I NEED A Compressor

[EdK]

I need to get a compressor soon. This last weekend I went to use my wheelbarrow and the tires were in desperate need of some air. "Crap" I said. I don't have any way to pump them up and the gas station in town is being rebuilt and hasn't opened yet so no air pump to fill my small tank. I ended up using the wheelbarrow for the one trip from the garage to the shed and vowed to pick up a compressor real soon. So I've been looking at what the two stores that are close to me have available and am considering one of these.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/p...381_122381

http://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardwa...-12910.htm

http://www.menards.com/main/tools-hardwa...-12910.htm

I don't want to spend a fortune on this compressor since I intend to eventually get an 80 gallon vertical compressor in the distant future. Uses for this small compressor would be for pumping up tires, blowing off stuff in the shop, running a small nail gun and other things in the shop that I can't think of this early in the morning.

Does anyone have any opinions on the compressors I've linked to?

Thanks,
Ed

[Highpower]

The I-R would be my first choice, followed by the Bosch unit.

That said.... I already have a large shop compressor, but recently purchased a cheap ($120) HF portable compressor for light duty stuff outside so I don't have to run a 100 foot hose from the shop. It does fine for tires, blowing off dust/dirt etc., and short bursts with the plasma cutter.

http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/c...67501.html

[stevec]

(12-04-2012, 07:16 AM)EdK Wrote: I need to get a compressor soon. This last weekend I went to use my wheelbarrow and the tires were in desperate need of some air.

Ed, how about one of these while you shop/make up your mind?
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-100...69284.html

[DaveH]

Ed,
If it is just a quick temp, I would go for the least expensive, that Harbour Freight one (from Willie) would do me.
The other thing of course is to change to a solid wheel
There again if you filled the tyre with helium it might make the loads lighter

DaveH

[TomG]

I would go the cheap route as well, but Harbor Freight still scares the heck out of me. For an extra $50 you'll get better quality and piece of mind from Menard's. Almost everything I've purchased from Harbor Freight (except shop rags) has had an issue of some sort.

Tom

[Highpower]

Something else to be aware of is that these little compressors are NOISY!

And in the case of my HF unit, in true import tradition.... I made sure to break in the compressor by running it open tank for 30 minutes and changing the oil. (TWICE) Lots of golden metal flakes in the oil the first change, and a small amount in the second.

The plastic air inlet and thin open cell foam "filter" was a joke, and made the thing obnoxiously loud when running. I picked up a compact metal air filter housing and paper air filter elements from McMaster-Carr that worked a treat. It has a "muffled" intake port on the housing that greatly reduced the noise and makes it bearable to use now.

[EdK]

Thanks for all of the advise. I should clarify a few things though.

This is not a quick fix for pumping up tires. The wheelbarrow tire incident was just the straw that broke the camels back. The main use will be for shop purposes. It is a temporary fix but we are talking years here not days, weeks or even months. The 80 gallon compressor I want to get is around $1000 so it's way down on the list of purchases. I hate oil-less compressors so they are not an option. This compressor will be in the basement so noise will be an issue but since I live alone and will only turn it on when I actually need to use it, I can deal with that.

Thanks all.

Ed

[EdK]

(12-04-2012, 08:18 AM)TomG Wrote: but Harbor Freight still scares the heck out of me.

Tom

I agree, especially when I see this posted on their page for the compressor.

"We guarantee this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship 90 days from the date of purchase. Limitations apply."

That doesn't make me all warm and fuzzy considering I'd be putting a pressurized tank in my basement.

Ed

[sasquatch]

I see no RPM stats on the first two, just the Bosch states 3400 rpm.

The 3400 rpm is noisy , the 1725 ones are quieter, and i would presume last longer?

[Sunset Machine]

The high-speed direct drive models are sold on cost rather than longevity. Aluminum crankcase? Nylon bearings? Dial-up kinda hinders me from looking at the links above, but I did look at the Ingersol-Rand at Northern - ugh.