Any thoughts on air compressors?

About ten years ago I bought a $80 Husky air compressor from Home Depot. Cheap, but functional enough for car tires, motorcycle tires, balls, swimming pool inflatible things, etc... Everything but bicycle tires since it won't adequately inflate over 80 psi or so. Its been okay, but only just.

My biggest problem with it is the hose. It came with a 25' hose that is coiled up. Its made of a plastic that isn't very pliable, so the furthest that 25' hose will reach is maybe 6'. Even then its a PITA to use because the hose is so stiff. That, and the darn thing crimps, and it finally developed a crack. I went to the Home Depot web site and find the $4 deal kit to fix the hose. But even then I'm still stuck with a crappy hose that now has a weak spot in the middle.

I'd like to just fix the hose, but there's a big part of me that wants to bite the bullet and just get a decent air compressor that's more functional.

Questions:

• Does anybody know of an all purpose hose of a better quality that can be afixed to any compressor?
• What kind of air compressors do you own and that you'd recommend? I'm particularly interested in those that will inflate enough for thinner bicycle tires that inflate to 100 psi or more.

The day I bought my compressor I removed that coiled up piece of junk plastic hose and installed a 50 foot, 3/8" ID rubber hose. It is a bit harder to coil up after use so I often don't (leave it lay - not in the way ). I think I am going to get a hose reel for it, but haven't yet and it's been about 5 years and two houses.

If the compressor is big enough keep it. If not - you have to buy aa good hose for the new compressor anyway - so buy it now and see.

Probably 25 feet of hose is all you need - that depends on your layout. Probably about $15.

I have two compressors - a little one I left in Kansas and a bigger one I moved here. Even the smaller one - about $90 will put out 120 p.s.i.

There are lots of good choices for compressors out there. Look at the max pressure and the flow rates they can supply. A little bit of research on the web should answer all of your questions. I have a Porter Cable 4.5 HP 15 gal unit. It will provide 8sfcm@40 psi and 5.7scfm@80 psi with a max pressure of 135 psi. It will handle all of your tires and toys and smaller air tools if you need it.

I have two of these on a hose reel so I can get everywhere in my driveway. You will have to buy fittings but they come in sets and are easy to install.

Harbor Freight has it

Goodyear 50 Foot x 3/8 black rubber air hose
Solid Brass Ferrules!
Industrial quality for top performance in all temperature.
* Heavy duty EPDM rubber reinforced with synthetic fabric
* Oil, gas and ozone resistant
* Working pressure: 200 PSI
* Air inlet: 1/4'' NPT


Shipping weight: 7.7 lbs.


Goodyear# 01-1020
ITEM 2167-7VGA

$22.99

Figure out what tools you want to run off of it first, then buy a compressor that has enough CFM to keep up with your tools. Some sanders and paint guns , because they're run almost constantly, will take a lot of CFM. Drills, ratchets, impact drivers, etc, run more intermittently and don't take as much. Nailers and such use very little. After the CFM is determined, you have 2 basic choices in the compressor style
1) Oiless- less expensive, noisier. Won't keep up CFM as well. Won't last as long.
2) Oil bath- usually more expensive. Can get more than 1 cylinder for compression. Lasts longer. Usually better CFM output.
Some people get confused over tank size as a performance criteria. It's just the size of tank. Bigger tanks don't refill as often. CFM is the true measure of performance.
Then buy airhose made for low temps/ below freezing. Lots more flexible.
Up here we go to Princess Auto for air accessories, down there you use Harbour Freight?
I have a 20 gal oiless compressor from WM that puts out 7.7 CFM @ 40 psi, 6.0 CFM @ 90 psi. Runs all my air tools. Don't sand with it, have painted and it was OK.
After you get you compressor you get to farkle it! Water traps, dessicant dryers, retractable hose reels, quick connects, you name it!

Steve

For home use, I think Harbor Freight gives you the most bang(or puff) for the buck.
For a couple hundred $ you can get plenty of compressor for your garage.

Found a good air hose at Groom & Sons Hardware, a True Value place here in McKinney. Groom & Sons is family owned, has been around forever, and is an infinitely more pleasant place to shop than Home Depot. That said...

