Who makes a good air compressor now?

My 24 year old Craftsman 5HP 33 gallon compressor finally gave up and would like to replace it but the reviews on Craftsman (usual made in China complaint) and I believe Ingersoll/ Rand is made in America but didn't do any better either. I do occasional painting and run air driven power tools, anybody bought a compressor lately that they're happy with?

 

Curtis makes a good compressor. They are expensive, but you get what you pay for (in this case). A more moderate choice, but still durable with quick return is the Rol-Air brand. They make many different styles for different applications and have a proven reliability. I have one in my wood shop and it has been very reliable. 5hp, 80 gal. twin cylinder, and cost around 1200.00 5 yrs ago.

good luck....get a good one.

 

I've got an old Sanborn from Menard's I bought quite a few years ago, 60 Gal single stage, worked great until the motor went out on it, got another one from Granger, works great! only complaint is the air volume, would like to upgrade to 80/120 gal two stage some day. Usually rule of thumb is if you find one with around 13 cfm vol/150 psi working pressure your golden!

 

This is the brand I bought 2 years ago, not an issue so far.
http://www.castair.net/index.html
I bought a fairly heavy duty 2 stage because I wanted it to be last one I ever had to buy ($2400), not sure how their smaller ones are priced.

 

Yes. Castair is a good American brand. Checked out their compressors at Back to the 50's since they're a somewhat local company (Spicer, MN). Good quality for the price.

 

Quincy! I've had mine for 12 years running daily in a commercial shop and never a hiccup.

 

Probably get a lot of haters, but I've been running a harbor freight two stage, 60 gal for a couple years without a hiccup. Keeps up with my Skatz blaster no problem. Costs $800.

 

Champion air compressors are tops also.

 

I have a BelAire 2 stage, has done right by me.


Dave L

 

I got my 2 stage compressor from Granger,it's a INGERSOLL-RAND and I've had it for about 6 years. HRP

 

I rebuilt my Craftsman compressor. New piston, ring, and gaskets. Cost $90 total for the rebuild kit from Sears.


Singlefingerspeedshop.com. Detroit

 

I use a Ingersoll Rand 80 gallon its able to keep up with whatever I throw at it.
But a 60 gallon works good too just sometimes have to wait for the compressor to catch up.

 

You could always buy used--those are the best and I don't think I would buy new anymore because of the lesser quality manufactured parts.. If you have big money--use it on a good quality IR, Curtis, Champion, Gardner-Denver, etc. I bought an abused Kellogg-American 325 from a farmer and after a teardown and rebuild and new motor--I've got a solid two sarge unit under $700--and they can be had cheaper.
Also--when considering quality--what's the intended purpose or use of the compressor?
Quality is in this sense in the eye of the beholder. I have a 33gal Sanborn from Menards that cannot manage any high air consumption air tools--but it functions well otherwise..
If you check in over at the Garage Journal you'll find lots of commentary on this and related topics-


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I am going on 10 years plus with one of Castairs 60 gallon single stage compressors. It gets worked hard ,and beyond a belt replacement a year ago no issues. I would buy Castair again,but don't think I will have to..

 

I bought used, watch industrial auctions in your area. I got a 230v 2 stage 5 hp campbell hausfeld 18 cfm at 90, from a woodworking shop where the guy retired. Other than being filthy,having saw dust caked on it and needeing a filter, oil change, replacing a burnt pressure switch, its a great machine. $230 in it so far, runs my pressure pot blaster for about 6 min and catches up after 2 min. You can't go wrong with a Quincy, I've heard good things about Puma. If you buy new, go to a compressor dealer, grainger or similar store. The chain stores get models made for them that may differ in quality. As an example I was buying parts for my 6 yr old refrigerator, the parts house pulled up the serial # and said, OH this is a Lowes fridge.

 

I got one that I used for blasting and paint and air tools
don't run it steady to long and it will do fine
for large body jobs with a air file or a lot of blasting spend more

 

saylor beale is also a really good one and of course i have snap on brand compressors in my shop which are made by brahma, no complaints here about them

 

What's your budget? And how heavy are you going to use it? Without a doubt a commercial/industrial model (as opposed to a 'consumer' model from a box store) will offer more and last longer, but do you really need that? And can you afford the price difference? If you're not planning on doing any media blasting or running multiple air tools at once, most any 5HP unit will do the job. A lot of complaints about compressors are due to buyers having unrealistic expectations about what the one they bought can do.

In the smaller units, a lot of those are just re-branded units from one of the major manufacturers, so it's not so much a difference in quality as it is features or buying a 'name'.

 

Thanks guys, will check out the various brands. Went to Grainger site and saw a SPEEDAIRE for around $700 which is in the budget, anybody know anything about this compressor?

 

Got a Puma 5 hp, 2 stage, 80 gallon, about 4 or 5 years ago for $850.00. No issues, runs a bead blaster cabinet and air tools just fine..... LW

 

speedaire stuff is fine, Quincy is on top for me ( Im biased though I work for them ) as others have said champion, curtis, IR, Are all great units as well. Something people do not think about though is power requirements. Buy the biggest you can afford and can run on the power you have avail. Really check and know what power you have avail, and do not get sold on high pressure units as they really will do you no good unless you are doing big rig steer tires or high pressure pneumatic jacks. I know a few guys who have picked up the 5hp IR units from tractor supply and have had great success with them FYI. Also check out northern tool for quincy products!

 

I have compared some air compressors and I'm thinking about buying this one:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_54284-1126-VT6362_1z10d76+1z140vv__?productId=3370356&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1%26page%3D1&facetInfo=Kobalt

And I think you may be thinking of this Speedaire

http://www.grainger.com/product/SPE...N-af4?searchSortKey=priceAsc&xi=xi&s_pp=false

Which I believe is a rebranded Campbell Hausfeld, as is the lowes....


Tractor Supply has this IR
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/ingersoll-randreg;-5hp-air-compressor-80-gal#desc-tab

 

5hp 80 gallon 2 stage... Mine is a champion and if works perfect with a large blasting cabinet... I run 175psi air tools work amazingly... All snapon pneumatic tools they seem to hold with having 55 psi more than their rating:thumbup: the only down fall to a 2 stage comp is double compression make more heat which makes a lot of water... I built quite an elaborate pipe trap using 2" expansion chambers works like a charm can post pics if anyone is wondering how to build a very affective water trap I have virtually no water after my trap but quite a bit prior
Merry Christmas everyone
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Bang for your buck wise the IR has the best CFM rating of the three as long as you have the power to run it. I think that kobalt has another version of that pump in their pro series I think they call it that is a two stage v twin that would be cheaper and decent i would bet. I do beleive they are CH as well.

 

I have an Ingersol Rand T30 5 hHorspower that ran 23 years before I went through it as it started spitting a little oil. Two stage and only runs at 1700 RPM.IMO it is the best you can buy. Mine is hooked up to another 120 gal tank giving me 180 gal. of storage.
Gerry in Colorado

 

I ran a T30, for about a decade. No idea how old it really was, but it was not young. Just did oil changes regularly, and belts annually. Never an issue. Solid as a rock.

 

Please Do.

 

Quincy!

 

CHAMPION, they go forever!

 

I bought a cambell hausfeld a couple years ago very happy with it. American made, cast iron, baldor motor, air cooler, auto drain $2200.00. keeps up with what ever I'm doing every day wrenching air tools etc to blasting very happy with it.