Air Compressor - help me spend my money

[Matt Day]

I'm going to try this again after my first thread got lost due to site maintenance...

I used to have the 21 gallon HF oil lubed compressor before I moved but sold it instead of hauling it across the country. It served me well for what I used it for (vacuum press & general shop stuff), but was very loud. I thought about using some insulation board to quiet it down, but I wasn't sure about how to vent it.

So I'm looking for a new model. What I plan to use it for are:
1) general shop stuff - cleaning, bike tire inflation, etc
2) vacuum press veneering (I have a Joe Woodworker V2+ that requires 4.8 CFM @ 80 psi)
3) spray finishing in the future

I've been scouring the local classifieds for about 2-3 months and haven't found what I'm looking for so I'm thinking of buying new. Right now the leading contender is the Husky Model # VT6315 (oil lubed, 30 gallon).

I think a 30 gallon is the biggest I can manage for now. I don't have a whole lot of space and I don't really want to haul a 60+ gallon compressor down to the basement.

Now, the old HF did do what I asked it to do and maybe I should just get another and deal with the noise?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

[Thomas Canfield]

Keep looking. I picked up a 30 year old Sears 2 HP, 25 gal, 2 cyl lubricated unit a couple of months ago ($50). It had been used little, is very quiet, and a lot more plesant to use than the PC pancake I had been using. I think it is 8.4 CFM capacity, but know it does more than I need. The oil lubricated will generally be quieter, but you need a dryer and filter if you use the air for painting or where some oil would be a problem.

[Rich Engelhardt]

The real problem is this:

"3) spray finishing in the future"

Spray needs air - lots and lots and lots of air.
Toss out the idea of spraying finishes & you have a whole different set of rules to play by & a lot of other options available.

Have you checked into a HVLP turbine?
Marvelous creations, those turbine systems.

[Curt Harms]

The best thing might be to check the required CFM of stuff you're going to be using with it. Some of the newer LVLP conversion guns are not the air hogs the older/cheaper (Harbor Freight) guns were.

http://www.spraygunworld.com/Information2/LVLP.htm

[Carroll Courtney]

I do have a stationary and one that I can carry around which is a Dewalt 4gal.Its alittle on the loud side but it has sprayed oil base paint w/great results,pumps up to100lbs,and produces 4cfms @ 40psi and storage is a plus w/ limited space .I have seen them on CL's used.I think that this will do what your looking for and stay within the budget.----Carroll

[Callan Campbell]

Don't write off that larger compressor with a 60 gallon tank just yet. They're narrower than the big 80 gallon tanks, will fit through any interior door opening, and are usually paired with fairly lightweight single stage pumps. This means you can usually pop one on a decent dolly/two wheeler and easily walk it down the basement stairs you've got to deal with.
I use to have an old Sanborn 5 HP unit, left it bolted to the built-up 2x4 skid that it came on, and moved it several times by myself with a dolly.
I also see many smaller units with built-in wheels these days, so that's also a possibility for you. Define your needs first, how much air do you need NOW, and how much if you buy a new tool or spray gun in the future will change that current need. HVLP spray units with their own turbine are also a great idea as others posted.

[John Coloccia]

Do you have a garage? There's really no reason you can't toss the compressor in the garage and plumb it down to the basement. Then you can get a big compressor if you wish.

[Callan Campbell]

Do you have a garage? There's really no reason you can't toss the compressor in the garage and plumb it down to the basement. Then you can get a big compressor if you wish.

Good point John, I did the reverse. Put the big two stage unit in my boiler room and piped out underground to the garage. The only worry with a garage mounted compressor is if the pump is subject to too cold of temps with regular oil being run in the unit. If a garage isn't heated, and it gets cold in the garage like in winter, start-up of the pump can be an issue. Same as a portable unit like at a jobsite if it's oil-lubed.

