Bird
Epic Contributor
Appears to be comparable to the Puma that Northern Tool sells for $12 less. I don't know whether you have a Northern Tool store nearby so you could avoid shipping charges or not.
air compressor
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Appears to be comparable to the Puma that Northern Tool sells for $12 less. I don't know whether you have a Northern Tool store nearby so you could avoid shipping charges or not.
westbrooklawn
Platinum Member
Thanks for the tip Bird - I have 3 Northern Tool stores withing 30-45 minutes from where I live... I'll check the Puma out. Is your Puma "quiet" in your opinion? I have a 20 year old oiless Craftsman that will wake the dead while it is running, and I really want something that is quieter.
Bird
Epic Contributor
Of course the Puma is made in China, but the dealer I bought mine from (Industrial Air of Texas in Arlington) said he had some running in commercial locations that ran continuously for hours. And mine did, too. In fact, I bought it on December 9, 1998, to replace a 3 year old oilless that I had rebuilt 3 times. I used a compressor back then enough that the oilless couldn't make more than 6 to 8 months at a time.:laughing: As for how loud it was, I really couldn't say, but I think it'll be quieter than your oilless. I had it in a 60' x 40' shop on the other side of a plywood wall from my workbench. When I had to move back to town 4 years later, the realtor who arranged the sale of my place also had a very nice ranch, and he bought that Puma air-compressor from me.
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SageBrush
Gold Member
We picked up a IR 80 gallon at TSC last year. I think it was around $900 or so. Great compresor, well built. Nothing else compared for the money around here. I needed the higher CFM.
Nothing at lowes or hd came close, tired of messing with those light duty compresors.
Nothing at lowes or hd came close, tired of messing with those light duty compresors.
Nicb7800
Member
Hello
We have owned a compressor shop in s.l.c utah now for 27 years. I read threw a few of the guys comments and some are actually right. We repair all of the home depots in Utah, so I will tell you first hand that if you want to get some good years out of a compressor then you prob shouldn't purchase one there. The pumps start to use oil after a bit and the first time it seems like a guy doesn't check it, it seizes up. I won't sit and bash on them, but I will tell you each compressor has there strong and weak points. I repair every kind so I am very non bias. Even the newer IR have really gone down hill, there new style head makes it so there valve looks like something that would be in a porter cable. That means not good. Lol of course I no there's someone out there saying I love my harbor freight compressor and that's fine. I just can't sell stuff like that cuz I would be out of business. Lol anyhow a couple of things to look for if you want to cut threw the b.s......... First the motor a true 5h.p. or even a 3h.p. should be a 1740 rpm a lot of the cheaper quality motors are a 3450 rpm. They do this usually when they are using a small displacement pump so they will turn it a million mph to try to make up for what it is lacking in displacement. So bad things about that is, they are louder, u usually don't get as much air, and they walk across the floor...............second if possible get a two stage pump, not to confuse with two cylinder. A two stage pump is a two cylinder but it is a lot more efficient at higher psi, they run cooler, generally last longer, and are capable of higher pressures. For a example. A single stage, two cylinder unit usually start out strong but both of the pistons are doing the exact same thing and are the same displacement. The higher in pressure it gets the more inefficient it gets...............a two stage, two cylinder unit has one large piston and one smaller. The large piston runs always around 60 psi and is called the gulper, the other piston is smaller but is the high pressure side and that is the one that pushes it in to the tank. So throughout the whole spectrum the two stage unit loses very little performance. So anyhow a lot better. The difference is instead of a differential of a single stage from 145 and turn on at 115 psi, a two stage shuts off at 175 and back on around 145. Another thing is a true 5 hp motor is going to be 220v only. When we set them up you would be pulling around 21 Amps at shut off and are going to be around 17 to 19 honest cfm not the doctored number. Sorry if I have confused you at all I was honestly was just trying to help, I just have to try and start at the first sense I do not know your knowledge on the subject.lol. So if you have a question on a particular brand I could tell you the good and bad about each one. One you might want to look in to is a Rolair 80 gallon 5h.p. with a chinook k30. They are a good unit Italian made pumps that you can get some serious time out of. They have a web sight. Anyhow hoped this helped a bit. Nic
We have owned a compressor shop in s.l.c utah now for 27 years. I read threw a few of the guys comments and some are actually right. We repair all of the home depots in Utah, so I will tell you first hand that if you want to get some good years out of a compressor then you prob shouldn't purchase one there. The pumps start to use oil after a bit and the first time it seems like a guy doesn't check it, it seizes up. I won't sit and bash on them, but I will tell you each compressor has there strong and weak points. I repair every kind so I am very non bias. Even the newer IR have really gone down hill, there new style head makes it so there valve looks like something that would be in a porter cable. That means not good. Lol of course I no there's someone out there saying I love my harbor freight compressor and that's fine. I just can't sell stuff like that cuz I would be out of business. Lol anyhow a couple of things to look for if you want to cut threw the b.s......... First the motor a true 5h.p. or even a 3h.p. should be a 1740 rpm a lot of the cheaper quality motors are a 3450 rpm. They do this usually when they are using a small displacement pump so they will turn it a million mph to try to make up for what it is lacking in displacement. So bad things about that is, they are louder, u usually don't get as much air, and they walk across the floor...............second if possible get a two stage pump, not to confuse with two cylinder. A two stage pump is a two cylinder but it is a lot more efficient at higher psi, they run cooler, generally last longer, and are capable of higher pressures. For a example. A single stage, two cylinder unit usually start out strong but both of the pistons are doing the exact same thing and are the same displacement. The higher in pressure it gets the more inefficient it gets...............a two stage, two cylinder unit has one large piston and one smaller. The large piston runs always around 60 psi and is called the gulper, the other piston is smaller but is the high pressure side and that is the one that pushes it in to the tank. So throughout the whole spectrum the two stage unit loses very little performance. So anyhow a lot better. The difference is instead of a differential of a single stage from 145 and turn on at 115 psi, a two stage shuts off at 175 and back on around 145. Another thing is a true 5 hp motor is going to be 220v only. When we set them up you would be pulling around 21 Amps at shut off and are going to be around 17 to 19 honest cfm not the doctored number. Sorry if I have confused you at all I was honestly was just trying to help, I just have to try and start at the first sense I do not know your knowledge on the subject.lol. So if you have a question on a particular brand I could tell you the good and bad about each one. One you might want to look in to is a Rolair 80 gallon 5h.p. with a chinook k30. They are a good unit Italian made pumps that you can get some serious time out of. They have a web sight. Anyhow hoped this helped a bit. Nic
LarryD
Veteran Member
Boy do I feel a little dumb. Yes my motor has SPL for HP rating. Both the physical size and amps are a dead giveaway that that thing is no where near a 6HP motor. I just never really thought about it. It really is a shame that manufacturers can slap a label on something that isn't true.
I have seen a 5HP motor that was half the size of my compressor motor but then it needed 400Hz to run.
dmrp6510
Bronze Member
Eaton compressor USA built baldor motors and best cfm for the dollar.