Need a good USA made compressor

[Rob Will]

A friend of mine is an Air Force Vet who just built a new shop. He wants to buy a USA made compressor. Can you suggest a compressor for home workshop and some farm use?

Tank Size: Nothing huge - 60 gal vertical or less - would like to find a short, fat tank. Compressor will sit on a platform about 6' up from the floor. It will be plumbed into the shop's airsystem.

Motor: 3 - 5 hp 230V. Prefer Baldor.

Pump: Cast iron, USA made

Thanks for helping me help my friend.
Any suggestions?

Rob

[Vijay Kumar]

Check Sears. They carry the Ingersoll Rand which will probably meet your criteria. The latest Craftsman Club catalog has the IR 60 gal 2 stage for $ 1099.99 reg price 1299.99 Item # 18298. I think you have to be a Craftsman Club member. Check out the website.

Vijay


A friend of mine is an Air Force Vet who just built a new shop. He wants to buy a USA made compressor. Can you suggest a compressor for home workshop and some farm use?

Tank Size: Nothing huge - 60 gal vertical or less - would like to find a short, fat tank. Compressor will sit on a platform about 6' up from the floor. It will be plumbed into the shop's airsystem.

Motor: 3 - 5 hp 230V. Prefer Baldor.

Pump: Cast iron, USA made

Thanks for helping me help my friend.
Any suggestions?

Rob

[Ken Garlock]

I bought my 60 gal 5 HP Ingersoll Rand from Northern Tool (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200318461_200318461). They are just the 'store front' and the actual compressor is shipped from Tennessee as I recall. IR is one of the top compressor makers in the US, if not the best.

[Norman Hitt]

Ingersol Rand or Quincy are two of the top American compressors. If you have a Tractor Supply store there, their prices for Ingersol Rand 60 Gal is usually cheaper than Sears, and seems like they have a sale on them about once every year.

[Jim O'Dell]

Keep in mind that there are 2 didstinct lines in the IR compressors. (Maybe more?) There is what I'd call a hobby compressor that is about 450.00 to 550.00 for a 60 gallon 5 hp, then there is the nice one that is the 1000.00 to 1200.00 range. Look at the CFM readings to see why. I'm sure there are also other differences also, possible origin of parts, etc. Jim.

[Bruce Page]

Love my IR

[Allen Bookout]

I can't add much to what has already been said. I have the Ingersol Rand 5hp 80 gal single stage and think that it is great. Tractor Supply had the best price when I bought mine. Northern Tool has a better selection, especially if you are looking for the top quality models.

[Todd Burch]

I have a Champion compressor. Very nice. When I bought it (2001), the man that delivered it told my wife (I was at work) that in the 20 years he had been delivering compressors, this was the first time he had ever delivered one of this caliber and size to a residence. Baldor 5HP. 80 gallon vertical, but they might make a smaller tank. I purchased it from PME Equipment in Houston.

Todd

[Mike Heidrick]

Are all the IR compressors and the motors that drive them made in the USA?

[Earl Kelly]

Rob,

Tell your friend to check out Eaton Compressor www.eatoncompressor.com

A good 5hp 80 gal with a 2stage cast iron pump will run around $1500 and up. My BIL got one from them and they even custom painted it with Gator colors.

Earl

[dale rex]

just bought an Ingersol Rand 3 HP 60 Gal upright this weekend from Tractor Supply. Waiting for a guy to deliver it now. Hopefully tomorrow. :o I have read numerous reviews here and elsewhere and all are good.
It should handle everything I throw at it. :D Cant wait to get it up and running and piped in to the whole shop.

[Tim Marks]

Quincy makes one of the best. Made in the USA.

They sell 30,60, and 80 gallon sizes. I have the Quincy 1V41C30VC5 30 gallon, four cylinder industrial air master compressor. 18 cfm @ 100psi. Has a 5 HP Leeson motor, which I considered one of the top selling points.

The 30 gallon makes a nice size; easier to handle then the massive 60 or 80 gallon size, still has enough capacity for operating pneumatic tools.

You can see the commercial two cylinder model here (I special ordered the industrial 4 cylinder model from Tools-Plus because I wanted the extra capacity):
http://www.tools-plus.com/quincy-151c30vc3.html. They are spendy, but I think it is a definite case of getting what you pay for.

[Dave Lehnert]

Walking around Harbor Freight one day (Yes! I did say Harbor Freight) I noticed one of their large compressors was made in the USA. It was black and had their store brand on it. Anyone know who makes that unit? Not in the market but was always curious. It did seem to be very well built. Better than the typical Home Center stuff.

