My 30 year old Sears air compressor has given up the ghost. Actually it was
made by Devilbiss and went by sears only in name .
The primary use has been for spraying furniture finishes.
I went to the local Lowes and HD to find a new one . In the meantime I
figured I would get one a little more powerful. My old one was rated at 2
HP.
I found a 7HP unit at Lowes and the similar one at HD. Then checking the
specs I noticed that the 7HP was "peak" and that the continuous rating was 1
1/2 HP. On the side of the unit was a sticker showing which tools it could
be used to operate . A Spraygun was not one of them .
So what the heck should I be looking for in this day and age a 20 HP unit ?
--
http://members.tripod.com/mikehide2
"Mike Hide" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:%ltkd.81652$R05.4424@attbi_s53...
> >
> So what the heck should I be looking for in this day and age a 20 HP unit
?
>
I have this compressor, it serves me well. It runs my spray gun.
http://www.porter-cable.com/index.asp?e=547&p=4701
It is a light duty unit as are 90% of the units you see at home stores.
I paid just under $400.
Greg
>My 30 year old Sears air compressor has given up the ghost. Actually it was
>made by Devilbiss and went by sears only in name .
>The primary use has been for spraying furniture finishes.
>
>I went to the local Lowes and HD to find a new one . In the meantime I
>figured I would get one a little more powerful. My old one was rated at 2
>HP.
>
>I found a 7HP unit at Lowes and the similar one at HD. Then checking the
>specs I noticed that the 7HP was "peak" and that the continuous rating was 1
>1/2 HP. On the side of the unit was a sticker showing which tools it could
>be used to operate . A Spraygun was not one of them .
>
>So what the heck should I be looking for in this day and age a 20 HP unit ?
>
>--
>http://members.tripod.com/mikehide2
Don't go by the little words or HP figures, find out what the air delivery is.
Then see if your spray gun is under that ceiling. You can actually operate any
air tool on any compressor, but if the compressor doesn't have the delivery
you'll have to pause as it recharges the tank.
GTO(John)
I looked at the offerings at Lowes, Home Depot,
Northern Tools, etc. I wasn't satisfied with the
offerings and did some research and came up with
what I think is a very good deal on a very, very
powerful compressor. North Central Air in Downs,
Kansas sells Industrial Gold Compressors and Leeson
Industrial Motors. To make it short, I got a
42 CFM dual stage, 4 cylinder, with unloaders and
all that stuff, along with a 7 1/2 HP Leeson
Industrial motor (both compressor and motor rated
at 100% duty cycle), the pilot valve, check valve,
etc. including shipping for a little less than
$800. I added a used (but in great shape) 120
gallon tank and I have a real horse of a setup.
The specifics on the compressors manufactured in
Missouri are at:
http://www.industrialgold.com/
Some specifics:
Cast Iron head, cylinders, after cooler, intercooler and pump body. 5
individual concentric disc valves. Strict monitoring of Cylinder
casting hardness complements the 4 Hastings USA rings. Connecting rods
are precision bored Steel not Cast Iron or Aluminum and have Japanese
world class full compliment needle bearings. Only Hastings USA machined
steel piston rings. Tests show a 2-3 times longer life than Chinese
made rings. Automotive-type, precision grounded crankshaft. Crankcase
Breather Tube returns to intake so the compressor stays cleaner, better
looking and quieter. Deep pitch Flywheel results in a 10 degree cooler
output temperature. Non-asbestos Armstrong USA gaskets.
I can't tell you the prices going through Industrial Gold direclty
because I bought mine through North Central Air (which I understand
is where the Ind. Gold compressors were originally made).
If you are in the notion of building your own unit, I'd strongly
recommend you contact REX at
North Central Air
619 Morgan
Downs, KS 67437
785-454-3409 Last email address I have is [email protected]
Sorry for the double post on the same subject ... thanks for the good advice
,the porter cable unit seems to be a good solution it doesnt take that much
room either.....mjh
--
http://members.tripod.com/mikehide2
"Mike Hide" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:%ltkd.81652$R05.4424@attbi_s53...
> My 30 year old Sears air compressor has given up the ghost. Actually it
> was made by Devilbiss and went by sears only in name .
> The primary use has been for spraying furniture finishes.
>
> I went to the local Lowes and HD to find a new one . In the meantime I
> figured I would get one a little more powerful. My old one was rated at 2
> HP.
>
> I found a 7HP unit at Lowes and the similar one at HD. Then checking the
> specs I noticed that the 7HP was "peak" and that the continuous rating was
> 1 1/2 HP. On the side of the unit was a sticker showing which tools it
> could be used to operate . A Spraygun was not one of them .
>
> So what the heck should I be looking for in this day and age a 20 HP unit
> ?
>
> --
> http://members.tripod.com/mikehide2
"Mike Hide" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:%ltkd.81652$R05.4424@attbi_s53...
> My 30 year old Sears air compressor has given up the ghost. Actually it
was
> made by Devilbiss and went by sears only in name .
> The primary use has been for spraying furniture finishes.
>
> I went to the local Lowes and HD to find a new one . In the meantime I
> figured I would get one a little more powerful. My old one was rated at 2
> HP.
>
> I found a 7HP unit at Lowes and the similar one at HD. Then checking the
> specs I noticed that the 7HP was "peak" and that the continuous rating was
1
> 1/2 HP. On the side of the unit was a sticker showing which tools it could
> be used to operate . A Spraygun was not one of them .
>
> So what the heck should I be looking for in this day and age a 20 HP unit
?
>
> --
> http://members.tripod.com/mikehide2
>
Forget HP ratings. Look for SCFM ratings. That's the air delivery rate and
that's what matters. For spraying you'll need around 10SCFM for a good
continuous supply of air. That's quite an easy number to come by in
compressors today. You should be able to find plenty of 5HP compressors
delivering at least 10SCFM. Most of these are around the $400.00 mark.
FWIW, both the HD and the Lowes compressors are built by Campbell Hausfeld.
Absolutely no difference between like compressors other than one store may
throw in a regulator as part of the deal and another may not. The important
thing is to know that CH does not build a spec compressor for the chains.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
On Wed, 10 Nov 2004 18:46:19 GMT, "Mike Hide" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>So what the heck should I be looking for in this day and age a 20 HP unit ?
Something in the "1000 peak watts" range :-)
"Mike Hide" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:%ltkd.81652$R05.4424@attbi_s53...
> My 30 year old Sears air compressor has given up the ghost. Actually it
> was made by Devilbiss and went by sears only in name .
> The primary use has been for spraying furniture finishes.
>
> I went to the local Lowes and HD to find a new one . In the meantime I
> figured I would get one a little more powerful. My old one was rated at 2
> HP.
>
> I found a 7HP unit at Lowes and the similar one at HD. Then checking the
> specs I noticed that the 7HP was "peak" and that the continuous rating was
> 1 1/2 HP. On the side of the unit was a sticker showing which tools it
> could be used to operate . A Spraygun was not one of them .
>
> So what the heck should I be looking for in this day and age a 20 HP unit
> ?
>
> --
> http://members.tripod.com/mikehide2
Either CFM to match your tools, or at least the same amp draw as the old
one....