[Greg Bender]

Matt,
I work for Ingersol Rand so I might be a little biased.First of all you need to make a definitive list of cfm @ pressure requirements for your future needs.Then buy at least 10% more ability. #2,buy a two cylinder,oil lubed,belt drive with a high upper end pressure.You mention 4.8 cfm @ 80 psi,that should be easy to get in a large variety of brands.by the way ,if you do alot of veneering IR produces vacuum pumps that are identical to most of there air compressor models.They range from 1.5 hp up to 120 gallon ,3 cylinder ,25 hp models that will suck a basketball through a 1/2" line.maybe?
Kidding but it seems capable.Go to the IR products website and take a look at what we offer.
Also you mentioned spray finishing,Shameless plug ,I do have a Turbinaire 3 stg hvlp system for sale that has never been used.Still in the original box ,It has everything included for $550 if that would interest you.
If you have any questions about compressor applications that I might be able to help on send me a PM and I will be happy to help out if I can.We test alot of competitors units to verify claimsas does everybody else I'm sure.Take care,
Greg

[Forrest Bonner]

Matt Day: It sounds like you know the requirements of all your uses except the spray painting. Today with really good conversion guns you might find that a smaller compressor fits all your needs. I have an old 4hp 13 gal CHPower compressor given to me by a neighbor that moved - like you he didn't want to haul it. I have used it for nailer and general shop use but until this year no spray painting. Knowing the CFM and pressures available I looked at some conversion guns. I settled on an AOM X-200 series that had a separate paint pot. My first spray task was bookcases that required some contortions on the inside. I wanted the paint pot so that all I had inside was the gun and hoses. It worked well from acrylic primer that needed one 10% thinning to very thin waterborne pigmented lacquer. Different orifice sizes of course. My compressor kept up very well with my needs. I would recommend an oil-free system if possible since that will only require water and particle filters instead of expensive coalescing filters.
Good luck hunting.
Forrest

[Matt Day]

It looks like I have some homework to do on the type of spray equipment I'll use in the future.

Right now we're renting and will move again in the next 9 months (weather locally or out of state). I don't think I have room for a 60+ gallon compressor now, and may not in the future as well. Thanks for the comments on the weight of it, and I'll think about plumbing it from another location if my next house allows.

[Greg R Bradley]

I know a number of people that wanted something around the specs in your original post. Most of them have ended up with the Ingersol Rand Garage Mate and are very happy with it.

It is a 20gal vertical and is rated at 2HP. Very quiet unit. That is about the biggest unit that you are going to plug into a standard 120 volt outlet. They also make a horizontal version with a 30 gal tank that is easier to move around but takes up more space.

[Erik Christensen]

spray finish - get an HVLP turbine setup. conversion guns can work but never as well as a turbine IMHO

get a vacuum pump rig from joe woodworker - mine works great and it is a lot easier to setup and run than something that flogs a 3 hp compressor to draw a vacuum

if you do the above you now have modest air needs that something like a oil portable compressor would do nicely & if you end up moving in the near future all is portable

[Greg Portland]

spray finishing in the future

Start looking at spray guns and spec your compressor based on those requirements. You will want something rated for continuous duty and with a decent motor. Additional plumbing, gauges, and valves can typically be added onto the base machine during or after the sale. Be aware that major brand names have different tiers of quality (i.e. cheap Quincy does not equal QR-25 Quincy).

I know a number of people that wanted something around the specs in your original post. Most of them have ended up with the Ingersol Rand Garage Mate and are very happy with it.

This is a really nice compressor -IF- it can support your spray gun choice. Some guns use a LOT of air but there are very high quality options available that would work on the Garage Mate.

[Matt Day]

Just to close the loop on this thread. I guess my patience paid off, as I found a 26 gallon 5 HP belt driven Campbell Hausfeld "Extreme Duty" horizontal compressor for $250 in the classifieds and bought it on Wednesday. It pushes 6.8 CFM at 90 psi IIRC.

The compressor is in great shape, and I bought from a nice older guy who was downsizing his storage unit which was packed to the gills. He said his son used it to paint a truck and after that he's just filled up tires here and there. And the compressor looks like it's been used that much too - it's in very good shape.

When I got it home I drained the tank (there was a little water in the tank, and the previous owner said he has indeed drained it before which was good to hear) and changed the oil. I fired it up and all is well. I'm so happy how quiet it is compared to my old HF model. And I did enough research beforehand to know that it will be able to power spray equipment when/if I go down that road.

Thanks for the help!