air compressor

[joe zarnitz]

looking for recommendations for a portable unit---tks.joe

[Eric Holmquist]

Portable is a debatable term. How much weight can you tolerate, and how many CFM do you need.

[Jim Burr]

I have a Porter Cable pancake....loud as a stuck pig, but it's light weight and handles what I need. What do you want it to do? That may be the most important question!

[Harry Robinette]

I'm using a DeWalt / Emglo vertical 200psi .It's rated at 68 decibel of sound. I know its allot quieter then my Campbell/Houser and there both oil-less.
Its 4yrs old and runs nice and strong.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Just bought a 1hp. Senco for airbrushing and driving finish nails. It is really pretty quiet. Doesn't weigh that much and has a 1 gallon tank. I do have a 30 gal one for bigger jobs, but this one sure fits my smaller needs well. It is on Amazon and other for about $125.

[Denny Rice]

I dont know if PC makes this compressor any longer but I own a PC C3551 Job Boss. It has a 4.5 gallon tank on it and the best thing about it is it uses oil and has a real piston in it, not this pancake stuff. I have owned this compressor for almost 6 yrs and I am sure if in 2006 I would of purchased the oil less version it (the pancake version) it would be dead by now. Its a great little compressor, it has wheels on the rear of it and a retractable handle for ease to move around. It also has two quick-connect fittings next to the gauge and the ability to regulate the pressure at the hose. I love this little compressor, I don't think I paid much over 300 dollars for it on Amazon and it was shipped free.

[Lloyd McKinlay]

Rol Air. The JC10 delivers about the same as the Porter Cable units, weighs less than 40 lbs and purrs at a quiet 60db.

[Denny Rice]

Rol Air. The JC10 delivers about the same as the Porter Cable units, weighs less than 40 lbs and purrs at a quiet 60db.

I agree the PC is a little heavy if your going to pick it up, but this thing has wheels. While I don't know much about JC10, I do know compared to a lot of small compressors out there the PC seems very quiet except when you go to purge the tank when your finished for the day. The air comes rushing out of that tank very quickly and makes a lot of noise.

[Michael Mayo]

I am on my third compressor. Started out with a Craftsman 30 ga. oiless....loud, loud, loud and could not keep up with the demand. So I sold it and bought a used Craftsman 60 ga. vertical oiless. Even louder than the 30 ga. and just as bad at keeping up with the demand. So I sold it and now I have a Devilbiss 80 ga. vertical oil filled 175 psi. 18 cfm compressor. It is so much quieter than the oiless models and it can keep the pressure up with any of the tools i use which include sand blast cabinet, and a large assortment of air tools which tend to be very air hungry little buggers. So my advice is get the biggest you can afford and fit in your space so you don't do like i did and spend way more money then you need to. If you get a good oil filled large model it should last you a lifetime.

[frank shic]

Thomas makes a great light and relatively quiet compressor that my father-in-law is always asking to borrow

[Rich Engelhardt]

I could be wrong, but, I'm not sure Thomas is still in business.
The only place I could find that says they carry them is Grainger- and - they show as out of stock.
Pity if they went under... sinful expensive, but, one of the best oiless ever made.

I agree with the others above.
"Portable" is a wide open term.

I have four "portable" compressors that I use.
The best is an Ingersoll Rand 4 gallon twin hot dog.
It's a 4.x CFM @ 90 psi class compressor. It can support up to two framing nailers or two roofing nailers.
@ ~ 70 pounds though it stretches the term portable - bit - it does fit in the trunk of a compact car.
It's a direct drive oil filled unit and it's not all that quiet.
68db IIRC.
100% duty cycle & typical Ingersoll Rand high quality.
I highly recommend it as the last portable compressor you'll likely need to buy.

My go-to portable is a 3 gal Evolv I picked up at Sears for $59.00 on sale.
It only puts out enough air to support a 16 ga nailer. It will run a 15 ga nailer in a pinch if I only need to drive a few.
It an oiless and surprisingly quiet.

I also have a Coleman Powermate 3HP w/an 11 gal tank.
It refuses to die & goes well against the "oiless means short life" theory.
I bought it new for $99.00 at K-Mart in 1986 or 1987..

[frank shic]

i see the thomas ultra listed on amazon... for $432!!! i don't remember paying THAT much... maybe $200-300.

[Carl Beckett]

I have an Emglo dual voltage that has been great (my guess pretty similar to that IR Rich mentions, although I 'think' its rated at higher CFM - and its belt drive which helps the RPM match). Smaller tanks (two cigar shaped tanks straddling a wheel) - but I have a secondary tank I clip it into when in the shop. Its not very ergonomic for wheeling around (where the handles are, the angle when lifted, and 'heavy') - but I can get it from here to there ok. If I were loading and unloading it by myself into the back of a pickup without a ramp.... umm... wouldnt be any fun.

And its rare I run it on 110 - usually just keep it on the 220 connection.

But it has kept up with everything I have tried on it (nail guns, sanders, conversion paint gun). And gets high marks for life, and not obnoxiously noisy.

[John Frazee]

Harbor Freight has the small pancake ac on sale for about $40. A friend of mine bought one and is happy. Don't know quality, size, etc you are looking for but it's a cheapo.