Quiet air compressor

[Merrill Herring]

Looking for a quite air compressor for my woodworking shop, needs to maintain pressure will be mostly used for nail guns.

[Jim Becker]

Rolair and California Air both have reportedly very quiet designs and are good for pneumatic nail guns.

[Mac McQuinn]

I recently purchase this Rol-Air item; https://www.rolair.com/products/air-compressors/hand-carry/vt20tb
It's pretty darn quiet at 78-79db, I've called Rol-air and their tech support has been excellent.
Mac

[Dave Zellers]

I have the RolAir JC10 and can't believe how quiet it is.

[Victor Robinson]

The Rolair JC10 is a tried and true winner in this relatively new category of "quiet compressors." I love mine - it's definitely quiet and reasonably portable. I recently stuck some casters on mine so now I can kick it around the shop.

[Glen Gunderson]

I have a California Air Tools one (I think it's the 5510SE) that I bought to have a small quiet compressor in the shop for nail guns and blowing dust off projects. I expected it to be quiet based on the dB rating but I was still shocked when I fired it up for the first time. It really is only about as loud as a normal conversation.

[Greg Castaneda]

This is the one I currently use. Provides decent volume/pressure and is pretty quiet.
https://www.makitatools.com/products/details/MAC2400

[Geoff Crimmins]

I'm quite happy with my Rolair JC-10 plus, which is small and very quiet. California Air Tools has several compressors that are similarly quiet. If you're using brad guns or lightly using a nail gun, Senco has a small compressor that's very quiet.

[Jack Lemley]

+1 Makita MAC2400. I love mine!

Jack

[phil harold]

Super quiet
http://www.californiaairtools.com/ultra-quiet-series-of-air-compressors/2-0-hp-air-compressors/cat-10020c/

I love it

[Harold Balzonia]

I've posted this before but I'll post it again.......

I would stay as far away from California Air Tools as humanly possible. I had one and the motor failed after maybe 15 total uses. It was a second compressor for me and I only used it sparingly when I had a job to do indoors. I called their service dept and it took weeks to get through to a human being. Message after message, email after email left unanswered. Just awful.....

long story short, they refused my request for warranty coverage because the unit was "out of warranty." It was, in fact, out of warranty.... I kid you not.... 3 DAYS past the warranty. No leeway offered. I took the thing apart and can send you photos of the insides of the compressor. Shrapnel everywhere!

California Air Tools compressors are really junk and made from very poor materials... bad gaskets, cheap cast parts, etc etc.... Again, I can send you photos of the guts of mine.... it's scary how bad they are. You'd be better off with a harbor freight, in my opinion.

If anyone wants to chime in and say how great their California Air Tools compressor is, I'd just say, throw on the old Randy Travis record: it's just a matter of time

[Mike Cutler]

Rolair JC-10. Very quiet. You'll never need hearing protection with it. The gun cycling will make more noise than the compressor.

[phil harold]

Sounds like you got a bad one
In a matter of time All compressors fail.

I've posted this before but I'll post it again.......

I would stay as far away from California Air Tools as humanly possible. I had one and the motor failed after maybe 15 total uses. It was a second compressor for me and I only used it sparingly when I had a job to do indoors. I called their service dept and it took weeks to get through to a human being. Message after message, email after email left unanswered. Just awful.....

long story short, they refused my request for warranty coverage because the unit was "out of warranty." It was, in fact, out of warranty.... I kid you not.... 3 DAYS past the warranty. No leeway offered. I took the thing apart and can send you photos of the insides of the compressor. Shrapnel everywhere!

California Air Tools compressors are really junk and made from very poor materials... bad gaskets, cheap cast parts, etc etc.... Again, I can send you photos of the guts of mine.... it's scary how bad they are. You'd be better off with a harbor freight, in my opinion.

If anyone wants to chime in and say how great their California Air Tools compressor is, I'd just say, throw on the old Randy Travis record: it's just a matter of time

[Greg R Bradley]

I've posted this before but I'll post it again.......

