"Enough" air compressor?

[Bobby O'Neal]

How much is enough air compressor? That is, hp and tank size. I don't currently own one but as I've thought about it in the instances when I'd like to have one, I'm not sure how much would be sufficient. I know dedicating space to the tank is an issue and I wouldn't want to give alot as I work out of half of a two car garage. The times that I'd like it are when I'd need some small fastners (not often) and when I want a quick burst of cleaning power (very often). What do you guys say?

[Van Huskey]

There is never enough air compressor, the more air you have the more air you realize you want! :)

That said I don't know why a pancake or a hot dog wouldn't be fine for you. Nailers and spraying things off don't take a lot of CFM.

[Jamie Buxton]

Of course, it depends on what you want to do.

Me, I keep getting smaller compressors. I'm now down to a Senco PC1010. It has a small footprint, so it doesn't take much space in the shop or in the truck. It is light enough to carry easily. It is big enough to run finish nailers and such. It can occasionally do jobs like pumping up car tires. That's enough for my uses.

[Scott T Smith]

Nail guns, filling small tires, etc does not require a lot of air - maybe < 5cfm. Running air tools such as impact wrenches, die grinders, etc require a bit more - in the 6 - 15 cfm range. Sandblasters and blast cabinets use a lot of air - plan on 23 cfm or more.

One nice combination is a small, portable compressor with an add-on auxiliary air tank. I have a couple of 5 gallon accessory tanks added to my portable compressors, and this helps a lot with intermediate air needs such as blow guns, etc.

[Dewayne Reding]

If you are certain all you are doing is what you posted, a pancake compressor will get it done. They are so handy, even if you eventually own a larger stationary compressor too.

[Donny Lawson]

I have a 20gal. horizonal belt driven model from HD. I've had it for years and it has served me well. I use mine for a brad nailer and blowing off my machines. Never needed nothing bigger.
Donny

[Bruce Wrenn]

I have a couple of the DeVilbiss / Porter Cable twin tank units, a Sears 12 gal, 2 cylinder (110, or 220 volt), and three Sears twin cylinder (220 volt only) units, plus a 60 gallon that I'm rebuilding. The 20 gallon Sears in my shop does everything I ask of it. I just think I want a 60 gallon unit. Because you are in a garage, which usually has higher ceilings, can you mount comp.up on the wall? But not the wall shared by the living area.

[Dewayne Reding]

You will like a 60 gallon a lot Bruce.

[Cary Falk]

I have a 4 gallon portable and a 60 gallon in the garage. I used to have a 15 gallon oiless and it was noisy and had a hard time keeping with my spary gun. I got rid of it to buy the 60 gallon. It cycles way less and makes less noise when it does. I am a happy camper.

[Mike Cruz]

For nailing and such, a small pancake compressor ought to do you. For "air tools", spray finishing, and sandblasting, you'll need something bigger. I have a 60 gallon, and it couldn't keep up with the sandblaster I was using (the outdoor kind) to stip down my lathe.

[Mark Denovich]

Quiet means more to me. Avoid oil-less compressors if at all possible.

I have a 5HP 2-stage, 80Gal Speedaire (bought used) and I have it in my "Man's" bathroom. Gets it out of the way and helps further muffle the noise... although it can scare you if you are in there and it kicks on.

[Jay Jeffery]

If you intend to use your compressor to drive nail guns outside of your shop, you probably want a pancake compressor in the 1-3 cfm at 90 psi. You will be lucky to get 30 seconds of strong blowing before the compressor will need to recharge.

If you want to run big air tools like die grinders, small to medium impact wrenches, or the like you need a good sized model in the 5-10 cfm range. These are a pain to haul out for use in the yard, putting up molding, or trim carpentry in the house, blowing the junk out of the AC evaporator, or the like. But it will give you a minute or 3 of blowing before it needs to rest.

The big units are really beyond anything woodworkers would use much (with the possible exception of someone really serious about finishing).

Note that smaller does not always mean quieter. If you need to keep the noise down, shop carefully.

[Steve LaFara]

Get the biggest you can afford and have the space for. I used a pancake type for years until I ran accross this set up for $500 used from a freind. And that included the blast cabinet and vacumn.:D 5hp, 60 gal, 220v I believe this set up went for around $1900 when new. I see good deals on Craigslist all the time. Just need to be patient.

I have ridgid copper lines to the basement shop and three hose reels in the garage. Never a need to lug a small one around and the tank is always full and ready to go.

179210

[Gary Hodgin]

As mentioned above, the right size compressor depends on what tools you plan to use. However, tank size and hp can be misleading. For example, if you're running off a 110 plug at 15 amps, the max horsepower you'll get is about 2 hp regardless of the compressor hp ratings.

