Air compressor recommendations?

[Britt]

ManoKai -

OK, I've read page 1 of that thread... for some reason I can't navigate to page 2? (it keeps coming back to page 1?!? )

You mention that it's quiet... and that you have it in your garage. When it's running, can you hear it inside the house?

[WyoRoy]

ManoKai -
OK, I've read page 1 of that thread... for some reason I can't navigate to page 2? (it keeps coming back to page 1?!? )
You mention that it's quiet... and that you have it in your garage. When it's running, can you hear it inside the house?

Having more or less the same unit, I'd say no unless it is located close to a common wall. The Quincy units are quite tolerable to stand near compared to most other compressors.

[jakedog]

Do yourself a favor and replace the hard line from your compressor with a flex hose to the regulator. With the regulator unsupported, it's just a matter of time before bad things happen to good compressors.

Thanks for the tip.
I was going to mount it on the wall and run a flex to that. I have copper pipe to plumb the barn up. Just a matter of getting to it.

[WyoRoy]

Thanks for the tip.
I was going to mount it on the wall and run a flex to that. I have copper pipe to plumb the barn up. Just a matter of getting to it.

Still have yet to install my Quincy in the new shop. Rattlin' my cage with Killer's pancake compressor! Too many things to do once you retire! Waiting to get plywood/sheetrock to that area of the shop so I don't have to move the compressor to install it down the line.

[admswelding]

I run a 5.5hp 60gal. vertical Ingersoll Rand in shop 2 stage paid 1000.00 new 14YRS AGO.On my rig a IR t-30 11.5hp kohler command gas drive,electric start, two stage 30 gallon.20yrs old paid 1600.00 not a thing major at all with either one.

[Jeff_T]

There have been a few members that have mentioned Quincy compressors. The current QT model line that is sold by Northern Tool and others is a great compressor however not pressure lubricated it is splash lubricated by the crank shaft counter weights which sling the oil up into the cylinders for lubrication. For a hobbiest welder/fabricator/machinist this is not an issue as long as you do the routine maintenance that any expensive tool or machine would require and you'll get a long service life from it.

Slob had posted about a Quincy 325, this model is from Quincy's QR model line. This is a pressure lubricated compressor with cylinder unloaders. Unloaders use oil pressure to load or unload the cylinder during startup and shut down. By unloading the cylinder it lowers the starting torque the electric motor requires to get pump spinning but also protects the compressor from low oil damage as the compressor will never load up. When the compressor starts each cylinder is unloaded, as oil pressure builds it closes the unloader diaphragm and now allows the cylinder to pump air. When the compressor is cycled off by the pressure switch on the tank the unloaders release air from the cylinders as the oil pressure drops after the compressor stops.

I understand your trepidation about an old air tank that usually comes with an older compressor. As others have pointed out by being able to see the compressor under power and have it come up to pressure you can observe how much moisture and other contaminants come out when the tank drain is opened. I have a quincy QR 350 compressor on a 200 gallon Westinghouse horizontal tank, this tank is dated 1945. This came from a machine shop in central CT, I was able to observe the compressor under power and drain the tank to see what came out. Being that this compressor made the machine shop money it was in their best interest to drain the tank daily or more frequently depending on humidity. Needless to say I have no worries that the tank is compromised in any way and feel confident in that it will last me many more years.

The only trouble with buying a large industrial used compressor is they tend to be 3 phase requiring you have 3 phase or swap out the motor to a single phase. DO NOT PUT 3 PHASE COMPRESSOR ON A VARIABLE FREQUENCY DRIVE!! The drive will not last long with the starting and stopping of the compressor. My advice is to seriously consider the QT line Quincy offer's that you listed from Northern Tool's website. Usually you can get it shipped to you house via freight and make sure you request a truck with a lift gate to unload it otherwise you have another set of problems to deal with.

[kize]

Whatever you decide- If you are going to be running a blast cabinet and/or plasma cutter on a regular basis, Id recommend minimum 15 cfm. Those 60 gallon single stage compressors wont cut the mustard- they are not commercial (constant run rated). I purchased a Ingersol Rand 80 gallon T-30 two stage compressor after I sold the(I learned the hard way) 60 gallon Husky. You will find many more things to use with it- needing large volumes of air- once you have it . I'd plan one doubling your budget and getting the biggest you can handle.

