Planning to buy an air compressor tomorrow morning, on sale (6-gallon, 1.5HP, Fini brand unit at Menards for $79). Also planning to buy a 25' or 50' of 3/8" hose since I've read here that those are superior to the 1/4" variety.
Question: Besides tools, will I need to buy "adaptors"? I saw a bunch of them in "beginner's kits". I also want to buy a decent tool for the car tires (that will show SWMBO what a practical purchase this is)! It appears that the ones that come in the beginner's kits are only so-so.
50' sounds pretty long until you start thinking about running around to
2 cars..hmmm.
------------------------------------------------------ If you go that route, make one of those a higher quality "whip" type hose typically used with a paint gun or nailer.
BTW, you will need a regulator if one isn't included.
Make it a 1/2 inch unit along with a filter trap to keep air dry.
All of the units I've been looking at seem to have a pressure gauge for the tank, and a pressure gauge and regulator for the tool. The video I provided a link to also mentioned a filter (and adding adding a few drops of oil to the tools before usage).
------------------------------------------------------- The low cost 3/8 hose can't tolerate the UV exposure from the sun in outdoor usage and thus get stiff over time and will need to be replaced more frequently than higher quality hose.
"Whip" was intended to define the final length of hose connecting the device, (paint gun, nailer,etc) to the air source that was of higher quality and remained flexible over time.
Beginner kits may just mean all of a quantity of male and female fittings in one package.
I would say get the two 5' hoses, but get either a 100' hose or a roll in bulk. I think what you want to do is have a location for the compressor, and run the 100' around the shop, putting some t's with female quick connects here and there. Also, get a 6 hour wind up timer and female and male cord caps and a handy box, and make it so you can turn on the timer when you want air. That way you will not have to come back and turn off the air compressor when the damn thing starts up during the middle of the night cause you forgot to turn it off....... DAMHIKT!
-- Jim >Planning to buy an air compressor tomorrow morning, on sale
If the lenght is in question go with two 25' hoses and quick disconnect couplings for joining the two sections when needed.
"Morgans" wrote in news:m598qg$mer$ snipped-for-privacy@speranza.aioe.org:
I really enjoy my automatic retractable hose reel. It keeps the hose out of my way when I'm not using it, and makes it easy to pull out when I need it. It might be worth looking in to later.
Unfortunately, the reel I have is too small for the amount of hose that was included. If not wound perfectly, it tends to stop with quite a bit of hose left. It's something to watch for when evaluating reels.
Bill wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news6.newsguy.com:
Beware - some tools require a couple of drops of oil before each use. Others never require oiling and can be gummed up (and warranty voided) if you oil them. Read the manuals.
John McCoy wrote in news:XnsA3F3EA4A88EF0pogosupernews@213.239.209.88:
Oh, and while I think of it - replace the crappy drain plug on the bottom of the tank with a short pipe nipple and a valve out where you can get at it easily, and make sure to drain the water out after every time you use it.
Also make a post compressor air cool down water trap. Never try to spray anything without it. Good for all around use.
Put a male quick connect into a 1 1/4" (or you can go larger if it suits you; can't be too large) black iron T into the side with whatever bushings you want, or you can put a barb fitting with a foot piece of air line on it with a male quick connect on the end. This is what plugs into the air compressor. Out the bottom of the T, put a reducing bushing and a ball valve on an elbow, perhaps a 1/2". Out of the top of the T put a 5' piece of black steel pipe. On top of that, a reducing coupling and perhaps a street L, into which you put a female quick connect. This is where you connect your air line to use doing whatever.
How it works, is by putting the hot moisture saturated air from the compressor into the bottom of the assembly, it has to send the air upwards to get out, and the large diameter insures that the air is moving slowly enough and stays there long enough against the large mass of the cool steel pipe, that it cools, condensing some of the moisture out to fall to the bottom ball valve to be drained later.
It really works. Especially useful when you are running a small compressor too hard for the job, especially for spraying. If any of that moisture laden air condenses as it is being sprayed (as it will if you don't use an air dryer) you get fish eye bubbles in your finish.
This works so well, I don't use a disposable desiccant filter when I spray and have not for years.
So what exactly do you plan to do with your compressor? Probably not going to be adequate for air ratchets, impacts, etc.
Good for inflating tires, blowing dust and most any nail gun.
Adapters? Male and female couplings maybe. Buy the guarded type female ends to guard against dragging and uncoupling when the coupling hits and obstacle. Brass works more smoothly and will not rust. Milton is a very good brand. I would suggest at least 50' in a good quality hose and an extra inexpensive 100' one day for most any where outside.
Keep in mind too that a compressor generally is less likely to blow a breaker if you plug it directly into the wall outlet. So instead of long expensive extension cords you want long inexpensive hoses.
I was swayed by Swingman's 3-tiered system. I quiet oil-lubed system for the shop, a $99 "throwaway" if I had work away from home, and a self-contained paint sprayer for painting. Craftsman 10-gallon (bigger may be better, but I didn't see much) is less than $200, IIRC. Could have bought the $79 compressor and just had a little fun with it. The Porter Cable 2002 seems to be available for $99, or so on a regular basis. But I value "lower-db" too (though I didn't see a spec for that yet). I already sighted a collection of 4 Freeman tools for about $183, including a framing nailer.
The Craftsman above would be adequate for air ratchets and impacts I believe. How much so for painting cabinetry?
BTW, good tip below with regard to extension cords and inexpensive hoses. I'll buy as needed.
I bought a 20 gal dual piston cast iron oiled compressor about 20 years ago. It still runs with little attention. I have changed the oil one time initially. IIRC I paid $450. Just before buying that one I bought a 26 gal oilless Craftsman to replace a pieced together 80 gallon compressor that had a pump and motor off of probably a 10 gallon tank.. It took 2 hours to fill initially and recharge was about 15~20 minutes.
The craftsman lasted almost a week before it self destructed and threw its piston out side of the housing. I watched it happen and that was scary. I decided to bite the bullet and buy quality, not one that has to be replaced every several years. I am happy with my decision. It runs quietly and not nearly as often as my smaller pancake compressor that I have had.
Maybe. My 20 gallon is just adequate with my Craftsman air ratchets and impacts. Removing a wheel requires the compressor to run before removing all of the lug nuts. The air ratchet is not much better. I am not too sure that using an air ratchet with my compressor is much of an advantage over simply using a non air operated air ratchet. Having said all of that perhaps much better quality air tools would make better use of the available air supply. But do you want to buy top quality air tools that you might not use very often to compensate for a small compressor?
I have seen a cheap paint gun that we used to paint a 16' tall by 10' wide steel garage door. The compressor was a small pancake compressor. This was 25 years ago but I do remember that the painting was interrupted countless times, it took hours. In a pinch the small compressor works. I certainly would not want to do this often.
For woodworking, mostly nail guns and blowing dust or inflating, the compressor you are looking at should be fine for several years.
The best thing to do is to look at the tools and the quality of tools that you would actually consider buying and see what their air requirements are. That is going to be closer to the truth about what size compressor you will need than anything anyone has an opinion on.
I don't think you will be disappointed with buying a quality and correct sized compressor. Mine sits in the corner with little attention and does what I need it to do. It takes up about 6 sq. feet of space.
To clarify, my compressor is always plugged directly into the wall outlet.
My daily use 50' hose is nice quality. In non oily environments, like in an automotive shop, this hose can last up to 20 years. I also have a $10~$20 100' hose for use with the 50' hose to handle building fences.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.