Made by Amflo (whoever that is). Its 50' x 3/8" with the same 1/4" fittings as my air compressor, so no jury rigging! Cost $14 and works like a charm. I'm eager to see if it'll now work on 100 psi bicycle tires. The compressor is supposed to work up to 135 psi, but with the old hose it never happened.

Its bright orange, which is okay by me. A pic from another True Value site:



One idle thought. When I bought this air compressor for $80 I immediatly didn't like the crappy plastic hose. Husky/Home Depot could have packaged it with a decent hose on it like the one I just bought and sold the compressor for $90 and it would have been a much better tool. Why put a crappy hose on an otherwise decent and reasonably priced air compressor when for a few dollars more they could have done so much better?

PGlaves said:

The day I bought my compressor I removed that coiled up piece of junk plastic hose and installed a 50 foot, 3/8" ID rubber hose. It is a bit harder to coil up after use so I often don't (leave it lay - not in the way ). I think I am going to get a hose reel for it, but haven't yet and it's been about 5 years and two houses.

If the compressor is big enough keep it. If not - you have to buy aa good hose for the new compressor anyway - so buy it now and see.

Probably 25 feet of hose is all you need - that depends on your layout. Probably about $15.

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Basically, that's what I've done: thrown out the "coiled up piece of junk plastic hose" and installed the 50' x 3/8" one I described above. It just took me a few years to do it! No hose reel yet. For now I'm keeping it rolled up except for around five feet of hose leading to the compressor, and 20' or so on the other end, so there's around 25' of workable hose. The big middle remains rolled tight with electrical tape wrapped around it to keep it neat.

BTW, I'm assuming you're the same Glaves from Alpine from whom I've enjoyed several contributions to ON. Nicely done. Keep it up!

mistercindy said:

BTW, I'm assuming you're the same Glaves from Alpine from whom I've enjoyed several contributions to ON. Nicely done. Keep it up!

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Yep! That would be me. Thank you!!

I bought a Husky from Home Depot a few years ago. It's the largest compressor I could find the would run on 110VA. It has cast iron cylinders and is lubracated with oil. It's mounted on rubber air filled tires and it is more compressor than I need. I replaced the standard hose with a high quality rubber one.

I have a couple of compressors but like you, spent a lot of time futzing with hose alternatives. Eventually I settled on a six foot hose that plugs into a wall mounted hose reel. Works very well when I need 25 feet of air hose. If I need more I disconnect the short hose and plug a 50 footer onto the end. If just cleaning stuff off I plug the cheap coiled hose onto the end of the six footer.

Pete

mistercindy said:

Questions:

• Does anybody know of an all purpose hose of a better quality that can be afixed to any compressor?
• What kind of air compressors do you own and that you'd recommend?

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1) any quality rubber air hose. If you are running tools that use lots of air, note that the longer the hose, the more pressure drop along it.

2) I have a 2 HP, 20 gallon that trips off at 125 psi that is over 20 years old...but I am looking at getting a 7.5 HP, 80 gallon dual stage 4 cylinder compressor to run a glass beading booth.

PGlaves said:

It is a bit harder to coil up after use so I often don't (leave it lay - not in the way)

Click to expand...

Just get yourself one of those cheap plastic water hose hangers and screw it to your garage wall, they work great for rolling up air hoses. Providing your air compressor is in a fixed location.

I like lots of hose so my air compressor can stay in one spot. That way the compressor can be on it's own dedicated circuit, which is good if you get one of any size.

GlobalRider said:

...but I am looking at getting a 7.5 HP, 80 gallon dual stage 4 cylinder compressor to run a glass beading booth.

Click to expand...

Alex:

I'd like to be your neighbour, you have all the best stuff.

Where in Canada do you live?

Mistercindy:

Now you have a good hose, you might as well buy a better compressor to go with it. The hose isn't going to increase the PSI of the old one.

Otherwise, if you really only want to inflate bicycle tires, you could return the hose and get a cheapo portable 12V inflator. Most of them do far better than 100PSI.

Buying a compressor is like buying a GS -- you end up spending more money on stuff for it than it originally cost.

