Need Air Compressor and Bench Grinder advice.

[JOE G]

Deep in dirt, I have a 30 Gal Craftsman stand up like your IR and I now have a Emglo and a Ridgid Portable unit s like your Dewalt/Emglo, Now I just need a 60 to 80 Gal Vertical, and Ill have the House,Shop,Barns and Garage Covered.

 

[deepNdirt]

The Farmhand is a TSC house brand, when comparing it to the IR setting beside it, I couldn't see enough differences in their specs to justify paying 350 more for the IR, I came home and got on the net. to further research and check out the reviews and found some mix reviews, but still for the money savings I went the next day and purchased the FH for around 550....... the next week it came on sale for I think was 479, and they give a rebate of the difference, I didn't think was a bad deal for a 7hp compressor, and now I have just asked my wife how long I've had it and she's saying its' been more like 9 years, so I am even more please having made the purchase ..... Before I got the FarmHand, I had a CH for 20+ years, It got where it would run allot, I suppose due to wear in the cylinders/rings,etc,etc,...... I donated it to my BIL and he currently uses it, I will never knock a CH compressor,
...................................................................................
I just went over to TSC website and it looks like they no longer carry the Farmhand branded products, they're back to stocking the CH name brand, and I'm not seeing anything comparable to the one I have,

 

[mikehaugen]

There are definitely not as many different compressors out there as you might think. I have a husky brand that I got cheap because the pressure switch was bad, but it was so new that I still got fixed under warranty without any paperwork. It was made by Campbell Hausfield and was the same as the one under their name as well as a craftsman. There are few compressor manufacturers out there, with many people selling them with their house brand name on them.

If you are willing to spend the money, get an ingersoll rand type 30 (series). I don't personally have one but I sure hear a lot of praise for them from others.

 

[troutsqueezer]

If you're going to use your compressor to make a living and run it every day and all day,of course you would buy a more expensive unit. Who wouldn't? But for normal household use, let prudence be your guide. Despite what others have written, oil-less will run reliably for years and years and provide all the air pressure and volume you need. I have three of them, two for twenty years and they are still going strong. I run tools and spray guns with superb results. If you want bragging rights then buy a cast iron twin cylinder but you could have used that money for a tooth bar and gotten more bang for your buck.

 

[whistlepig]

If you're going to use your compressor to make a living and run it every day and all day,of course you would buy a more expensive unit. Who wouldn't? But for normal household use, let prudence be your guide. Despite what others have written, oil-less will run reliably for years and years and provide all the air pressure and volume you need. I have three of them, two for twenty years and they are still going strong. I run tools and spray guns with superb results. If you want bragging rights then buy a cast iron twin cylinder but you could have used that money for a tooth bar and gotten more bang for your buck.

What brand oil-less are you using?

 

[Bird]

Despite what others have written, oil-less will run reliably for years and years and provide all the air pressure and volume you need.

Yes, but only if you remember to not run them long enough at a time for them to get hot. Even some of the oiled compressors with aluminum parts and a shallow oil reservoir have manuals that say to not run them more than 10 minutes continuously. As one air-compressor salesman in a place that manufactures their own compressors as well as selling other brands told me, "If you think of an oil-less as being good for 1,000 hours, the oiled compressor will be good for 10,000 hours."

 

[deepNdirt]

I would be interested as well in Knowing what type of oil-less compressor's can last 20 years?


Edit:
I had written a full page and post it here, although decided to remove it and post this link instead, Perhaps some will find the info helpful if looking to buy either kind fo compressor,
http://www.carsdirect.com/car-repair/buyers-guide-oil-free-or-oil-air-compressor

 

[JOE G]

I found a Campbell Hausfeld twin Cylinder 80 Gal Vertical unit, Unsure of HP it is either 4.5 or 7.5 it is Black and says it is there Pro Model. It is a few years old not sure how many but it has just been sitting in storage, the Guy wants $600 for it, it is a few hours from here near a friend of mine who said he would pick it up for me and bring it up here. Is this a good deal?

 

[Turbys_1700]

I found a Campbell Hausfeld twin Cylinder 80 Gal Vertical unit, Unsure of HP it is either 4.5 or 7.5 it is Black and says it is there Pro Model. It is a few years old not sure how many but it has just been sitting in storage, the Guy wants $600 for it, it is a few hours from here near a friend of mine who said he would pick it up for me and bring it up here. Is this a good deal?

Tractor Supply sells the 80 gal IR 2 stage here in Hickory new for 1100 plus tax...
I had a similar deal last year off of Craigslist with the same compressor for $500...
To me it is worth $500 but I am a cheapskate...
I would think that the CH is priced a little lower than an IR...
I had a CH that was stolen a couple years ago...
It was a 30 gal but oiled compressor and was a good unit...

 

[Locoweed]

This one is 17 years old & hasn't missed a lick. I bought it when we were building our house to run a texture / splatter gun. I have done a fair amount of sand blasting with it, painting, you name it.

 

[jeffinsgf]

"Portable" is a relative term. I have a DeWalt/Emglo portable that is a real workhorse. I've run that thing hard and put it away wet, and it just keeps on delivering. However, you don't just pick it up and carry it anywhere you want. I also have a Rol-Air that is a lot more luggable, but it's electrics don't like to work on a long extension cord (it takes several seconds to start and sometimes trips its thermal).

