shop-talk...air compressors

[arceeguy]

Augi,

I'm glad you are happy with your new compressor!

An ideal homeowners compressor would have a universal (brush type) motor, coupled to a oil lubricated pump. The universal motor would reduce the amperage requirements, and the oil lubed pump would ensure longevity. I haven't seen this on the market yet.

I would order pump rebuild kit and keep it handy. The lack of availability of a rebuild kit is what caused me to trash a Campbell Hausfeld oil-less compressor several years ago. The brushes on the motor still had plenty of length, but the pump was worn and was taking longer and longer to cycle. But then again, I'm thinking DeWalt is probably a notch or two above a CH.

 

[augidog]

thanks, arcee'...if i could get what you just described, or assemble the pieces, for what i just spent, it'd be a done deal.

as you suggest, i'll be doing a bit of preventive shopping thru that parts list. the motor/pump chassis is proprietary, but belt-drive...so, should the oil-less prove not up to the task, future modification to an oil-lube pump is not impossible.

 

[augidog]

carp-alert!!

do NOT buy that braided PVC airhose...unless you have time to re-train it EVERY time you need to coil it up...geez, what a royal PAIN! get plain old rubber, which i knew i shoulda done, too.

 

[arceeguy]

do NOT buy that braided PVC airhose...unless you have time to re-train it EVERY time you need to coil it up...geez, what a royal PAIN! get plain old rubber, which i knew i shoulda done, too.

I use a good quality (Goodyear) rubber hose with one of those cheap Harbor Freight 15' PVC coiled hoses at the end. (as a 'sacrificial lamb' of sorts)

 

[augidog]

this line (not hose) will be turned into an air-routing setup, permanent couplings mounted in a few places. i'll score some firestone rubber hose, it's right down the street at jack's, on the shelf above this stuff, go figure.

i told ya i knew better.

 

[sparky]

a guy I known since high school has a small 1 man shop & he uses a portable oil less as his only shop compressor but he doesnt use it hard but it stays plugged in 24 hours a day & it has been used for around 5 years now it is only used for lug nuts with impact or pumping tires or blowing parts off, so besides a couple run cycles a day it probably doesnt get used but a couple hours a week.

I've had a Porter Cable C2000-WK ever since I was roofing in 2004. Thanks to that, I was able to start my own roofing crew with 3 other guys and my Corolla. The thing fit right in my trunk, along with everybody else's tool bags. It runs, runs, & runs some more. I've used it for home repair (roofing, siding, fences, etc.), automotive work (changing wheels, cv joints, clutches, transmissions, transmission filters, and of course the basic airing up of tires), and occasionally the random blow off or grind. I much prefer my electric grinder & rotary tools over the compressor, tho... for many reasons.

My friend has a much larger Porter Cable, but ends up using mine more than his because mine's portable. He's done his own fair share of automotive work with mine, and for a minute he kept it in his SUV because of a leaky tire he had. I always wanted to get a power inverter for my Corolla, because I kept all my tools in my trunk anyway, just so that I could have my own portable automotive shop. I'd bring that idea back if I still had the Corolla. Ahh... memories.

But my nearly 5 year old compressor has been used hundreds of times.... even tho it's oil free... and I'm sure I'll get at least another 5 more out of 'er. Everytime I put it away, I make sure to open the "pressure release valve" or whatever it's called so that all the water that gets trapped inside actually makes it out and doesn't rust up my schtuff.

Only reason I wouldn't recommend this is if someone knew they HAD to use the compressor all day, everyday (i.e. - no electric grinders available)... because it's too ridiculously loud. But I've definitely gotten my $150 out of it... that's for sure.

so with light duty they will last somewhat but heavy use dont expect alot & it would be best to get a oil bath if possible.

Thanks for the oil bath idea. I should definitely look into that very soon.

 

[augidog]

that's good input about longevity with oil-less pumps. i agree about relieving pressure/draining moisture at the end of the day. i also use a water-separator to protect the tools.

the dewalt is fairly quiet, plus i have the advantage of placing it in the other room facing an open door. someday (not soon tho) we'll be able to score an electric angle-grinder...meantime, i'm pleased with the runtime my die-grinder gets, and i don't mind waiting for it to re-up...as i've mentioned, i have time to spare.

 

[arceeguy]

Here are some threads from other forums with lots of varying opinions:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?referrerid=5960&t=91358

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=1532

Looks like for light/moderate duty, the oil-less compressors will last a few years. The biggest complaint is the noise, but it looks like the DeWalt that Augie bought was engineered to reduce the noise and increase life with the belt drive system. The oil less CH compressor I had used a gear reduction, and made a lot of noise. My belt driven oil lubed Craftsman is the quietest of my compressors. My oil lubed direct drive Harbor Freight special is also pretty loud, much louder than the Craftsman and puts out half a much air but I don't worry that the pump will wear out. That Italian 4 cylinder oil-less industrial compressor was top notch!

 

[sparky]

I think I got lucky buying my Porter-Cable when I did. I paid $150 for a 2.5 HP & 6 Gallon compressor in such a portable & versatile package. The newer ones apparently have smaller motors, which is all the more reason for me to look into that oil-bath idea today!

If you're gonna buy a portable compressor for average usage (pretty much anything but spray guns, IMO), pancake compressors are the most efficient of the bunch. And when you look at Amazon's page of top selling pancakes, Porter-Cable's on top with 4.5 stars. Only other one I'd consider if I were a contractor is the Thomas T-30-HP, because it should be a bit quieter. But still... one could buy 3 Porter-Cables for that price.

Also, another thing I noticed from scouring the web is that quite a few air compressor manuals don't mention the break-in period, where you open the valve at the bottom and let the motor run for 10~15 min. Porter-Cable lists this step in their manuals, and perhaps it's a reason that they seem to last longer than others in its class. Break-in is true for MBs, and it's true for headphones... so I'm betting it's true for air compressors too!

 

[Member 5549]

Hey Augidog I bought a Kobolt brand from Lowes last Year for $ 169.00
It's been great... But does not have the volume for spraying paint too well.
Works good with air tools and nail guns !!!
So if you want to paint volume is important ...
Good-luck