Recommend an Air Compressor

[Frankie]

My Craftsman suddenly developed armature problems and i don't think it's too cheap to have fixed.

It was a good one and is no longer manufactured. I want to buy a new (or reconditioned) one within $120-$180 that's reasonably comparable to mine.

Here are the specs:

2HP
150 PSI peak
SCFM: 3.7@40PSI/2.6@90PSI
Permanent Lube
6 gal tank

I'm looking at these;

- Bostitch CAP2000P-OF-R (recon.) $120
(http://www.cpobostitch.com/factory-r...cgid=#prReview)

- WEN 6-gallon 2HP $125
(http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden...2/product.html)

- Hitachi EC510 (from local Lowes) $150 +/- (forgot exact)

I haven't found anything reasonable in Craftsman or DeWalt.

What do you recommend? I need to make a quick decision. it's holding up the final touches of my long ongoing remod.

[HemiEd]

Recomment?

I have a 5 hp, 80 gal vertical that has been awesome for 30 years. No idea about any of those little ones, but good luck.

[HolyHat]

I'm sure you can just trade two 2nd round picks, and pick up a retread Air Compressor from the 49ers. Should work out just fine.

[Frankie]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Recomment?

I have a 5 hp, 80 gal vertical that has been awesome for 30 years. No idea about any of those little ones, but good luck.

It was a "Typoe."



80 gall is too much for me. Ideally 10-15 gall is what I would like, but the 6 gall one seemed to be the acceptable minimum for me.

[Radar Chief]

What are you’re needs for an air compressor? Are you just airing up tires once in a while or are you running a die grinder or sander?

[mikey23545]

You need to make sure you don't get one that when you're filling up a tire, it doesn't break in midair...

[Frankie]

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

What are you’re needs for an air compressor? Are you just airing up tires once in a while or are you running a die grinder or sander?

Tops that I think of, house framing. I might still do another (smaller) addition to my house.

[Frankie]

I was all ready to buy the Hitachi one at Lowes last night. But when I read Amazon customers and their reviews cooled me off. Amazingly they had a lot of bad stuff to say about the Bostitch as well. I thought Bostitch was supposed to be a very respected brand. Am I wrong?

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by Frankie

Tops that I think of, house framing. I might still do another (smaller) addition to my house.

So a nailer or a stapler, something that doesn’t consume gobs of air.
I like the looks of that Wen more than the Bostitch for the fact its not an oil-less compressor. Oil-less are cheap but the buzzing noise will get on your nerves quickly, particularly in a confined space, and they don’t typically last as long.

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by Frankie

I was all ready to buy the Hitachi one at Lowes last night. But when I read Amazon customers and their reviews cooled me off. Amazingly they had a lot of bad stuff to say about the Bostitch as well. I thought Bostitch was supposed to be a very respected brand. Am I wrong?

Their more industrial equipment is still pretty good but a lot of the big names like that have farmed out their low end manufacturing to China. I’ve got a Lincoln 120V welder that’s like that, has the Lincoln name but it’s a made in China cheapy.

[Frankie]

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

So a nailer or a stapler, something that doesn’t consume gobs of air.
I like the looks of that Wen more than the Bostitch for the fact its not an oil-less compressor. Oil-less are cheap but the buzzing noise will get on your nerves quickly, particularly in a confined space, and they don’t typically last as long.

Good info. I was gonna ask if Oil-less was a plus or minus. Mine WAS very noisy.

The Wen, BTW, is the one I'm leaning more towards.

Any one of those pancakes will suit you just fine... Even though it says it won't run a framing nailer, it will. It's not like you're going to be framing as fast as a pro. I'd drop $150 on the Porter Cable.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Frankie

I was all ready to buy the Hitachi one at Lowes last night. But when I read Amazon customers and their reviews cooled me off. Amazingly they had a lot of bad stuff to say about the Bostitch as well. I thought Bostitch was supposed to be a very respected brand. Am I wrong?

In the price range you mentioned, I just can't imagine them being much.

Nail guns are momentary use, and not sustained, so the smaller ones will work I guess, but I doubt too many people are going to rave about them in reviews.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Phobia

Any one of those pancakes will suit you just fine... Even though it says it won't run a framing nailer, it will. It's not like you're going to be framing as fast as a pro. I'd drop $150 on the Porter Cable.

My Porter-Cable has been really good. It will run a nailer but if you want to run any other air tools or do any painting, you pretty much have to go up to the 220V compressors.

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by Frosty

My Porter-Cable has been really good. It will run a nailer but if you want to run any other air tools or do any painting, you pretty much have to go up to the 220V compressors.

My 120V, 5 horse will power impacts, ratchets and my grease gun fine but if I have to use a die grinder for any length of time it’ll run the compressor out of air and I have to wait for it to catch back up. PITA.
I’ve been looking for a good 2 cylinder 220V oil filled compressor to take it’s place but they aren’t exactly giving those things away.