Hey guys I’m going to get a new air compressor, I blew up my last one lol scared the crap out of me when the connecting rod let go had to change my shorts and clean the garage lol , I’m looking at something in the 80 gallon range I was looking at both the dewalt 2 stage and the ingersol rand but there have been mixed reviews on both ? Seems the motors are frying ? Idk looking in the 2k max range any suggestions? Needs to be able to power my sanders grinders and stuff, I am relocating the compressor out to the shed ran the air line underground into the garage when they upgraded the power in the garage and I gave a separate 60 amp circuit 220v for the compressor

 

At least you didn't slip and fall with crap on the floor surface. Find the SCFM rating for your different air tools and decide on an appropriate compressor. Those big compressors can eat up electricity. The 80 gallon tank can allow you to run for a while til you have to stop and let the compressor "catch up". Good luck

 

Ingersoll rand makes great compressors. Get the highest CFM rating you can afford.

 

If there's a Northern Tool nearby look into a Quincy. Far as I know Quincy are still ALL US-made. I've noticed a lot of Rand pumps are made in India.

Assuming your underground piping is black iron? Even if PVC, make sure you have a good water separator where the piping enters the garage.

 

I’m using the aluminum wrapped pvc air line kit the dewalt puts out about 17 ingersoll 15.7 and I see the Quincy is similar to the dewalt maybe even a bit more at 17.7 hmmmmm but it’s going to be a bear to get in the shed lol heavy ***** I use my grinders and sanders a lot and they just consume air I had a single stage before hoping the 2 stage can keep up I don’t need the pressure need the cfm

 

Why not just put a new pump on your old compressor? I built my own frankenpressor. Got a tank for $75, a 23 SCFM Rolair pump for $150 used, and bought a new Baldor 7.5 HP single phase motor for $650.

 

I've got the IR TS5 5HP/80 gallon unit. I've had it for about five years and it runs flawlessly. I can run my harbor freight blasting cabinet full time and the compressor keeps up nicely, even out-pacing the blast cabinet throughput. I wired up an Hours counter on it. I caught it on sale at Murdock's for about $900, IIRC.

 

[QUOTE=BackInTheGame;1406822]I've got the IR TS5 5HP/80 gallon unit. I've had it for about five years and it runs flawlessly. I can run my harbor freight blasting cabinet full time and the compressor keeps up nicely, even out-pacing the blast cabinet throughput. I wired up an Hours counter on it. I caught it on sale at Murdock's for about $900,

I've had several compressors. If you want one that's super capable and quiet.....get the Champion even over IR and Quincy. The pumps run at half RPM yet make twice the CFM. I love mine. You would be amazed.

 

442Dude, nice installation!

I too am a Champion guy, have this one in my detached garage: Champion® Heavy-Duty 5HP 2-Stage 80-Gal Air Compressor - TP Tools & Equipment. Picked it up used for $500, a while ago, and it's never had a problem. Great for bead-blasting, continuous-use air tools like DA's, and painting.

In my attached garage, I have this Craftsman 27 gal. Oil-Lubricated Vertical Air Compressor (searshometownstores.com), just right for light-medium-duty stuff. Being wheeled has come in handy, too.

Both units are also pretty quiet.

 

i have a campbell hausfeld the wife bought for me back about 25 yrs ago 60 gal 5hp 2 stage. use it almost to death at least 6 hrs a day every day. only problem was it would blow head gaskets,untill i used studs in place of head bolts.

 

If you are moving it, noise probably isn't important. I picked up the 20 gallon version of this one and tried into the 25 gallon tank on my dying Coleman. I have never heard as quiet of a compressor and they have good cfm ratings.
https://hulkcompressors.com/product/...specifications

 

I bought this one used off of Craigslist for $250. It's a 60-gal tank, 13cfm@40psi and 11cfm@90psi mostly sold at Home Depot stores. It's noisy as hell, so I'm glad I put it in my shed which is attached to the garage but a separate room. I inserted a Hayen engine oil cooler between the pump and the tank which is zip tied it to the backside of the cooling fan to help lower the air temp before going into the tank. I plumbed my air lines to the garage using 1/2" copper. The copper was kind of expensive but much easier to assemble than iron pipe, and I know guys who ran their air lines with PVC but that stuff will grenade when it fails sending PVC shrapnel everywhere. It can keep up with my blast cabinet but just barely; blasting at 90 psi the compressor will run continuously, at 40-50psi it will cycle on-off.

Rodney

 

Another thing to consider is outside temperature in a remote shed. Here certain compressors would barely run or not at all in -40. Mine does but it doesn't like it, being so quiet it is inside. I can imagine 40+ Celius temperatures can't be good and shorten compressor life as well.

 

Ahh more things to consider !! I’ll take a look into these units as well , I did like Joe’s thought to build one and balder motors I hear are the rolls Royce things to consider , I did pick up a used speedaire air dryer that I’ll hook in, and I have already installed a black pipe distribution system in the garage but was going to replace it with the max line stuff , the pipe does rust and you can see that in the water separators. So I will try the max line as I bought it already lol

 

Noise is a consideration not to be taken lightly. I like galvanized pipe because it won't split or burst. It can be cleaned and painted as well as left natural. The pipe can be bigger and in long sections with T's and reducers for quick connectors where convenient to use. The only restrictions are at the "quick connectors".

 

I installed the Max air stuff. Plumbed a number of outlets around the garage so I have easy access wherever I need it, including a 1/4" line for a blow gun on my bench.