I got one of these: Senco PC1010 Portable Electric Air Compressor in a package deal with a Senco stapler. In a moment of complete madness (and generosity) I gave it to my BIL that didn't have a compressor at all, when I had three. That little Senco was the handiest thing I've seen in a long time. It was perfect for taking through the house to use air tools on site. It didn't care how long an extension cord you used. You can carry it anywhere you want and it had enough power to air up big tractor tires and run pneumatic nailers of any type...but of course it fails on high air consumers. If you're in need of any kind of nailer, it's almost always packaged with pinners and nailers where the cost of the compressor is getting down in the $50 range. No, it isn't one you would want for your only compressor, but for real portability, you can't beat it.

 

[George2615]

I bought the Husky 80 gallon air compressor at HD a few years ago to replace a 25 years plus 60 gallon one in my garage. I waited for a sale and got it for a good price. I think it was around $750 with the sale price. Last month I bought a portable compressor (also at HD) on sale for $99. to run my Porter Cable air nailer. No problems with either one.
For a bench grinder I use a 6" 1/2 HP unit. I don't do any heavy grinding, mainly for sharpening drill bits with a fine stone on one side and a brass wire wheel on the other. For heavy grinding you should get an 8" with a 3/4 HP. I like the light on my grinder.

 

[JOE G]

I picked up the Craftsmen 8 Inch Grinder with a Light, Works well.

 

[JOE G]

Guys How Many amps does a 80 Gal 220 V 5 to 7.5 HP Air compressor usally use?

 

[joshuabardwell]

1 HP equals 746 watts. 8 HP is just under 6000 watts. 6000 / 240 = 25 amps. That's at 100% efficiency though, so actual draw will be higher. Let's say worst case is 50% efficiency, so actual draw should not exceed 50 amps. Not counting surge current, of course. Actual efficiency may be 70-90%.

 

[JOE G]

I am wiring everything up, And I don't have the Compressor narrowed down yet. SO I want to get a rough Idea,
This is what I have,
I have a 220 run with 12 2 or 12 3 Romex with a double 20 Amp Breaker
then I have a much larger 220 with a 50 Amp Breaker.
I am not a electrical guy someone ran this for me, one was sup to be for a compressor and one for a welder.

 

[Turbys_1700]

"Portable" is a relative term. I have a DeWalt/Emglo portable that is a real workhorse. I've run that thing hard and put it away wet, and it just keeps on delivering. However, you don't just pick it up and carry it anywhere you want. I also have a Rol-Air that is a lot more luggable, but it's electrics don't like to work on a long extension cord (it takes several seconds to start and sometimes trips its thermal).

I got one of these: Senco PC1010 Portable Electric Air Compressor in a package deal with a Senco stapler. In a moment of complete madness (and generosity) I gave it to my BIL that didn't have a compressor at all, when I had three. That little Senco was the handiest thing I've seen in a long time. It was perfect for taking through the house to use air tools on site. It didn't care how long an extension cord you used. You can carry it anywhere you want and it had enough power to air up big tractor tires and run pneumatic nailers of any type...but of course it fails on high air consumers. If you're in need of any kind of nailer, it's almost always packaged with pinners and nailers where the cost of the compressor is getting down in the $50 range. No, it isn't one you would want for your only compressor, but for real portability, you can't beat it.

About 25 years ago or so I won an Emglo portable that has two saddle tanks...
Probably about the same unit you have and that darn thing is absolutely indestructible...
I think I changed the oil in it 1 time just for funsies...
It is a heavy bugger and well built...
I guess it is the oiled compressor that gives it the longevity...

 

[JOE G]

I am looking at these two,

Craftsman 2 Stage Air Compressor: Get the Power to Push through Every Job with Sears

Ingersoll Rand® 5HP Air Compressor, 80 gal. - Tractor Supply Online Store

I am unsure on the wire size on the 50 amp circuit but i can find out.

 

[joshuabardwell]

I have a 220 run with 12 2 or 12 3 Romex with a double 20 Amp Breaker then I have a much larger 220 with a 50 Amp Breaker.
I am not a electrical guy someone ran this for me, one was sup to be for a compressor and one for a welder.

The 12-2 is good for 20 amps, hence the 20 amp breaker. My off-the-cuff math up there will get you in the ball park, but really, you need to look at the specs for the actual compressor you're considering. Still, if you're in the 5-8 amp range, I think you're pretty much guaranteed to exceed 20 amps.

For 50-amp service, you need at least 6-gauge wire, but if the circuit is dedicated to a welder, the NEC allows you to use a smaller-gauge wire, because it is known that the welder will not be run at 100% duty cycle. If the electrician took this into account, you may have smaller wire feeding the 50-amp receptacle, and it may not actually be good for 50 amps if you're running anything other than a welder. You really need to know the wire gauge that's feeding the 50-amp circuit, which should be printed on the wire sheathing.

I have done a little bit of web searching, and for a compressor that is rated in the 5-8 HP range, it seems like you would probably be okay with a 30-amp circuit.

 

[JOE G]

I think it is #6 Wire on the 50 Amp Circuit. I forgot to check today. I know he did not under size the wire.

I always thought 220 was 200, never thought about different amps.