[ManoKai]

ManoKai -

OK, I've read page 1 of that thread... for some reason I can't navigate to page 2? (it keeps coming back to page 1?!? )

You mention that it's quiet... and that you have it in your garage. When it's running, can you hear it inside the house?

Strange. Also unable to advance to p.2 of 2 of my linked/referenced thread. Try copying the URL direct from the tread and open in a new window.

IRT your question re operational noise level, my Quincy is relatively quiet. Located about 20ft from the interior door, able to hear her run. But, the frequency is lower and no where as 'painful' as my Craftsman 5gal pancake compressor, or a 60/80 gal single-stage compressor (brand non-specific). The Baldor motor, spinning at 3450RPM, is quieter than the integrated 2-stage pump.

Will see if can get you a dB SPL measurement from various distances from my Quincy when she's making air. In the interim, checkout the Quincy brochure
Quincy Compressors.

[Britt]

Weeellll... it's on it's way. Or, it will be as soon as Quincy ships it (it's shipped - er, trucked? - factory direct).

I'll let ya' all know what I think of it when it gets here.

Jeff_T: I'm bird-dogging the shipping on this; I'll make sure that it's sent out on a truck with a lift-gate (I did select that on checkout at Northern Tool - the base shipping was free; but the lift-gate option was another $85 ). I'm also gonna make sure they use a box, flatbed, or stake-side truck to deliver it; the roads in here have some rather tight turns to negotiate and I don't think that they will have a good time trying to get a tractor-trailer rig pulling a full-size trailer in here (I've had no trouble with a full size U-haul box truck or a 35' RV however, so...).

Thanks again for all the input, folks!


Now I just gotta' figure out exactly what I'm gonna do for piping and filtration... but I think I'll start another thread for that.

[Cvoharleyrider]

Perhaps my installation will give you some ideas. Recently purchased a Quincy QT 54 from aircompressorsdirect.com. Added a Macair MHT-25 high temp refrig air dryer with 40 cfm rated water separator. All air piping is Rapidair 1/2". Aside from a few small air tools, my largest consumer of air is a hypertherm powermax 45. I plan on adding a 4x4 cnc plasma table next year. Very happy with this setup so far.

[Pavinsteelman]

Go to Ebay Eaton compressors or their web site good products.

[ManoKai]

@ Britt - cool. You'll dig your Q.

@ Cvoharleyrider - nice setup. Are you planning to install an auto-drain on your "QT54"? ZTFab key'd me on to a simple automatic electric drain that he uses on his shop compressor. Definitely advantageous over the manual drain daily method. Will access the thread and link for reference.

[Cvoharleyrider]

Didn't have a plan to do so. The air dryer has a timed drain and the water separator has an auto drain as well. Not running this compressor everyday so I normally just open the bottom valve for 30 secs or so to blow the moisture out. Post the link you are referring to and I'll take a look.

[ManoKai]

^^ see posts 21-28 here

[Boostinjdm]

I've been using cable activated drains from semis on my compressors. I just pull the cable several times a day when I'm using air. No big deal.

[Britt]

And here's the aforementioned new thread: http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...-blast-cabinet

[Cvoharleyrider]

Follow up to my compressor install. Took recommendation on installing a timed drain on my tank and tie in the water separator. Purchased the timed drain from eCompressedair.com #2325 with integral ball valve/strainer. Works very well and now don't have to think about draining anything. Cost about $100 delivered.

Thanks ManoKai!

[iwreckalot]

I'm considering this compressor. Anyone have any input? I'm about to make the plunge on a plasma cutter and the spec calls for a 5SCFM compressor. It'll either be this plasma

http://www.weldersupply.com/P/642/MillerSPECTRUMXTREME

or this one

http://www.weldersupply.com/P/643/MillerSPECTRUMXTREME

Here is the compressor I'm considering. Reviews say it's really quiet and seemingly well built. Just curious what the downfalls are.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...1297_200641297

[skyboltone]

You never used to be able to get that kind of output on three horsepower. When I bought my 19 year old Speedair they called it 6hp. Still, when one uses the normal conversion formula of 746 watts per horsepower most manufacturers overstate rather than understate their power. Here are Northern's numbers:

3 HP, 230V single-phase 3450 RPM electric motor
Delivers 11.3 CFM @ 90 PSI; 12.5 CFM @ 40 PSI

I've had this Speedair for a long time with no worries:
http://www.grainger.com/product/SPEE..._optout%3Dtrue

Yes, it's nearly $200 more than the one you've selected but who knows even if maybe the new Speedair is made of different stuff than mine. I know that it's not quiet that's for sure.

