How elaborate is your air compressor install?

[William Batdorf]

Greetings,

I have a need to replace my Craftsman Professional 5 HP 60 gal air compressor. It was a nice gift from my wife years ago but it gave up the ghost. I am a buy once-cry once kind of tool guy. I'm seriously looking at a Saylor-Beall 5 HP 80 gallon model. I like the idea of an automatic moisture drain but I don't know about the other options available. What is the groups opinion on the practical need for an air-to-air intercooler, low oil pressure cut off, "silent" air intake filter or vibration isolators. Of course, each of these choices adds cost...I'm having difficulty deciding which ones are really worth the added cost.

I know the question will be asked...My shop is a mixed use home shop (non-professional-woodworking and mechanical). I use air tools, spray guns, a fairly large sand blaster etc. I'm always impressed at the scope of experience here at the Creek so....what do you think?

Thanks in advance.

[Joel Gelman]

I have California Air. If I were to do it over, with options including Quincy, Kaeser et, I would go with Eastwood.

https://www.eastwood.com/shop-equipm...mpressors.html

Check out the sound ratings!

[Robert Hayward]

My 11 year old 60 gallon 3.7hp Lowes brand compressor has only the vibration isolators in the list of options you stated. The compressor has those only because they were required for the five year warranty.

I have somewhere around 100 feet of copper pipe before the air gets to my shop so an intercooler is not needed. I do have a good air filter and moisture trap both at the compressor and again as the air enters my shop. Clean dry air is desirable. The auto condensate drain is a nice option. With my setup it is easy to forget about draining the tank. The low oil and silent intake are nice but really needed for a hobby shop?

[Ole Anderson]

This is my first compressor, served me well for years, but then I needed more pressure for my impact wrench so I got this one:

IMG_0913.jpgcompressor.jpg

[Jim Becker]

60 Gallon IR compressor with auto-drain and air plumbed in the workshop using a flexible plastic product specifically made for the application. RapidAir.

[Bill Dufour]

I put mine on some chunks of big rig retread found by the side of the road. For that size go two stage and keep the high pressure at 120Psi or less.
I bought a used, rebuilt, Quincy and put it on my old Sanborn tank.
Pumps will have a minimum rpm for lube. Lower rpm is quieter as is lower pressure.
I put a tractor oil bath air cleaner on my intake. Many use a motor cycle muffler on the intake to reduce noise.
A pump rebuild is easy enough if parts are still made. Usually a ring and valve job is all that is needed.
Bill D.
https://worcester.craigslist.org/tls...635588188.html
https://harrisburg.craigslist.org/tl...633180766.html
https://harrisburg.craigslist.org/tl...632029598.html
https://akroncanton.craigslist.org/t...635281090.html

[glenn bradley]

I only use air to fire occasional pins or brads. These are mostly used on jigs not furniture. Therefor a small compressor setting under a rolling table and a shop made rack for the guns, fasteners, oil, etc. meets my needs.

New Shop at 7 mo (4).jpg

Simple, quiet, mobile, and out of the way. A veneer vac sets on the bottom of the other rolling table.

[roger wiegand]

I have a 25 year old 80 gallon single phase compressor from the home depot, whatever their house brand was at the time. It's down in the horse stalls under the shop, so gets drained about once every six months (maybe) when I happen to go down there and think of it--out of sight, out of mind. With the small leaks in the piping around the shop it runs every two days or so when not in use. I did try to slope the copper lines in the shop so that they drain back to the tank, they are fairly long so I've never noticed water or oil in the air despite the absence of filters or driers. I changed the oil when I moved it about a decade ago. I could really use one that makes about twice the cfm, but this one just keeps running.

[Tom M King]

I bought a refrigerated dryer off CL that will more than handle double of what my 10hp compressor puts out. It solved all issues with moisture, and eliminated jumping through loops with the air system. I paid $125 for the dryer, and 85 for a rebuild kit that included a new automatic drain. I see them pop up for sale every so often. I have ball valves at the bottom of drops, but any time I've ever opened one to check, nothing came out.

I can spray anything with no worries. That compressor also came off CL cheap, and even has pressurized oiling. The big ones are often available cheaper than regular sized ones. That compressor and dryer are under a shed outside the shop. I can tell when they're running, but not loud enough to bother a conversation.

[Mike Cutler]

Your systems needs to be designed around the sandblaster. To many aftermarket filtration/moisture separating, systems are available to spray finishes with, but that sandblaster needs lots of moisture free air. Any system that can run a sandblaster, can run everything else.
Vibration isolation.-Yes.
Low Pressure oil cutoff. Yes.
Silent Air intake.- Only if you need that feature.
Intercooler.- Great for air compressors that see heavy daily load, but a home shop can do just as well with an after cooler. However, running a sandblaster causes the compressor to cycle more and will cycle while the blaster is in use. This puts you at risk of creating a moisture saturated environment in your system that requires some type of cooler that can condense the vapors in the system into moisture that can be filtered out. If you spray a lot, the same consideration has to be made.

My system is low tech.
Rolair, 3 cylinder, 5HP compressor with a 60 gallon tank. Cycles 105-140psi. 17CFM
The first coalescing filter and regulator are located only about 12' from the compressor, but there is 200' of high pressure hose, and 30' of copper weir, between the tank and the regulator for mechanical moisture separation. There is always 50' of hose connected to the first regulator and another 50' that can be added instantly. I don't use a hose reel. The pressure drop across a hose reel is to great.
For air tools I have a regulator with moisture separator, and an inline oiler, on a portable tree, that I can move around. If I want to spray, I have a another coalescing filter, moisture separator, and regulator on another portable tree, and of course the gun has a moisture separator also. Bottom line is that If I want to spray, I have over 300' of mechanical moisture separation.
For me there is no need to really "plumb the shop". It would be a nice convenience, but a lot of extra expense for something I already have a setup for. I also have a small Rolair JC10 for use in the shop. it will run small nailers and staplers.

[Bill Dufour]

It's down in the horse stalls under the shop, so gets drained about once every six months (maybe)
I would put it up on some raised feet (cinder blocks) and put an automatic drain valve under it. Water has to gravity flow from tank to drain valve. The valve discharge line can go uphill over 200 feet higher.
Bill D.

https://www.amazon.com/Compressor-Au...CABEgLa9_D_BwE

[John C Bush]

I have a Saylor-Beall 5hp 80 gal compressor that's been in my Dental office and Prosths lab since the late seventies. It has an auto drain valve ($140 DIY install) for condensation and an inline refrgerated drier and filters. I replaced the motor once but no other issues. Wish you were closer , I'd make you a great deal---I just retired. It is in the basement of my office and could be a bit noisy if in you shop. Good luck.