I Need a Compressor

[BigOgre]

My long-time garage compressor finally bit the dust and I'm looking to replace it.  Completely ignorant of what I should be looking for in a replacement other than I would think something no bigger than maybe 10 or 15 gallons.  A mechanic friend simply said just about anything in the big box stores are junk now-a-days but while my old one saw a lot of varied uses, I foresee using its replacement mainly just for mcy tire changes, pressure checks and maybe the occasional auto tire rotations, brake jobs, etc.  What would you guys suggest?

 

[MrZappo]

21 gallon at Harbor Freight ...  

Is it junk ?  Probably ...  

For the price do I care ?   Definitely not ...

I've had mine for 3 years and use it maybe weekly ..  No issues ...  Change its oil from time to time and its all good ...  Its about $150.00   I could get a nice one for maybe $500 ........  

When this one dies ill replace it ...   If I were a PRO and using it daily, then no way would I buy this thing ...  But for a weekend warrior doing tires and I use it to power my lift, its all good ..  

 

[FJRay]

If you go to a vertical tank unit It takes up less space. I would get at least 30 gallon or better. It doesn't take any more juice and with the bigger volume it cycles less. I've got a 80 gallon vertical that came from Lowes about 20 years ago and all I have done is change oil and one pressure switch. It sees daily use and has spent hours and hours running my blast cabinet. When it gets super hot,I give it a break.  Now that I talked about it the end is near

 

[Boston]

If you go to a vertical tank unit It takes up less space. I would get at least 30 gallon or better. It doesn't take any more juice and with the bigger volume it cycles less. I've got a 80 gallon vertical that came from Lowes about 20 years ago and all I have done is change oil and one pressure switch. It sees daily use and has spent hours and hours running my blast cabinet. When it gets super hot,I give it a break.  Now that I talked about it the end is near

+1 on a 30 gallon.

 

[lnewlf]

the bigger the tank the longer she'll last...

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Many of the new compressors are "quiet run" technology. It is nice to be able to continue a conversation when the compressor kicks on.

 

[BkerChuck]

I've got a Craftsman 33 gallon vertical tank model I got fro Christmas several years ago that I love for home use. I probably use it a couple of times per month and it's got plenty of power for anything I've ever needed to date. Vertical tank is definitely the way to go in terms of saving valuable floor space. Mine sits in the space between my 2 garage doors and I installed a cabinet above it to hold air tools so everything is right where I need it.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

I bought one of these a couple years ago, and love it.  Not too expensive.....I think I paid around $160.  Written up in Motorcyclist magazine a couple years ago, I think.  I just finished replacing baseboard trim and door and window casing in a bedroom last week, and used it to run my Horror Fright finish nailer, and it worked great.  Light enough to move around, and amazingly quiet for a compressor.  I don't use it every day, but it has been impressive as a moderate-use tool.

 

[Geezer]

I have a Ingersol Rand 2 stage compressor. It is a lot more than I need, but I got tired of replacing the cheap Harbor Freight compressors I was using. Mine is a stationary compressor, but if you want something that you can move around this portable IR compressor is very nice. My son-in-law has the portable one and likes it. It is a bit pricey, but will last a long time. 

 

[CraigRegs]

On 11/26/2019 at 6:50 AM, SwollenRaccoon said:

I bought one of these a couple years ago, and love it.  Not too expensive.....I think I paid around $160.  Written up in Motorcyclist magazine a couple years ago, I think.  I just finished replacing baseboard trim and door and window casing in a bedroom last week, and used it to run my Horror Fright finish nailer, and it worked great.  Light enough to move around, and amazingly quiet for a compressor.  I don't use it every day, but it has been impressive as a moderate-use tool.

+1 on the California Air. So quiet, you'll wonder if it's running. If it's just for tire changes, etc, and not running air tools like a grinder or blast cabinet, 5-8 gallons is plenty.

 

[BikerGeek99]

the bigger the tank the longer she'll last...

Is that like the saying, "She's just built for comfort, not for speed." Asking for a friend.

Anyway.

I got one of these a few years ago. After our first time hosting a Tech Day, I realized that I needed something with more oomph than my little pancake-style compressor.

Big Box Linky.

 

[BigOgre]

These have been a nice help, thanks.  Other than wanting a vertical I'm trying to balance (and be realistic about) what I'll be using it for against cost and value.

I got one of these a few years ago. After our first time hosting a Tech Day, I realized that I needed something with more oomph than my little pancake-style compressor.

Big Box Linky.

Geek, your suggestion is on the short list but in the 20 gal. version.  (Although might the 30 be the better value??)  A knock on these seems to be a PITA drain valve along with it being louder than most.  I know noise can be affected by many variables but does it seem louder to you than expected?

 

[Geezer]

The bigger the tank is the less often the motor has to turn on so that helps it last longer. A belt drive with separate motor and compressor will allow you to repair it if it breaks. The inexpensive Harbor Freight compressor are very loud and sound like the compressor is running at high RPM which probably causes it to wear out faster. A smaller amp motor will have less horsepower, run longer, and take longer to get up to pressure but they will allow you to use longer, thinner extension cords. It all depends on how often you use it and how long you want it to last. 

 

[BigOgre]

A smaller amp motor will have less horsepower, run longer, and take longer to get up to pressure but they will allow you to use longer, thinner extension cords. It all depends on how often you use it and how long you want it to last. 

And that's where the balancing act comes in.  I don't see myself needing to move this around much and I understand the benies of having the larger tank yet I wonder how many times a year I'd be doing something where running the tank low would be an issue, or even if waiting for it to recover would be one also.  By far the most use it'll see is for pressure adjustments and do I want to pressurize 30 gals. each time?  This is why I was thinking something in the 15 to 20 gal. size would be a good compromise.

Then again there's probably a smart fella or two here that could calculate the exact difference in time and energy between filling a 10, 20 and 30 gallon tank.  (Sometimes I just think too much. :eh-smiley: )