Subject: Air Compressor recommendation

From: [email-masked] (Jon Henry)
Date: 12 Oct 1993 15:27:59 GMT

I am thinking of purchasing an air compressor for my shop.  I would like to
get a 5hp - 60 gallon upright version.  I have seen several single-stage
versions for around $400.  Two-stage versions appear to be much more costly
and some of these require a magnetic starter.

Can anyone please add their opinions and personnal experiences as to which
types and brands are good ones (or bad ones to avoid).  Should I get a
two-stage compressor?

Thanks,

Steel Driving Man

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From: [email-masked] (gary preckshot)
Date: 12 Oct 1993 20:04:21 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,
[email-masked] (Jon Henry) wrote:
> get a 5hp - 60 gallon upright version.
[and more..........]

I'll give you a short answer and definitive (for me, at least).  I favor 5
Hp, 80 gal ASME tank upright, two stage, cast iron, and I proved it by
buying one new (about $1200).  Here are my reasons:
1)  My old Sears "3Hp" was a piece of junk, got hot real fast, couldn't run
a decent sandblaster, and was unbelievably loud.  I needed a replacement.
2)  The new machine is much quieter, has lots more air storage, has enough
power (has a real continuous duty 5 Hp motor) that it can run 100% duty
cycle and it can probably run anything up to a 15 lb jack hammer.
3)  Unlike the Sears, I don't worry about this one.  It's easy to maintain
and with its motor starter I have no problems with sticking pressure switch
contacts.  It just runs and runs and runs.....without a hitch.

I've only had one gripe.  The draincock was your usual standard cheapo
draincock that eventually (rather soon, actually) began to leak and was
incredibly painful to turn due to an itsy-bitzy handle.  I replaced it with
two valves, an elbow, two close nipples, and an 8" nipple.  The piping gets
the valves out from under the tank where I can reach them.  One valve is a
throttle and the other is a lever-operated ball shutoff.  To drain the
condensate, I just open the ball valve for 10 seconds and the condensed
water blows off through the throttle.  With that little modification,
compressor maintenance is simple: blow off the water every day and change
the oil every three months.

Your needs may vary, but there you have one data point.