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.

[Mr. Pink]

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.

[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.

[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.