Air Compressor

[precisionworks]

Everyone that likes tools should have at least 2 compressors.

If a person has six compressors, he must love tools!!!

In the shop are three stationary, vertical, 60 gallon units. Two are the Husky that Fun4Now mentioned, one is a Quincy that will outlast every other tool I own. With 200 gallons of air storage (180 in the tanks, 20 in the piping) & 33CFM, most tools run OK. The big air grinders are the only tools that use more air than the pumps can make.

One in the house garage, also a Quincy, 80 gallon horizontal. According to Quincy Compressor, probably made around 1940 (from the serial number). Sixty six years & going strong. Quincy said this model was popular with garages & service stations.

Two pancake units. The good one that I use, and the clunker that all my friends borrow

I think I like the Eaton compressor the best

Interesting that everyone who owns an Eaton has good things to say. I repaired an air saw for a company & delivered it last week - they have a large Eaton recip on a vertical tank. The company runs 24/6, and so does that compressor. So far, Eaton has replaced two pumps at no charge (Eaton recommended the unit they have and continue to stand behind it). The company has ordered a new Eaton rotary screw, which should solve the pump problem.

FWIW, rotary screws have fewer moving parts & much lower maintenance requirements. Many use an 8,000 hour oil change interval (once each year running 24/6). The pump typically has a five year warranty (which is extended to ten years running synthetic lube). Only drawback is the cost, about five times more than a recip

[fun4now]

precisionworks

If a person has six compressors, he must love tools!!!
man thats a lot of air,.... .. you trying to controle the weather. ..... we should all be so lucky..

[Coalsmoke]

While we're tossing names out, I have a Curtis Toledo, its an oldy but its internal mechanisms are incredible. It must have had around 40 years of use on a service truck when I got it (the closest I can date the original 11hp B&S motor on it is late 50's early 60s, but the B&S motor is pre serial numbers / model number stamps, hence the estimates age) , Anyways, I opened it up to inspect the cylinders (2 stage) and they looked brand new with all the factory cross hatching still there. I think the pressurized oiling system in it really does a good job. Just another name out there to keep your eyes open for.

[fun4now]

gotta love a good old tool

it used to be if you wanted to sell a tool you made a quality tool / product and let the quality do the selling for you, now to compete in the market you make a cheep tool and let the $$$ do the selling.
be for i get atacked..... .....
i know there are still some company's out there that still think quality comes first and price 2nd, but even miller needs to watch its $$$. it is a sad trend here in the U.S. more and more we become a world of disposable every thing and still dont have time to recycle the left overs. more and more we become more concerned about the $$$ than where it was made or how long it will last. its all about "it only has to last long enough to get this job done, I'll get another one for the next job. as a result we seem to be pushing all the U.S. company's out of the U.S.
some day, probably sooner than we think this will come back and bite us in the rear, odds are it will be too late to turn it around then.

sorry i got off on a rant, and kinda sounded like a tree hugging hippie.
cool old compressor Coalsmoke, you gotta love it.

[Grumpy]

Here are a couple of websites I think you should read before you purchase a compressor. They have a lot of information that will be useful.

http://users.goldengate.net/~kbrady/motors.html
http://truetex.com/aircompressors.htm

It's very interesting ready for anyone with air compressor(s).

[Coalsmoke]

Grumpy, thanks for posting those. I just read through them and they are very good. I also recommend others to read them.

[stseely]

I just talked to my dad and he was saying that he thinks I should get a smaller compressor that is actually able to be transported so that we can actually use it at other properties if need be. Since I really do want to use it for autobody and paint in the future, is a smaller compressor going to be big enough, it might have to be 110V also. I'm just worried about it, I always like to over-buy and he likes to budget. Maybe I should just builed a crane to move the compressor when it needs to be moved.

precisionworks, I checked out those links, I think I like the eaton compressor the best, thanks for the links.

I would really suggest against getting a small compressor if you are ging to do body work. Most good spray guns us 15cfm or air. Also the harder the compressor runs the hotter the air is that it makes which also means it has more moisture in it, moisture and paint don't mix. You don't want to spray paint that is $500 or more a gallon and have it ruined because or water in the lines. This will also mean you need to get a desicant drier system, it also filters out the oil in the airline. Paint manufactures wont warrant there paint unless you have one of these. The one I have which I got cheap was about $400. Also tools like mud hogs and other air sanders use alot.

