Air compressor recomendations

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I need to replace my air compressor before I go deaf.  I need something around 14 to 15 cmf and around the $1200 price range.  Any recomendations?  Thanks
Reply:You might consider moving the current compressor outside if it otherwise fits your needs.  It's also possible that more effective muffling of the intake, and/or an insulating wrap on the tank would quiet it enough to keep your sanity.  That said, don't let me discourage you from going to a new compressor if that's what you really want.
Reply:No, the present one will not supply the cfm that I need.  I just don't want to spend a bunch of money and have to do it again in a few years.
Reply:I paid around $1000 (Canadian) for this new, seen them on craigs list in the $500-$700 range. It works well for air tools and 90% of what I do, including painting a couple cars. It stays on pretty much full time when using the sandblast cabinet. I sold my old 5hp 33 gallon Craftsman to my neighbor, be promptly bought a $20 kit from Sears that replaced the teflon coated piston and it worked great again, I didn't realize they were available.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:Wow!  You don't need a spec sheet to see what that one's about!   ... and in French too!
Reply:Originally Posted by arcammWow!  You don't need a spec sheet to see what that one's about!   ... and in French too!
Reply:check out northern tools and TP tools
Reply:Originally Posted by Rick V Ain't that the truth... Most air compressors shout Horse Power (peak) but hide the actual cfm performance on some little 3 inch x 4 inch plate mounted on the side of the tank!
Reply:Another thing you can do is build a dummy wall around the compressor. Place the compressor in the corner of the shop. Build 2 walls using 2x4 studs and insulate the walls. They can be freestanding so you just swing the walls out of the way to service the compressor.BIG difference in the noise level!!!!!!1ScottFab ManagerWelders360New guy.
Reply:Originally Posted by Scott HightowerAnother thing you can do is build a dummy wall around the compressor. Place the compressor in the corner of the shop. Build 2 walls using 2x4 studs and insulate the walls. They can be freestanding so you just swing the walls out of the way to service the compressor.BIG difference in the noise level!!!!!!1ScottFab ManagerWelders360
Reply:I'm shopping the same size... thinking 60 gallons, 2 stage compressor in iron, 12-15 cfm from a 220 single phase setup... Internet recommends a Cambell/Hausefeld model and says the Husky at Home Dumpo is the same... I looked, nope, the Husky there is a single stage and lower cfm.  Lowes has an 80 that looks good, but I'd rather have a physically smaller 60... it's going outside but I'll protect it from the weather some. Keep those posts on good ones you've got coming, I'm listening too  Can it be done for $600 or am I dreaming.Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:It's tough.  I'd like to buy all American, but the only one that will gaurenty it's all American is Quency.  it seems many compressor companies import the compressors on their lower end compressors.  I can't get IR to give me the specs on their compressors, such as motor and compressor RPMS.  I know the 60 gal IR has a 1/2" outlet for the air supply while the 60 gal Quincey has a 3/4".  One compressor sales guy told me to look at the total weight of the unit.  The tanks are all ASME rated and are close to the same, so the extra weight is usualy in the compressor.  More weight can mean a better built compressor.  Maybe.I notice a lot of the manufactures will claim 5000 hour compressor life, IR claims 15000 and Quincy claims up to 50k.  They just won't say if that's for lower cost units.
Reply:You can get a pretty nice Ingersoll at Tractor Supply for the money you want to spend, for a couple hundred more you can get a quite large Ingersol too.  I think my smaller Ingersoll was 900, and included a start-up pack with oil and a spare filter.I'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:You can usually pick up a good older cast iron one for a lot less.  A few hours and a few bucks pulling the head and putting in new valves and springs will yield a whole lotta machine pretty reasonable.  Champion IR, Quincy, Speedaire, etc all good machines/
Reply:I got a second hand Champion for under $250 and LOVE it. 15cfm@175psi equates to alot more cfm at a lower pressure. I can run my 1" impact guns and a small blast cabinet and it does not run continuously. Also, a single stage with multiple pistons will put out more cfm than a 2 stage. The 2 stage just reaches higher pressures.
Reply:Take a look at Eaton Compressors on eBay.  They make a great compressor and quiet to boot.  I would buy that or a Quincy.  I just picked up a cheap 60 gallon Industrial Air (Sanborn) from Home Depot Online for $444.  It's not that quiet, but it works well and I'm installing it outside in a 60 gallon water heater enclosure.
Reply:+1 for tractor supply. i got my 5hp ingersoll rand 80 gallon tank for less than $1000.  it i a nice industrial type compressor.  works great...
Reply:I can tell you to stay away from the oilless junk that sears and others sell too.  I made that mistake a few years ago, and the noise will drive you cray.  I still use that comp as a booster in my system, but try to run it as little as possible to keep the noise down.  With 2 60 gallon tanks tied together, and the Ingersol being the master and the sears set up to kick in when line pressure is below 60 PSi I have a ton of CFM available for my plasma table and any thing else I want to run at the same time.  It doesnt happen often because I need to watch the plasma cutter, but I can grind dross on one part while cutting another with no ill effects.  Just an afterthought.BobI'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:I'm about to run 3/4" black pipe around the shop for the air system.  There will be some nipples.  Do you use regular pipe dope on the joints or is teflon tape better, or sumthin' else?    There are going to be three drops over about 60 feet.  Then still? which new compressor, I would like about a 60 with a 2 stage compressor 220V power  and a good cfm but that is a rare beast so far?Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools
Reply:I used regular plumbers pipe dope in the brush on can.  It seals great and is removable if I need to dissassemble or modify my air system.  I think the rule of thumb I used when sizing my compressor was I needed 7 CFM at 60 PSI for the plasma cutter, and I opted to go to 7 CFM at 90PSI to insure I had adequate air available.  My air system is a monster, but I have been known to run 200 feet of hose to a tractor in the yard to fill a tire or run an air wrench to change a blade.  The key to good feeding in an air system is use very large pipe to run the overhead, and then drop to a smaller size at the drops.  That way the volume available for large users like a 1 Inch impact or 9 inch grinder is always available even at lower line pressures.  I also have a drier at each drop and a huge 2 direr bank set up on the system inlet with the harbor freight replaceable dessicant to insure I have the driest air possible.  Florida is hot, and unusually humid so I have to do extraordinary things to get dry air consistenly. Water in the air on a plasma cutter is death on electrodes and cup, and is none too good on air grinders and impact wrenches.  My IR 144 1/2 impact is 10 years old and will break a bolt rated for 600 ft LBs all day long.  But I lube religously and keep my air dry too.I'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:Drop to 1/2" is excellent idea. Rbarcamm>  I was looking over the Jr College air set up yesterday while on my "10 minute" break... anyway they use two 80 gallon tanks in parallel far as I can see...then to a refrigerated dryer and into several areas, the welding shop, art/crafts/ mech shop etc... that might be a way to go... to get the CFM you're seeking?Lincoln Power MIG 215Lincoln WeldPak 3200HDLincon ProCut 25Lincoln WeldanPower 225 AC/DCIf all else fails... buy more tools