I would stay as far away from California Air Tools as humanly possible. I had one and the motor failed after maybe 15 total uses. It was a second compressor for me and I only used it sparingly when I had a job to do indoors. I called their service dept and it took weeks to get through to a human being. Message after message, email after email left unanswered. Just awful.....

long story short, they refused my request for warranty coverage because the unit was "out of warranty." It was, in fact, out of warranty.... I kid you not.... 3 DAYS past the warranty. No leeway offered. I took the thing apart and can send you photos of the insides of the compressor. Shrapnel everywhere!

California Air Tools compressors are really junk and made from very poor materials... bad gaskets, cheap cast parts, etc etc.... Again, I can send you photos of the guts of mine.... it's scary how bad they are. You'd be better off with a harbor freight, in my opinion.

If anyone wants to chime in and say how great their California Air Tools compressor is, I'd just say, throw on the old Randy Travis record: it's just a matter of time
And I will agree with Harold completely and also with Phil's praise. I had one great experience with a 10020 7-8 years ago and horrible experience with a 6010 a couple years ago. I think they built good stuff then brought the prices down by changing suppliers on the later units. You could see the difference just in the boxes and packing materials after the change. Their service is as horrible as Harold says.

My Makita MAC700 and MAC2400 are great.

[Jebediah Eckert]

377524

I bought the above California Air Tools compressor a year or two ago for the shop. It stays on all the time and mostly used for nailers or blowing things off. I wish I bought it years before. It is quiet and there when I need it.

My experience with CAT is different from Harold. In shipping it must have got dropped and bent the regulator knob. I called them and got a person with zero difficulties. Sent me a whole new regulator out (I think Even 2nd day air). They were told it happened in shipping but they took care of it anyhow.

When I swapped out the parts I had a few questions and had to call a few more times (operator error) and they were very helpful. I just called the number in the manual.

Maybe if that’s a concern just look up their customer service number and give them a call. Ask for a technician or repair and ask them a question. That should answer if Harold’s issue is common or he just caught them during a bad run?

oh yeah, it’s real quiet!

[Osvaldo Cristo]

Looking for a quite air compressor for my woodworking shop, needs to maintain pressure will be mostly used for nail guns.

I found Makita MAC5200 (https://www.makitatools.com/products/details/MAC5200) as a very capable and not so loud compressor - actually I never knew any model quieter than it. I have a very small shop and it is homing the compressor also so I really needed something not so loud and that Makita compressor model did not brought me any regrets!

I have listened and read good things on California Air but it looks their models are oil less and it has some consequences for overall lifespan of the equipment and possible increasing of the noise level as time goes by. Even if I had access to compressors from them I am not sure if I really would go for a oil less compressor model.

I hope you choose something that be glad for you for the next years!

All the best,

[Geoff Crimmins]

The MAC2400 is 79db, the 5200 is 90db, and the Rolair JC-10plus and some of the California Air Tools compressors are 60db. I believe I read that every 10db louder is a doubling of the volume. I find that a 79db compressor is loud enough to be annoying and intrusive. 60db is quiet enough to have a conversation or listen to music while it's running. So it looks like there is a broad range of what people consider to be a quiet compressor. OHSA recommends hearing protection starting at 85 decibels.

[Bill Dufour]

They leave out the most important number which is the distance from the noise maker where they measured the. If they measured it at say 5 feet and another is measured at 10 feet then if they make the exact same amount of noise then one measured at 10 feet will be 1/4 as loud. This is the sound spreads out into a bigger volume as it moves farther. So the sound intensity(loudness) decreases following the inverse square law. Just like a flash light.

