bws

quincy,puma???thinking 115v 3-5 hp...

Begle1

Ingersoll-Rand???
They make the best compressors; don't know if they got a 20 gallon horizontal though...

spunbearing

Ingersol makes great stuff. Never buy a craftsman compressor. The connecting rod and piston are cast in one piece without a wrist pin so they knock around in the sheet metal sleeved cylinder. I also don't care for Binks compressors. Although they make great spray guns their compressors are left wanting. You're gonna think that I'm crazy but one of the best compressors I've ever owned ( 9 years now) is a campbell hausfield. Most of their stuff is crap but if you buy their professional series cast iron compressor it's very well built. Mine has a 5.5 HP honda engine on it with a cast iron pump. Never buy an oiless compressor pump. Campbell hausfield also makes the same compressor pump with the electric motor like you want in a 20 gallon horizontal.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=34850
This one has the same cast iron pump that mine has but it's 220v.
P.S. Emglo makes a great compressor too. What will you be using it for mostly? Air tools? Nailguns?

I PASS GAS

Keep in mind that many of the compressors that are 110v can be wired to 220v faily easily. Most of the larger compressor pull tons of juice and will hog the circuit leaving not much left to run other things. I have a dedicated 220 line for my compressor, makes it much easier in the garage not to have to make trips to the breaker every time the compressor kicks on and the radio is turned up and a few lights are on.

Jim Lane

I have 2 air compressors, the one I use most is a Speedaire 2 hp. 220 volts. It has a 30 gallon tank and I have the shutoff set at 150psi for my 3/4" impact. My other air compressor I have had for about 25 years and it as a Kellogg American cast iron head 30 gallon tank with a 2 hp motor it still works fine. And if at all possible run it on 220 volts.
Check Graingers for some compressors, they are overpriced but they good units.
Jim.

amartinson

IMO, get a compressor that is belt driven. My Craftsman is shaft/direct drive and was sold to me as "maintenence free". In actuality, it is just very noisy and vibrates so much it will walk across the floor if it runs for a long time.

For $100 you can come over to my house and take it away.

redramnc

My brothers and I chose a 5HP/20 gallon gas Quincy when the old gas Speedaire got stolen some years ago. That old Speedaire had painted many a car over the years and we hated to see it disappear. We had upgraded it to a 5HP gas from the original 4 HP gas but the 12 gallon tank made it alot more portable than the 20 gallon Quincy. It takes 2 big boys to get teh Quincy in and out of a pickup bed - just because it has a handle don't mean it is easily portable.

The industrial series Puma and Quincy pumps are about as good as you can get. I reckon Speedaire/Dayton is right up there with them, at least in the higher end pumps.

If you want portable the best you can do is about 3HP on regular (12GA) wiring/115V and that is pushing the limit on startup current. On a hot day my old 2HP Sears (about 40 years old and on its second or third motor) will pop the breaker on startup if the shop freezer is running and I have it plugged into the same circuit.

Buy the best you can afford and then you will never have to worry about it.

AggieJustin

Not to mention that the compressor shakes so much that it finally broke the metal line from the compressor into the tank on mine. I heard air leaking the other day while it was running and when I get there I find that the line broke in two.

SoTexRattler

What is your application? Heavy Commercial use?, ya might better go with something beefier (I-R etc).
Home applications, I wholeheartedly second the recommendations for low speed, belt driven cast iron Campbell Hausfeld Pro series compressors...

Last week I finally bought a HUSKY labeled 2HP 26gal vertical compressor from Home Depot(made by Campbell-Hausfeld).. I WANTED a 20gal max for portability and vertical tank for smallest footprint, but couldn't get the good 2 cyl. cast iron comp with a 20gal tank (horiz OR vert) for nearly as cheap as the 26 gal vertical with the CH cast iron compressor from Home Depot. ($370 )
Lots better made commercial units out there but BOY they are expen$ive! (Inger$ol-Rand, Quincy, Speedaire, Worthington etc.)

I definitely didn't want an oilless, direct drive screamer like my neighbor has(LOUD!). Once I was in his garage talking with him and I liked to have jumped outta' my skin when it kicked on! That noise would get old REALLY QUICK if I had to be around it all the time.

Beware! Some of those 20 gal units for sale out there have a direct-drive UNIVERSAL type motor on them... (brush type!)
Those brushes wear out with lots of use... Yes they pump like crazy but at a price.


After I got my unit home, I gave it a good going over prior to startup, and the ONLY part on the thing that was made in china were the pneumatic tires.

Keith

HOHN

When I went compressor shopping, I knew I wanted an oil-lubed indirect-drive model.

The IR garagemates are great and hold up well.

I ended up buying a cheapie CH Ironforce from Lowe's. It's direct drive oil-free (and LOUD). Why?

Because I can buy TWO of the cheap Lowe's CH compressors for the price of ONE IR compressor. I don't know how hard I will be on compressors in my usage profile. I move a lot and can't have a stationary 220 80 gal model.

So far, the cheap compressor is doig well, but I've only had it a year. I'm amazed how well it keeps up with a die grinder. I was expecting it to poop out and not have enough air, but when I ported my turbine housing, that never happened.

I had low (Lowe's?) expectations when I bought this compressor, and I have so far been pleasantly surprised.

Justin

cincydiesel

Ingersoll-Rand is the only way to go I have a 80 gallon T-30 I baught a Tractor Supply for $670.00 go anywhere else and thier in the 1000's range. Love it I can run anything off it

cincydiesel

Tractor Supply caries various sizes if IR's

Fronty Owner

More importantly, how much pressure and flow do you need?
A screw compressor may be more economical in the long run instead of a piston compressor. Its a variable displacement compressor so you dont need as big of a tank.

doomgaze

I am a manager at Tractor Supply. By far the most popular model is the 5HP 80gal IR.

17.1 CFM @ 90 P.S.I. 230V Two-Stage 11.8 H.P. Peak 175 Max. P.S.I. On-Site Service

Running $999 right now.

Also carry a single stage similar to the above for $750.

I rarely see an IR returned. You can't beat them.

Meatball

I live 5 miles from the Former Emglo plant, great compressor. we have 2 that are over 20 years old, still work cherry. But a year and a half ago Dewault bought it out and shipped all the jobs to Mexico. I no longer buy/support Dewault Stuff.