Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Woodworking => Topic started by: kahlid74 on April 13, 2012, 09:11:39 am
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Does anyone have one? What do you use it for? Nail guns? Filling tires on your car? High power air tools like sanders/grinders?
My primary use would be for Nail guns and for just air pressure to blow dust around, etc. These are the two that have the highest rankings on most sites:
- GMC Syclone 6310 - http://www.amazon.com/GMC-Power-Equipment-Oil-Free-Compressor/dp/B0038MWDXY/ (http://www.amazon.com/GMC-Power-Equipment-Oil-Free-Compressor/dp/B0038MWDXY/)
- Makita MAC700 Big Bore - http://www.amazon.com/Makita-MAC700-Big-Bore-Compressor/dp/B0001Q2VK0/ (http://www.amazon.com/Makita-MAC700-Big-Bore-Compressor/dp/B0001Q2VK0/)
The Makita is smaller/less weight and Makita makes rocking things but it's decibels are 80 which is significantly louder than the GMC who ranks at 60 decibels and has a larger tank. The Makita has a higher CFM at 90PSI but for nail guns/air dusting I can't see that being a big factor and with the small tank on the Makita, if I were to use that higher CFM at 90PSI I would be recycling like constantly. Additionally the GMC is oil-less.
I'm thinking of getting the GMC just because it seems like a better buy for something who isn't going to be using it everyday but I'm open to anyone's suggestions here who owns one and can give me insight into them.
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i have a little 3 gallon, its pretty much worthless, even for blowing your computer out too... compressor kicks in like 5 seconds after you start sprayin air, and takes forever to fill. So my point is, DO NOT SKIMP, you'll regret it later, I know I do.
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i have a little 3 gallon, its pretty much worthless, even for blowing your computer out too... compressor kicks in like 5 seconds after you start sprayin air, and takes forever to fill. So my point is, DO NOT SKIMP, you'll regret it later, I know I do.
+1
Pancake compressors are very noisy, they're usually oilless so that won't last long either. On the plus side, they are portable.
I picked up a vertical tank compressor for cheap off CL and couldn't be happier
Similar to this
(http://s.shld.net/is/image/Sears/spin_prod_583072201?hei=600&wid=600&op_sharpen=1&qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0)
They don't take up much space in the garage, they're big enough to do most kinds of nailing/grinding, I've even run a framing nailer with it. It won't be enough to sandblast, but I haven't had the need yet :)
And they have wheels, so you can move em around relatively easily.
Everyone I talked to about compressors said if you don't want to be buying a new one every year or so, get an oiled compressor. Yeah, they're a tad more work, but they'll last forever.
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I have a campbell hausfeld 20 Gallon. I use it in the shop for spraying paint, filling tires, grinding, sanding, and blowing off the dusty bench.. I have a pancake compressor for trim work. No way you want to lug that big arse thing around jobs. I also have a mini compressor for airbrush work. It is tiny, but very portable, and plenty good enough to spray with.
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I dunno, I have been super happy with my 3 gallon harbor freight compressor for $50. Of course, I don't have any false expectations about it. I primarily use it for air finish nailing, stapling, painting and filling tires and the fact that it is so tiny means that I can take it anywhere. If I want to do a project on my second floor, it is much easier than carting a big compressor to the job. I also have used it for blowing just fine, but you have to use a small, focused blower nozzle, I use one where i can adjust the flow. Otherwise, nothing will drain a compressor faster. I cleaned out a carburetor and using the blower to remove any final lingering dirt in the chambers was a breeze. They are perfect for when you need a quick blow job. :burgerking:
Of course when I move to a house with a real garage, a 20+ gallon compressor is on the list. It just allows you to do so much more.
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Thanks for all the replies. Great information. For right now I don't need one of the super big/powered ones as my use case just doesn't call for one of those *yet*. The oil-free versus oil is great to know but I'm wondering if that's under constant use. The use I'd be looking at, in such a small quantity, would leave me of the mind set that I would spend so much more time working with the oil than using an oil-free to the point of failure.
