Compressor

[jack duren]

I have to put on a new roof this spring.Considering a new compressor. Wanting electric. I just got ride of a wheel barrel compressor with a hole in it. Trying to stay under a $1000. Considered another wheel barrel as I might sell it when done , but electric.

Any suggestions?

$1000 and under only..

[Cameron Wood]

This suggests comp shingles and that you would do it yourself.

In that unwise case, whatever compressor will run one gun.

Put the money into hiring a roofing contractor, IMO.

[Michael Burnside]

Just one gun you can spend a lot less than 1K. I like California Air, particularly when used indoors:

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/c...702d0676000003

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/u...rnia-air-tools

[Richard Coers]

I suspect a lot of those compressors come from the same factory. For a small compressor in my shop I prefer California Air. For one roof, I would look for used.

[jack duren]

I’ve got a dual tank Bostitch, but it’s 20 years old. When In done I’ll sell the guns, shovels , compressor as a package to a home owner. If not I’ll keep the compressor and sell the rest..

Already pickup a new Bostitch nail gun fromMensrds. Found a like new Stinger cap gun., found new roofing shovels at 75% off from a closing store. All I need now is nails and safety harnesses. If my compressor quits, I’ll be forced to run out and buy something. Shingles are 4 shots each. Add it up. The compressor keeping up depends on how FAST you nail

[Rich Engelhardt]

You would be hard pressed to find a better compressor than this Ingersoll Rand for small jobs:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...essor-42672949

It's loud though and sort of heavy.

It's built like a tank though and will support two framing nailers and two roofing nailers due to it having a 100% duty cycle.

[jack duren]

You would be hard pressed to find a better compressor than this Ingersoll Rand for small jobs:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...essor-42672949

It's loud though and sort of heavy.

It's built like a tank though and will support two framing nailers and two roofing nailers due to it having a 100% duty cycle.

I’ll take a look at that. one. Something tha5 size I might just keep.

[Edward Weber]

The California air compressors might be quiet BUT that's it. They seriously lack CFM.
If all you do is use it for low CFM, intermittent use, fine, just don't try to use it for anything else.

A small pancake compressor will run an air nailer or two and can be had for pretty cheap, depending on brand and features. I have a little Bostitch pancake, 6 gal, for jobs like yours.

[Jim Becker]

Jack, when I was doing the interior fit out for my new shop building, I needed a 120v compressor to run my guns, etc., and picked up a McGraw 20 gallon unit from Harbor Frieght on sale. It performed flawlessly, has nearly zero leak down, has a reasonable noise level and now lives in the garage to use for automotive and tractor maintenance. My little Husky compressor that I traditionally have used for in-house home improvement with brad and pin nailers was not up to the job of running a framing gun nor is it good for automotive/tractor stuff, so getting the larger, but 120v unit was essential. (my big compressor that's in the shop is 240v and couldn't be used during the build) I actually used that McGraw uni when I was spraying the big garage door on the house a few months ago, too, since it was "there".

[Bruce Wrenn]

I have to put on a new roof this spring.Considering a new compressor. Wanting electric. I just got ride of a wheel barrel compressor with a hole in it. Trying to stay under a $1000. Considered another wheel barrel as I might sell it when done , but electric.

Any suggestions?

$1000 and under only..

Shame you got rid of wheel barrow style, when you have purchased just a replacement tank, and transferred working parts to it. I have a Devilbiss pancake that I'm transferring pump to set of wheel barrow style tanks. Son robbed compressor off tanks several years back to put on his wheel barrow tanks. He does servicing on heavy equipment and needed something that is portable, and I wasn't using roll around at that time. Couple years back, bought a HF coil nailer for shingles. Shot a couple boxes of nails with it, and no problems. Wish I could say the same for my Hitachi framing nailer

[Paul McGaha]

You might look at the Speedaire compressers from Graingers. I've had a 20 gallon, horizontal tank unit for over 30 years. No problems with it ever. It's quiet. Can be wired to run on 120 volt or 230 volt. if it fails I'm sure I'll go back to Graingers. Great shop air compresser. I think it's a 2 HP unit.

Good luck with it.

PHM

[Bill Dufour]

For $1,000 I would get a good used 40+ gallon, oil lube, two stage and lots of hose.
Bill D

[Richard Coers]

The California air compressors might be quiet BUT that's it. They seriously lack CFM.
If all you do is use it for low CFM, intermittent use, fine, just don't try to use it for anything else.

A small pancake compressor will run an air nailer or two and can be had for pretty cheap, depending on brand and features. I have a little Bostitch pancake, 6 gal, for jobs like yours.

California Air has about 50 models of compressors, including an Industrial Series. It's one hell of a statement that says all their compressors seriously lack CFM and all you can do with them is intermittent use. I doubt if your 6 gallon Bostitch will keep a roofing nailer going if the shingles are put down quickly. They only put out 2.6 SCFM.

[Mike Cutler]

Jack

Are you restricted to 120vac?
I've had to do some largish section of roof repairs to my house, and gagage roof through the years. I use my 5HP, 17cfm, Rolair compressor with about 200' of 3/4" hose.
Those small compressors that folks are linking to are inadequate for an entire roof. The recovery is too slow. I also have a Rolair JC-10 and it's nice for a small jobs, but not for roofing and entire house. A nailer is going to need 8-10cfm, if you want any time efficiency.
I know that Rolair and IR make "portable" wheel barrow type compressors that plug into 240. One of those would be my choice.
I

[Jerry Bruette]

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ingersoll-rand-2hp-hand-carry-twinstack-air-compressor-42672

This is the exact compressor I bought when I built my cabin. It handled the big Bostitch framing nailer and the roofing nailer I borrowed flawlessly.
But Rich is right, it's heavy. So I mounted it on a pail dolly I bought at Menards and now I don't carry it anywhere.

Only thing I wish was different would be the location of the gauges. I wish they were tipped up for easier viewing.