60 gal vertical air compressor comparison

[LD1]

Dads air compressor took a dump, it is over 20 years old and has been on its way out for a while.

Mom and us kids have decided to get dad an air compressor for christmas.

We are looking at the $400 60 gal vertical compressors. Theres the campbell hausfield @ tsc, the Husky @ home depot, a sanborn @ menards, a kobalt @ lowes, and a us general @ HF.

The specs are all about the same as is the price. They all have a 3 year limited warrenty except the HF model only has 90 day warrenty without paying extra, so I think the HF unit is out, which is a bummer because I have heard good reviews on it. That it is made in the usa by a reputable mfg.

So down to the rest, I was unable to find where any of them are mfg'd at, so if anyone knows, please le me know.

I also heard that the husky, sanborn, and the CH were all made by the same company. If that is true, can someone verify.

Right now the kobalt is what I am leaning towards due to slightly higher CFm and PSI (155 PSI , 11.5 SCFM @ 90 PSI, 13.4 SCFM @ 40 PSI) vs (135 psi, 11.5 SCFM @ 40 PSI, 10.2 SCFM @ 90 PSI) for the others.

So what are your opinions?? Where are they made??and which ones are identical with different paint/stickers??

I have a Lowes and a TSC right next to eachother and I am thinking about talking with the sales managers in each store and going with the best deal I can get out of them.

 

[RobertN]

What ever you do, steer away from the oil-less versions. I got one because of the great price a few years ago. It has worked well, but it is LOOOOOUUUUUDDDD!

I would ask, what went south on your Dad's compresser? A new motor, or a new pump should not be hard to come by.

I would have, but I also went from a 2hp 20 gallon(tank rotted out), to a 5hp 60 gallon upright.

I would not worry about PSI too much. Flow is where it is at. All of my air tools have had instructions to limit around 90psi.

Don't know how close to services you are, but in Sacramento(30 minutes away), There are a couple different places I can get compressor parts.

After having a tank rot out, I would highly recomend replacing the drain valve on whatever you get. My 2hp/20gal had a drain that was impossible to get to; that is why mine rotted out.

On my scurrent upright compressor, I took the factory drain out. I used some 3/8" pieces of pipe and elbows to route it to where I could easily reach it. Otherwise, I could not get my fingers in where the original was. Not to mention, it is a haven for spiders. The new valve does not protrude very far, but far enough to easily drain after each use.

 

[LD1]

all of the ones I am looing at are cast iron belt drive compressors.

his tank has had a small hole in it forever. It never holds air so everytime you need air you have to wait 5 min on it to charge. and as of recently it has been tripping to thermal on the motor and never building more than about 60-70 psi. It is a twin cylinder and it is leaking aroung out of the breather of one of the cylinders so it is trying to pump up with just one cylinder. And the compressor is just a little too small for what we use it for anyway, so that is why we have decided no to fix and just get a new one.

I know it is the flow that everyone says to look at but the extra psi has two advantages. First, we dont use continuous air, but rather use the die grinder for a few min, or air hammer for rew min, etc. with the 155psi, you are actually storing more air so it will maintain the higher psi for a longer duration before you have to wait for more air.

The second reason is that we have several homemade can crusher that use air cylinders and the extra psi will give them a little more force. With our 3" cylinder one that we use most, 135 psi would = 953lbs crush force 155psi would = 1095lbs force.

Basically I would really like to know who makes these compressors and where they're made at. I cant find any info of the sort online.

 

[RobertN]

Mine is a Devilbis. Entry line for that size I guess. If I were to get another, I would go to the compressor store. That is why I asked; Sacramento has an air tool/compressor store. All they do.

Wish I had pictures of an old family driends can crusher. He used a cut down car cranckshaft, with a single piston, belt driven from a washing machine motor. Had a feed tray on it, a reostat to vary the speed. It was WAY cool. That was a long time ago though; he passed some years back. Same guy, modified a Honda Odesey buggy to be street legal, so he could drive it from his house, down a couple local roads, to his mining claim.

 

[George2615]

I replaced my 60 gallon upright compressor last year. Originally bought from Northern Hydraulic (now Northern Tool) over 20 years ago. The tank finally rusted through the bottom and didn't know how much more life the compressor had. I gave the remains to a friend who mounted the compressor unit onto a tank he had and gave it to his son.

I bought the Husky 80 gallon compressor at Home Depot. I bought it when it was on sale. Then I noticed they had a $100 discount coupon on all air tools. I asked if that coupon was good toward a compressor and they said it was. So I ended up getting an $1079. compressor for about $700.

My Husky has a 4HP motor, 2 stage doulble cylinder, 175# max, 12.6 SCFM @ 90, 12.2 SCFM at 175. It is certified by Campbell Hausfeld (I'm guessing they make them for HD)