So, how to answer your question? Who knows? This is a new to the market Chinese compressor. As many have said if you buy and old Kellogg American (my personal favorite), Quincy or very old Ingersol Rand you KNOW what you got. With a new Chinese job it's a crap shoot.

This is available in my area. Offer $250 and spend the rest of my money on a new single phase compressor rated motor. You'll never, never, ever have to buy another compressor. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/tls/5152725744.html And, it's near silent compared to my old Speedair.

[Britt]

I think it depends on which horses they are... petting zoo ponies, or a bunch of big clydesdales? I figure it's the same kinda' thing that's up with my Shop-Vac's horsepower rating...


As noted earlier in this thread; the thing I worry about old compressors is the tank... do you have one of those video borescopes, or know somebody who has one (or are looking for a good excuse to pick one up)? If so, I suppose you could pop off one of the fittings on the tank and stick it in there to check it's overall condition... (the gold standard of course, is getting it hydrostatically tested... I dunno how much $$$ that's gonna' run, though...)

[skyboltone]

I have a borescope. It's not very good but I only paid $20 for it or so. It plugs into my laptop. The thing about the old Kellogg American compressors is that all the parts are a phone call away and reasonably priced and if the first thing about real estate is neighborhood, neighborhood, neighborhood, then the first thing about compressors is, the pump, the pump, the pump. You have no idea until you've seen one in person. They are enormous. Which brings up another point; the one you chose has a MUCH smaller footprint than the KA. It also has a different form factor. So...you know? Anyway, I doubt you'll be hurt too bad with the one that you've asked about. If that's the limit of your bucks then by all means go ahead. You can buy another one in a year or two...or maybe not. Buy once cry once is often said around here. It's true but only up to the point of "I ain't got the dough buddy". What would you do if the tank went TU anyway? Buy another one? Uh hu. I'll say it again, if you buy a used Kellogg or Quincy you're done. That's it. You'll never buy another one and your grandkids will have a good running compressor too.

[skyboltone]

I have no idea where you are located Britt but this one is a steal. It's already got a single phase motor on it.
http://maine.craigslist.org/tls/5111905150.html

[ManoKai]

Follow up to my compressor install. Took recommendation on installing a timed drain on my tank and tie in the water separator. Purchased the timed drain from eCompressedair.com #2325 with integral ball valve/strainer. Works very well and now don't have to think about draining anything. Cost about $100 delivered.

Thanks ManoKai!

Awesome. Glad it worked out for you. We need to install the auto-drain on our Quincy. Manually relieving her during "away" times in not feasible.

[Britt]

skyboltone -

I'm east of Sacramento... so I'm afraid that one out in Maine is gonna' be a bit of a drive to go pick up.

Also, I've already got a brand-new QT-54 on order - and Quincy says that it should be on the truck headed my way this Monday, so...

I've got one of those $20 USB "borescopes" also... kinda clumsy having to juggle a laptop and feed the cable down into the bore but it does work. A length of coat hanger wire to wrap the cable around helps sometimes also, as the cable it's on is about a rigid as a wet noodle.

[Cvoharleyrider]

Iwreckalot,
It depends on what you are going to use the compressor and plasma cutter for. Can you tell us your plans? Makes it easier to provide recommendations.

I owned the Miller 375 Extreme before buying the Hypertherm Powermax 45. It is an excellent plasma cutter if you are hand cutting 1/4" steel or less. It will severe cut thicker steels but it will be slow going. Also has advantage of running dual voltage. If you feel the 625 Extreme is what you need, look at the Hypertherm Powermax 45. It is less money and more versatile than the Miller even if the cost was the same. Further, plasma cutting is Hypertherm's business so technical support, customer service and consumable parts are superb.