too far from me but they went out of business years ago. Another one I found either went under or moved. With todays throw it away culture I expect finding someone to repair it will take some time. Luckily at this time of year all I do is fill tires and have a small one for that.

[NailheadBob]

plymouthcranbrook,  Accurate electric motor and pump 6955 W 111th St. Worth, Il 60482 phone (708) 448-2792,  repaired several table saw motors for me and did a great job, hope this helps.

 

Bob

[AURktman]

This is the one I plan on buying if it ever goes on sale. 

 

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612355_200612355

 

Edited March 2, 2021 by AURktman (see edit history)

[TAKerry]

Like all tools I buy the best I can afford. I have always thought that the IR's were well made quality products. When I was in the market a few years ago for a 60gal compressor I could not afford one of those but instead settled for a Campbell husfeld from Tractor Supply. They had a sale, I had a coupon and tax free Delaware made it a no brainer. I think I was out of the door for $600 or so. I use it for pneumatic nail guns/staplers in my wood shop, filling tires and painting cars. For sanders I use electric, as well as drills etc. It doesnt get used on an everyday basis, pretty much I would say busy hobbyist. Its at least 5 yrs old now and still works fine. If I were buying one today it would probably be an IR but I would not hesitate getting another just like what I have for the price.  I bought a 60 gal job identical to my CH but it was Lowes cobalt brand. They were doing a clearance and it was half priced at $250. Its been sitting in my barn now for the last 2 years waiting for a hook up. Just havent needed it yet.

[joe_padavano]

14 minutes ago, AURktman said:

This is the one I plan on buying if it ever goes on sale. 

 

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612355_200612355

 

 

Depends on what you plan to use it for. 13 SCFM is on the low side for most air tools and HVLP guns.

[AURktman]

3 minutes ago, joe_padavano said:

 

Depends on what you plan to use it for. 13 SCFM is on the low side for most air tools and HVLP guns.

Its actually about double the CFM I have been suffering with over the past 10 years.  I have used a DeWalt Emglo 110v compressor (worst purchase ever) that puts out about 6 CFM and have used it to do a bunch, I just have a LOT of waiting time for it to build back up pressure.  I'm also constrained on tank diameter, I have a 24' x 24' shop.  I can go small diameter and tall, that is about it.  

[joe_padavano]

19 minutes ago, AURktman said:

Its actually about double the CFM I have been suffering with over the past 10 years.  I have used a DeWalt Emglo 110v compressor (worst purchase ever) that puts out about 6 CFM and have used it to do a bunch, I just have a LOT of waiting time for it to build back up pressure.  I'm also constrained on tank diameter, I have a 24' x 24' shop.  I can go small diameter and tall, that is about it.  

 

That's the whole point - more SCFM means you don't need as much tank. With enough SCFM, you almost don't need a tank at all. Yeah, I suspect that you may not be able to find a high-volume compressor with the tank size you want, unfortunately. Have you considered putting a larger compressor outside in a shed?

[intimeold]

I am only going to touch on one difference in the two types of air compressors currently sold to home owners and small shops.

 

Noise:

 

This quote came out of another forum; but applies here. I don't know what study they cited.  "Air compressors can get up to 70-90 decibels loud – the average conversation is about 60 decibels, oil-less air compressors running at full capacity and you'll definitely have a noise problem".

 

From my own experience, no fancy study just my shop.  Every oil-Less air compressor that I tried was louder than any new, used, antique, air compressor.  And some oil-less were really loud, annoying loud. People are trying mufflers and shielding to get the noise down. 

 

I didn't mention cost, dependability, size, only noise.

 

intimeold

[Gary_Ash]

20 hours ago, Laughing Coyote said:

This is what I bought 3 years ago and still rolling. Use the heck out of it every day.  Usually goes on sale at Xmas time.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ingersoll-rand-80-gallon-5-hp-reciprocating-air-compressor

I'll second the recommendation on the I-R 80 gallon, 5 hp.  I use lots of air tools, have a sand blast cabinet, but don't paint.

 

Some notes:

1.  Bolt it down to the garage floor so it won't walk and to reduce noise.  Vibration-damping pads under the feet will help.

2.  The water drain located at the center of the tank bottom is hard to reach, so remove it, put in an elbow and a length of steel pipe to bring the drain outside the edge of the tank, high enough to put a drain pan under it.

