I was thinking about buying the following "Performax" 8 gallon air compressor from Menards. Unfortunately, users can't post reviews for their products. Maybe someone here has bought one?
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On the positive side, it's price is competitive (on sale for about $130), and it has a 2-year warranty.
Mainly I want it for inflating car tires, but if I owned it I might try some HVLP painting or other uses.
I was planning to accompany it with a 3/8" rubber hose (~$30).
Note: "Husky" is the same price range, Kobalt is higher (and Lowes doesn't stock them in the store, since the arrival of Craftsman--so it would be difficult to get "service after the sale").
Performance wise, the 6 gallon pancake style would probably work just as well, buy they look like they occupy more (valuable) floor space, and
98% of the time it will just be sitting there doing just that.
The Performax is 32" L x 14 1/2" W. My 6 gallon PC pancake is 16" in diameter. Seems like the pancake takes up much less floor space than the unit you are looking at.
Service after the sale? I'm not sure why you expect much "service after the sale" from Menards or Lowes. *Maybe* if Menards has them in stock you might be able return it and buy new within their standard return period, but I don't think either store provides anything in the way of repair services on low-end compressors or even much help in finding parts or service.
I looked around a bit and there isn't much info out there on that unit. On the other hand, parts are readily available for my PC C2002. Maybe you can find parts below as there are a couple of other-branded compressors that look very much like the Powermax.
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HVLP use? That will depend on how often and how big of a job(s). I read that a minimum of 10 g is needed but I've also read that if you don't mind stressing your unit out, you could get by with a smaller one. I'm sure that there are other folks here that can speak to that in more detail.
As far as sitting there 98% of the time, I used to say the same thing about mine - until I made it easier to use.
I have a retractable hose reel hanging from the garage ceiling and I ran PEX from the garage down to my basement shop. I have air in the shop for nail guns, blow guns, etc. With the garage hose reel and a couple of extra hoses, I almost never have to move the compressor whether I'm using it in the garage, driveway, shop, backyard or even in the house hanging trim. I use it a lot more often than I did when I had to pull everything out, carry it around, etc. All I have to do now is turn it on.
My compressor sits under a counter in my garage, plugged and piped in, so it's not in the way and readily available when I need it.
It's not so much the volume of the tank that matters for HVLP. A standard HVLP gun will require between 15 and 26 CFM delivered. About 10 times what your PC pancake will provide.
Yes! ;) BTW, According to Lowes' web site, an 8 gallon compressor can do HVLP, but surely not at "pro speeds"... I should look at the specs of actual tools at (I won't say "where"-ha). The P-C 6 gallon has "established quality", and is $169 too! Hose extra! : ) I remember Lew Hodgett advising not to go with a 1/4" hose. I was lining up all sorts of "yard work" for tomorrow, I hadn't even thought about shopping. Thanks for reminding me about the sale ending.
For $199, Lowes has a Craftsman which looks and specs suspiciously exactly like my PC C2002, and includes a hose and brad nailer.
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I got my PC combo kit with hose and 2 nail guns (16g and 18g), brand new In the box, for $175 on Craigslist. Some guy?s housemate moved out, said he?d be back for it. 2 months later the guy wanted it out of his garage so he listed it and I grabbed it.
BTW if whatever you buy comes with the wing-nut type drain valve that you have to turn 10 times to open, replace it with a quarter turn ball valve.
Thank you! I added it to my "wish list" so I can find it again. I guess that's why I don't have an air compressor already, the search wears me down. I noticed that the 8-gallon size (5.2 CFM at 40, 4.2 CFM at 90) gets you into the "impact wrench" range, and some specially designed paint guns (designed for smaller compressors). My dad used to say "..you have champagne tastes and a beer budget."
I will say that I enjoy my power washer, as it assisted me in repainting my deck last summer. I'm looking forward to washing off the "new mold" (from the "trex"-like floor boards), as part of my "spring cleaning". It's a real winner for that! I have done it by hand in the past, and there is no comparison.
I had a PC for years and it was fine. I handed it down to my son and bought myself a California compressor. This is the best thing I ever did. It is whisper quiet. If you have to be in the same room with your compressor, trust me, it can become really annoying. I've had this one for several years now with no problems. I don't know what they sell for now, but I do know they're more expensive than what's available in a big box store. But I honestly believe the level of sound is well worth every penny.
Well I don't have it as well plugged in as the previous poster, I do also have the hose reel which is great.
I'm not familiar with the Performance compressor, but it appears to be similar to Central Pneumatic 8 gallon, which I own 2 of. Harbor Freight doesn't have this unit listed any more, but units are probably still in some stores
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The only thing I can add to other's comments, you likely CAN NOT use an extension cord to power the Performance. It likely has to be plugged directly into a socket.
On an in-house upholstery job I bought the Harbor Freight unit for such road trips. I had thought the unit was defective, didn't run properly, when I tried using an extension cord. I was later informed to not use an extension cord. I had bought the second HF compressor for my satellite upholstery shop across town. Both are used moderately to often, for the past 5 yrs or so, and still working fine. I've never tried finish spraying with these, as I have a 25 gal. Campbell Hausfeld for that.
If your purchase is used similarly as I've use the HFs, then it should last a good long time for you.
My hose fittings always developed air leaks, which bugs the heck out of me. Someone recently told me to oil my fittings, when oiling my tools.... I haven't oiled them yet. Supposedly oiling helps reduce the fitting's air leaks. Was told to apply air tool oil from the pressure side of the coupling.
I run my PC on a 6' extension cord all the time. However, it's coiled up a little so I'm really only using about 3 feet of it. Maybe that makes a difference. ;-)
You have to weigh the availability of parts vs the likelihood of needing parts. A good compressor may last 45 years without requiring a single part. For most guys on here that's a "lifetime purchace". A cheaper (not necessarily less expensive) unit may need parts every 5 years. And guess which one will LIKELY have parts available 10 years from now? How about 20?
Maintenance free. It's a throw away unit when something goes wrong. And it will likely be noisy. And what will you use it for? Pool toys? A nail gun? It is not even large enough to blow our your shop with out running continuously.
You can do it for a bit until the tank runs down, then have to wait for pressure to build back up. Whether this is an issue depends on what you are working on. Small boxes, not really an issue. Doing the whole house it's a problem.
What kind of extension cord were you using? I've never had any problem with any kind of 110v wall-plug power tool with my 10 gage 100 ft cord. But most people don't have 10 gage extension cords, they have 14 or 16 gage.
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