Air Compressor Recommendations

[Leon]

I was at least one of the other persons that mentioned using a spray painter with a "small" 11 gal. direct drive not medium sized compressor. The wait was approximately 15-20 seconds. If you want the larger compressor and have no wait time that is OK. I have personally had the larger 80 gallon compressor and a 25 and currently have a 20 and also have a 3 gal. For most doing recreational wood working this is more than enough especially for the occasionally spray painting. I use the 3 gal compressor for on the job fence jobs and leave the portable 20 gal unit in place, it is still to big to be hauling to another location IMHO. The 80 gallon unit was an Albatross in the shop. For a wood working shop it was rarely used any where near capacity. I was glad to get rid if it. You bring up good points but when buying I think you will waste a lot of money if you buy the biggest you can afford. Personally I can easily afford a $10,000 compressor. I personally have probably gone over board on machine purchases but that was my choice. I have gone over board on compressors also and prefer the smaller quieter units for woodworking.

[Lee Michaels]

"Leon" revealed this about himself...

Say it ain't so Leon. Doncha know that saying things like this in a woodworking group is blasphemy?

Repeat after me. I make wise tool buying decisions. I am at peace with my tool buying decisions. I love my tools. My tools love me. I talk to my tools. My tools talk to me. I am wise in the way of tools.

No go fondle some of your tools. And realize that everything is right with the world.

[Upscale]

In regards to those quieter compressors, have you (or anybody else) come across any listings of the decibel levels of compressors?

I know I can go and find out compressor decibel ratings for them singly, but that takes time. It would be easier if someone has already compiled a list.

[Leon]

I do not recall seeing a decibel rating on compressors although my current

20 gallon compressor with belt drive twin piston and cast iron block and cylinder is quiet enough to have a conversation 3-4 feet away. The head is aluminum. The 3 gal direct drive model is considerably more noisy but recharges pretty quickly, in the 10 second range IIRC.

And then there is the motor speed that can make more noise. It seems that a slower running but louder compressor is less irritating than a quieter and higher pitched fast running compressor.

[Leon]

The Laguna and the Festool equipment have certainly been purchases where I went speeding past the adequate requirements however the BS requires no, "fiddl'n" with, for it to turn out great results and to eat what ever I throw at it. The Festool, well I certainly do not have much fine dust floating around in the air any more when sanding and the Domino is like a biscuit cutter on MEGA Steroids. I did not need any of those tools but they certainly make life easier in the shop.

[Upscale]

'm considering something along the lines of the one above. It's listed at

55 decibels or about the level of an average conversation and weighs in close to 50 lbs. That's a little heavier than what I had in mind, but I'm not ready to exclude it yet.

[Leon]

I am not sure what your CFM requirements are but DeWalt has a couple of small belt drive units that weigh 24 lb and 30 lb. D55140 and D55141 respectively.

[Joe]

Right on! Couldn't have said it better. Cheers,

Joe

[Upscale]

Thanks, they're more along the lines of what I'm looking for. I let you know what I get.