air compressors for home workshop use

VWCOOL 23 Windows of Awesome

5,158 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 4 Oct 2006, 12:21 pm

#540858

Can anybody provide any hints on what to look for with air compressors for home workshop use?
CFM ratings? Belt drive? Tank capacity? Costs?

I want to buy one soon and am looking at:

belt-drive 2.5hp (10 amp plug for garage use)
cast iron pump
50L tank.
Delivery is 160L/min.

It's $460. Should I upgrade to 3.0hp/15A/220L/min for another $40?

advice welcomed

[ Edited on 4-10-2006 by VWCOOL ]

Pay your debts, CxxT

ctefeh Wolfsburg Wizard

479 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 4 Oct 2006, 1:23 pm

#540873

VWCOOL,
Upgrade. You won't regret it. 50L is too small.

A real test of the home workshop compressors is running a DA sander or a large die grinder. You want something that'll handle 90cfm or better.

I went for a twin upright cyl, cast iron lined pump driven by a 2.5 HP(?) 15 Amp motor with a large tank. This stops the damn thing constantly cycling.

My sparky mate said it was OK to replace a 10Amp powerpoint with a 15Amp if your wiring/cabling job in the shed was decent. Mine was.

I also got "500" series Ryco hi flow fittings. Oh yeah, does it come with hose and water trap?

Enjoy
Ctefeh

Dasdubber DAS Resto Haus

5,746 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 4 Oct 2006, 1:28 pm

#540874

Definitely upgrade - and certainly go for the twin cylinder version. I have a single and although the tank size is adequate, the single cylinder has to run a lot longer to keep up and/or refill the tank.

www.dasrestoparts.com.au

koolkarmakombi enkarmarising

2,078 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 4 Oct 2006, 2:39 pm

#540891

Get decent Nitto fittings too.

Go cast vtwin, the little direct drive ones are really noisy

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malcolm Insano Dub Head

812 posts · joined Nov 2004 · 4 Oct 2006, 8:41 pm

#541008

look for a cast iron tank ,they don,tvheat up as much as steal tanks less condensate.
remember cfm ratings are to free air .
I use a twin piston cast iron pump made in usa $450
and the electric motor is rated at 2kw .

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 4 Oct 2006, 9:48 pm

#541052

Mcmillan 16cfm cast iron series triple cylinder. 3.0hp 15A. I have had one for 15 years and done hundreds of resprays with it.

They still make them.

EJ22 into Bay Microbus - Finished project build thread- click on this spot here for info

VWCOOL 23 Windows of Awesome

5,158 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 4 Oct 2006, 9:55 pm

#541060

ctefeh wrote:VWCOOL,
Upgrade. You won't regret it. 50L is too small.

A real test of the home workshop compressors is running a DA sander or a large die grinder. You want something that'll handle 90cfm or better.

I went for a twin upright cyl, cast iron lined pump driven by a 2.5 HP(?) 15 Amp motor with a large tank. This stops the damn thing constantly cycling.

My sparky mate said it was OK to replace a 10Amp powerpoint with a 15Amp if your wiring/cabling job in the shed was decent. Mine was.

I also got "500" series Ryco hi flow fittings. Oh yeah, does it come with hose and water trap?

Enjoy
Ctefeh

50L is the tank size, not delivery. Reckon this is too small for a regulated supply to feed a spray gun?

Grinder?

yeah the ones I'm looking at are cast-iron twin cylinder pump and I have 15A already at mum's house where it will live

Not sure about hoses/fittings but yeah it has water trap

Malcolm - I wish! :thumb

[ Edited on 4-10-2006 by VWCOOL ]

Pay your debts, CxxT

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 4 Oct 2006, 10:09 pm

#541071

50 litre tank has been fine for me with the 16cfm pump. Like I said, done hundreds of resprays and three of those have featured in Street Machine Magazine. I'm not a weekend warrior.

Compressor is still going strong, and the current project of a fabricated chassis and floor in an EH has seen me using it all day for reciprocating air saw work.

EJ22 into Bay Microbus - Finished project build thread- click on this spot here for info

VWCOOL 23 Windows of Awesome

5,158 posts · joined Jun 2003 · 4 Oct 2006, 10:26 pm

#541076

Helbus wrote:50 litre tank has been fine for me with the 16cfm pump. Like I said, done hundreds of resprays and three of those have featured in Street Machine Magazine. I'm not a weekend warrior.

Compressor is still going strong, and the current project of a fabricated chassis and floor in an EH has seen me using it all day for reciprocating air saw work.

good shit, perfect for a weekend warrior :thumb

Pay your debts, CxxT

Hertz www.melburgluft.com

1,080 posts · joined Nov 2005 · 4 Oct 2006, 10:37 pm

#541084

if you can afford it, get a rotary screw. more air, much quieter. Wont piss off the folks next door at midnight.

helbus Administrator Mad fabricator, paint and body

7,386 posts · joined Sep 2002 · 4 Oct 2006, 10:39 pm

#541089

To further enforce the importance of good power delivery for compressors. If you are running 15A, it is not recommended to run an extension lead. A lead over 15metres especially can cause problems. It is like running your carbies leanon your motor. I saw quite a number of compressors over the years at a power tool repair centre, and most of them were the electric motors that had been run on circuits that could not provide suitable amperage. A long lead or poor wiring circuit will do this. Better to run a long hose with Nitto (also known as HV) fittings.

EJ22 into Bay Microbus - Finished project build thread- click on this spot here for info

malcolm Insano Dub Head

812 posts · joined Nov 2004 · 4 Oct 2006, 10:51 pm

#541091

hellbus good point about power demands,I have a number of 15&20amp points in the garage .
even in the lounge room I have a separate 20amp circuit for my valve amps and a 4500va isolation transformer.:thumb

h fractals - an ever changing lifestyle

7,671 posts · joined Feb 2005 · 5 Oct 2006, 12:10 am

#541118

the one i got is a 13 cubic foot from memory as it can handle constant spraypainting good as it never runs out of air..
i got it about 8 yrs ago.. for about 500-600 from trade tools.. in qld..
goodluck with it..

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