It did help my compressor when I put a oil bath air cleaner on the intake. I have read that putting a muffler on the intake will help a lot on compressor noise. I figure any oil pulled through will help lube the valves, rings etc.
Bill D

[phil harold]

The MAC2400 is 79db, the 5200 is 90db, and the Rolair JC-10plus and some of the California Air Tools compressors are 60db. I believe I read that every 10db louder is a doubling of the volume. I find that a 79db compressor is loud enough to be annoying and intrusive. 60db is quiet enough to have a conversation or listen to music while it's running. So it looks like there is a broad range of what people consider to be a quiet compressor. OHSA recommends hearing protection starting at 85 decibels.
Yup
the design is that of thomas compressor that have been around for years and spendy
The wobble piston
Now the Rolair JC-10plus and California Air Tools compressors use the wobble piston system

[Greg R Bradley]

You can't really determine much from the published sound ratings of compressors. The MAC700 and MAC2400 are supposedly 79db but are really almost the same irritation level as the California Air Tools 6010, which claims 60db. The sounds the Makita make are low pitch and mostly pleasant sounds, while the CAT is mostly unpleasant sounds. I would rather be in a small confined space with either Makita BUT if you had a basement shop the sound of the Makitas might travel upstairs and be audible while the CAT would not.

I have no problem talking on a business phone in a normal voice 10' away from a running MAC700. I could close the door in between but there is simply no reason to do that.

The older CAT-10020 is rated 70db but also seems quieter than the 60db 6010.

Don't make the assumption that all the Makitas are quiet, the MAC5200 is NOT.

[Merrill Herring]

I want to thanks everyone for their input, I think it is down to either the Mac2400 or the Rolair JC 10 plus. It looks like the JC 10 is no longer made. Everyone says get one the is oiled, but the Rolair is not. Which one should I pick.

[Greg R Bradley]

Ignore recommendations of oil vs oilless. They are making generalization that aren't correct.

The JC 10 is very quiet but puts out very little air. If you are just running a small nail gun or even a bigger one in light use, the JC10 will be fine. It won't let you use lots of tools because it doesn't do high pressure. For example, you can't air up a motorhome or truck tire. It won't have the volume to blow out a piece of equipment like a window AC or dust extractor filter.

The MAC700 is well above the JC10 in performance and the MAC2400 is above that. MAC2400 is similar to VT20ST Rolair. All of these are oiled compressors with a heavy duty cycle. They can run continuously, which might be important.

I don't know what a JC10 plus is as compared to the JC10 that I've seen.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

The MAC2400 is 79db, the 5200 is 90db, and the Rolair JC-10plus and some of the California Air Tools compressors are 60db. I believe I read that every 10db louder is a doubling of the volume. I find that a 79db compressor is loud enough to be annoying and intrusive. 60db is quiet enough to have a conversation or listen to music while it's running. So it looks like there is a broad range of what people consider to be a quiet compressor. OHSA recommends hearing protection starting at 85 decibels.

Well, I have resources and know how to measure the noise level and my MAC5200 definetively is under 80 dB at 2m away from it. There is sample variation and some manufacturers uses "old data" even after some update in their equipment... bottom line is I do not believe blindly in the manufacturers data.

You are right, 10 dB means the double of energy or sound pressure but not at the perception as our audition is approximately logarithmic.

[Victor Robinson]

The JC10 plus is just an updated version of the JC10. The major changes are they made the gauges face up instead of to the side, and the drain valve is easier to operate. Before the Plus a lot of folks, myself included, were swapping out the drain valve.

[Tim M Tuttle]

When researching air compressors last spring I had my eye on a California Air Tools but went with a Ridgid for budget reasons. Got the Ridgid home, turned it on for the break in cycle, gave it about two minutes and then said "nope". Took it right back and got ordered a CAT 10 gallon. It's crazy quiet. It got roughed up in shipping and a part broke off and fell into the motor (that's what it sounded like at least). I didn't even turn it on as I could hear it rattling around as I moved the compressor. My order was placed through Amazon and they picked it up the next day and I received another one two days later. I like it and would buy another one when/if the need arises.

[Pete Staehling]

I have only had it a couple weeks, but I am really happy with my California Air Tools 10020C so far. It is really quiet, works well, and generally seems well made.

