Ok, I've been putting this off for too long.

I'm forever hearing that you should buy the biggest your power supply can handle, and that most air tools take a crap load more air than they say to run well. So, here is the rough plan:

Single phase, 3HP.
150 ltr tank (pref vertical as space is at a premium).
Belt driven? (Quieter?)

What else? Recommended models? Cheapy off ebay? Useful bits and bobs to get for it?

School me. I'm a compressor virgin.

Aaaaaand... ...wait for it... ...Go!

Al.

P.S. How about this? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...Y_BIN_Stores_IT

Al,
u've probably noticed already but thats not an upright one

i need to upgrade, and was thinkin 150ltr would be about right imho.

once u have air tools u'd wonder how u ever got on without them.

I have a 1 phase, 3 hp, 100ltr compressor, and the only things that I have trouble running are air angle grinders - I can use them for about a minute, then have to wait for the tank to fill back up again. I went to:

World of power

for SIP stuff, and have found them good (No connection with company, other than being a satisfied customer). Other than that, I'm pretty new to these things. The only bit of advice I can give, is stay away from machine mart rattle guns - mine is terrible (but then it was really cheap)

Yup - thanks Tonk! Well spotted... I notice the vertical tank ones are more spendy - just because they can, I suppose... I might go for a regular one and stuff it under a shelf or something.

Yeah, TroddenM - I need a blingy impact wrench for 'spinning out' the Unimog portal hub bolts which seem to be held in with some kind of Divine Intervention. I'm up on which gun I need - I just need the air supply to run it...

Also I'll be plugging in a plasma cutter, amongst other things.

Keep it coming!

Cheers, Al.

Don't neglect the ID of the hose, a lot of them are too small for big air-tools, especially those on retractable thingies.

I've gone from a 100L+ direct drive which was fawkin' noisy to a 50L belt driven - which is a lot more friendly. Not noticed any performance drop - both were/are rated about 13CFM

A 50L one you could beast into the back of a landy if you ever needed to go mobile. You'd have a right job on your hands doing that with a 150L

still not got a forklift yet then?

Don't you start

which make of 50ltr one did u go for?

bought from an auction site i assume

I was looking for a 150 liter compresor a couple of month ago.
In the end i settled for
machinmart
which i manage to get vat free on on eof their sale days.

Seems to be very good so far. only thing is you need the filter regulator and a bit of pipework as extras.

Edd

Cheeky - nah it was the same as Edd's one above
But the 50L one comes with wheels and a regulator and was ready to go - which was handy at the time.
It will burn out a 13amp plug even with a solid bar fuse !!
Quite happy on a 20amp supply though

Al, you are about right on the capacity. I have a 2hp, nearly enough but 3hp would have been a better buy.
Being a bit short on space I put mine in the garage loft space, I then plumbed in a couple of ground floor outlets using copper piping. (Using quick release couplings)
Advantages are that noise levels are less noticeable and that I dont need to have the floor littered with hose.

Ok, I'm getting there. Looks like Edd's vote is a good suggestion, so I'll probably run with that and pray the electrics are man enough.

I'm looking at the Ingersoll-Rand 2135XT impact wrench in the hope that silly amounts of torque will get my flippin Mog 404 hub nuts spinning. But it is 1/2" drive, and the impact socket is 1" drive - anyone know if you can get a 1/2" to 1" impact socket adapter??? Don't tell me I have to go 1/2" to 3/4" and then 3/4" to 1" ???

Er... also, anyone know when the next VAT-free day is at M/Mart?

Cheers for the inputs. Al.

FWIW, adding an extra tank looks like sound economy, i've just picked up a >200L tank off ebay for 15 quid, item 7623284185.

Just got to decide how to use it now, should be useful for spraying etc.

Luke

How much CFM do you really need to run most air tools?

I was looking for a 6.5-7CFM compressor but not sure now after reading this?

Im running a Single stage 150ltr tank and a 5hp motor, 14 CFM rating. With the pressure switch set to kick in at 6 Bar and stop at 9 Bar. The pressure to run an air tool is 6 bar, so the regulator take care of that. This set-up gives me about 30 Seconds of cutting speed for the likes of a Cut-off tool, and enables me to take 10 Nuts off, with an Inmpact Gun. It takes about 1min (Max) to fill from 6 to 9 Bar.......
I think with Compressors, its a case of how much time you dont mind waiting getting back up to pressure?
Hope this helps...?

I think most of you are going way OTT. I have a 25l 1hp oilless compressor which is fine - even on decent size rattle guns, air drill, that kind of thing. It doesn't quite cope with the plasma cutter running continuously - but I rarely cut continuously.

It was only £69 from a local shop. I doubt many of you need that much more air than me so a big belt driver compressor is just a waste of money!

Si

as an option if you are that tight on space why not take the compressor anfd motor of, mpount it up high in your workshop and put the tak etc outside with a pipe feed to it and from it.
plasmas are pretty air hungry once you start on the thick stuf!!

I have a confession!

My £69 compressor has died - but it was not really it's fault (honest)

One of the hoses burst overnight which left the compressor running continuously. I guess a £69 comp does not have a 100% duty cycle (which probably pleased my neighbours!).

I'll be looking for another one at Billing - but will buy another cheapy one. The last one lasted 4 years with more use than most DIY-ish compressors get in a lifetime - so I think it was good value! I'll plumb in the old reservoir to the new comp as well.

Si

Si,

I've got a redundant 50 litre compressor less the overpressure poppet cowling/fan naffed your welcome to it !

adding a second reservoir is fun! my progress so far is here. this is why i was asking about pressure sensors a while ago.

Luke

Are compression fittings/copper pipe up to that pressure..

Yup, they seem just fine. they don't hold the pressure over any long length of time, the pipework empties itself after 2 -3 hrs. that's why i've got ball valves on both tanks.

the losses from the joints are negligable, compared to pressure variations due to temperature changes, which are quite high.

Luke

That would be good! Fancy bringing it to Billing (assuming you are coming?)

In a previous life, I used Anealed Cu tube for liquid CO2 (750psi or so). Discovered that the micro-bore tube sold by Homebase and the plumb center at the time was the same as the pressure rated stuff from Hydroquip, but about 1/10 the price!

Used that instead there after.

I suspect any old copper pipe would be good for 10bar (except maybe the bigger bore stuff)

Si

Not doing Billing !

Tony's bash ok ?

That would be good!

Cheers,

Si

i have a 100L, single phase 2.5Hp direct drive one, it ran all the tools i sued to own no probs, although as above air saws and air dremmels only run for a min or. i also use HD hose with 10mm ID, i think this helps alot.

after the buggers knicked all the tools i have just purchased a decent impact wrench - £150 for a CP on, CP749, ultimate torque@90psi, 850Nm, the best i could find for that sort of money.

compressors - Machine mart etc to compare them all then i went to good old Mole Valley and got it throught them for fraction of the price. its worth trying Northern Tools, Mole Valley and agri suppliers.