compressor; small but good quality

geish · Dec 21, 2005

I don't know if this is the right forum to post this. Mods, please move if necessary.

I'm looking for a small but good quality compressor to use on my tractor and around the farm. I'll be using it for things such as inflating tires, drying tractor parts and cleaning the dust off of the tractor. It's always handy to have some compressed air. It's convenient to get dust and debris out of the small spaces on the tractor.

I don't need anything fancy or big. I just want something that will last. All the IR's are too big. I don't really need anything over 3 gal. I don't even know if what I'm looking for exists.
They sell a Cambell Hausfeld at Wally World that's about the size I'm looking for, but I don't know of their quality.

Thanks in advance. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

BobReeves · Dec 22, 2005

I have a small CH air compressor I tote around for air nailers. It's about 9 years old has been droped off the back of my pickup and generally abused. Wouldn't hesitate to buy another one.

RalphVa · Dec 22, 2005

I bought a Clark (think this is the name of it) Champ at TSC about 6 months or so ago. It's about a 2 or 3 gallon one with 5.0 SCFM air flow. It's an oil type compressor. Had still another (think it's the 2nd or 3rd one) oil-less one go out on me before buying it.

The Champ has enough flow to power my 1/2" drive torque wrench and paint sprayer bought at TSC.

Think the suction valve went out on it. Just bought another and screwed it in. It would run without the valve: just unscrewed it until I could go get one. Think that's the only problem so far. It seems slow to get going in cold weather. (My old oil-less one wouldn't go at all in cold.) I'd like to find some synthetic oil to put into its "crankcase". Would make it start up better in cold weather.

Ralph

EddieWalker · Dec 22, 2005

I'll second getting one with an oil tank. From what I've read and been told by others, the oil less ones just don't last as long.

Both of mine have oil tanks.

My small one is a no-name cheapy from a local tool store that I ran everyday while building my house. I paid just over $100 for it and ran it 4 months straight!!

Lowes and Home Depot seem to have some decent ones in that price range too.

Eddie

timb · Dec 22, 2005

Harbor Freight has a unit @ $169 on line but $99 at the stores right now. "2 hp" direct drive to a piston oil-type compressor sitting on an 8 gallon tank. Quick research online and it seems like it has actually been a pretty good little unit over the last few years. Rated at 5.0 CFM (not scfm for whatever that's worth) @ 90 psi, 115psi max. Runs on 110v. Just bought one for someone as a Christmas present so I'll get to see if it actually holds up or not.

Bird · Dec 22, 2005

Oilless compressors work just fine, except you should expect approximately one-tenth the lifespan that you get with an oiled compressor and you should not run an oilless compressor for more than 10 minutes continuously or you'll shorten its life even more. Some of the oiled compressors, especially the aluminum ones, also warn in the manual against continuous operation for more than 10 minutes. And some of the oiled compressors (again the aluminum ones, in my experience) have a very shallow crankcase; it may "look" like it's got enough oil while it actually does not. They need to be filled right to the top of the fill hole.

Most iron compressors will probably last a lifetime if kept full of clean oil.

theboman · Dec 22, 2005

got sears?

I have small Cambell ?? That last 6 months. It still makes a noise but won't work.

I went to Sears got a small compressor, it cost about $175 and it's been awesome the past 203 years.

Bully · Dec 22, 2005

( Harbor Freight has a unit @ $169 on line but $99 at the stores right now. "2 hp" direct drive to a piston oil-type compressor sitting on an 8 gallon tank. Quick research online and it seems like it has actually been a pretty good little unit over the last few years. Rated at 5.0 CFM (not scfm for whatever that's worth) @ 90 psi, 115psi max. Runs on 110v. Just bought one for someone as a Christmas present so I'll get to see if it actually holds up or not. ) I got one of these last year, It's great! Have about 50 hours on it now. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Soundguy · Dec 23, 2005

Sounds like you want a small pancake compressor. I think they can be had in the 79-89$ range. i got one from a chinese tool store about 4 ys ago 4g/2hp.. used the snot out of it.. Have used it with an attatched 10g tank, and used it to paint 3 tractors with so far... I've finally retired it to just filling tires as I know have a 27gallon 5hp upright job courtesy of christmas..

Soundguy

jwstewar · Dec 23, 2005

( I went to Sears got a small compressor, it cost about $175 and it's been awesome the past 203 years. )

That has been a great compressor. When they say a compressor will last a lifetime I didn't know they meant that long!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Wow, it must be somehow water or horse driven as I don't think electric or even steam power was around back then. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Sorry Bo, just yankin' your chain a little. I know what you meant, it was just funny. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif