brands of air compressors?

[Roy Smith]

I'm thinking of buying a small air compressor. Has to be portable (in the sense of pick up and carry, not roll around on wheels). Uses will be small tools, maybe some spraying of finishes, and of course pumping up tires.

I'm stumped by the array of brands on the market. Ingersol-Rand, Campbell-Hausfeld, Dewalt, Porter-Cable, etc. They all make stuff that looks pretty much the same with similar specs. I'd rather spend a little more and get a higher quality product. Which are the better brands and which are junk?

[Woodchuck Bill]

Roy Smith wrote

The brands you mentioned are all good.

[Greg G.]

A better question would probably be whether they are oil-less or not. My experience is that the cast iron cylinder, belt driven compressors last longer and are *much* quieter in operation than the direct drive, oil-less models. The oil-less type are generally sold to consumers with an expectation that they will be used infrequently, while the cast iron, oiled types are generally sold to professionals who expect them to operate everyday, all day.

YMMV, Greg

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

Most of the brands he mentioned are all the same compressor, painted different colors.

Barry

[Rick]

Actually none of the compressors he mentioned are the same compressor painted differently.

Porter-Cable is made by Devilbiss. Ingersoll-Rand is made in an IR factory overseas. DeWalt is made by Emglo in Pennsylvania. Campbell Hausfeld is made in China.

Of the above, I believe the DeWalt to be the best portable. Its an oil lubricated pump design. Many of Porter-Cables are oil-less.

DeWalt (Emglo), Quincy, IR, and Rolair are some of the better units to look for in my opinion.

Rick

[p_j]

First, check the requirements of the equipment you want to use, then see if there are any that still can be carried. Filling tires and running air guns takes very little, but running some small tools can still take quite a bit. I've never used spraying equipment, but I don't think the smaller compressors are going to be able to do it. I dunno though.

[Ray]

I have a 7 hp porter cable and it runs great! It runs on 220 and i have not had a problem spraying laquer, latex, using it running impact tools, air grinders, etc. So far so good. Paid $399 minus 10% at local woodworking store.

Ray

[WCD]

I did a bit of research when I bought my compressor. It got pretty complicated, but I found that spraying paint required a ton of power. Since I don't plan on doing any of that, I got a 5hp, C-H floor model at the Borg and it has done everything I wanted.

Right now I'm considering replacing it with one that doesn't make so much noise and one that doesn't have the drain valve in such a difficult place to get to.

My $.02.

p_j wrote:

[David Hall]

Since nobody else mentioned it, I do not believe that you will be able to spray finishes with any compressor small enough to carry around. I could be wrong, but I always thought that required some volume not available in a few gallon sized tank. I do not spray (yet), but I know that my 30 gallon unit really isn't big enough to run a sander or other continuous use air tool. It doesnt take much to run nailers or pump things or (I would assume) run impact wrenches and other non-continuous use tools. Dave Hall

[WD]

I disagree with you. Ingersoll-Rand is the best among those mentioned here. Look at IR's specifications closely you will see IR never lied like the rest. I have bought many compressors for myself and for the companies I used worked for, spending hours evaluating them. If money is not the problem, I can close my eyes and purchase IR or Atlas Copco with confident, knowing I have made the correct decision. I believed Atlas Copco a Swedish company own Milwaukee tools and possibly made the world best rotary type compressor.

Given the choices below, I will buy either Emglo (I have an Emglo before) or IR (IR being better and more expensive).

[skeezics]

i have two portables. i need to sell one of them and it does not matter to me witch one i sell. if you are near raliegh N.C. one is an emglo [NOT BY DEWALT] and the other is a stanley bostich. the emglo is oiled and the other is oiless. both have speedy recovery and 4 1/2 gallon capacity. the emglo is about 8 years old. the bostich is 1 month old and hardly used. i will take 100.00 for the emglo or 200.00 for the bostich. in my opinoin the emglo is the better one because it is oiled. however the bostich is a very nice compressor. if you are close drop a note here i read this group several times a day. skeez

[nospambob]

[Phisherman]

The oiless are less expensive but won't last as long as the ones that need oil added. I've got the CH extreme duty and very satisfied, but other brands are good too. Take proper care of whatever you decide and it should last a long time.

[John Barry]

And ... there are "direct-drive" oil-lubed, to add variety to your world.

John

[SwampBug]

May I ask your opinion of "direct drive, oil-lubed" as opposed to a belt driven unit?

[Doug Roach of Connemara]

I looked at several 2 Gal. mini-pancakes, and the did seem awfully similar.

I finally chose a Husky hot-dog model. It is 2 gal. (sufficient for my nail gun), came with a pressure gauge (all do), and a regulator (not all do), more power (135 lbs. instead of 105 lbs.), and some attachments.

Ultimately, I picked it because it was so much quieter. The regulator would have cost $15, and the longer hose would have cost me $10. Add the $25 to the cost of the cheapies, and I got a nearly identical deal.

Doug

[Ryan Morin]

I would suggest the Porter Cable pancake style. If you can get it in a combo with the 18 gauge brad nailer even better. I have this compresser at home and use it all the time for nailing everything from baseboards to building small projects. I have also used it a fair amount for spraying finishes and paints.

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

Are you sure? I've seen an awful lot of PC compressors that seem to be Cambell Hausfield units.

Barry

[Rick]

Porter Cable is owned by a corporate holding group named Pentair.

Delta is also owned by Pentair.

And, yes, Devilbiss is also owned by Pentair.

[Lawrence A. Ramsey]

Porter-Cable, Delta, DeVilbiss are all the same company. Also one more that I can't remember right now.