Small Compressor Purchase

[Byron Trantham]

I am in the market for a portable compressor similar to the PC pancake compressor. I have read some user reviews on Amazon for this compressor and they are from one extreme to the other. That said, any personal recommendations? Need it to run air nailer's on site. I currently have a Craftsman (no tank, runs continuously) that has run for ever. It's loud (doubt I will get away from that) and it walks all over the floor when it is running. I find the walking very aggravating.

[Dan Owen]

I have the PC Pancake that I purchased on sale along with 2 nail guns for under $300.00. So far, the compressor has been great. No problems, no maintainence easy to carry around and holds the air pretty good for its size. I just remember to bleed the thing after every use because condensation will build up.

Sincerely
Dan

[Bill White]

Have the PC. Works like a charm. No probs.

[Steve Clardy]

Have two PC's for job site work. Pleased with them. A little noisy, and they have a tendency to walk around some unless on a wood surface.

[Mike Vermeil]

I've got that small Craftman, single hot-dog tank unit with a traditional oiled compressor that Sears is always advertising & love it. I hate the noise produced by the oil-less compressors & swore I'd never buy one again, so I jumped on this model when I saw & have not been dissappoined. It's quieter than any portable oil-free compressor I've ever seen, and works fine.

[Steve Roxberg]

I am in the market for a portable compressor similar to the PC pancake compressor. I have read some user reviews on Amazon for this compressor and they are from one extreme to the other. That said, any personal recommendations? Need it to run air nailer's on site. I currently have a Craftsman (no tank, runs continuously) that has run for ever. It's loud (doubt I will get away from that) and it walks all over the floor when it is running. I find the walking very aggravating.


Byron,

Buy the Makita MAC700, it's an oil bath compressor and very quiet. I run mine in the basement by the lathe and for nail guns. I just couldn't handle the db of the pancake style oilless compressors. This unit goes for about $175, but is really, really nice. No affiliation, just a satisfied owner.

[Don Baer]

http://imagex.homedepot.com/f/248/13340/7d/www.homedepot.com/cmc_upload/HDUS/EN_US/asset/images/eplus/028877355146_2.jpg (http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/prodmeta/pg_prodmeta.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&cartCntKey=Power+Tools%2FAir+Compressors+%26+Acces sories%2FAir+Compressors&CNTKEY=Products_2%2FPower+Tools%2FAir+Compressors+ %26+Accessories%2FAir+Compressors&ProductOID=635762&BV_SessionID=@@@@0482937944.1123601236@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccceaddfgimjegmcgelceffdfgidgkj.0&source=SEARCH)

I picked up one of these at the borg a few years ago and it's been great. I got luckey and when I was there they were selling the floor model so I got it for $100 off. It was new but had the paint scratched up from being on the floor for so long. I have used it for spray painting, auto repairs, nail guns and just about every thing else that I need.

[Sam Shank]

Why don't you just buy a 5 gallon storage tank and turn it off when it gets up to pressure? Might be a little cheaper. Unless you have the buck$ for a new one.

[Byron Trantham]

Why don't you just buy a 5 gallon storage tank and turn it off when it gets up to pressure? Might be a little cheaper. Unless you have the buck$ for a new one.

Sam,
I should have an V-8 (slaping my forehead)! :D Hell of an idea. My needs todate have been minmal so an air tank shoud work fine. Thanks.

[Sam Shank]

Glad to help. Harbor freight (if you have one near) has 'em for about $20 every now and then. Don't bother ordering from them, though. It could come sometime in the next few years if you do that.

[Herb Kelley]

Campbell Hausfeld has two models on their web site, seems like $10 for the less expensive one in their clearance section. I am in the market and the Makita has gotten good marks. It runs at about 1/2 the rpm of the other hand carry units. Picked up a Campbell Hausfeld twin hotdog for $130 with a 16Ga nailer but I am taking it back.

[Herb Kelley]

Campbell Hausfeld has two models on their web site, seems like $10 for the less expensive one in their clearance section. I am in the market and the Makita has gotten good marks. It runs at about 1/2 the rpm of the other hand carry units. Picked up a Campbell Hausfeld twin hotdog for $130 with a 16Ga nailer but I am taking it back.

[roy knapp]

something you should look for, is a compressor with a oil crankcase (it takes oil).
there is no lubrication for the compressor head with the oil less type compressor head and this results in a much shorter life of the compressor.:)

[Jim Becker]

Byron, for incidental nailer work, I have a small "cute" Husky compressor I picked up at HD on sale for about $90. It runs a lot but is surprisingly quiet for being an oil-less. I would never buy something like this for "regular real work", but for what I use it for, it was a bargan. Awhile back, I used it to test my new copper air lines in the shop to avoid the time for the big IR to come up to pressure and just yesterday I used it to clean a clogged drain line on one of our dishdrawers...very handy.