Technical NEED NEW SHOP AIR COMPRESSOR

After 30 years of use - my 5 hp 60 gal. single stage air compressor locked up and quit. This USA made compressor was some what under sized for my needs - but at $450 from Lowes about 30 years ago - I can not complain.

Shopping for a 2 stage - 80 gal unit prefer USA made if this even exist today. I am a hobby builder - need to up grade to run a sand blaster a few times per year. Main use is power the air tools and spray gun. Any recommendations?

Thanks

 

After alot of research, I bought a Quincy 2 stage, very happy with it.

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Check Craigslist if you are willing to take a shot at a used unit. I got lucky a couple of years ago and stumbled on a 80 gallon, five horse two stage with a much bigger motor and compressor that my 60 gallon five horse single stage. Paid $300, gave the old one to my brother in law that farms, it wasn't worn out but it was tired, good enough for what he uses it for.

I got lucky, maybe you will too if....and only if you have a little time to research the used market.

 

Campbell Hausfield from a compressor distributor not a big box store.
Get one with belt drive and cast iron motor.

 

X2^^^^

 

I had a Husky (AKA Campbell Housefield) in my shop and ran it all day every day for 13 years. When it was 2 years old I had to replace a bearing in the pump. It developed a leak when the compressor bracket broke at the weld making a small hole in the tank.... welded it up, no more leak. Belt lasted about 3 years. I found out that Summit carries CH compressor parts and when the electric motor died after 10 years.. They were the cheapest source for it. That compressor still runs today, it kept up with every air tool I had... some times two or three going at the same time and no problem keeping up with my blasting cabinet. All in all.... it was a pretty decent compressor. I kept the tank drained on a daily basis and changed the oil once a year. After my experiences with CH air tools... I was impressed with it!

 

I am going to go with these guys when my compressor dies: http://www.castair.net/index.html . I have talked to them a couple of times and seen them in person too. Their products seem very well built, and they are a smaller company building a commercial grade product and selling it at consumer grade prices. I am sure some components in them are Asian sourced, but I don't think there is a way to get away from that these days.

 

i bought a belair 2 yrs ago came with a 3yr warranty . it will pull a da and body file at the same time runs quite for a compressor very pleased with it

 

https://www.compressorworld.com/

Could rebuild what you have. Motor and tank are still good - right ???

Oldmics

 

DDDeny, thats what I have .Had it about 10 years and painted quite a few cars with it. I like it. Bruce.

 

I have a two stage 80 gallon Quincy. It has a 5 horsepower Baldor motor. It runs my sandblasting cabinet and 1 inch impact with ease


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I bought a 7.5hp Chicago Pneumatic screw compressor with dryer about 5 years ago. It was a lot of money, but supplies more air than I have needed so far, the dryer works well for painting, and every time it quietly turns on and runs, I'm thankful. I had previously had a 5 hp 3 cylinder Eagle single stage that I replaced the head on twice, and I dabbled with a 5 hp oil less Devilbiss (which was the biggest waste of time and money)!

 

Probably not American made, but has anyone purchased the new scroll compressor from Eastwood?


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This is my compressor. I bought it 10 years ago. 5 hp, 80 gallon, 2 stage, cast iron, American made (then, don't know now). The only issue was I fried the motor once, not cheap to repair, about $500.



If I had to do over again, I would have left the compressor in the shop instead of in a closet outside. I had a horrible wet air issue that I cured with 60 feet of copper cooling tower I sweated together, into a tee, water trap and a desiccant Cam Air dryer. No issues now. Cool idea, the copper down pipe after the dryer and before the regulator supplies my glass bead cabinet with 125 psi instead of 80 that my tools get. I have another reg on the cabinet to adjust in the shop.

The only recommendation I will make is my compressor runs fast, lots of RPMs, It produces lots of heat as a result and works hard when I do. My buddy has a Jenny 3 stage, it runs about 1/3 the RPMs mine does, it runs cool and quiet and no moisture issues like I had.

 

we have a new Ingersoll Rand at school 15 hp 120 gal
works great but that thing is loud
I have a snap on at home, made by big red love it 6.5 hp 80 gal
buy the largest CFM you can afford especially for blasting

 

A not so funny story and a cautionary warning:
A couple of months ago, about 3:00 a.m., as I let the dog out to do his biz I could hear my air compressor running (still) in the shop, normally not a problem because I would hear it as sometimes I'd forget to hit the breaker when I finished for the evening.
It had a real slow leak somewhere and would kick on when it got down to the tank pressure setting.
Never sounded like this before though, as I got closer to the shop I could hear a very loud rush of air sound, went in and put my pants on and went in the shop to find it FULL of very hot, moist, smelly air.
I figured a glue connection on a PVC joint in the hard line had seperated but it actually was from the fitting on the bottom of the plastic canister on the moisture seperator that had completely blown out. This was a Speedaire (Graingers) unit.


