New Compressor...

[Baatfam]

A compressor tale for all y'all...

A couple years before we got married, (so at least 32+ years), my wife bought me a compressor for Christmas.
Completely out of the blue, a big surprise, and something I really needed.
She did well, getting a 3 1/2 HP, 25 Gal Craftsman horizontal compressor, with enough cfm to run air tools, sand blast and paint.
It was noisy, being oil-less type, but our garage wasn't that close to the house.

Had to rebuild it every 12 years or so. But Sears sold rebuild kits, and they were well under $50, so every 12 years? Eh...OK.

2018, due again, but Craftsman parts are discontinued. I found a couple unknown brand rebuild kits on line, order one, put it in, and all seemed good again.
Fast forward to 2021, connecting rod snaps. Order another kit. Install. This weekend it could hardly get to 80psi.

Oh well....Not even 40 years old....

Anyway, I've been wanting an upright, oil-lubed compressor for many years. But they are costly.
Checked the box stores....But finally found one at Harbor Freight I liked. 29 gallon, 1.8 HP, 165 PSI Oil-Lube Vertical Air Compressor

Good reviews, fits my space and needs, quiet, good price with a $70 off coupon, and did I mention quiet? Yes it's quiet.

The old girl. She did good.


And the new one....

[salty_monk]

I've been using one of their $40 3 gallon ones at home for years.... man is it noisy! I keep promising myself an upgrade!

Seen those McGraw ones instore. Glad they go as well as they look.

Nessism showed me a Cali air tools one the other day - very nice too! https://www.californiaairtools.com/

[Redman]

Ha! First thing I thought of when saw title was “hey, isn’t this the guy that post about rebuilding his compressor?”
So, good that you included that aspect in your write up.

lot quieter, eh.
oil lubed you say.

wonder what specifically it is that makes it quieter.


any thoughts of making a portable tank out of the old one?

[Baatfam]

Ha! First thing I thought of when saw title was “hey, isn’t this the guy that post about rebuilding his compressor?”
So, good that you included that aspect in your write up.

lot quieter, eh.
oil lubed you say.

wonder what specifically it is that makes it quieter.


any thoughts of making a portable tank out of the old one?

Well it's a lot quieter than my old one....LOL...

They do make quiet oil-less compressors these days. Things have changed since 1989. My old one is uncomfortably loud.
The one I bought is 75db, and you can stand next to it while it's running, and have a conversation.

I shopped for something with a similar cfm, and tank size compared to the old one, but with a vertical tank.
The oil lubed ones seem to pass more air, and tend to last longer. Downside is more maintenance. Oil changes, belt adjustment.
.
As far as the old one, I know a guy who may want to try and fix it.

[bwringer]

I've been using one of their $40 3 gallon ones at home for years.... man is it noisy! I keep promising myself an upgrade!

Seen those McGraw ones instore. Glad they go as well as they look.

Nessism showed me a Cali air tools one the other day - very nice too! https://www.californiaairtools.com/

The "Fortress" brand "Ultra Quiet" compressors at HF really are, well, just what they say on the label -- ultra quiet. The smaller ones are darn near unnoticeable. Haven't heard the big one run. That said, they are oilless, which I try to avoid.



I am still using my Grandpa's 5HP Montgomery Wards compressor from the '70s. I have no idea how, but the tank is still in great shape. It's wearing a much newer motor my Dad probably acquired from some factory somewhere, but I'm pretty sure the pump is original. Still works just fine.

[Redman]

.....
.
As far as the old one,. . . . .

My father-in-law took an old malfunctioning compressor like yours, took off the compressor off the tank, and made it into a portable tank that he could pump up (with new compressor) and take out in the field.

[Baatfam]

My father-in-law took an old malfunctioning compressor like yours, took off the compressor off the tank, and made it into a portable tank that he could pump up (with new compressor) and take out in the field.

Yup....But I already have a 5 gallon portable tank. The tank on the old compressor is 25 gallons. Pretty big for a "portable."

[Redman]

Yup....But I already have a 5 gallon portable tank. The tank on the old compressor is 25 gallons. Pretty big for a "portable."

Oh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Nessism]

Inspired by this thread, I checked pricing for compressors and WOW, have they gotten expensive!!!

Can't say I'd normally recommend a Harbor Freight air compressor, but for the price, particularly against the competition, I think this unit is a fair deal. That said, compressors need to be durable, and a cheap compressor that craps out early is no deal, regardless of how cheap it was. I had a 20 gallon Campbell Hausfeld 2hp jobby that I beat on mercilessly, and it ran until the day I traded it away (with a rust hole though the tank.) For giggles I checked pricing, and found out that this same compressor is still being built. BUT, it's $863!!! NO freaking way I'd pay that for one of those compressors. It's weak. It will run near 100% duty cycle, though. Anyway, it's a whole new world out there for compressors.

