I use my monster air compressor for....

[Eric Gustafson]

Well, I don't have a monster compressor, but as I upgrade my new shop I will be in the market for a new compressor. My question to the creekers is what woodworking tools need a big 80 gal 220v compressor. I thought air sanders maybe, but with new ROS sanders like the Festool, are big compressors overkill?

Any thoughts?:o

[Steven Wilson]

Any air tool that you run for a sustained period (air sanders, grinders, etc) and spray paint equipment (yes, even HVLP). If you don't plan on ever using those things then a smaller compressor is more than adequate.

[Bruce Page]

Eric, I have the smaller (2hp/30gal horizontal) IR Garage-Mate. I didn’t have the space or dedicated power for a larger unit. The Garage-mate has done everything I have asked of it including conventional spraying.
I also added an ADV so I wouldn't have to remember to drain the darn thing. :rolleyes:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=17659

[Stan Welborn]

I have a big 7.5hp 80gal IR compressor, but it's left over from my previous hobby of automotive customization. DA sanders, painting and using air grinders... I needed one that big then. Today, I would get a much less substantial machine. In a woodshop, unless you're using air to sand with, a big compressor is overkill IMO. But then again, I'm all about some overkill when it comes to tools.:D

[Rob Diz]

Ok, if you are looking for support here for a tool purchase, I will say that a larger CFM rating at say 40 psi will help you run hvlp guns. These guns can run with lower CFM ratings (i'm using a 30 gallon compressor rated at 7.8), but remember what HVLP stands for: High Volume, Low Pressure. I make do with what I have, but I also have to push the pressure up a bit higher than I would like, which produces more overspray than I would like.

But of course, if you want the bigger compressor, by all means get it.

[Eric Mims]

You may find the size handy if you ever want to use it with a venturi vacuum system (used for vacuum bagging veneers, laminates, vacuum clamping, chucking, etc).

[Jim Becker]

I doubt I'd consider a pneumatic sander for my shop...the electrics do fine and are more portable...but the 60 gallon IR compressor has been a wonderful tool in my shop. I do spray finishes and the larger tank means a lot less run-time.

[Jim Kountz]

Its like most things it depends on how you plan to use it. For just general woodshop use you really dont need much of a compressor. But as Jim B said above if you're going to be spraying with one its nice to have the extra reserve of air. I use mine for my brad nailers and staplers and to blow off pieces before finishing mostly, I dont spray a whole lot but when I do I have an aux 50 gal tank that I use.
One quick word about air sanders. Until about a week ago I would have never given much thought to using one in my shop. I was helping to prep my bands tour bus for paint and used a DA?? I believe thats what they were calling it. That thing was awesome! Fast, clean and very light. Something to think about now for sure!

[Eric Gustafson]

That is what I thought. I picked up a turbinaire used for cheap and I have adequate sanders. I did not want the big power drain of a big compressor or did I want the foot print. Thanks for the opinions!:)

[Larry Fox]

HVLP unit primarally. That said, I have found tons of use for it since I upgrades. IR S3S (or SS3 - I forget) with the 6-gallon tank.

[Brad Schmid]

Most of my woodworking related pneumatic tools (nailers, drill, air brushes, etc.) don't require significant air. Even the impact guns and die grinders aren't too bad. However, DA Sanders, plasma cutter, HVLP, and especially the sandblaster get hungry and and crave the cfm of my 80 gal IR.

[Josiah Bartlett]

I use it for blowing the dust off projects before finishing, and for general cleanup.

I also use a long board sander, a DA, and an HVLP gun.

I also like my monster (Quincy) because its so quiet. It has a 1725 RPM induction motor and it doesn't scare me or make me deaf when it cycles on and off. I can easily continue working without having to don ear plugs. The only quieter power tool that I have is my Makita cordless drill.

Big air tanks also tend to throw less water out the hose when you are using low volumes of air, due to the bigger surface area of the tank helping it to condense out.

[Dewayne Reding]

are big compressors overkill?

Probably overkill in the woodshop, but little compressors are a joke in the garage so I use the same compressor for both jobs. Ran a pipe from the garage into the woodshop. As stated already, sprayers and ROS sanders are about the only thing that would draw much cfm in the woodshop.

[Tyler Howell]

60 gal 5 hp IR Titanium, operates standard air guns, drills, grinder, sander, floor jack and a pressure washer.
Doesn't get as much work as when I was doing more auto work.
Comes in handy and fun to look at.:rolleyes: :D
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=56652
TJH

[Anthony Anderson]

I have just upgraded to a 7hp 80 gallon, from a 3hp 60gallon in my garage, and I really like the additional air storage and quicker recovery time. In the wood shop, I have a 20 gallon 3hp Craftsman, or rebadged Porter-Cable, and it is plenty for the wood shop. Running HVLP mostly and blowing dust off projects. This is the quietest air compressor that I have EVER been around. Don't regret either purchase, but if I had to choose and a/c for a wood shop, I would go with the Craftsman/P-C. As Jim said, I will rarely use tools that consume large amounts of air in the wood shop. Good Luck. Bill

[Al Willits]

Couple ways to look at this, having a commercial grade and size unit in my garage I can run a DA/spray gun, air chisel, or any of the other high air useage tools with out any problem....great except for when I need to blow off the work bench, then we have a case of major overkill.

