# Air compressor



## NicholasJ (Jun 21, 2016)

Hi everyone. New member here on the forum. Just starting out and busy getting the home workshop sorted. Shopping for an air compressor for the shop. Would like to hear from you guys what the best small air compressor is. (small spray painting projects, run nailer etc.)

Thanks
Nic


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

The biggest, oil lubed, 220V one you can afford. 
Mine's an old Campbell Hausfield 110V, 20gallon tank and it just isn't big enough. Your target is the cfm output at 90psi...the more the better. 
Mines around 5cfm I think(?); just not enough. I use a jitterbug sander (I love it!) but it just needs more air than the compressor can continuously produce to work properly.
If you want to spray-paint you also need a lot of air!
About Air Compressors


----------



## kklowell (Dec 26, 2014)

AIr compressors are one of those tools that, provided you have room for it and are not concerned about portability, the biggest you can afford is best. Compressors last a long time if you buy quality. Dan is right, go for a high CFM rating at 90psi. You'll be able to run all sorts of power tools with it and your painting will go better too.


----------



## marc7101 (Jul 14, 2015)

Welcome to the forum. The most important factors are tank size and the cfm rating. Choose a compressor that has a big enough tank and produce enough cfm (air flow) to drive all your tools. Stick to the familiar brands like Senco, Dewalt, Makita, Ingersoll-rand and Rolair. You will probably get a lot of different opinions here, so the best is to do some research online to find the best match for your specific needs. Most review sites have comparison charts where you can find all the specs and features of all the models. Here are some review sites: The DIY Hubby , Bestreviews , Consumersearch. Graigslist is good for used air compressors, it all depends on what is available in your area.


----------



## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> The biggest, oil lubed, 220V one you can afford.
> Mine's an old Campbell Hausfield 110V, 20gallon tank and it just isn't big enough. Your target is the cfm output at 90psi...the more the better.
> Mines around 5cfm I think(?); just not enough. I use a jitterbug sander (I love it!) but it just needs more air than the compressor can continuously produce to work properly.
> If you want to spray-paint you also need a lot of air!
> About Air Compressors


Have to agree with Dan. Just stay away from direct drive "oil less" compressors. Consider it a long term investment. I have a 220v, 20 gallon Sanborn (with a 5hp motor...when they still came that way) and I have had it for 30 years. It has, and will do, anything I have asked it to do. The only exception is high volume air use, like a DA sander.

Stay with brand names...Ingersoll-Rand, Rol-air, etc. Longevity and parts are not always available for the off-brands. 

Once you have a compressor...you WILL find other uses for it and wonder what took you so long.


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Very small compressors won't run tools like sanders or die grinders nor can you paint with them. I have a twin cylinder dual tank portable that runs on 120 volt that is barely portable at 98 lbs. It won't run a 1/2" impact gun long when trying to take a tire off but I can get by just with running a paint gun. I have a Porter Cable one that isn't overly hard on air. It will run an airbrush or touch-up gun or a framing nailer with no problems. A fairly small compressor will run a brad nailer, pin nailer, or staple gun.

My suggestion for painting is to get a complete HVLP system like maybe an Earlex. That would be cheaper in the long run than buying a large compressor and small ones are cheap and easy to come by like the little pancake styles.


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Pardon my oversight, Nick; welcome to the party! 

To be fair on the small compressor thing, they're ideal for installing trim on a construction project where you really need portability. Brad nailers don't consume much air.
From what I've seen they're pretty quiet as well.


----------



## coxhaus (Jul 18, 2011)

DaninVan said:


> The biggest, oil lubed, 220V one you can afford.
> Mine's an old Campbell Hausfield 110V, 20gallon tank and it just isn't big enough. Your target is the cfm output at 90psi...the more the better.
> Mines around 5cfm I think(?); just not enough. I use a jitterbug sander (I love it!) but it just needs more air than the compressor can continuously produce to work properly.
> If you want to spray-paint you also need a lot of air!
> About Air Compressors


Dan I think we own the same air compressor. Mine isn't very fast either. I use synthetic Mobil 1 in my compressor and it keeps on ticking.


----------



## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

Sorry, Nick, I too missed welcoming you. Consider it done.

There are a lot of considerations at play here. Available space, types of projects, future needs all come into play. 

Small compressors...small projects.

Chuck has good points. Portability and footprints are important. If your just using it for small volume tools, like a trim nailer, then a pancake may do the trick. It won't work for spray painting. Stand alone sprayers can cost around $300 and are really great for shop/small project use. However, that is in addition to the cost of a compressor. The plus is stand-alone and portable.

What do you really envision doing? Think long term not short. Again, you will find more and more uses for a compressor. Plan ahead and buy accordingly.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

NicholasJ said:


> Hi everyone. New member here on the forum. Just starting out and busy getting the home workshop sorted. Shopping for an air compressor for the shop. Would like to hear from you guys what the best small air compressor is. (small spray painting projects, run nailer etc.)
> 
> Thanks
> Nic


The biggest, oil lubed, 220V one you can afford. 
more CFM is more better...
I am very partial to RolAir anything in all green...
have portable and stationary......
decades of service from them w/o issue...
their CS is 1st rate outstanding too..


----------



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

I am going to be a little different. The most important thing is to buy quality, especially if you are young in age. Others have said buy quality and I agree. Everyone wants bigger but do you really need it. If you work on your cars and trucks plus other people cars then you might need a big compressor. If you are painting automobiles then you need to go big. Or maybe you live on a farm and have big equipment. There has been plenty of times in my life when I wanted a big compressor but I have never had one. Look hard at what you really need and go from there. If you are just starting to set up a shop you have a lot of things to buy. If you have the money and the room buy the biggest and the best. It seems I have not had both the room and the money at the same time and now age is getting in the way. What a bummer!!!


