Decision point for me: I have an unexpected opportunity to buy a large compressor for a fair, used price.
I trust the guy selling it -- Bart's a fellow motorcyclist, a generally good dude, and he's been selling off shop tools he no longer needs for eminently fair prices, primarily distributing them among our riding group (full disclosure: not all of us ride anymore, as many of us are too old, fat, slow, or busted up). I recently bought from him a Lincoln 225 welder in nice shape. He offered it to me for 50 bucks after learning that I'd already run a NEMA 6-50R outlet for "future" -- i.e. just in case I decide to learn how to weld worth a dang. That 50 bucks scored me his buzzbox, a few packs of rod, gloves, a helmet, and -- somewhat randomly -- a big Ryobi router with accessories (even came with the manual).
So I'm confident, even sight unseen, that the big air can is a good deal. It's reportedly an Ingersoll Rand in the 60-80 gallon vertical tank category, with a motor of either 5 or 7.5 hp, and is probably as conscientiously maintained as his motorcycles. Bart says he just changed the oil preemptively and it looked clean; I believe him. He had multiple compressors in his (VERY LARGE) shop, which apparently explains the lack of specifics. Either way, he wants 400 bucks for it. Based on poking around, that seems like a solid deal at the lowest likely level, which would be a 60-gal tank, 5 hp, 230-volt, single-stage, splash-oiled unit. If it's spec'd any higher than that, it's a stone cold bargain (unless it's 3-phase, which is not in my plans or ready resources).
The question I have is: how useful will this "prosumer" compressor be in a hobby-level wood shop? I currently use a 2-hp, 4-gal. Hitachi compressor, recently mounted onto a caster base as it's gotten heavier over the years.
My primary uses are nailing, dusting, and tire inflation. I've used larger, borrowed compressors for sandblasting a truck, hand grinding panels, and bead blasting parts, but those aren't my most typical activities.
Upsides of a bigger unit that I can think of: I admit to having a secret dream of constantly available air over my workbench, with a curly hose hanging there at the ready. There are definitely times when I would happily reach for a nailer if it didn't involve fetching and commissioning the little compressor each time. A dedicated corner compressor could stay charged full-time. Ingersoll Rand even has an auto-draining function to keep me from forgetting to drain the tank. I don't know if my friend has that on his rig, but I do know it exists -- another friend from the same group has that setup on his IR compressor (he calls the automatic drains "shop farts").
It would also be nice to surround a compressor with sound-deadening panels -- the little sucker I've got now is LOUD. Furthermore, I might consider other air tools if I had a bit more oomph to put behind them.
Apparent downsides that I'm aware of: I'd have to hold onto my double hot dog anyway for nailing fence, work inside the house, etc. -- basically, any place where I couldn't run a line out of the shop. I surely won't be dragging around a topheavy, 450-lb. monster that's anchored onto concrete.
The other downside is space management. My new shop is 599 s.f. and not a penny more.
Will I want to permanently commit around four of those square feet to a beastly compressor, or is this a fool's errand in a hobby shop? And this is where I confess that I already added a 50A breaker, ran a 6/2 circuit to the back corner, and landed it on a disconnect switch... just in case. For the future.
Like welding.
So, Sawmill Crickers, I'm curious: what are your thoughts on saddling up to collect an iron monster?
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Originally Posted by Jack Llewyllson
I'd not want anything less than the 3hp 60 gallon IR I have in my shop, honestly.