I'm a firm believer in to much air is better than not enough, but its hard to justify running one of the larger units for just brief periods of air, so I have two, bought a little unit from sears that fires up and is ready in just a minute or so max, it takes care of all the small jobs I may do, plus its portable so I can drag it where ever I want.

I think that's probably the best way to go, least for me it is.

Another might be to go with a slightly small compressor, say 3 hp or so and a larger tank, especially if your requirements for air are more short term than running a DA for hours on end.

Lots depends on how much and how often you need air..imho

Lots of choices, good luck...:)

Al

[David Epperson]

Having a very limited budget, I've come up with the plan of using the 2hp portable (and probably the 3/4hp "salvaged" as well) compressors in tandem, plumbed to a salvaged hot water tank (did you know that they are pressure tested to 150 psi? :D) This nets me a 50gal receiver tank for duration and flow/pulse dampening, while still allowing me to disconnect the portable for off site jobs. Ok, with only 2 to 2-3/4hp, recovery time will not be as quick - but for now I can live with that. :D

[David Weaver]

Ok, if you are looking for support here for a tool purchase, I will say that a larger CFM rating at say 40 psi will help you run hvlp guns. These guns can run with lower CFM ratings (i'm using a 30 gallon compressor rated at 7.8), but remember what HVLP stands for: High Volume, Low Pressure. I make do with what I have, but I also have to push the pressure up a bit higher than I would like, which produces more overspray than I would like.

But of course, if you want the bigger compressor, by all means get it.

Are you using a regulator?

I'm using a trash HF compressor at 115 psi (one that develops 5 cfm at 90psi) and using an HVLP gun that I got from Rockler, along with a regulator keeping it around 35 psi going into the gun and it will run the gun continuously. I can hardly believe how nicely it works, and especially how adequately it works. I'm limited to 115 in my garage, and I thought for sure i'd be standing around, but the thing doesn't even run constantly when I'm spraying.

[David Weaver]

Its like most things it depends on how you plan to use it. For just general woodshop use you really dont need much of a compressor. But as Jim B said above if you're going to be spraying with one its nice to have the extra reserve of air. I use mine for my brad nailers and staplers and to blow off pieces before finishing mostly, I dont spray a whole lot but when I do I have an aux 50 gal tank that I use.
One quick word about air sanders. Until about a week ago I would have never given much thought to using one in my shop. I was helping to prep my bands tour bus for paint and used a DA?? I believe thats what they were calling it. That thing was awesome! Fast, clean and very light. Something to think about now for sure!

I agree on the sanders. The first sanders I ever used was working at Aristokraft repairing cabinets between assembly lines. Obviously, everything there was air powered. I didn't start running electric sanders until I had my own shop, and boy are they disappointing in terms of feel compared to the pneumatic sanders.

[Eric Gustafson]

(did you know that they are pressure tested to 150 psi? :D)

I am by no means an expert on this. The water heater is pressure tested to 150 PSI when city water pressure is what, usually 40 to 60 PSI? Pressurized tanks are built and tested with a large margin of safety. I do not think you want to reduce that margin. An air tank can reach over 125 PSI. Your margin of safety may not be adequate. I would hate to think what would happen if the tank ruptured. :(

I don't want to sound critical, Dave. I just would not like to see anyone get hurt.

[Steven Wilson]

Air and other gasses are different than liquids. Is that water tank tested and certified for gasses? If not, don't use it.

[David Epperson]

Thanks for the concern guys. But let me ease your minds a bit. As an engineer and having worked in this area a bit I know a couple of things. First all pressure vessels get tested with liquids - well the high pressure ones do. For the simple reason that if it should fail during testing, compressed gas stores and will release a LOT more energy than pressurized water. Testing with liquid is just much safer. So a tank rated for pressure doesn't really care what is inside, so long as it's not corrosive or reactive with the tank material. Secondly the normally accepted factor of safety in proof testing tanks is to test at 125% of working pressure. Harsh duty will call for a bit of an adder to this value, but we are talking stationary use here. My compressor will only reach 110 max and I usually have the shut off set to 95. So the 150 psi rating is well withing any factor of safety I might need. Plus, since it's stamped of the tank as rated at 150psi, this means it had to have been proofed at at least 125% of that value - Roughly 187.5 psi.

Feel better? :D

[Ryan Hovis]

this one will run an air nailer, or small impact wrench :)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y38/hovisimo2/shop039.jpg