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Glen Monaghan
12-28-2012, 7:15 PM
Someone mentioned a salon air compressor for air assist and I was in need so I bought TCP's "salon" TC-60. Came with a 2 year warranty. Died within two weeks. Surprisingly, they didn't ask questions nor for the old unit to be returned, they just sent a new one. The second one has lasted about 3 months and it's dead now too. Both failures were catastrophic fracturing of the plastic one-way valve housing. I asked TCP Global if this was an unlikely coincidence or a known and common failure mode. They didn't respond to the question, merely said that they will continue to replace for up to 2 years or, if I want, replace one time with the TC-20 (no indication why they offer this less expensive model, nor why it wouldn't retain the remainder of the original warranty since both have 2 year warranties, nor whether it has a more robust valve).

Anybody else have experiences or thoughts on the TC-60 or TC-20 compressors?

Dee Gallo
12-28-2012, 7:40 PM
Wow, Glen, that's not good news. I've used those for years now. Every one has lasted 2 years and I always get a new one just before the warrantee is up. I have two TC-20s and one TC-60 I've never used. I prefer the little ones, they are quiet, and well... smaller. I rotate them and always have one in reserve. Maybe the 20s are better built than the 60s.

Sorry for your troubles, I was the one who recommended them.

cheers, dee

Glen Monaghan
12-29-2012, 10:19 AM
I had a small HF unit that looked pretty much identical to the TC-20 before getting the TC-60. It was tankless, ran continuously during cutting jobs, and would overheat to the point of smelling like something was starting to burn, got too hot to touch so I had to put a small fan next to it blowing on it.

I like the TC-60 because its small tank lets it "get ahead" and cycle off at times during cutting, plus it has a built-in fan so it never overheated. Plus I'd say the TC-60 was quieter than the HF unit, but maybe the TC-20 is too. Don't know whether I just got 2 from a bad batch or what, but both had shattered black plastic one-way valve housings. And it seems odd that they basically void the remaining warranty if I take the TC-20 as a substitute...

Don Williams Michigan
12-30-2012, 11:01 AM
Glen, I also had problems with two different TCP compressors.

I found a Badger TC910 at Michaels that I purchased with a 50% off coupon. Not as inexpensive as the TCP compressors, but I am very happy with the quality of the Badger. Also, extremely easy to hook up to the engraver and really quiet.