Porter Cable Oiled air compressor

[Bill Sherman]

I'm looking for a quiet air comp. I saw this 1.1hp 4 gal. twin stack hotdog oiled comp. at big box for $200. Does any one have this unit and can tell me how they like it? PC would not be my first choice but I can not find a Makita MAC700 local. I do not trust shippers to get it to me in one piece.


Bill

[Rich Engelhardt]

Porter Cable lists that model @ 83 dBA.
That's not real quiet..
That's roughly what my Ingersoll Rand twin hot dog is at.

[Tai Fu]

Are compressors expensive in the US?

For 200 dollars I could buy a "miracle of modern marketing" 3HP direct driven compressor, that easily does 10+CFM (albeit rather inflated) with a 50 liter tank. A little more and I could get a belt driven that has more realistic HP ratings and CFM ratings that are true... But that's in Taiwan...

By the way if you want quiet, they do sell silent compressors. It's a little more expensive than oiled compressor of the same rating.

[Bill Sherman]

O.K. Now I'm looking at a Rolair FC1500.

[david brum]

O.K. Now I'm looking at a Rolair FC1500.

I haven't used the FC1500 but I do have a Rolair D2002 "pancake". It is a powerful little compressor but is incredibly loud. I imagine the noise level will be similar for most small compressors. I also had a Rigid hotdog compressor that sounded like a jack hammer.

The quieter compressors are the bigger, belt driven, oil style. I'm currently using a vintage Sears 3 hp which is barely audible in my shop. If you need a smaller compressor so it's portable, you can always build an insulated box to keep it quiet while in the shop.

[Sam Murdoch]

In September I bought the Makita MAC700 from Tool Barn $ 209.000 delivered to Maine from Nebraska -
http://www.toolbarn.com/?gclid=CLuzt...FTNp7AodLUsAmA

It came well packaged and in perfect condition. I love this compressor - very quiet, pretty light weight, recycles rarely (actually will hold a full charge overnight). Not a big boy for construction crews but just great for a one man shop. I have bought from Tool Barn before and have never been disappointed.

[Greg R Bradley]

FC1250 is a quieter version of the FC1500. The Rolair FC1500 and D2002 are both loud. The Rolair FC1250 is much quieter, about the same as the MAC700. The JC10 is quieter yet, but not continuous duty.

I have a MAC700 and agree about the shipping issue. It does tip over easily in the back of a truck as do the FC1250 & FC1500.

Don't make any assumptions on noise level based on oil vs. oilless or direct vs. belt drive. Most mfg lie on their ratings also. Rolair is very up front and honest in their product representations.

At the same price, I would take the FC1250 over the MAC700. I bought my MAC700 at a Makita events and it was about $60 less. I only paid $205 for my MAC2400. BTW, the MAC5200 is LOUD!

[Tai Fu]

Belt drive isn't necessarily quieter, but they do provide more air than direct drive and don't sound as loud as direct drive, even if the decibels are the same.

[Bill Sherman]

I just got back from a road trip across town to buy a compressor. They did not have the MAC700 but did have the MAC2400. The 2400 was very nice and quiet,too. It is more compressor than I need and more money than I wanted to spend plus it needed a 20 amp breaker. I ended up buying a Rolair FC2002 (twin stack hotdog with oil). It is quieter than my old pancake but not as quiet as the Makita.