Looking to buy a air compressor

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Im looking to buy a air compressor, what is a good  size gallon wise for plasma cutters and such? What kind of cfm should I be looking for? Im thinking ill get one that can run up to 125psi. Any brands you have found reliable? Thx all
Reply:Size is determined by the CFM's of the tools you plan to use. Almost all air tools list the CFM's @ XXX PSI that they run at and compressors are rated by how many CFM they make at a certain pressure.Some items take more air to run then others. Sand blasters are big air hogs and require a much bigger compresor and tank then say a small air ratchet.
Reply:the best deal i found was from northern tools IR $599.00 free shipping11.3@90 psi Attached Images
Reply:Very nice, might be a little more than what I'll need for quite some time though. Ill definitely check it out though.
Reply:Originally Posted by yammymanVery nice, might be a little more than what I'll need for quite some time though. Ill definitely check it out though.
Reply:Might have to talk to the other guy who wants to do projects together, I would rather get one big good one now, than to buy two smaller ones now, and the have to buy another one later.
Reply:With piston type air compressor you should get 3.5 cuft per hour power.  If the rating is less than that do not buy it, it is not a very good one. You never want a piston air compressor to exceed a 50% duty cycle. So if you have an air tool or a plasma that need 25 cuft/minute  @ 100 psi, you really should buy a compressor with 50cuft/minute rating. IF your uses is very intermitting, you can get by with a smaller unit.OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:OA Doctor,You may want to check your last post.3.5 cu.ft/hr. won't hardly run an airbrush.  Sure as heck won't feed a plasma.Compressors are generally rated at CFM at a given pressure (say 90PSI)Even a smaller plasma (Say a Hypertherm PM 45) requires 6 CFM (Cubic Ft/ Min) at 90 PSI.That single stage compressor shown in the photos (the IR one) is sized about right for a plasma.  I'm guessing the output is about 10.5 CFM @ 90PSI.Personally I like the Quincy's but you're going to pay more for them.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Sorry, last post had a typoShould read, "With piston type air compressor you should get 3.5 cuft/min.  per horse power of the motor,"  10 hp compressor will produce 35cuft/min."Thanks for pointing it out.OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:Laughing,OA Doc,In today's times, how the heck is one to determine "real" HP?  Is it rated, peak, or a figment of someone's imagination.When you see a 5HP compressor that develops 10.5 CFM @ 90 PSI, is that really a 5HP motor.  If so, how does it only draw 12A at 240V.Lot of HP mumbo jumbo out there concerning air compressors and their rated HP.Many of the rotary air tools available today D8's, grinders, in-line sanders, etc. will bring most of the lower priced (under $1000) compressors to their knees if used continuously.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:I have electric sanders and grinders, so all I will use the compressor for is die grinder, air gun, some light duty painting, and in the future plasma cutter, but even that will probably be pretty intermittent.
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIILaughing,OA Doc,In today's times, how the heck is one to determine "real" HP?  Is it rated, peak, or a figment of someone's imagination.When you see a 5HP compressor that develops 10.5 CFM @ 90 PSI, is that really a 5HP motor.  If so, how does it only draw 12A at 240V.Lot of HP mumbo jumbo out there concerning air compressors and their rated HP.Many of the rotary air tools available today D8's, grinders, in-line sanders, etc. will bring most of the lower priced (under $1000) compressors to their knees if used continuously.
Reply:SundownIII,Once agian you are missing the point.  I can determine the "real" HP by dividing the stated CFM by 3.5 and see if it matches the stated HP of the unit.   If a 5hp compressor only produces 10.5CFM @ 90psi it is not a "real" 5 HP compressor, it's "real" HP is about 3.  A piston air compressor should produce 3.5CFM per "real" HP.     I know if the unit produces less than 3.5CFM per  HP that the manufacturer is playing games with output.  Yammyman, I would only look at compressor that produce 3.5CFM per stated HP.OAdoctorwww.regulatortorchrepair.com
Reply:OAdoctor,Not sure what "point" it was that you think I missed.I said basically, buy a compressor based on it's delivered CFM not HP rating.  Lots of games being played with HP.Ever looked at the HP rating for some of the vacumns Sears sells.  Some of them would require a 10ga cord to operate at the stated HP.Then there's the whole discussion of whether to go with a single or two stage compressor.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Yammyman, I have a Campbell-Hausfeld 2 stage, 80 gallon vertical with a 7.5 hp motor. It can keepup with everything I run including the 3/8 wand I use to "sweep" my shop. Buy the biggest one you can afford as it is easier to have too much compressor than not enough. Later...
