Air Compressor Suggestion for ATC CNC

[Brad Shipton]

I have a 4x8 CNC coming with a 10hp ATC spindle on order. I am busy re-organizing my small shop and getting ready for it. I have been trying to decide on an air compressor lately. The ATC requires only 6cfm, but I see that one needs more for cleaning during cutting. What is a good size? I am considering a 3.7hp, 60gal single stage that produces 12cfm at 90psi or a 5hp two stage that is rated for 16cfm at 175psi. I prefer the smaller compressor, but I do not want to have to replace it either. I am not a big production shop.

Thanks

[Gary Campbell]

Brad...
Go with the larger one. I used a 5hp 19cfm 60 gal. IR with my ATC. The cooling air alone caused that compressor to run 8 minutes out of every 30. Your smaller one will run 50% of the time.

[Brad Shipton]

Thanks Gary. I am not too surprised as I found many on the woodweb suggest larger for production shops.

[Jerome Stanek]

I just picked up a 5HP 2 stage 60 gallon from Harbor Freight Not sure how this will work out but my 5hp Quincy went south when the motor caught fire.

[Timothy Kamp]

I also bought that 5HP 2 stage from HF on Dec 31 of 2015. We run 2 large CNC lasers with it as an air assist at 15psi and run it basically 16-18 hours a day since then. I bought the extended HF warranty for it, but so far it's been a champ. The only thing we've added to it is a timed water drain valve picked up from Amazon that purges water from the tank every hour. Pretty tough to beat for about $800 and a ton of air.

[Brad Shipton]

What are most using for a water filter on the air line? I hope I am not about to hear the most common is the refrigerated driers.

[Jerome Stanek]

I use a inline trap and drip tubes at each drop.