I'm going to try the GMC one (Bigger tank/Oil Free) and see how it performs. The cost isn't a place where I'd be totally kicking myself if it failed.
Now the question is what 15 Ga Nailgun do I get. I was going to get the Hitachi but after a few more reads I'm now thinking Dewalt.
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I dunno, I have been super happy with my 3 gallon harbor freight compressor for $50.
Don't get me wrong, I used a pancake compressor for several weeks installing hardwood floor at the house my dad built a few years back. They are quite handy. But like vigo says, don't put your expectations too high.
As for carting it around, I picked up a 100' airline off ebay for ten bucks. So I put the compressor outside and shut the door. 100 foot line reaches anywhere I need to be in the house, and I don't have to listen to a compressor kick on all the time!
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Eh, I've got this little one from home depot:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=202529941&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053 (http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=202529941&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053)
It is noisy, I admit, but it's been fine for occasional finish nailing and brad nailing. When I got it, it was bundled with a brad nailer, finish nailer and stapler.
I went ahead and got a boxed set of Husky air tools fairly cheaply, with like a spray gun, air hammer, ratchet, impact driver, inflater etc. Honestly haven't used them much (some of them not at all). From what I read AFTER I got everything apparently the pressure on my little compressor is considered a little underpowered for those tools. At least I'll have them later when/if I upgrade. For occasional nailing though mine has been fine, and even though it's loud at least it's easily portable.
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I have a 5 gallon Porter Cable Stack Compressor. 0-145 psi in about 45 seconds.
works great for:
all of the nailers (pin, finish, flooring, roofing, framing)
grinder (need a surge tank for this)
impact gun
air ratchet
blowing dust out of computers or anything really
filling tires
Cons:
It's heavy and needs to be on a large gage extension cord if it's more than 25' from an outlet.
To counter this i mounted it in the basement with a 5 gallon surge tank and ran some tubing out the garage.
This kit works great: http://www.amazon.com/RapidAir-Compressed-Air-Master-Kit/dp/B004YP23PW (http://www.amazon.com/RapidAir-Compressed-Air-Master-Kit/dp/B004YP23PW)
Now i no longer have to carry it around. I have air in my shop and an air tap out in the garage.
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I use a C&H oil free compressor, I think it's a 3-gallon. It was $90 with a tool kit, including a nail gun. For dusting things off, inflating tires [takes about 4 tanks full to fill a car tire, but a bike tire or wheelbarrow no probs]. What I usually use it for is the nailgun. I glue two pieces of stuff together, clamp it, nail gun it a few times, take my clamp back and move on to the next one. I could probbly use a small airbrush on it but not a larger gun.
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That's a wicked kit Yak and something that would be awesome to do. It's my 30th birthday in two weeks so I put an Amazon gift list up with the compressor and nail guns. Lets see if people buy em for me!
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I bought my compressor knowing that it was more than I needed. I want to eventually use grinders and some of the higher CFM tools so I picked up a 33 Gal upright. I love that thing. Granted 99% of the time I'm only filling tires but it makes changing a tire a snap. I would get one this size again in a heartbeat.
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Compressed Air in your workshop is one of those things that you will wonder how you ever did without. I have two 10hp 200lt compressor in my workshop and a 3hp at home.
Buy the biggest you can afford/justify you will use it more than you are planning to. A smaller pump that is trying to keep up will generate more heat and more moisture in the air.
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I have a portable compressor and large one that I have plumbed into my workshop. I have connection points all over the place and I just use the cheap Craftsman yellow spiral cords because I don't have to roll them back up. I even have a connection point going through the wall to the driveway for filling up tires and balls. Compressed air is essential. I love my nail guns.
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I wound up getting the GMC Syclone. The thing is freaking super quite. It's sound is indistinguishable from the rack of servers/switches I have running so awesome sauce. It's a good foray into compressors for me to start. If this works and I use it a lot I'll get a big one in the garage in a couple years.
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You won't need another compressor, just a larger surge tank in line with it.