[phil harold]

The JC10 plus is just an updated version of the JC10. The major changes are they made the gauges face up instead of to the side, and the drain valve is easier to operate. Before the Plus a lot of folks, myself included, were swapping out the drain valve. I heard there was some bad reviews on the first model.
l thats why I saw the cal10 for under 200, at menrads, I bought it last year
I just ordered jc10 plus for my trim work
maybe a side by side comparison to follow

[Roger Bull]

Another vote for California Air Tools compressors. I got the CAT-10020CAD which has an automatic drain. Every time the compressor starts it lets out a little air from the drain valve. The duration of the release is user selectable. I can put it in a corner and never need to worry about draining the water from the tank.
At only 70db it is very quiet.

[Darcy Warner]

My MAC2400 has been going strong for about 8 years. I have never checked or changed the oil, it has been left outside, hauled in the back of my truck, etc. Been a great compressor.

For the shop, I prefer my big Wayne Vaughn, or my bigger Quincy.

[scott vroom]

Another vote for Rolair JC10.

[Mike Cutler]

I want to thanks everyone for their input, I think it is down to either the Mac2400 or the Rolair JC 10 plus. It looks like the JC 10 is no longer made. Everyone says get one the is oiled, but the Rolair is not. Which one should I pick.

Merrill
I would try both, if at all possible. The MAC2400 is 2.5 HP versus the JC10 at 1HP, so the comparison isn't direct.
Forget the dB ratings because they can be subjective, and you don't know how they were done. (I have 40 years of electronics background and could bore you to tears talking about dB.) It's real life examples you're looking for.
The JC10 I have is quiet. You could put it in the middle of the dining room,during dinner, and never have to raise your voice above it. The unloader valve at the end of the compressor cycle is the loudest noise it makes,and letting the air out of a party balloon is louder.
If you needed continuous air, than oiled is the way to go, but it doesn't seem as if you do. Non oiled is simplified, and there is no splash or internal pump system, so less moving parts.
I can add air to my trucks tires, 20" tires on a GMC Sierra, but there is no way a JC10 would set the bead. It take a long time though to take one from 10psi, to 36psi. I've pumped up the run flats on my Mini Cooper with it after a repair, so that's 0-38psi on a 205/45-18 tire. I have a 5HP Rolair for this kind of stuff now. ;)
The Mac2400 is rated at 2.5 hp, and is louder than a JC10, but it's still pretty quiet. I've used the Mac's at work. I think the JC10 is still more portable, but it's also a smaller overall unit.
Both are nice. no experience with the Cal Airs.

[Roger Bull]

Since you mentioned quiet, be sure to check out their videos demonstrating how quiet the California Air Tools compressor is. Here is a video with the 10020C compared to a typical pancake. They have videos comparing noise from most of their other models.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ciXFWwL0OQ

[Harold Balzonia]

Here's a picture of the inside of a California Air unit. I've got a lot more pictures but safe to say the things are junk.... in addition to being shredded by the shrapnel of the internals that blew up, the gaskets were discolored and crunchy.... Maybe this is what they mean by "breaking"-in.... this was after maybe 15 uses.... caveat emptor!

377787

[Tim M Tuttle]

California Air Tools 10 gallon air compressor one of Home Depot's special buy of the day.

https://www.homedepot.com/SpecialBuy/SpecialBuyOfTheDay

About $100 off.

[Michael Alu]

I will add my .02 cents. I have the RolAir JC-10 and its been nothing but amazing. I believe they only offer the JC-10 Plus now. If you go that route and can wait I would pick it up from Zoro when you have a 25% coupon. They come around a few times a year.

[Michael Fink]

I had the larger CAT, it was very quiet. But I also burned it up in a day; probably running about 50% DC on it spraying paint. I wouldn't buy another one if I intended to use it for air guns/paint or anything that would get it running without a break for more than 5 mins or so. I own a lot of compressors and am very aware of duty cycle on oil less compressors, so I was careful with it, but it just didn't have the build to keep up. Replaced it with a 30 gallon upright (which is not at all a reasonable replacement for most uses of the CAT, but was for me) that is oiled and has run great for years now. In my shop I have a 7.5HP Polar/Eaton, that thing is a beast and runs like a sewing machine, but I suspect you're not looking for 1000 lb compressors if you're looking at CAT. ;)