 

I just bought a Schulz from Air Compressors Direct. Looks to be a well built unit. All of the electronics and motor are German. The pump itself, I'm sure is Chinese, but still looks to be well designed. Haven't got it setup yet. Hopefully by next weekend. It's a 7.5hp two stage with intercooler, 80gal. upright tank. Looking forward to firing it up.

Kevin

 

Belt driven or Direct Drive?
2 stage min!

If you're often painting and sandblasting you will want the big boy CFM ratings. For general home garage with occasional use and maybe one paint job here n there then you can back down on the requirement. You can cheat by installing a slave storage tank to act like a larger CFM unit.

The belt drives are significantly less noise, have fewer RPMs, and generally last longer due to less RPM. Tradeoff. more maintenance...belt, oil changes but you generally get a nice replaceable air filter vs a piece of felt in the DDs.

Quincy, IR, Speedair or Frankenstein gets my vote for what's available today. I have an 80 gal Crapsman DD that's over 20. It's been a good compressor so far. The only part replaced was the cheap output regulator. Put a good Grainger years ago. I'd recommend Crapsman if it didn't go offshore.

If you go new make sure to break it in per instructions,

Also, plumb in an auto drain valve to the exterior of the garage. I used some 1/4" Swagelok SS tube a 1/4 turn hand valve and PTFE tube to the outside. Keeping it dry will increase tank life.

 

Yeah, it's belt driven. X2 on the break in. Absolutely a must if you want to have any hopes of longevity. X2 on the moisture drain as well. It's a pressure vessel, not a bathtub.

Kevin

 

Id say buy biggest you can afford.

Especially if using blasting cabinet. Of course you can use smaller compressor, but running big enough to be able to use bigger nozzle = get the job done faster, is nice aswell.
I have an belt-driven, i could afford 5500w/ ~7,3hp unit, and id call it adequate. Its noisy thought- which is a thing to consider, but on the other hand i have space for it on separate room ( hose drying tower), so i can isolate it from noise if i want. Ive just used to use Howard Leighs ear protectors from which i listen music, so that wont bother me.

 

When I had the other brands of compressors....noise was a concern and I also contemplated moving them to a remote location. In my mind, if you spend a little more upfront and do your research....these other heroic steps and costs are not needed. The American made Champion belt drive compressors are the bee's knees. I can stand right next to mine and chat with someone while it's running. Ear plugs are not required. Lol. I have music playing in the shop which I can hear while the compressor is cycling. And....I can sandblast efficiently with a pressure blaster with no waiting or catch up time. It all depends on what you are doing and how much your time and sanity are worth. For me....my compressor is my most important tool.

 

Just keep in mind that "biggest" doesn't mean horsepower (which is frequently overestimated on lower-end compressors), nor does it mean tank size. The most important spec on any air compressor is SCFM. Unfortunately, many vendors neglect to list this. If you plan to run any equipment that requires high air volume (die grinder, sand blaster, HVLP spray gun), you'll want at least 15-17 SCFM. I went with 23 SCFM and blasting is nearly pleasant now (well, as pleasant as it can be with sand in your shorts...).

 

Lots of good info. Joe is correct about SCFM. When I was researching, this info was often not published along with all the "talking points." I had to search it out specifically. That is why I selected by IR. I don't have to wait for it to catch up when working - it has a 100% duty cycle for my cabinet and grinders. It turns on as pressure drops past 100 PSI in the tank, then shuts off when PSI reaches 150 PSI in the tank - all with me still working. Plus it was local and On Sale. Regarding noise level, it is "noisy" but a conversation may be had next to it. To minimize the noise level, something I've read about but not acted upon is to "remote" the air inlet/filter. In the reading I've done, it has been said that the noise is from the air intake, through the orifices of the filter housing. Some have reduced this noise "significantly" by extending the inlet pipe several feet and placing the filter housing on the other side of a wall or ceiling. I don't know if this theory holds true, but why would someone lie about it. Something I'm collecting parts for now is a home built air cooler/dryer using an automotive AC heat exchanger and appropriate draining/piping with a separate "drain" or "pre-tank" inline before the 80 GAL tank.

 

I have a older 80 gallon Champion compressor in my shed, next to the garage. I bet it’s 25 years old, I replaced the filters, belts, and changed the compressor oil when I first got it, it works flawlessly.

I have had compressors in the garage where I’m working, and I hated it. Too damn loud, and I have seen enough videos/pics of compressor tank explosions to know I don’t want them anywhere near me. I drain the water from the tank frequently, and I have a box fan positioned near the motor and compressor. I turn on the fan whenever I run the compressor hard to help keep things cooler.

 

Matt I hear you, I am moving my compressor to the shed I ran a 60 amp circuit out there and ran the air line at same time I am intrigued by the champion but also the Schulz it’s rated at 30 cfm ! and about the same price as the dewalt /ir just not sure I can get 3 phase out there ? I’ll ask my electrician, I think it comes in single phase as well champion looks very good as well


lots of great info here I would have pulled the trigger already and missed out on these seemingly great machines

 

Joes right, i didnt clarify i meant that.

Then theres also the thing about cheating with CFM's by publicing the "suction CFM", and not what it does produce at 90psi ( which is found on small print). There could be very wildly different numbers.
Atleast thats the game what they play here.
I have 23cfm@90psi. Any bigger would have almost doubled the price.

But yeah, if you like quietness, or dont have separate rooms to install it, its a factor as many stated. Living in old fire station has its plusses I have my blasting cabinet located on separate room from garage, thats the only time i have to ear protection when i blast something.