Very glad this had not happened when leaving town for the weekend.

 

Buy a new pump from Harbor Freight. 5hp 17cfm at 40 psi, 15 cfm at 90 psi and can pump at 145 psi. $170.00. Your motor is probably good yet although you might want to put bearings in it. A 30 year old motor is better than the new motors.

 

That was Karma kicking you in the arse for stealing the order number from the fast foodies.

Of course if they were stupid enough to give you number 32 then they deserve to lose it. If they have a 34 next time snag it for me.

 

I went shopping with cfm in mind but some sellers hide that and say motor HP and tank capacity which as you say means little, look at the most air consuming item and work on a figure above that. I bought a 3 cylinder import, its quiet and quick to fill. HVLP spray guns can use 15 CFM which will be out of the range of a lot of compressors.

 

yes
buy according to the CFM needed
cut off wheels eat up a bunch
HVLP guns can eat up a bunch, nothing sucks worse than painting with a compressor that caint keep up
mine makes 27 cfm and can handle 2 guys sanding or one average pressure pot blaster
tanks are storage, the bigger the tank the more storage you have meaning less times the compressor may turn on during work
some high end ones dont have tanks

a friend of mine uses Champion compressors, loves them
they are a lot quieter than the IRs we have at school and turn a lot slower

 

Considering Ryan frowns on tool threads, a little hot rod related story here @Bandit Billy.
I confiscated that from my Bakersfield pal (unbeknownst to him) on my last trip to the CHRR. There was a snarky message on my machine when I got home.
He had a bitchin deuce 5W hiboy and sold it so I told him he can have it back when he gets another 32.
I still have it!

 

I worked with large production air compressors for 35 years . As in 175MCF an hour with total 8 ends of compression . But bigger than you will think you will ever use . My vote goes to Quincy 2 stage rebuildable unit , or IR screw compressor . Invest in a pro quality air dryer also . Your tools and painting quality will love you for it. Compressor life = Maintenance , don’t plug it in and forget it . You don’t do this to your car do you ? Purchase by MCF/HR produced rating not HP or Gallons tank size . Research is your friend in this purchase . Good Luck and enjoy the new purchase for years


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It hasn't been said yet so I get to say it. NEVER use PVC for compressed air. It is an OSHA violation and is just plain unsafe.

https://www.osha.gov/dts/hib/hib_data/hib19880520.html

 

Tractor Supply sells an Ingersol Rand 80 gallon tank 2 stage that is reasonably priced and has a cast iron compressor and is belt driven.

 

My brother bought this Tractor Supply I/R 80 gal 2 stage about 2 years ago - great so far. So far - top of my wish list - next is Quincy - it looks like more money - but more USA parts ---- hard decision.

 

Being the anal person that I am I had a concern myself when I was planning the plumbing in my shop over 30 years ago.
I asked one of the guys in our hydraulic department at work and he asked me how it was to be used and max pressure etc. he said it would be fine.
In that time I've had only one PVC related failure, that was when I happened to bump a fitting that I had failed to use primer on the joint before I glued it.
In an industrial setting I would have done it differently, besides I doubt an OSHA inspector would get past the guard dog anyway.

 

They make high pressure PVC and CPVC for heat ( hot water ) . Clean and glue is near same as a solid welded joint


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Bought one from them when I retired around 6 years ago, no complaints.

 

I bought this Quincy from Lowe’s and love it!!!

https://lowes.com/pd/Quincy-Compressor-80-Gallon-Electric-Air-Compressor/50073345

 

I purchased a Puma TUE-7580VM in 2010 for $1473 delivered to my house. It has worked very well for me.

I wanted US made but did not have the funds for it.
The pump is all iron pump and rebuildable with insert bearings for the rods (Taiwan) - 800 rpm
US made Baldor 7.5 hp motor, 3450 rpm, 32-34 amps
24.8 cfm @ 100 psi
22.8 cfm @ 175 psi
Continuous run feature with unloaders
80 gallon ASME tank, US made
Magnetic starter included

Mine has a dual run feature so it can be set to cycle between pressure points like normal, or continuous run of the motor while the compressor cycles. The continuous run feature is to reduce start/stops of the motor when in heavy use.