I got a great deal on a used Handy Lift, like the dealers use. So I needed a compressor. I bought a Horror Fright unit, 21 gallons, 5hp, oil bath. It's supposed to deliver 4 or 5 CFM at 90psi, and runs up to 110 psi.

Of course, I needed to buy a tire chuck/guage. That's the ultimate in convenience, just clip it on, read the pressure, add more with the trigger or release some with the button.

Naturally I got a rubber tipped blow gun. (I understand that these are now illegal? No side holes.) Useful for cleaning and then scattering carb jets under shelves and benches.

Then I started eyeing air tools. A big 1/2" impact wrench was first on my needs, as this is the right tool for removing a few of the most irritating fasteners that BMW ever used on a bike like the round castelated nut that holds the output flange onto the transmission output shaft. Also good for removing the screw or nut (depends on the year and model) that holds the heavy flywheel onto old time BMW crankshafts (pre-Airhead).

I also bought an air ratchet, but I have to admit that I have used it exactly once just to try it out. I always reach for my Craftsman hand ratchets instead. (See the other thread going on. )

Then I had a project where I bought a new, good fitting but very roughly finished exhaust system for my R52. Before it could be nickel plated it had to be made smooth. So I bought a small air angle grinder and a couple packages of the 3M Scotchbrite disks in different grades. This worked really well, lots of control and a nice finish that needed only light sanding.

But this is the tool that has me thinking about a real, 220V, 7 or 8 hp, 60+ gallon compressor, some wiring upgrades in my garage, and maybe even some hard copper plumbing to bring the air to different points. I had to wait for the compressor to catch up more than half the time. I could run the full tank out in just a couple minutes and then I had to wait a minute or more to get 15-20 seconds worth of work.

Also, wouldn't it be nice to have a blast cabinet??

Be careful, it's a slippery slope out there!

MotorradMike said:

Alex:

I'd like to be your neighbour, you have all the best stuff.

Where in Canada do you live?

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Best stuff? I really wanted a Swiss Schaublin lathe but had to settle on a lathe/mill combo from China. It works well enough for the jobs that I do. The rest of my stuff is pretty good though.

Where? I'm not telling or everybody will be on my doorstep borrowing stuff. But I have been through your town a few times over the years.

DarrylRi said:

Also, wouldn't it be nice to have a blast cabinet?

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Darryl...lookie here...Harbor Freight Blast Cabinet and Blast Cabinet Reclaimer Kit. Just build a cradle with wheels out of angle iron so that you can roll it out of the garage. They all leak dust!

Sure, its not an Empire, but it also doesn't carry the Empire price tag.

RK makes some serious high quality compressors. I am looking at the DF-580V (5hp) or the DF-7580V (7.5 hp) units. They have the same 2 stage 4 cylinder pump.

Alex, I'm not looking at the HF web site any more, nor do I let my eyes wander to the compressors when I'm at Sears.

You see, I've just bought an old Transpower drill press and Atlas lathe, the latter of which needs a few items and both of which need lots of farkles. Actually, I think one can spend more money on doodads for these tools than for an air compressor. I've been spending a lot of time on eBay recently... and Craigslist (I don't really want to pay shipping on some of the bigger chunks of steel).

I use a Craftman Professional compressor. it might be overkill for some, but it handles everything I ever want to do. 7 1/2 Hp w/ 60 gal tank. 175 psi max output. But seriously Sears sells a size for everyone, and stand behind their products.

Wally World ,Campbell-Hausfeld, vertical tank(less space) more bang for your buck and unless you are running more than one tool at a time it's enough for everything you do.No matter what brand you buy, check the air inlet thread size, then go to eBay and get a realistic air filter as the teenie stock ones plug up easily. What with the economy in the tank, Craigslist ought to be the place to loo if your urban and can pickup . I paid $379 for 7hp/60 gal tank a few years back.
For dry air, as if you are going to paint, I like the canister filter that takes the roll of paper that is like a tan toilet tissue roll. If you pipe it across your shop and downhill to a bleedoff you can send some moisture to the floor in a corner and have an offshoot that feeds to the dryer canister. I run the dry feed up to a Harbor Freight hose reel and use two 25 lengths thus permitting tire checks out front ,when my 32' long shop is occupied with a project.