How Big........

[rickyboy]

........ is big enough?

I was wondering how big of a compressor does a guy need to operate air tools like impact wrench, etc., without having to wait every two minutes for it to catch up? I have a small 8gal tank that I use to clear my water lines at the cabin in the winter months. Is it going to be enough?

[brote]

Rick, I believe any 20 Gal. tank compressor should keep up with most air tools. I have used one from sear for over 15 years now. The only tool it won't keep up with is my cut off tool and have to wait a little bit to build back up. If I where in the market for a news compressor for the home it would be a 30 Gal. vertical oil filled compressor.

[ve3hzz]

The word MOST air tools is TOO broad to answer correctly. What tools would or do you use? For example a air ratchet takes a lot less CFM @ 90 PSI then an air die grinder which takes quite a bit and even a 60 gallon tank running it constant duty cycle (80+% in a 10 minute span) will require a very large compressor and biggest TANK you can put in, likes a 60-80 gallon tank.
sanders (board sanders and rotory) are next in line for the amount of CFM required.

I'd say first determine what tools you will use with it and check what the CFM they require. Once you know the CFM of the tool that uses the most you can find a compressor that will meet your needs or watch for sales. While an 8 or 20 gallon tank gives some more RUN time air will be drained FAST and the smaller compressor on the tank will take a lot LONGER to pump it back up if the CFM is very low.
8 gallon may work fine for a brad nailer or finish stapler/nailer it won't run a die grinder for more then a few seconds and your waiting for the compressor to build up pressure and volume.

PSI/CFM and volume all go hand in hand with tools that require lots of both.
Some small compressors rate there CFM @ 40 to make them seem better, but most air tools of any grade require 90 PSI so that rating on the compressor won't do the job.

Hope that helps.

Scott

[blowndodge]

How big of one do you want???!!!

[macmac]

60 gallon tank is a minimum, but you need a great comp head on it. Mine can run 2 DA sanders at the same time, but thats pushing it. 80 gallons and 8 horse.

Whizz wheels, Da's and the like gobble air fast.

Impact tools, and slow air drills, rachets and the like can run on less.

I agree with Scott.

If you have any chance to do what paint requires you can't get a big enough comp. Then 80 gallons and 8 horse is minimum.

[ringadingh]

I had a two cylinder with a 25 gal tank and it was too small for my impact gun and die grinders. A 60 gal like Princess Auto sells should be about the minimum to run most air tools without waiting every few seconds.

[Idaho]

That 8 gallon tank is not going to cut it. I have an 8 gallon and I use a 1/4 inch angle die grinder and the compressor runs constantly. My grinder is only rated to use 4cfm. Luckilly I'm not doing anything heavy so other than the noise from the compressor it is no big deal. That 8 gallon tank will not do too much.

[rickyboy]

OK then,......go big or go home, Thanks.

[macmac]

Rick, Yeah that's about it. There is no point in having a tool that wastes your time. The 60 gallon 5 horse comp I had wasted my time. I liked it ok at first, since it was 120ACV, and ran my impact guns and low air tools ok, just ok, but wanting to sand with a DA, it was making my life miserable.

Sanding for a minute, maybe 2 and then having to wait that much time or longer for recovery was killing me. I ended up spending over a grand for my comp, but it will run any tool I will ever want.

What I need now is a place to plug it in LOL..... I plug it into a 60 gallon tank 6 horse apx 100 feet away and run 3/4" ID hose to it. That works pretty well.

Now maybe............. If you guys get a tank to hold air, a big one something around 60/80 gallons to add to what you have you can extend run time somewhat.

I am not getting into what other tanks to use because it's dangerous. What ever you use must be rated for the psi, and if you screw up with in shrapnel range, it will be your last screw up ever.

[rickyboy]

I had an issue with my compressor this weekend. I found a great link with all the answers you might want/need. It directed me to where I could send my question as to why my compressor wouldn't come on. I came back with a section of FAQ to do with "my question". I had to pass it on to everyone. Good site with all the answers you might need on compressors.

http://www.about-air-compressors.com/index.html

[macmac]

stuck pressure switch?

[rickyboy]

No

there is a breaker in/on the compressor that tripped because there was enough amperage. Pushed the button and it worked again!!

[macmac]

That's an issue? To me a stuck switch is a issue, where the switch has to be pulled and that nasty oil carbon ball that forms for oil heat, and compressed air gags the switch, whick more or less leades to a no start, or a wildly loud hissing after the copm pressures up and wants to stop. That last hiss you hear just stays....

My wife thinks an issue is a tomahawk soaking in the toliet.

[rickyboy]

Originally Posted by macmac

That's an issue? To me a stuck switch is a issue, where the switch has to be pulled and that nasty oil carbon ball that forms for oil heat, and compressed air gags the switch, whick more or less leades to a no start, or a wildly loud hissing after the copm pressures up and wants to stop. That last hiss you hear just stays....

My wife thinks an issue is a tomahawk soaking in the toliet.

LOL :) :)

Mac, the issue was that it just worked the other day,..#1
The fact that I was in the middle of doing something that I wanted to finish before I packed up and went home. {I was at my "cabin"}
If I had even noticed this .....reset button!! "they" hid away under a plastic shroud,... I would have been on my way again with the job. But instead I loaded it in the truck to bring home to have a better look at it and where I'd have the tools to maybe fix it. It was just the P.I.T.A. factor that drives me nuts with "stuff" like this.
Those things you mentioned would be a major PITA

The tomahawk in "the can" could have it's own ramification on "an issue"....... ::)

[macmac]

Yeah I hear that, but the comp has gotta have clean lines right?

That other thang, is so my wife will be aware of what surrounds her in life. Jumping with out lookin' in my world and she lives in my world, isn't wise with out lookin!

She is a woman after all, and she has notions like other women do, and I don't deal in that non-sence a bit. She knew I was a real knuckel dragger when we met. She wanted to git hitched too, so she should have known you can't change knuckel draggers.

Hell I wear more make up than her and any other American femal in a day, than they can in a year combined. Now I can't say that make up makes me any better looking than I am, and frankley I ain't that good looking to begin with.

I have had women run fer their lives, fall off pedal bikes upon sight of me, and heard screeming sounds my doctor says is out of my hearing range! Once I even had some guy take a few pot shots since he thought I was a ghost.