Hey everyone, I was thinking about buying a new compressor. I need something big, I can't stand any more lack of power scenarios. Right now I am looking at the Craftsman Professional 80 Gallon, but I am open to suggestions. I am looking something that will be more than enough to power the tools in my shop. More than likely it will only be running one tool at a time. IF anyone has any thoughts or experiences, I'd love to hear them.
Compressor suggestions
gijoe985
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
Hey everyone, I was thinking about buying a new compressor. I need something big, I can't stand any more lack of power scenarios. Right now I am looking at the Craftsman Professional 80 Gallon, but I am open to suggestions. I am looking something that will be more than enough to power the tools in my shop. More than likely it will only be running one tool at a time. IF anyone has any thoughts or experiences, I'd love to hear them.
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1,715 Posts
Don't look at HP ratings or too much at gallons of the tank.
Look at the scfm rating of the compressor. That's what determines if you have enough air or not. You could have a 80 gallon tank and a 3.5 cfm compressor and I guarantee you it'll be running all the time.You want to size the compressor to keep up with whatever air tools you are using.
Look at the scfm rating of the compressor. That's what determines if you have enough air or not. You could have a 80 gallon tank and a 3.5 cfm compressor and I guarantee you it'll be running all the time.You want to size the compressor to keep up with whatever air tools you are using.
The link below shows the compressor I bought last year. Yes it is a bit more money than most but read about it. The one thing I really like about it is the lower motor speed. This compressor is super quite. I can stand right next to it running and talk without raising my voice. They sell a number of different sizes. Check them all out.
http://www.eatoncompressor.com/catalog/item/504747/206953.htm
http://www.eatoncompressor.com/catalog/item/504747/206953.htm
Gary,mod9 said:
Looks good. So is it really that quiet? I'm in the market for a big unit to run tools and a blast cabinet. Quiet is good!
Shaun this is the quitest compressor I ever heard in most garage. My old Ingersol Rand would just about drive you nuts. With the lower motor speed and the compressor head only turning at 800 RPM not only is it quite but should last much longer. Give Eaton a call and talk with them. They really know compressors. I searched almost 8 months before I bought and IMO no other compressor came close to this one. And when they talk HP rating they talk running HP not start up HP like most do. Hell the motor alone on my Eaton 5 HP weighs more than the motor and the head on my old 5 HP Ingersol Rand.My old compessor never shut off while I was bead blasting and it have a shut off pressure of 125PSI. The new one shuts off all the time and kicks off at 150PSI.
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468 Posts
If the pocketbook allows, skip the craftsman type single stage compressors. I can't wait for mine to break so I can get a new one. The craftsman units are extremely loud and don't really have enough cfm to work larger shop tools. Even a cutoff tool can't keep up full speed. My next one will be like the eatons, two-stage, quiet, and plenty of cfm.
Greg
Greg
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2,099 Posts
i looked at this one. ended up with a kobalt from lowes.200.00 cheaper and pretty much same compressor by the numbers. its not quiet though. as noisy as my old ingersoll rand.pretty noisy.
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744 Posts
If you want reliable, consistant line pressures where you don't have to stop and wait for the compressor to catch back up before you can continue on, get a two-stage compressor!
This is the one I bought from Home Depot on Christams eve '06 (~$1900.00 with tax):
...just unloaded it off the truck:
1. http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/5796/aircompressor010as8.jpg
2. http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/816/aircompressor008yw0.jpg
This is the most demanding tool I use, and the compressor never skips a beat when it cycles on, and I don't lose any line pressure while it's pumping back up:
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2013/blastcabinet009qy9.jpg
This is the one I bought from Home Depot on Christams eve '06 (~$1900.00 with tax):
...just unloaded it off the truck:
1. http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/5796/aircompressor010as8.jpg
2. http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/816/aircompressor008yw0.jpg
This is the most demanding tool I use, and the compressor never skips a beat when it cycles on, and I don't lose any line pressure while it's pumping back up:
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2013/blastcabinet009qy9.jpg
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1,843 Posts
I have the Craftsman (the one pictured). I love it. Except for a pressurized sandblaster (pot type) running at 120psi, this thing keeps up easily with anything I use. It's neither the loudest nor the quietest compressor I've heard.
I seriously considered the Kobalt, too, but can't remember why I didn't go that route.
I don't think you can go wrong with the Craftsman Professional line. If noise is a concern, you may have to pony up for something else.
I made two modifications to mine:
1) replace the spigot type valve at the outlet manifold with a ball valve. It's ten times easier to open and close.
2) replace the petcock on the bottom with an elbow, some short pipe, and another ball valve, followed by a hose barb and short length of hose. Draining the tank is as easy as reaching down and cracking the valve (with the hose in a bucket, of course).
I seriously considered the Kobalt, too, but can't remember why I didn't go that route.
I don't think you can go wrong with the Craftsman Professional line. If noise is a concern, you may have to pony up for something else.
I made two modifications to mine:
1) replace the spigot type valve at the outlet manifold with a ball valve. It's ten times easier to open and close.
2) replace the petcock on the bottom with an elbow, some short pipe, and another ball valve, followed by a hose barb and short length of hose. Draining the tank is as easy as reaching down and cracking the valve (with the hose in a bucket, of course).
Joined
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744 Posts
I mounted my compressor outside of my shop so I wouldn't have to listen to it run while working inside. However, two-stage compressors are actually (usually) quieter running than many single-stage compressors.
When my compressor kicks on, it's not that loud, especially for the size of its 2-stage compressor head and motor (7.5 hp). I've heard many, smaller, single-stage compressors that were much louder by comparrison.
I installed an automatic blow down component plumbed into the drainline coming out the bottom of my compressor. It has a selectable timer with a variable length of blowdown you can dial in on it to keep condensation drained out of the tank automatically. I got it through McMaster/Carr:
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/4360/blowdown002xh2.jpg
When my compressor kicks on, it's not that loud, especially for the size of its 2-stage compressor head and motor (7.5 hp). I've heard many, smaller, single-stage compressors that were much louder by comparrison.
I installed an automatic blow down component plumbed into the drainline coming out the bottom of my compressor. It has a selectable timer with a variable length of blowdown you can dial in on it to keep condensation drained out of the tank automatically. I got it through McMaster/Carr:
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/4360/blowdown002xh2.jpg
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