air compressor help

[Dave Fritz]

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605....r=1298502489969 (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00989225000P?blockNo=4&blockType=G4&prdNo=4&i_cntr=1298502489969)

I'm seriously considering an upgrade to this over a small pancake compressor. I hope it runs quieter and provides enough air to be able to place it off to the side of my shop and run some overhead air lines to a couple of spots that are pretty close by. I could avoid having so many hoses all over the place.

A friend used this tubing product and said it was great.

http://www.rapidairproducts.com/rapidair.asp (http://www.rapidairproducts.com/rapidair.asp)

He used the Rapid Air material.

Dave F.

[Dave Lehnert]

I have the same size compressor (craftsman) It has done everything I wanted in my home woodshop. The compressor is 20 years old. If I was going to replace my unit I would most likely pick the IR in your link. Only thing needing a bigger unit would be if you plan to run a sander often. They are air hogs.
This compressor will be a lot more quite because it is oil lube. The oil-less units scream in comparison.

FYI- Home Depot has this compressor that gets great reviews. http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Air-Compressors-Tools-Accessories-Portable-Compressors/h_d1/N-5yc1vZbb2v/R-100063473/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

For an air line into my shop, I just purchased standard air hose and ran it in the rafters. Cheap and easy. Been there for 20 years with no issues. I use quick connectors to attach to the compressor so the compressor stays portable.

[Dave Lehnert]

I did some poking around the web and found the same compressor RECONDITIONED at Sears for $100 less if interested.

http://www.searsoutlet.com/20-Gallon-2-hp-Compressor/d/product_details.jsp?md=ct_md&pid=23714&mode=seeAll#

[Chip Lindley]

I-R is one of the better brands! A 20 gal. 2-cyl unit with a real capacitor start/run motor is quite a step up from any pancake compressor. And the vertical tank is a space saver! Still noisy, but by about half.

[Jeff Monson]

Dave, I have the identical compressor to that, Lowe's sells it but its black instead. I've had mine for about 9 months and like it very much. I need a dedicated 20 amp circuit in my garage for it though, it will blow the breaker now
and then when it starts and the garage is very cold. Also its a little top heavy, otherwise it works great, quiet and the 20 gallon tank has a bit of reserve. I'd buy it again, as I need something that is somewhat portable.

[Josiah Bartlett]

Dave, I have the identical compressor to that, Lowe's sells it but its black instead. I've had mine for about 9 months and like it very much. I need a dedicated 20 amp circuit in my garage for it though, it will blow the breaker now
and then when it starts and the garage is very cold. Also its a little top heavy, otherwise it works great, quiet and the 20 gallon tank has a bit of reserve. I'd buy it again, as I need something that is somewhat portable.

You should probably change to a multiseason compressor oil, check your manual. Most compressors need lighter weight oil for winter operations, the stuff they come with is usually too thick under 50 degree or so ambient.

[Neil Bosdet]

I use 3/4" and 1/2" Pex tubing for running leads all over my shop. Have done it in the last 2 shops with no issues. It's inexpensive and easy to install.

[Bill White]

Is that puppy runnin
on 120v or 240v?
Bill

[Jeff Monson]

You should probably change to a multiseason compressor oil, check your manual. Most compressors need lighter weight oil for winter operations, the stuff they come with is usually too thick under 50 degree or so ambient.

Good to know, thanks for the info.

[Greg R Bradley]

This looks exactly like the IR Garage Mate that is so popular with my friends. However the IR item number for the Garage Mate is P1.5IU-A9 and does not match the listed info from Sears. IR shows no other similar 20 gal 2hp portable compressor but I suppose it could be a model made for stores like Sears to sell. It is conspicuously 10 pounds lighter in net weight and around $100 less than I've ever seen the Garage Mate. Is it a different model with less cast iron and more aluminum? You might search old posts - I think there was a person on this site that works for IR.

If it is the Garage Mate, you will likely be VERY happy with it. It is one of the very, very few compressors this size and spec that is quiet enough to be in a garage with you without problems.

[Kevin Gregoire]

its a good looking little compressor and should be pretty quiet since its oil cooled and it has mufflers on each cylinder so you could probably take those
off and fashion bigger ones of your own liking?

[David Gaab]

And harbor freight is closing out their rapidair copy stuff. Take a 20% coupon and I think it is less than $50 for a kit out the door. The kit (66747) is no longer on their website, but some stores till have it on their shelf.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I have used my old Sears compressor for almost 30 years now. It's a 20 gallon, horizontal tank, twin cylinder oil lubed unit. Last year, I bought three different old Sears compressors. Two had twin cast iron pumps, and the other had a twin cylinder aluminum pump (with steel cylinder liners). For the three combined, I paid $175. They were bought separately over the period of a year. CL is your friend.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Dave F.
That appears to be the new Garage Mate. I say new because IR no longer lists the 30 gal tank horizontal model on their website. I can only guess that IR is trying for the market that PC, Sears, CH and DeWalt have with their 20 gal, 2HP, 110V class compressors.
That IR is classed also as a "portable", which means it's wired for 110V.
@ 190 to 200#, the term "portable" is somewhat iffy - IMHO.

If you have 220V, a little more room for a larger footprint and some means of transporting a heavier machine,,,,Tractor Supply has the 3HP, 220V, 60 gal Ingersoll Rand for $599.00.
That's (IMHO) a much better value since it has three times the air reserve, twice the output in CFM and is listed for 8000 hours of 100% duty cycle use.
IIRC, the portable IR units are only rated for 5000 hours of 100% duty cycle use.

[Jim Neeley]

I have the big brother to that I-R compressor (2340L5) and I can tell you that even though mine's rated at 14.7cfm at 175psi its one *heckuva* lot quiter than any pancake I've ever seen (or my old 7gal C-H oilless). As far as going for the 240V SS3?, I've a couple of friends with them and they're wonderful compressors, even quieter than mine!!

Moving to the larger unit, if you wish it, should allow you to use a pneumatic ROS sander. I have a 6" PC that I've run for 3 hours continuously and neither the sander nor the compressor got overheated. Pneumatic ROS's are made with 3/8" and 3/16" orbits in addition to the 3/32" that electrics use, so can really remove wood quickly while remaining relatively scratch-free.

You won't go wrong with an I-R; they're like the energizer bunny.. and keep going and going...