Air compressor question....for home garage use

[MT930]

Originally Posted by aigel

Do not buy an oil free compressor. Their lifetime is much shorter than the oiled models. The oiled ones run much quieter too.

The craftsman oil free unit I had had aluminum pistons with leather rings running in teflon coated aluminum cylinders. I rebuilt it 3 times before I tossed it. I bought a simple oiled compressor at Costco for under $300 - 40 gallos IIRC. Oil free is being sold as superior - IMHO it is a way for the companies to sell you cheap stuff at a higher price. Especially since you aren't painting, an oil free compressor has no advantage. Even paint shops or other pro applications that are worried about oil run oiled compressors and use oil separators instead ...

That's my two cents.

George

Agree I have 2 Porter Cables oil type they work well for med duty. You will need some capacity for running air tools. 40+ gallons.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Agree on the oiless. They are good for nail guns and low volume tools. But I woulddnt want one to run anything that uses a high volume of air.

?

The volume of air isn't a function of the lubrication.

George

[legion]

Originally Posted by aigel

?

The volume of air isn't a function of the lubrication.

George

Yes, but the diaphrams do wear quicker the higher the volume you require of the air compressor.

[NICKG]

i have a sears professional series,50 gallon oil less compressor. it is unfreekingbelievably loud....but it has been flawless for like 8 years
175 psi no problem

[aigel]

I am not sure where you get the idea that there is a diaphragm pump in oil-less compressors? The large ones certainly do not have that. My Crapsman 60 gallon had a two cylinder oil-less pump with leather for rings and teflon coated cylinders.

What you really should quote in place of years of service is hours of operation. I used to do a lot of sanding / body work and the oil-less Crapsman maybe lasted 500 hours on the first set of p/c and then went down to probably 100 hours on the second and third sets of p/c.

George

[Buckterrier]

Originally Posted by phred68

No coincidence, those are the 'new' smart banners. Kind of freaked me out at first...

WOW no kidding.
I'm going to start a thread looking for a young submissive blond

[89911]

Judging since you don't own one now, you don't have heavy duty needs for a compressor, don't over buy something that you use occasionally. If your a professional body repair shop or a tire changing business buy accordingly. If you occasionally need to inflate some tires or bust loose a bolt or two, you don't need much. I bought an oil less 20 gallon unit from Sam's about 10 years ago and it is doing fine. I don't need a 50 gallon unit hogging up space in my garage for my limited use.

[red-beard]

30 gallon - oil filled - "Chicago whatever" brand that I picked up at Harbor Freight. Works great, had it for a couple of years. YMMV.