I have a relatively small (13 gallon, 5 hp) Campbell-Hausfeld bought at home depot about 10 years ago. I'm not a heavy user, mostly to air tires, operate a small nail gun, and run a small hvlp touch-up gun on very small projects. Works well for me, but I may go a month or two between uses and seldom run it for more than 10-15 minutes. I've attached a link containing a pretty good article on some considerations in selecting a compressor.
http://searchwarp.com/swa11901.htm

[Keith Weber]

I saw a 100hp air compressor at an auction the other day. I'm pretty sure that that would have been enough.

Keith

[Josiah Bartlett]

It depends on your use pattern, but tank size and desired CFM aren't always the same thing. I really prefer a modest sized tank with a large pump for what I use a compressor for. I don't care how often the pump runs as long as it is quiet and doesn't overheat.

I have an older Quincy 30 gallon unit with a 6.5 ACFM pump served me well for years, enough to paint small items and run a small DA sander. Its continuous rating meant that I could run it as long as I wanted to, and with an 1800 rpm motor and belt drive cast iron pump it is very quiet. It sounds about as loud as a car idling with the hood open. However, when the oil pump needed a rebuild I took the opportunity to upgrade it to a bigger compressor pump and a 5hp motor, since I found a big 500cc Quincy pump on ebay for the same price as the oil pump. Now it still has 30 gallons of tank capacity but it puts out over 12 ACFM at 100psi, and is rated for continuous duty. This is nice for me because I have two use modes for air- just firing up the compressor to fill a tire or blow something dry, or heavy use where I really want as much air as the compressor will give me.

(ACFM stands for actual CFM, SCFM stands for Standard CFM needs to be adjusted for air outlet temperature and atmospheric pressure)

[Rich Engelhardt]

This will last you the rest of your life and run any nailer you care to attach to it:
179214

Ingersoll Rand Twin Hot Dog.
2HP (an honest 2HP)
4 gallon tank
max psi = 135
3.9 (actual air delivery) @ 135 psi.
100% duty cycle.
Usually $299.00 at Amazon or Tractor Supply

My only minor gripe about mine is the noise level. It's not real quiet, but, it's not excessive either.
If quiet operation is a priority then look at the Makita MAC2400.
Similar specs/similar specs.
The Makita isn't rated for a 100% duty cycle though - which is why I went w/the IR instead.
Duty cycle was/is a higher priority for me than noise level.

[Jay Allen]

If you need small and portable, it's very hard to beat the Senco PC1010 (http://www.senco.com/CompressorDetails.aspx?k=PC1010). It will run any pneumatic nail/staple gun that a wood worker would need. It is extemely quiet and very light-weight, but it is really only for "short burst" type use. If you don't need to move it around and need more of a perminent shop unit, a bigger model will serve you better.
For a tool that uses air for longer periods of time, it's really all about CFM and duty cycle, but get the biggest you can afford (or have space for).

[Tony Bilello]

Like anything else, the smaller you get the more limited you become. For general woodworking I would suggest a minimum of a 60 Gal. Compressor. An air compressor can be the most versatile tool you own if it is large enough. 60 Gal would be the minimum required for spraying, air sanding and running a very small sand blaster. It can easily air up the tires on your car and blow down all the dust in your shop. I own and operate a commercial woodworking business. As far as stationary power tools are concerned, I rate an air compressor as the second most important tool in my shop only second to my table saw. With air nailers, you can make 'quicky' jigs in minutes.

[Keith Outten]

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100063473/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
.

[Mike Null]

I've been using a Craftsman 5.5 hp 30 gallon unit for several years to run sand blaster, nailers, air brushes, heat press and paint guns. It's noisy but doesn't run often and has handled everything I've thrown at it. It was a closeout at about $249 as I recall.

[Ray Newman]

I have a Dayton 25 gal cast iron, oil lubed, compressor. To aid in draining the tank of water, I did add an easy access valve. Having an automatic water drain or draining the tank and the end of the day will add to the tank longevity. Likewise with periodic oil changes. Same with having a good filter and air regulator between the compressor and the tool.

I do not spray -- I have an HVLP gun -- or run air tools, just nailers and it works fine for the intended purposes. Despite its so-called “small tank”, it will fill the tires on my van and wife’s car. I keep that tank air pressure turen up and regulate the air pressure to the tool by an in-line (is that the correct term??) air pressure regulator that with go to 125 PSI. So I really did not need a large compressor and tank.

Consider the available space and need, then decide. From what I have seen over the years and heard others say, cast iron oil lubed pumps last longer and are more easily repaired.

It might be worth your while to look in the Yellow Pages under air compressors repair/rebuild and stop by a shop and ask a few questions as to durability, reliability, repair costs,etc.