Air compressors... Do you own one? I need help selecting one...

[A.Tech]

Not sure where to go but I could not find a tool forum and I figured this would be the best place for Air compressor uses.

OK, So after using Air compressors for the past 5 years in work and in school, I miss them a lot. It really sucks to do any type pneumatic needing car job without one.

I am on the market looking for a small and inexpensive one, (you know portable enough to carry around but powerful enough to take off a tire or exhuast)

Anyone have recommendations of Air compressors that are good enough to take off tires and at least good enough exhausts bolts if I have too under $100 bucks?

I know the small gallons ones will have to refill after probably one tire but I just don't want it to not work or give me no pressure while it is trying to refill either. that is why I came here.

I know $100 is not the best of range but like I said, I really only need it for tires and my IR 2135 Ti Air gun is pretty much sitting here collecting dust. I also think the gun needs at least 90PSI to fully operate as it says on the tag...

but I don't need the gun to do its full potential of 1000Ft. lbs of torque either. lol

thanks if anyone can help

[Repo Man]

Here is a nice one from Harbor Freight at $119:



Link: http://search.harborfreight.co...it=Go

[A.Tech]

O0o good find...Thx

What do you think about this one?

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...e=Yes

Or any of these? Cause that might be too little huh?

I don't mind buying online if I have too, but I rather just pick it up to avoid shipping fees...

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...Value=

[Repo Man]

Hmmm, may be a bit light. Do you not have a Harbor Freight local to you? They're all over the place. I'd check to see if there was one around.

[gumby74]

I bought the 22 gal. version of that Harbor Freight unit. Most useless piece of crap I have ever owned. I very quickly replaced it with a Craftsman. Also a laydown, much better delivery, and very practical for $200. I have been talking with my brother and we are going to upgrade to one of the larger black Craftsman uprights. I need something that will keep up with a die grinder or orbital for longer periods of time.

[A.Tech]

yea, I was gonna go with Craftsmen anyway... I just think they are decent for the money and Sears is like 4 miles from my house... so If I have an issue with it, I will just go down there and give it back to them... and I can buy an Service plan on it...

[mrzabala]

Craftsman is your friend if you want good overall tools and equipement. Better quality parts and labor on the tools and equip. than general uknown names. A good friend of mine has a craftsman. I use it sometimes. Works like a champ with my impact or air blower.

[Dano]

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...e=Yes

That's a 15 gal. tank. Don't go any smaller than that... I'm serious. If you do that compressor will be running all the freaking time and you'll never have enough pressure to work with, especially with that impact. You should, in all honesty, go with at least a 30 gal. tank but since your very limited budget wise, i'd say save up and pick up a 15 gal craftsman for the extra 80 bux. I've used a lot of compressors from a lot of diff. places and my next compressor will be a belt driven compressor with at least a 55 gal. tank, once I get somewhere to store it. I have a Craftsman 33 gal. 2hp tank now and it's great, but the tank is still too small, it loses pressure sooo fast when i'm working on cars.

ALSO, very important, invest in some sort of dessicant (water/ moisture seperator) to keep the moisture out of the line. If you don't everything inside the lines and fittings will rust. Also remember to occasionally drain the tank completely of air (to get out the moisture) and use tool oil when appropriate. Do that and it'll last you a good, long while.

-Dan

[574-240sx]

Don't buy Harbor freight compressors. I just picked up a big 60 gal compressor from Lowes and love it. I was using a small portable compressor and that just pissed me off, seemed like I would let it air up for a few minutes to get maybe 5 seconds of use out of it.

[A.Tech]

^ What size was it?

[A.Tech]

Nice guys... You guys been more helpful than I expected for a tireboard but like I said, I thought this would be a good place to go...

therefore I vote a Sticky!

and we can add a small guide in here on what the best compressor there is to get for the job...

[gnomes321]

Craftsman professorial series 25 gallon, 150psi, best bang for the buck. Compresses more than enough air to get almost any job done and it can be used on either 115/220V circuit with a 20amp breaker. And its way quieter than than red craftsman compressors because it uses oil lube.

8.6 SCFM @ 90psi6.8 SCFM @ 40psi

I have one and I'm happy I paid the extra for the higher quality and better preformance.

[A.Tech]

^ I would love to have a pro series, but if I had that much money, I would just buy a better one altogether like a Snap-on or an Ingersoll-rand... heh

[gnomes321]

I picked it up on sale for $389, so it wasn't that expensive compared to others in its class. I think its around $400 new.

[A.Tech]

Yea, but I would only do that if I had a garage and could leave the unit in one spot.

[A.Tech]

Hey guys here is my update...

Ok... So I went to sears tonight and I got the 7-gallon one...I know Dan, I really did want to take your advice and get the 15gallon one but it was more than I wanted to spend and the guy there said the smaller one would be perfect and it should do fine on the type of work I had planned. I told him I am not removing heads or Ball joints either so all I want to do it remove tires and exhaust. (Which I will only do in the summer and spring)

That 15gallon was a lot better looking though, it had an better switch on it, better regulator and better gauges along with a better filter but that $177 sale is still on for another week and I also did not think I had the room in the max to take that home anyway along with the free kit.

I still ended up paying more than what I was gonna spend, hence why I did not want to go higher than that in the first place.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr...e=Yes

So anyway, one big reason why I got the smaller tank was because it came with $30 buck starter kit. I can't argue that. It had all the fittings, couplings and tire pump with an Air blower... So I had to take it instead of getting the stuff by it self and would have to pay more. I also bought some sweet black hose(Craftsman pro lol) to go with it instead of using that yellow crap of a hose in the starting kit... haha

I am gonna try it out and see if it holds up to what I want. The guy there said I could take off all 4 tires on one tank (I was skeptical about that as well but he was confident) If it does not work out. I will take your original advice Dan and get the 15Gallon tank.

[Eikon]

Man..

I just bought a Sears compressor. 27 gallon stand-up compressor with a hose and tool kit (though the hose was complete trash.. the impact gun and ratchet and quick connects are nice!). $239 on Sears.com. Had to pay tax on top of that.. but no shipping cause I picked it up in store. Flows over 6 cfm at 90psi. Was easily the best deal available. You should check out Sears.com to see what deals they have available.

[A.Tech]

Ok, everything tested out fine, except the oil that is came with happen to spil all over the place inside the unit. I called up sears and they gave me a brand new bottle that was like $3 bucks for free. So I can't argue that. It was a little heavier but it gets the job done...

ok, so far I have to say this thing is slow, once I get up to 125PSI and I golden with the gun, but one, I hold the trigger for like I dunno, 15 secs, that needle nosedives in the 90PSI range, and that is when I am not taking something off. The engine kicks back on and slowly but surely goes up a couple pounds but it is rather weak at doing it, Especially if you try using your gun. haha... Your better off just waiting because I think iirc the gun is almost useless around 40-60psi. Eventhough it needs 90psi to run perfect. The thing is also really loud. So try not to use it inside unless you want to get a headache.

I can't wait to test it on my car and give you true results.

Also, I been reading nothing but bad reviews on the 15Gallion tank, people have been saying the engine is utter junk and will blow up in less than a year even with light use. So If I don't like this tank and it does not work out for this light car work, I will just return it and get something else other than the 15gallion. Maybe I will say screw Sears and this craftsman and go to home depot... lol

[A.Tech]

lol, The bore and stroke on this thing makes me wish I could slap on a stroker kit... haha

Than it will increase big time!

Only problem is.... I doubt it uses a cam...