[Jude Tuliszewski]

I purchased an Eaton a few mounths ago and am very happy with it :D. It is built very robust. I have the 80gal 7.5 hp compressor. Do a search of new compressor and you can find my post about mine.

[Jim Becker]

IR is my choice.

[dale rex]

Hey Jim, as I recall you have the SS3L3?

I just got mine today and am anxious to get it up and running. Can I ask you how you wired yours in? Hardwire or cord and plug? My pressure switch has spade terminals inside.........how did you hook up the wires to yours? 20 Amp circuit with 12g wire? or 30 amp with 10g?

[Todd Jensen]

I think Thomas Air-Pac is worth a mention. Very nice compressors made in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

[Jim Becker]

Hey Jim, as I recall you have the SS3L3?

I just got mine today and am anxious to get it up and running. Can I ask you how you wired yours in? Hardwire or cord and plug? My pressure switch has spade terminals inside.........how did you hook up the wires to yours? 20 Amp circuit with 12g wire? or 30 amp with 10g?

20 amp circuit. I did put a short cord and plug on it for convenience. Rubber cord from the 'borg that I had left over from something else. Crimp connectors took care of the terminals if I recall clearly.

[dale rex]

thanks Jim

[Jim Heffner]

Kudos on the Ingersol-Rand or Quincy...good old reliable workhorses here.
Be sure and buy one with an oil bath type pump, definately NOT the oil free type. They will outlast the oil free types about 10 to 1.

I have an old model Ingersol-Rand twin cylinder cast iron compressor
with a 3hp motor, on a 60 gallon horizontal tank. It has been in almost constant use for the the last 50 or 60 years ( was used in an old service station for most of it's life). It only turns about 1725 rpm's but it's still
chuggin' away and will pump up to 150 psi with no problem! eezlock

[John Canfield]

Are all the IR compressors and the motors that drive them made in the USA?That's a good question... Two weeks ago the truck brought my new IR SS5L5 (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_211720_211720?cm_mmc=Housefile-_-SHIPPED-_-1206-_-CONF) I ordered from Northern Tool. While carefully looking the unit over out of curiosity to see where it was made, I decided the motor was made in the US (an Emerson as I recall), or at least it was not apparent it was made offshore.

The compressor pump origin is a little more ambiguous - there is a "Made in China" sticker on the backside of the air filter :eek:. So is the air filter housing made in China, or does it apply to the pump as well? There was no other indicator on the pump as to origin. The pump casting and even the entire unit seems to have excellent fit and finish in any case.

I just finished the installation (with type L copper) and have used it a few times - I was pleasantly surprised at how relatively quiet it is while running. Significantly quieter than my old 3 HP DeVilbiss (or was it a CH - I forgot.) I mounted it on short pieces of pressure-treated 2x4s so that is probably a factor in keeping the thing as quiet as possible.

[Maury Saggus]

Keep in mind that there are 2 distinct lines in the IR compressors. (Maybe more?) There is what I'd call a hobby compressor that is about 450.00 to 550.00 for a 60 gallon 5 hp, then there is the nice one that is the 1000.00 to 1200.00 range. Look at the CFM readings to see why. I'm sure there are also other differences also, possible origin of parts, etc. Jim.

I think what Jim is referring to is a single stage compressor versus a two-stage compressor. Both are made in the US (Campbellsville, KY). The single stage compressor makes more air than the comparable two-stage compressor. However, the two-stage compressor makes more pressure(175psi vs 135psi). This makes the two-stage compressor more of an "industrial design" since it can handle much higher pressures(the 2340 is used on a 250psi machine as well.)
In the 3-5HP range you will have the option of the following:
**note SS models are single stage**

model....... HP...... CFM..... PSI(rated)..... PSI(max)..... RPM....... Price(approx via TSC and N Tool))
SS3L3 .......3....... 11.3 .........90 ..............135........ 1200 .........$800
SS5L5....... 5........ 18.1........ 90 ..............135 .........950......... $1100
2340L5...... 5 ........14.0 .......175 ..............175 ........1575 ........$1300
2475N5...... 5 .......16.8 ........175 .............175 ........1040......... $1900

The 2475 also has the option of an aftercooler which reduces the temp of the air within 25F of ambient. This removes a lot more moisture in the receiver tank before it goes out to your tools. Also adds about $500 to the price, but also gives you a low oil level shutdown and auto drain to boot.

Any of these would be good choices.....

Maury - waiting on his own SS3L3 to arrive from Santa!:D