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

hawkeye10 said:


> I am going to be a little different. *The most important thing is to buy quality,* especially if you are young in age. Others have said buy quality and I agree. Everyone wants bigger but do you really need it. If you work on your cars and trucks plus other people cars then you might need a big compressor. If you are painting automobiles then you need to go big. Or maybe you live on a farm and have big equipment. There has been plenty of times in my life when I wanted a big compressor but I have never had one. Look hard at what you really need and go from there. If you are just starting to set up a shop you have a lot of things to buy. If you have the money and the room buy the biggest and the best. It seems I have not had both the room and the money at the same time and now age is getting in the way. What a bummer!!!


that'd be the Rolair..
https://www.rolair.com/products


----------



## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

For simple nail guns just about any pancake type compressor will work. If you want to spray get a good gun first then get a compressor that matches the gun. There are a number of low pressure guns that don't require a high cfm compressor.


----------



## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Welcome to the forum.

Although I agree with the sentiment to buy the biggest compressor you can afford you state in your post what your intended use is and that you want a small compressor. With that in mind I have a small Porter Cable 125psi (Home Depot) that works well for "small" job needs. It will run 2 brad nailers at the same time without a problem. It will run a touch up sprayer without a problem. I haven't tried it with the larger HVLP sprayer but would think that the small air tank wouldn't handle the task. It cuts on & off a lot and it will not run air tools. I also have a Campbell-Hausfield with a 20 gallon tank that will run the HVLP gun but still will not run air tools. With all that said you can see why everyone suggest the larger, more capable compressors. The larger units are robust enough that they will probably last you a lifetime, so if you are only going to buy it once go for the bigger units. It will save you a lot of aggravation in the long run. Small is for job sites, large is for wood shops.


----------



## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

HI Nic, mine is a Husky 30 gal 155psi 110, I bought it years ago at one of the box stores. It came with a Spray gun, an air die grinder, an impac gun, ( for changing tires) a 90 degree air hammer and a tire filler with gage.
It is adjustable so can be used with most applications. Kind of big to take to the job but rolls around my place just fine.
I set it up in my shop and ran lines off a t bar. I don't work fast enough to have a problem with it keeping up and just have to remember to drain the condensation once in a while.
Like all of these guys said, it depends on what you plan to do with it.


----------



## richjh (Jan 14, 2013)

Hi Nic,

My view is most likely contrary to most of those posted. I have a 27gal Coleman Powermate rated at 6CFM at 90PSI. It is a 120V Oil Free, direct drive that I have used for around 8 years with no issues. It was not very expensive compared to many of the one already referenced. I have used it for both air tools and painting and it has worked fine for my needs. I am not a prolific woodworker as many are. I needed a compressor for occasional use without breaking the bank. 

It all comes down to how much you use it and for what. I doubt mine would stand up to daily heavy use.

Rich


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Rich; are saying you can run an air sander with it?! Or a die grinder?!!
What air tools are you using? No question it'd run air nailers just fine.


----------



## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

What is your budget?


----------



## jemangin (Oct 23, 2013)

For my woodworking shop I bought a Rolair Ultra Quiet 60 dB 2.5 gallon portable compressor https://www.kmstools.com/rolair-ultra-quiet-60db-compressor-91012 which sits right under my workbench. It is a pleasure to use. My main use in the shop is air nailers and pinners so it works great and you can barely hear it. 

I have a larger 10 gallon compressor for the garage to run impact guns, etc..


----------



## bcfunburst (Jan 14, 2012)

"Just Starting Out"; My suggestion is to check out what you might need (CF/M) to run an air sander or a spray gun. Other than that; buy the very best you can afford @ the time. You can always upgrade later as your needs increase.


----------



## CAD-Man (Apr 28, 2013)

I recently purchased a Quincy Q12126VPQ twin cylinder 120 Volt Air compressor it has the highest CFM of any 120 Volt Air Compressor I have seen. 8.3 CFM at 40 PSI and 7.4 CFM at 90 PSI $749.00 at Northern Tool.

CAD-Man


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Quincy...
good compressors..


----------



## NicholasJ (Jun 21, 2016)

Wow! Thank you for all the replies and warm welcome! My budget is limited ($400) and therefore not able to go big. Looks like most members suggest that I stick to the well known brands. After some research I've narrowed it down to the Rolair VT20TB or the Senco 15 Gallon. Leaning towards the Senco 15 Gallon, it's a bit bigger than the Rolair.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

VOE says you won't be happy w/ the Senco or the customer service...


----------



## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Something else to think about. I just bought a 30 gal upright Kobalt from Lowes for $449. It has the same motor as the 60 gal and is portable. Great for moving around limited spaces and has plenty of power.

HJ


----------



## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

NicholasJ said:


> Wow! Thank you for all the replies and warm welcome! My budget is limited ($400) and therefore not able to go big. Looks like most members suggest that I stick to the well known brands. After some research I've narrowed it down to the Rolair VT20TB or the Senco 15 Gallon. Leaning towards the Senco 15 Gallon, it's a bit bigger than the Rolair.


Stick with the Rolair. The Senco will probably be a rebranded off-brand with the Senco name on it. Parts and service will be better with the Rolair.


----------