[Baatfam]

Inspired by this thread, I checked pricing for compressors and WOW, have they gotten expensive!!!

Can't say I'd normally recommend a Harbor Freight air compressor, but for the price, particularly against the competition, I think this unit is a fair deal. That said, compressors need to be durable, and a cheap compressor that craps out early is no deal, regardless of how cheap it was. I had a 20 gallon Campbell Hausfeld 2hp jobby that I beat on mercilessly, and it ran until the day I traded it away (with a rust hole though the tank.) For giggles I checked pricing, and found out that this same compressor is still being built. BUT, it's $863!!! NO freaking way I'd pay that for one of those compressors. It's weak. It will run near 100% duty cycle, though. Anyway, it's a whole new world out there for compressors.

That's how I saw it. Anything oil lubed with close to my old compressor's capabilities, was close to $1K at Lowes or HD.
And I can't say they looked any better built than the McGraw. It also looked better built than the other HF brands. But we'll see.
There was also a $70 off coupon on their web site, which brought it down to $499.99.

Anyway, so far, so good.
Set it up and did the break in yesterday. It actually has an hours meter, which will be useful.
Noted the pressure last night, and will check later this morning to see if it is leak free.

[bwringer]

The Harbor Freight compressors are legit, or at least as legit as most of the other stuff you'll find, and they have a good track record. For the most part, all the assorted brands are the same thing painted different colors. If you do have a warranty issue, at least there's a store nearby in most of the US.

If you really want to geek out, then hit aircompressorsdirect.com and bring money...

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I had cheap Delta that I bought back in the late 90s when we bought our first home. Came with a paint spray gun(very cheap but occasionally handy), and a Air Ratchet w/a few sockets. The compressor has helped with more home renovation projects, filled more bike tires and pool toys, removed more nuts and bolts than I can remember. Last couple of years I had trouble with the screw-type/release valve corroding and alternately losing air, then deciding it would hold air. This is my own fault for almost never opening the valve to relieve air and trapped moisture. Really surprised it lasted as long as it did. I've now passed this one on to a coworker who likes to tinker w/ such things. I got my use out of it, and this guy has helped me with a bunch of stuff I couldn't/didn't know how to my own - not the least of which was helping my replace my well pump.


So just before Christmas, my mom says she's taking me shopping for a new compressor. We went to Lowe's on another friend's recommendation to check out their Kobalt line of compressors. I came home with this one. I think it was on sale for $200. I've only used a couple of times, but I cannot believe how quiet it is. The 1/4 turn ball valve on the bottom of the tank is easy to turn and I will be much more diligent about opening it up when I'm done using it.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-Quie...?user=shopping

[trent]

A compressor tale for all y'all...

A couple years before we got married, (so at least 32+ years), my wife bought me a compressor for Christmas.
Completely out of the blue, a big surprise, and something I really needed.
She did well, getting a 3 1/2 HP, 25 Gal Craftsman hor

The old girl. She did good.


And the new one....

Congrats on new compressor, my uncle sold (practically free) me this craftsman air compressor when I was 16, think it was four or five years old then I think.

I have ran air ratchet, a gun that spays texture on ceiling but mainly just airing up tires.
Still works great never have replaced anything on it...

20230301_180855.jpg

[JMHJ]

Still have the Coleman Powermate Pro I got nearly 25 years ago, after I got out' the military. 5hp, 20gal. This thread inspired me to check the oil - still looks good. Only thing I've done to it cobble up a replacement drain valve. Don't use it that much though. I think it was $300 back then.

Funny I just remembered that it fell off the back of a trailer when we moved over 15 years ago and the pulley guard got messed up... Had to reattach that, but it otherwise survived unscathed. My stupid fault and that's all I'll say, lol.

[Nessism]

No disrespect to anyone, but 5hp is not possible on 110V. Most 110V lines max out at 15A or maybe 20A, and that's 2-3hp.

Back in the day, not sure exactly sure when, but I think it was 20 years ago or so, there was a Compressor War. Many of the consumer grade compressor manufacturers were pushing the thermal and electrical limits, and overrating their machines, to the point that the government stepped in and put a stop to it. I have a DeVilbiss 6.5hp rated jobby, that's a stressed out mess. It draws something like 24A when it's running. And that's after I got a new pulley that spins the compressor slower than before. It's popped the motor caps, opened the klixon a time or two, and wouldn't start on a semi-regular basis. It's been settling down lately, so I'm crossing my fingers, but it's not a Qunicy or IR (trustworthy units.)