Compressor question: is this a decent buy?

[Kejtar]

Husky Compressor

It puts out 5.1 SCFM @ 90 PSI @ 120V? That sounds really odd. I don't really care if it's 120 or 220 cause I got both, I just want the least expensive with most oomph to it and the extra tools do sweaten up the deal.

 

[Eagle]

No.

Without even checking the CFM I can tell you that 90 psi won't run the power tools you need. Most will need a minimum of 90 psi, so if that's all you have in the tank, the moment you pull the trigger the pressure drops and the tool slows down. You'll have a "duty cycle" of about 10%, based on just waiting for the compressor to catch up to the tool.

Also, if it's a bargain compressor it's probably an "oilless" motor. Of course, nothing with moving parts can be truly "oilless" so what that really means is there is no way to lube it when needed, so it's a disposable compressor.

You would do better to watch Sears and catch a decent 2-cylinder compressor that uses oil and has a rear crankcase, puts out a minimum of 135 psi, and has at least a 20-gallon tank.

 

[Kejtar]

Hmmm max air pressure delivered is 150PSI although I don't know with how many cfm.
I keep looking at Craftsmans but most of their stuff is either oil free or has a very small cfm @ 90psi (less then 4).
Damn.... it all comes down to the fact that I got whole bunch of stuff I will have to work on and having a compressor now would EASE that work tremeandously.

No.

Without even checking the CFM I can tell you that 90 psi won't run the power tools you need. Most will need a minimum of 90 psi, so if that's all you have in the tank, the moment you pull the trigger the pressure drops and the tool slows down. You'll have a "duty cycle" of about 10%, based on just waiting for the compressor to catch up to the tool.

Also, if it's a bargain compressor it's probably an "oilless" motor. Of course, nothing with moving parts can be truly "oilless" so what that really means is there is no way to lube it when needed, so it's a disposable compressor.

You would do better to watch Sears and catch a decent 2-cylinder compressor that uses oil and has a rear crankcase, puts out a minimum of 135 psi, and has at least a 20-gallon tank.

 

[Kejtar]

Hmmm max air pressure delivered is 150PSI although I don't know with how many cfm.
I keep looking at Craftsmans but most of their stuff is either oil free or has a very small cfm @ 90psi (less then 4).
Damn.... it all comes down to the fact that I got whole bunch of stuff I will have to work on and having a compressor now would EASE that work tremeandously.

Is this oil one? http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00916557000 it doesn't say oil less so I figure it must be.

 

[Glenn B]

Is this oil one? http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00916557000 it doesn't say oil less so I figure it must be.

It sure looks like an oil free rig, just going by the image. Have you looked at the Owners manual link they have? That may help.

 

[Kejtar]

It sure looks like an oil free rig, just going by the image. Have you looked at the Owners manual link they have? That may help.

for some reason Adobe gives me a message saying that the doc requires an even newer version of Acrobat to display and I got the newest one with all the updates.... Anyways I'll be hitting Sears later on today and check it out in person

 

[Glenn B]

for some reason Adobe gives me a message saying that the doc requires an even newer version of Acrobat to display and I got the newest one with all the updates.... Anyways I'll be hitting Sears later on today and check it out in person

The problem is with their doc then, as I could not open it either.... and newest here too.

 

[Karlm]

Ipicked up 6hp 30 gal. compessor and tank from Sears a while back. It is oil free, but I'm not overly worried. I don't use it every day, so for just a couple of hundred bucks, it was a good deal for my needs. I couldn't justify one of those huge 80 gal. tank greasable compressors. It runs up to 150 psi, and that is enough for what I do. I had it going all day last Saturday when we were porting out a friend intake on his turbo diesel. We had a die grinder going for like an hour and a half and it never dropped below the minimum psi needed to run the tool. The thing cycled a lot, but we were running the air almost constantly. Check out what your needs are, and how often you will be using the compressor and go from there.

 

[Eagle]

I suppose for home use the oilless are okay, I just don't like the concept. Air specs are what counts. There was a thread about this awhile ago, IIRC. All I really know is that you need to be careful these days about "horsepower," because most of them aren't talking about real horsepower, they're citing PEAK horsepower. If you relate that to audio, it's like the difference between "peak music power" and RMS output.
They are now offering 115 volt compressors claiming 5 and 6 horsepower. When I bought mine, 3 HP was the max that would run off 115 volts. That's what I have -- 3 HP, twin cylinder, 12 gallon tank, 100 psi max. And it's not even CLOSE to being adequate for a die grinder.

 

[Lincoln]

Oil free compressors are only good for the people that use them once a year and don't mind going deaf in the process. I don't think their worth the price of the stickers they put on them. I won't buy anything from sears either. I'm not even sure they even sell an oil bath compressor anymore. Watch the difference between running HP and starting HP. If you look real close you will see a duty cycle listed somewhere on oilless compressors too. They are nothing more than an over grown 12V compressor.

I've seen some very good low end compressors from Porter Cable, Quincy, Puma, Cambell and a few others. Porter Cable might have dropped their line following sears and Husky. Husky had a pretty nice 25 gal upright but I think it was dropped a few years ago.

I bought this one last fall and have been very happy. I haven't had to stop and wait on it yet:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/...0&PHOTOS=on&productId=158284&categoryId=90143

This would be another good choice. If your running a die grinder you might have to stop and let it catch up occasionally:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/...0&PHOTOS=on&productId=207226&categoryId=90143

 

[SeanP]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=36967

this is a good one from Campbell Hausfield. 110 or 220. Good output. I had it for a couple of months and then upgraded to this because of the new plasma cutter needing a hair more CFM at90 PSI. Don't waste your money on buying an oilless, save-up the extra $150-200 and get a compressor that you will be happy with in the long run.

I have one of these in the back of my pickup right now waiting for three strong friends to come over to unload it.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=34187

 

[Matthew Currie]

Looks too wimpy for a shop, too big for a portable. I agree with the other folks, look for something with real pistons and a crankcase and a separate motor, unless you're getting something to cart around for pneumatic nailers and the like, in which case a little oilless unit is fine.