Buying Air Compressor - Help!

My 3.5 HP air compressor finally gave out today. I've been waiting for this moment so I can get a full- sized shop compressor to efficiently run air tools and a sand blaster. The best priced compressors I've found are at Harbor Freight but am somewhat hesitant to buy from them. I hate to save $300 and end up with junk!

i've never tried a harbor compressor but i did have a campbell hausfeld 5 horse 30 gallon maybe. direct drive. it worked ok but it was loud and was kind of slow. it wouldnt keep up when airing up tractor tires. so i upgraded to a 60 gallon from fleet farm. it was 400 if i remember right. runs pretty quiet and to top it off it was made right in minnesota. i havent tried a sand blaster on it yet but it runs my impact pretty well so far

I bought a Campbell-Hausefield from Lowes. Slow and didn't last very long. I had a PorterCable tankless from Lowes for 10 years and loved it. I need a small one for my work truck. Any recommendations there?

About air compressors, tell me if I'm wrong, but the oil-less ones are loud & the oiled ones are quiet & thus more desired, correct?

I've got a very old Quincy that's served me well. It's a single stage two cylinder and built like a tank.

Personally, I'd rather have a good used older compressor than some of the stuff found at the big box stores. My old compressor is a 3hp (motor data plate) but it's five times as big as a 7hp seen in stores. I don't understand how they rate the new compressors but something fishy is going on.

Hello MB   Not sure what type or model your looking at?   But here are a few thoughts to consider Amount af amps 220 volts is important to compressor location.    2 stage 175 psi.LARGE TANK,   vertical or horizontal,  This is a lifetime investment. Go on line for Harbor freight and Northern tool to compare,  is shipping FREE? 

I use a speed air from grainger in my shop, have had for 20 years is belt drive.  belt drive or screw is only way to go for shop compressor. if anybody needs a good one I have a 125 cfm ingorsol rand on wheels for $1500, under 300 hours, free jackhammer with purchase

The air compressor engineers have cheapened them up for the big box stores.

I bought a compressor from Orschelens probably around 20 years ago. In the last 10 years it has been used hard. It is a 7.5 horse with 80 gal. tank. I am not sure of the cfm's off hand but it has been a good unit. It has had two break downs since I have had it," check valves". I think the company that made it is in Minnesota," Classic Air" is the manufactor. The main thing for longevity is change the oil like it was your car, and keep tank drained daily.

m16ty, if you're serious check out building a compressor out of a air cooled flat 4 Volkswagen engine on the net. There's a guy that sells a kit that converts 2 of the cylinders into the compressor. Ooodles of air. Thanks for jaring my memory I may revisit it myself.

Also remember that you can plumb two compressors into the same line so if the price is right for buying two over one large one then you can go that route.  I've got a 32 gallon and a 12 gallon connected.   As I sand blast one kicks on and as I continue to blast away then the second one will kick on also.  Only if I blast for longer than 20 minutes will it start to run out of air.  I also installed one in the attic and If I did it over I'd put both up there to keep all the noise out of the shop.

this is about the smallest i would suggest buying

Edited by steve(ill) - 20 Jan 2012 at 7:34pm

thats an excellent size, should work out great !

I failed to explain that the second year warrenty for the Ingersol cost an extra $100 for the purchase of oil and filter replacements so the actual warreny is one year. Also, the Ingersol was on sale and the Industrial Air wasn't. If ordered via internet the Ingersol offered free shipping. Farm & Fleet pickup was local as well as warrenty service at my shop. Hope it works out!  

Stan IL&TN wrote: Also remember that you can plumb two compressors into the same line so if the price is right for buying two over one large one then you can go that route.  I've got a 32 gallon and a 12 gallon connected.   As I sand blast one kicks on and as I continue to blast away then the second one will kick on also.  Only if I blast for longer than 20 minutes will it start to run out of air.  I also installed one in the attic and If I did it over I'd put both up there to keep all the noise out of the shop.

I did just what Stan talks about. I have 2 60 gallon compressors. They are "Rockworth Classic Air". Both have 3hp motors although one definitely has a continuous duty motor and the other has the special compressor motor. The continuous motor unit also has a small after cooler on the pump and a quieter air filter on it, otherwise they're the same. When the Cummins Tools travelling tool sale came through, $250 for one (it had a broken pressure switch) and $300 for the other (bought the next time they came to town) was just too cheap to not try. They're single stage, but I can run my blasting cabinet non stop and run my 10 gallon pressure pot style blaster out of sand without stopping. I do have them somewhat synced. I figured having them set so there is some time between each motor starting was probably a good idea from the surge standpoint.