Need Recommendation For Air Compressor

[wendol]

My old Campbell Hausfeld is on it's last leg, and searching online leaves me with more questions than answers.

My primary uses are keeping the proper air pressure in the tractor tires and other vehicles, impact driver, etc. I prefer a 110V unit.

Your thoughts, recommendations, and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JasonW]

I have a Dewalt 30 gallon 110v compressor.
So far so good. The belt adjustment is a little tricky. I still need a remote tank drain on it for easier access.
Was on the fence about a 60 or 80 gallon 220v but glad I went with the smaller 30 gallon 110v for my uses.

 

[Sawdust&Shavings]

My old Campbell Hausfeld is on it's last leg, and searching online leaves me with more questions than answers.

My primary uses are keeping the proper air pressure in the tractor tires and other vehicles, impact driver, etc. I prefer a 110V unit.

Your thoughts, recommendations, and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Two years ago I bought a Makita air compressor for use in my woodshop and it powers everything I have extremely well…I’m not sure what the price is today but was a tad bit under $300.00 two years ago. It’s quiet ( for a compressor) has a quick cycle time and is portable; I bring every where I need it. It powers all of my nailers, my wand to clean out my radiator fins on my Kubota, fills tires and works extremely well on my 3” orbital sander that I use to finish bowls i turn on my lathe.

 

[Spam Bot]

I purchased a Quincy QT5 220-volt over 30 years ago, and it is still running strong. If you only need it occasionally, then any of the inexpensive units will last you a very long time. If you plan to use it every day, consider investing in a higher-quality unit that will last you for the rest of your life and beyond. Leave it to someone deserving in your will.

 

[Russell King]

If you want it to be quiet the don’t get an oil less type. They run fast speed and are loud!

 

[JasonW]

About the noise, if you have room make a spot outside your shop for it.

Around the same time I upgraded to mine from a small pancake compressor I installed a 50ft hose reel and a quality air chuck. I have a few JACO digital tire inflators.

 

[Vlach7]

I got the super quiet one from Harbor freight and would probably rather have a noisier one with better output

 

[jimh406]

I have 3 different ones, but I'd go with the high capacity one if I could have just one.

They don't make the one I have anymore. Man, the prices have gone up.

 

[TheOldHokie]

My old Campbell Hausfeld is on it's last leg, and searching online leaves me with more questions than answers.

My primary uses are keeping the proper air pressure in the tractor tires and other vehicles, impact driver, etc. I prefer a 110V unit.

Your thoughts, recommendations, and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

In that realm buy any decent quality contractor compressor. You probably want one on wheels.

Dan

 

[xrocketengineer]

i bought an oil less Stealth which is very quiet but the pressure regulator failed with very little use. It was replaced under warranty with no issue but the new one is already misbehaving.

 

[Bee-Positive]

I have a 110v DeWalt 15-gallon 200 psi. max that delivers 5.4 @ 90 psi. going on 15+ years now. When time comes I'd go with a bigger tank and maybe less max psi. and definitely something quieter.

Air grinding or spray painting uses a lot of air and cycles the unit quite often due to the 15 gallon tank. And I can't remember needing more than 100 psi. so 200 psi. is over kill. Maybe 125-150 would be better, IDK.

CFM is important depending on your use/equipment, but for what you described 5 CFM or less should be fine.

 

[PaulL]

My cheap Stanley compressor is dying. It's a good size and has good power, and I can get parts for it, but it's pretty hard to work on. I spent $300 to buy it (on sale 8 years ago), and the pressure sensor that is currently broken will cost me 50 bucks for a new one, and probably about 3 hours to work out how to get the damn thing off.

I've also just started investing (finally) in some 18v cordless gear. I got a Dewalt kit with an impact wrench, impact driver, hammer drill and angle grinder, 18/54v. My framing and finish nailers haven't been used for about 5 years, I went to use one the other day and it's seized up. I can probably take it apart and lubricate/get it going again, but I can get a cordless nailer as well. And if I spray paint again, I'll use an airless sprayer.

That suddenly means most of my compressor uses are gone, I'm left with inflating tires. A compressor that inflates tires is a really different beast than one that runs tools. I do still have a rivet gun, and an air hammer. But honestly, I'm probably better to just get out of that ecosystem entirely, and get a cheap and small compressor that can pump up tires, it'd run the riveter in a pinch. Long term, I think I'll be way happier.

 

[NCL4701]

But honestly, I'm probably better to just get out of that ecosystem entirely, and get a cheap and small compressor that can pump up tires, it'd run the riveter in a pinch. Long term, I think I'll be way happier.

BTDT. IME, you are correct.

There are still some things that require significant quantities of compressed air but battery tools have taken over much of what air was needed for 20 years ago. 40 years ago I would have been hard to convince a drill that requires two hands to hold onto or an average size 1/2” impact with 1400 lb/ft of torque would be battery tools, yet here we are.

 

[Russell King]

In my opinion, if all you really need is to inflate tires then I would just find the tire inflator that goes with whatever power tools you have the batteries for already. Then you bcan easily carry the inflator to the tire that needs inflating.

 

[PaulL]

40 years ago I would have been hard to convince a drill that requires two hands to hold onto or an average size 1/2” impact with 1400 lb/ft of torque would be battery tools, yet here we are.

The length of the handle on my Dewalt cordless is enormous - it's bigger than the handle on my full-size corded Dewalt hammer drill. They clearly think it has enough torque to need it. Yet to find out whether it'll break my wrist when it binds up.

 

[McMXi]

BTDT. IME, you are correct.

There are still some things that require significant quantities of compressed air but battery tools have taken over much of what air was needed for 20 years ago. 40 years ago I would have been hard to convince a drill that requires two hands to hold onto or an average size 1/2” impact with 1400 lb/ft of torque would be battery tools, yet here we are.

That is such a good point. I've had an IR SS3R2 for about 25 years or more and it still works, but 5.7 cfm at 90 psi and a 24 gallon tank are nothing to write home about. I do have a bunch of air tools but it's the needle gun, inflating tires, the plasma cutter and blowing dust/dirt out of the tractors that are most important to me. If I ever upgrade it'll be to a much more capable model with a higher cfm, higher pressure and way more capacity.