[fun4now]

thats a purity interesting article. by his cal. my 7 peak HP motor would be about 3.8 hp not the 7 they say
interesting thing i found though my motor also lists a load KW rating of 2.98 witch would calculate out to a realistic 3.99 HP so wile the fancy label claims 7 P HP at least the motor manufacture didn't dress things up, it tells me strait out its a 4 HP.
to be honest i didn't really pay that much attention to the HP of it. i was looking at the air production listings as most looking for a comp. probably are, mine puts out (if they don't puff up them also) 11.8 at 40 psi and 10.3 at 90 psi. it dose a nice job of keeping up with all my stuff.
portable little compressors are nice for what they are intended, but to run a shop you really need a nice big 60gal or more compressor to be happy even in a hobby shop. i really feel the $400 i spent on mine was well invested $$$. with regular oil changes it should serve me well for the rest of my shops life and may one day be sitting in one of my son's shop serving him just as well.

[KS2K]

I too an using an Eaton 7hp with a horizontal 120 gallon tank with electronic timer water blow off. Its run in heavy use since 2000. The Compressor is very heavily built. The 7hp motor is huge and alone weighs 187 pounds. Actually very quiet for a large compressor. I have never had a problem. Also bought a Eaton 100 # presure sand Blaster which I also find is very high quality.

I visited the Eaton Plant, met with owner and was very impressed. I have no interest in Eaton other than the Supplier of Quality Compressors, or which I bought one.

Paul

[Sberry]

[QUOTE=fun4now]be for i get atacked..... .....
i know there are still some company's out there that still think quality comes first and price 2nd, but even miller needs to watch its $$$. it is a sad trend here in the U.S. more and more we become a world of disposable every thing and still dont have time to recycle the left overs. more and more we become more concerned about the $$$ than where it was made or how long it will last. its all about "it only has to last long enough to get this job done, I'll get another one for the next job. as a result we seem to be pushing all the U.S. company's out of the U.S.
some day, probably sooner than we think this will come back and bite us in the rear, odds are it will be too late to turn it around then.

But,,, who bought the 400 dollar comp?

[fun4now]

first i thought camble was a U.S. based company, and secondly i don't make enough $$$ to be able to chose if i did i would.i got a miller MIG but just couldn't afford Miller in TIG, would love to have but just couldn't swing the $$. but there are people with the $$ to make that choice that just go cheap any way not caring.
not trying to start a debate sorry.

[pgk]

I purchased a Kellogg American from a gas station that was closing for $300.00 back in the late 70's. It's a 1966 model 60 gal. 3hp Howell motor that is exact size and weight has my 7 1/2hp 3ph rotary converter, the pump runs at 350 rpm. The only thing Iv'e done to it was put a new air cleaner and a set of 3 belts on it. It will likely live longer than I will. Also purchased a Saylor-Beall 5hp Baldor motor 80 gal American made in St. Johns MI, pump runs about twice as fast as the Kellogg but still a very nice quiet compressor. I think the bigger and slower running pumps equate to less heat, noise, wear, moisture, and much better longevity.

Pete

[precisionworks]

Two of my 60 gallon verticals are CH Husky (Home Depot brand). They came with a three foot tall sticker that said

Made in the USA

Wow, made in the USA and $400, that has to be a great deal, so gimme one.

Couple of years go by, one of the motor bearings starts to get noisy. No problem, just pull the end bells, read the number from the bearing housing, order new bearings.

Guess what the bearings had for markings ... CHINA Perhaps the pump is made in the USA, maybe the tank, maybe part of the motor. I do understand that high quality sealed bearings might have added $10 or $20 to the price of the compressor, but was still shocked to see no-name, bottom of the barrel bearings in this unit.

[bretsk2500]

While we're tossing names out, I have a Curtis Toledo,

we've got a Curtis at one of our carwashes, while not nearly as old as yours it's a monster. it's got a 3ph 5hp motor and I *think* the M-37 compressor (120gal tank), it keeps up with all the air needs of the carwash (the automatic requires ALOT). our other Carwash has a Dayton of similar size, never had a problem with either compressor (we did have the contactor crap out once). both have been online 24/7 for over 10 years each. at the shop we've got an old Dayton 40 gal horizontal that was retired from 24/7 use at our older carwash. it keeps up with my impacts fairly well. we've also got an emglo constant run type wheelbarrow (great on a generator, lousy anywhere else) and a Rolair wheelbarrow. they're both good for air nailers and not much else.

[Grumpy]

Most autos are made in the USA out of foreign parts and assemblies. Guess what else? Yup, air compressors. I suppose if I look real hard at my Quincy's I will find that some of the parts are foreign but made in the USA. It's a matter of economics and I won't get into that.