Steer me towards a good garage compressor

[Trbo323]

So, been doing some sand blasting lately and my little kobalt 5 gallon just isn't quite cutting it. I don't mind taking breaks here and there if needed but I'm trying not to kill my little kobalt so I'm only getting about 5 minutes of work out of it at a time.

But, i realized I know almost nothing about garage compressors, this kobalt was given to me. I'm not even sure who makes good ones.

If something can keep up with some sand blasting and still run on 110v that's a plus but not a requirement.

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[netsurferdude2]

What's your budget look like?

EDIT:

Also what is the CFM and PSI requirement for your sandblaster?

[Trbo323]

3.5cfm at 50psi (I kind of figured it would be more)



Probably would be nice to have a little more of a cushion in case I move on in the future, a blast cabinet which I would really like to do is 9.5cfm at 90psi

Budget is a good question, I was mentioning to my parents that I've been doing some sand blasting and my compressor isn't really keeping up and my mom said, well you know, Christmas is around the corner. Do some research and find out what you need

Probably $500 or under would be ideal and a vertical format would be ideal as well

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[superman]

I would pick the one you want and wait for Black Friday sale. I know run the 40 or 60 gallon lo alt I have pretty hard and don’t have any complaints. If I was doing more with it, I’d likely go bigger. I’d check out used stuff too.

[Trbo323]

So I just looked up the specs on my current compressor, it's rated for 4cfm at 90psi. So it should be well within the specs of the sand blaster. But the sand blaster tares through the air super fast.

Edit: hmmm, the one I'm finding online is specd to 150psi and mine tops out around 125 so they may have updated the model but I'm wondering if the 8gal tank is the limiting factor

Also, difference between oil free and oiled compressors? Is one better than another?

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[martix_agent]

Seems that's a lot of myths about oil vs non oil..some of which I believed until I looked it up.

https://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/stories/1582-Oil-Lubricated-Vs-Oil-Free-Air-Compressors.html

You can run smaller gauge wire with a 230v compressor; you will have to create a new plug/wiring for this though.

[Deerslayer]

I'd suggest you get the biggest compressor - tank and comp you can afford. And then maintain the beast - that means change the oil per the mfr's instructions. I would not worry a lot about the brand, Harbor Fright units seem to last a good long time and are not expensive. You can spend big big bucks for a commercial or industrial unit, but $500 will not go far. If your compressor is racing to keep up it is not going to last long at all - that is what the tank does - its a reservoir that you draw down and then fill up. This allows you to keep working.

[Trbo323]

Thanks for that link martix_agent that answered a lot of my questions

https://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/DeWalt-DXCM271.COM-Air-Compressor/p82409.html

Thoughts?

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[Siress]

Are aluminum tanks an option yet? Most of the consumer grade compressor issues I've come across are due to tanks rusting out, or bad oil.

That said, my granddad has had a ~6' tall Ingersoll-Rand under a tiny, single purpose awning along the exterior wall of his shop and it has run like a champ for many years....though I do think he's tempting the rust gods.

[Levi]

In my experience the tanks tend to rust from the inside out. Keeping the water drained helps a lot. There's cheap auto drains you can add on so you don't even have to worry about it.
Here's one example:

https://www.amazon.com/Ac110v-Automatic-Timed-Condensate-Compressed/dp/B00XVQ7KEO/ref=asc_df_B00XVQ7KEO/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309807921328&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16782457934164055573&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033027&hvtargid=pla-568106288346&psc=1

[Levi]

I've never been a fan of the oil less compressors. They all seemed noisier than an equivalent oiled unit. I have 2 Champion compressors (a small 2 hp and a 100 gal 5hp 2 stage) and they've been good to me.

This might be worth a look...

https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/for/d/clackamas-champion-air-compressor/7667362008.html

[Trbo323]

Nice find, I may shoot him a message. And holy crap, unless I'm reading the rough specs wrong I'm seeing on other champion compressors that thing is 15.9 CFM AT 175PSI.

that's way overkill but, overkill is underrated so.... Maybe. I'd have to figure out electrical

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[Levi]

Nice find, I may shoot him a message. And holy crap, unless I'm reading the rough specs wrong I'm seeing on other champion compressors that thing is 15.9 CFM AT 175PSI.

that's way overkill but, overkill is underrated so.... Maybe. I'd have to figure out electrical

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I'd see if he can send you a picture of the data plate on that compressor. Looks like there may be a few different models in their 'Centurion' line. But whatever it is, I'm sure it's gonna run circles around that Dewalt.

If you own your home and are planing on staying for a while it's probably worth adding a 240v circuit. If your electrical panel is in the garage and there's room for a 2 pole breaker it probably wouldn't be too expensive to wire in.

[Trbo323]

We do own it unfortunately no electrical panel in the garage.

The main panel is in a laundry room adjacent to the garage but unfortunately the panel is on the opposite wall and where I would want the compressor is also on the opposite wall of the garage.

The garage itself is actually an addition to the house along with an attached "rec room". The whole addition is run off of it's own panel because there's stuff like the hot tub and at some point someone was running a kiln. The unfortunate part there is once again that panel is on the opposite side of the rec room from the garage.

The one potentially good thing that might work out there is a wall heater on the opposite side of the wall from roughly were I want the compressor. I'm not sure what it's wired for or even if electricity can be pulled from there with our without losing the heater but without running conduit, making lots of holes or something similar that's the best option I'm thinking of so far.

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[latches109]

https://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools-compressors/air-compressors-tanks/air-compressors/10-gallon-175-psi-ultra-quiet-horizontal-shopauto-air-compressor-57328.html

I bought this one^^ and it has been great. very quiet for sure. Any of the Fortress brand HF are good.

[Trbo323]

https://www.harborfreight.com/air-to...sor-57328.html

I bought this one^^ and it has been great. very quiet for sure. Any of the Fortress brand HF are good.

That's pretty close to what I have now. Little higher CFM but nothing crazy

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