OK I'm working on my car to remove my busted Y pipe and the damn bolts on the cat are stuck stuck stuck. I'm gonna go buy some airtools now, I'm looking between $400-500 for the compressor alone, should get a 30-60 gallons, around 5 HP with decent CFMs. i've always wanted one of these and it should prove to be a great use now and in the future. I've been searching Deja for advice, and I think i've boiled it down to this. I want a belt driven oiled compressor that can run impacts as I seem to run across alot of stuck nuts. Advice, comments?

 

Good for you



+1

 

Get the biggest one that you have room for in your garage. I have a little $100 portable compressor that doesn't generate enough CFM's to effectively drive my 1/2" impact wrench. The Ingersol-Rand impact I have supposedly generates 375 ft/lbs of torque, yet it will barely break loose lug nuts that I torqued to 85 ft/lbs.

Still, the 3/8" air ratchet was a blessing while doing the engine/tranny swap on MardiGrasMax's car.

 

I looked at various sources (both local and online) and I think I found a great compressor at home depot. I think I am going to go with a 60 gallon Husky (dont laugh, its made by Campbell Hausfeld) that is $399. I've heard to avoid the oiless , direct drive models and 110v only models. This model produces 10.6 CFM @ 90 PSI so it will be more then sufficient for the impacts and air ratches I'm planning on. I also plan to do the occasional sandblasting as well. there was a 30 gallon portable one for $370 but for 30 more, its double the capacity with alot more power. This one is a 220 volt only so I'm gonna have to steal 220 volts from somewhere, maybe the clothes dryer. i'll just go down to BJ's (wholesale club like costco) and buy their air tool starter kit. Since I'm not really doing anything super high quality I dont need anything too expensive tool wise. I figure spend more for the compressor now and i wont regret it later.

 

you've got the right idea going w the belt drive unit, another item to get is a filter & lubricator and remember to drain the water out after using it if u have humidity in the air where u live

 

You've done your homework well grasshopper...

You are right in picking a belt-drive, oiled one instead
of those skanky "oil-less, direct drive" compressors. They
are cheaper than the belt-drive ones because they are
cheaper to put together and since you can't oil them, they
will wear out eventually. Might be okay for occasional
use, but if you want a unit that will last, it sounds like
you picked a good set-up. I'm looking around for a
compressor myself, but not quite as big as yours and I'd
settle for a 110v unit just so I don't have to go running a
220v outlet...but come to think of it, that wouldn't be
such a difficult thing and the 220V, 60 gallon unit is not
that much more than a 110V, 27 gallon unit I've been looking
at ($379 vs $299). A 220V unit should be more efficient as
well...just not sure I have the room for it in my garage.

 

A 220v unit won't necessarily be any more efficient. Electrical power is measured in watts (volts X amps). If the motor horsepower is the same, the wattage will be the same.

You would save a little money in new construction by being able to go to a smaller wire, but what you pay to Edison will be the same.

 

This may not be pertinent...but, I've been searching for one myself for smaller applications (air brush). Campbell Hausfeld is sold at Wal-Mart, and their site, http://www.chpower.com/, lists a bunch of features plus you can buy from there.

 

This may not be pertinent...but, I've been searching for one myself for smaller applications (air brush). Campbell Hausfeld is sold at Wal-Mart, and their site, http://www.chpower.com/, lists a bunch of features plus you can buy from there.

 

I've always wanted an air compressor to use along with impact wrench and other air tools. However after searching around the only air compressors that seems to be powerful enough costs ~$200+ and that doesn't include the air tools. So I decided to go the cheap route and got an electric impact wrench from jcwhitney for like $120 and it sure is powerful, capable of 240 ft/lbs max, and taking off the lug nuts were very easy.

 

old grey mare she aint what she used to be

 

Be sure to get one that's belt-driven, not direct drive oil-less. Also, go for the 230 volt model and spend the money to get a 230 volt 20-amp circuit installed in your garage. (I did my own - it's no big deal.) In the long run, you'll be glad you went the 230 volt route.