Reply:I think ill hang on to my cash for a bit and buy a big one off the get go. By the way Bart, how good are those Campbell-Hausfeld machines?
Reply:I like Quincy QR compressors (or whichever has the iron cylinder).  They just keep going and going and going.
Reply:Hey, I have a little "will it live again" 10 horsepower compressor project in process.Give it a few days and we can compare old vs new, compressor  performance.My photo card went corrupt while transferring images. I can take some more pictures of progress, but it looks like the best "before" images are lost.Attachment 36728Attachment 36729Attachment 36730Last edited by denrep; 10-19-2010 at 11:40 PM.
Reply:Yammyman, I have had no problems at all with mine. It runs great. I change the oil in it once a year.When using my 3/8 "air broom" it will cycle and shut off for a minute or two with the valve held wideopen then it starts back up. Another plus, for me, is that it is built here in Ohio so in the event I needparts it is just a short trip down the road. I bought this compressor about 5 years ago and fully intendto pass it on to another generation of my family. Later...
Reply:Sounds good. thx for all the info, narrows my search down a little. Now to sell something to get some cash...
Reply:RE The above compressor rebuild............Hope the pup didn't wet nose the wet paintSpeaking of paint-----------------  I hope y'all noticed the most important painters tool there is.  More important than the fanciest gun or compressor is the RESPIRATOR.  The 3M model in the pic is one of the best.  Adequate sized replaceable organic compound cartridges that don't fail within the first 1/2 hour.  External dust pads that can pre filter the air to remove large paint mist particles.  A must buy for anybody dabbling with paint or volatile chemicals"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Originally Posted by yammymanI think ill hang on to my cash for a bit and buy a big one off the get go. By the way Bart, how good are those Campbell-Hausfeld machines?
Reply:The CH stuff I've dealt with is no better than HF.  Some of it even looks identical.I am one of those people that feel that HF has its place (for the hobbiest!), but you get what you pay for.IR is a whole nother story.  Just about all top notch stuff.OTOH, Kobalt and Husky have 60 gallon cast iron, oiled compressors that are in the size class of that IR above (still, not the quality), for about $450.  Hard to beat, and MUCH better than CH (unless you get their industrial line of stuff).
Reply:rlitman,You may wish to check your data.  The HUSKY air compressors sold by Home Depot are made by and warranteed by Campbell Hausfeld.Are you saying they're better because they're painted red vs blue?Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:dewalt has a good small com.200 psi 5.2@90 that will run a miller 375the only bad thing its oil free (you cant rebuild it) Attached Imagesmany years ago I had several different CH units. All were POS. The 20 gal unit went thru reed valves almost weekly. The small pancake leaked like a sieve, and the big 60 gal unit never worked right from day one. The 20 gal unit is the only one I paid full price for. I took it back and exchanged it on a regular basis because of the reed valve issues. The other two I picked up when a store was going out of business and I guess you could say I got what I paid for.I've run a lot of Emglo's, they are nice units. They usually stand up well to the punishment on job sites. In big machines Quincy's are great, the home center IR's are ok.
Reply:Originally Posted by 76GMC1500I like Quincy QR compressors (or whichever has the iron cylinder).  They just keep going and going and going.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammRE The above compressor rebuild............Speaking of paint-----------------  I hope y'all noticed the most important painters tool there is.  More important than the fanciest gun or compressor is the RESPIRATOR. . . .
Reply:Originally Posted by denrepAgreed, the Quincy pumps are bullet proof really.
Reply:Never really heard anything too bad about the Quincy's.
Reply:Originally Posted by OldtimerActually they are not (bullet proof). But if they are maintained right it takes a LOT of bullets to kill them. . . .
Reply:I love how in every forum the talk eventually gets to guns!!!!