3.  Get a good metal pressure regulator rated for the compressor's 175 psi output.  Most tools don't like extended use at 175 psi.  Cheap plastic regulators may blow out, i.e. rupture, at 175 psi - ask me how I know!

4. I put in a RapidAir semi-flexible piping system using their 3/4" metal-lined Maxline plastic tubing using compression fittings with 4 outlets. Summit Racing carries some of the stuff or buy direct from Rapid Air.  It saves dragging a rubber hose around the garage.  I used a 2 ft length of rubber hose to go from the regulator on the compressor to the piping on the wall in order to reduce vibration to the piping.  

 

Compressor tank, metal regulator, and vibration-isolation hose.

 

 Compressed air outlet at milling machine. 

 

[AURktman]

30 minutes ago, joe_padavano said:

 

That's the whole point - more SCFM means you don't need as much tank. With enough SCFM, you almost don't need a tank at all. Yeah, I suspect that you may not be able to find a high-volume compressor with the tank size you want, unfortunately. Have you considered putting a larger compressor outside in a shed?

I wish I could put it out in a shed, but the HOA and my wife would burn me at an eco-friendly renewable stake and find a way to make it carbon-neutral.  I can get a bigger tank, but would need to elevate it to an upper mezzanine. I have a 19’ high peak in the center of the workshop.  

[Bhigdog]

4 minutes ago, Gary_Ash said:

Bolt it down to the garage floor so it won't walk and to reduce noise.  Vibration-damping pads under the feet will help.

Directly bolting a piston type compressor to a concrete floor is a no-no. The cyclical vibrations will eventually cause the tank to crack where the legs are welded on. McMaster has pads.......Bob

[MochetVelo]

Anyone have a scroll compressor such as sold by Eastwood? Noise is about 63db, about that of normal conversation.

 

Phil

[AURktman]

2 minutes ago, MochetVelo said:

Anyone have a scroll compressor such as sold by Eastwood? Noise is about 63db, about that of normal conversation.

 

Phil

That’s the other compressor I’ve been looking at, it’s just double the price of the Quincy. 

[joe_padavano]

43 minutes ago, AURktman said:

I wish I could put it out in a shed, but the HOA and my wife would burn me at an eco-friendly renewable stake and find a way to make it carbon-neutral.  I can get a bigger tank, but would need to elevate it to an upper mezzanine. I have a 19’ high peak in the center of the workshop.  

 

Understand. Quincy QT-54 is the same size and almost 16 CFM, but also $1400 at most vendors. I know nothing about this vendor, but the price seems too good to be true. Rural King had this compressor on sale, but it appears that all their stores are out of it now as a result.

[rocketraider]

1 hour ago, intimeold said:

I am only going to touch on one difference in the two types of air compressors currently sold to home owners and small shops.

 

Noise:

 

"Air compressors can get up to 70-90 decibels loud – the average conversation is about 60 decibels, oil-less air compressors running at full capacity and you'll definitely have a noise problem".

 

From my own experience, no fancy study just my shop.  Every oil-Less air compressor that I tried was louder than any new, used, antique, air compressor.  And some oil-less were really loud, annoying loud. People are trying mufflers and shielding to get the noise down. 

You can't quieten those noisy things down and annoying doesn't begin to describe one.

 

Buddy bought a Craftsman oil-less and even though it performed well you could hear the buzzy thing on 2nd floor of his house, and it was in his basement garage. After a few years he bought an oil-lube Quincy to reduce the noise and put the Craftsman up for sale. Took him 2 years to sell it. People don't like buzzy.

 

I had bought a Quincy the year before he did. They have performed well. But I still crank up the little hotdog Craftsman (also oil-type) if I need air quick. Ol' Quincy takes a little bit to build up its big tank...🤗

[plymouthcranbrook]

4 hours ago, NailheadBob said:

plymouthcranbrook,  Accurate electric motor and pump 6955 W 111th St. Worth, Il 60482 phone (708) 448-2792,  repaired several table saw motors for me and did a great job, hope this helps.

 

Bob

Thank you. I will give them a call. 
 

