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Thread: Quiet Air Compressor for Wide Belt Sander, How many CFM do I need?

  1. #16
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    Bert makes a good point. If your compressor is something like an 8 scfm machine and it is on 50% of the time, you are using about 4 scfm. If its on 10% of the time you are using .8 scfm etc...

    you could run the machine for a whole time from the start of the compressor to the stop and then to start again and figure out the duty cycle.

  2. #17
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    So you have an oil-less air compressor. I probably had the same or a similar one. I upgraded to a slightly older oiled compressor and the sound has been cut in half if not more. There’s no comparison. I also have a California Air Tools mini-compressor for installing trim in my house and sure - it’s quiet, but it’s not needed in the shop.

    Just go out and buy a used oiled compressor and you’ll forget those things make so much noise.

  3. #18
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    The newer Grizzly widebelts are all electric sensor so you only need the static pressure to tension the belt. The older ones had an air sensor for tracking and used more.
    Chuck

  4. #19
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    I run the Maka and my vacuum press on a Jun-Air that I bought after David Kumm suggested it to me. It's fantastic, so quiet that I really don't know its running.

    It replaced a craftsman that was unnecessarily loud.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  5. #20
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    Grizzly called back and said 3-4 CFM. So even using David's 5-7 CFM estimate above to be conservative, it looks like almost any compressor will provide that at 75psi.

    Anyone have a small compressor that's quite quiet in that range that they recommend?

    Bert: It turns on rarely when being used for the wide-belt. The initial fill is very loud and long as it fills the 30gal drum.
    Much more when doing other activities (the occasional air tool, filling a tire, etc...)
    - After I ask a stranger if I can pet their dog and they say yes, I like to respond, "I'll keep that in mind" and walk off
    - It's above my pay grade. Mongo only pawn in game of life.

  6. #21
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    Alan, that backs up my feeling that it's "static air pressure" that counts with that machine rather than it being a "consumer" of air like a nailer or other pneumatic tool. An auto drain would allow you to keep the compressor pressurized and avoid the long run to fill the tank. That's how my shop compressor is setup and I have it in a closet as previously mentioned so when it does run, it's in the background.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Alan, that backs up my feeling that it's "static air pressure" that counts with that machine rather than it being a "consumer" of air like a nailer or other pneumatic tool. An auto drain would allow you to keep the compressor pressurized and avoid the long run to fill the tank. That's how my shop compressor is setup and I have it in a closet as previously mentioned so when it does run, it's in the background.
    Hmmm... So you keep it pressurized all the time? Doesn't that mean that randomly at all hours it will run for short periods of time to refill the tank (mine does, as I'm sure there is always some fitting in one of the hoses that's not perfectly tight, so it's leaking a little air.) How doe's the auto drain effect that?

    I thought an auto drain is just there to drain out condensation from the air being compressed so as not to corrode the tank.
    - After I ask a stranger if I can pet their dog and they say yes, I like to respond, "I'll keep that in mind" and walk off
    - It's above my pay grade. Mongo only pawn in game of life.

  8. #23
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    The auto-drain is absolutely to get water out of the tank, but since it lets a little air out each time, unless the system remains pressurized, it's not doing anything for you. Yes, a compressor will occasionally run if there is any leakage or use of an auto drain, but those run times are short compared to filling up from scratch. I do de-pressurize my little portable compressor that I use outside of the shop, but not the shop system, unless I'm going to be away. But then again, I'm in my shop nearly daily at this point and have a 60 gallon setup. It would get old really fast having to refill that thing every morning...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alan Lightstone View Post
    Grizzly called back and said 3-4 CFM. So even using David's 5-7 CFM estimate above to be conservative, it looks like almost any compressor will provide that at 75psi.

    Anyone have a small compressor that's quite quiet in that range that they recommend?

    Bert: It turns on rarely when being used for the wide-belt. The initial fill is very loud and long as it fills the 30gal drum.
    Much more when doing other activities (the occasional air tool, filling a tire, etc...)
    Jan-Air, they have a ton of models.

    The one I bought has auto-drain and desiccant for drying the air. I put a lubricator in-line where needed and a regulator at each tool.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  10. #25
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    Overkill, but I would look around and try to find something like this:

    https://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/tl...017684411.html

    Once you drop to the smaller units, they seem to come up regularly on CL for short money (many people are upgrading to larger units)

  11. One other thing I'll mention. Timing of when you run it is a factor for many of us in how offensive the noise is. Also there is a risk of meltdown or even a fire if a compressor has a leak and winds up running continuously.

    For both those reasons I'd consider either putting the compressor on a timer, turning it off when not in the shop, or having it tied to the lighting circuit in some way. either electrically or by habit. I chose to set mine up so it runs it only runs when lights are turned on. That can be done in a number of ways. In a small enough shop with a small enough compressor the light switch might possibly directly control both lights and compressor (possibly a double pole switch?). Two switches that you habitually flip at the same time are another answer as would be using a relay.

  12. #27
    My 200 gallon quincy 390 never gets turned off.

    Not filling that tank and 500 feet of hard lines all the time.

    Fuses in the disconnect and heaters in the starter protect the motor.

  13. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pete Staehling View Post
    For both those reasons I'd consider either putting the compressor on a timer, turning it off when not in the shop, or having it tied to the lighting circuit in some way. either electrically or by habit. I chose to set mine up so it runs it only runs when lights are turned on. That can be done in a number of ways. In a small enough shop with a small enough compressor the light switch might possibly directly control both lights and compressor (possibly a double pole switch?). Two switches that you habitually flip at the same time are another answer as would be using a relay.
    I would use a contactor for this kind of arrangement...the draw on the "lighting" circuit would be nil and the circuit powering the compressor can be anything it needs to be. The contactor just has to be matched accordingly.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  14. #29
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    I wired a toggle switch on the coil of my contactor so I can disable the pressure switch when I don't need to run the big compressor. Dave

  15. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Darcy Warner View Post
    My 200 gallon quincy 390 never gets turned off.

    Not filling that tank and 500 feet of hard lines all the time.

    Fuses in the disconnect and heaters in the starter protect the motor.
    I can't imagine. Wow!! What do you do that needs a 200 gallon tank? I've never seen one remotely that big.
    - After I ask a stranger if I can pet their dog and they say yes, I like to respond, "I'll keep that in mind" and walk off
    - It's above my pay grade. Mongo only pawn in game of life.

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