As a side note my first atr compressor was a 20 gallon Craftsman oilless I bought in 1993. I used it for everything up to and including sanding down cars for paint. It drew so much current I could not have the lights on in my 20 amp circuit garage.  Even then on a hot day the breaker would pop. It finally died in 2010 and I had the garage rewired for 40 amps and 220.  Of course now I don’t use it nearly as much as I used the old Craftsman.  

Edited March 3, 2021 by plymouthcranbrook (see edit history)

[Laughing Coyote]

2 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

Directly bolting a piston type compressor to a concrete floor is a no-no

Mine is sitting on 3 6"x 6" x 3/4" rubber pads. Hasn't moved at all.

[Larry Schramm]

I bolted mine to a part of a wood pallet. It too has not moved.

[Fossil]

Something to consider, the more rpm's the compressor operates at the more noise your going to have to deal with.  Try and place your compressor in the driest place possible. This will reduce the amount of moisture that will need to be purged from the compressed air.

Good luck with your purchase. 

[Lahti35]

I haven't seen these guys mentioned yet: https://www.saylor-beall.com/tank-mounted-vertical/

 

Saylor-Beall makes a heck of a compressor, industrial quality made in the USA. 

 

When i looked around for a compressor a few years ago I eventually found them and had a dealer close by. S-B offers a warranty but the salesman at the dealer said they never come back for any warranty work and i'd never have problems with it. Its been a wonderful unit. After looking at IR and some other brands I was sold on S-B. The castings are much cleaner and heavier and the only plastic on the machine is the cover for the pressure switch. Its a tank.  

Edited March 3, 2021 by Lahti35 (see edit history)

[Flivverking]

Last night was searching Ingersoll Rand offerings...Not bad, but it's odd marketing to me how the same basic model is offered (lets say a 5hp -60 gal range) is tweak up and down in CFMs and max pressure variables and motor life hours..The cheaper has nice higher CFMs and lowest max pressure and low life pump hours and a more expensive model has less CFMs max ,but higher max pressures and longer pump hours..

Start chuking in single or double stages....

They jump to 80 gallons and the specs seem worse then 60 gallon.

I wad just quick cruising what found last night..Maybe more closer look will make more sense.?

S-Bs are worth a look tonight.

.

[Lahti35]

31 minutes ago, Flivverking said:

S-Bs are worth a look tonight.

I would highly encourage it. When compared to a comparable IR the pump speed is much slower (quieter). They are more expensive though. If you can get some eyes on your new future compressor before you buy that's always a good thing. I was shocked by some of the fit and finish on some brands I looked at in person.

[TAKerry]

Another thing to consider is that a good regulator, filter, dryer will run $200-$300.

[RansomEli]

MochetVelo, 

 

I purchased an Eastwood scroll compressor about 5 months ago. The price is a bit extravagant but I decided to reward myself.

 

Have been very happy with the compressor. Upon delivery there were a few setup issues. The motor cover had been slightly damaged in transit. I repaired the problem with a body hammer & dolly. Also, the pop-off valve was stuck and did not allow me to keep air in the tank.  After cycling through a few days' cycles the valve unstuck and everything is now fine. 

 

The compressor is very quiet. Just what I was hoping for. You can carry on a conversation right next to the compressor while it is running, something I could not do with my old Harbor Freight unit. I can run the compressor at night without any worries about disturbing the neighbors. In fact, my wife says she cannot hear the compressor running when she is sitting in the living room adjacent to the garage.

 

Air tool prices are inversely proportional to their CFM rating. I checked around and bought a DA sander with about 6 cfm. Absolutely no problems for the Eastwood and I am filled with joy being able to finally use air tools for my body work. I paid about $55 for my sander. I could get one with 4 cfm for $200.

 

Haven't done any painting with the compressor but I'm sure there's plenty of cfm for what I want. 

 

Will need to do some small sandblasting in the next month. If I find any problems I'll edit this posting. Don't expect any.

 

All in all, I'm happy with my purchase. It's more than enough power for me, is smaller than my previous vertical compressor, and I don't have any qualms about starting it up, even after midnight.

 

One recommendation, however. If you are going to use the compressor for painting, use black iron piping and not plastic. The black iron cools down the air and lets you remove moisture easily.  My old setup used PVC piping and that caused problems. I've now converted to black iron and am a happy camper. 

 

Edited March 3, 2021 by RansomEli
Added picture of Eastwood compressor (see edit history)