Air Compressors

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

What's the latest and greatest? Is Craftsman any good? I've had a 5hp 13gal Campbell Hausfeld for the past 10 years that has been not great but not bad. That little motor would never keep up with brake bleeding and now I think it's about to go on the fritz. I'd like to step it up a notch or two when it's time to buy. This is for home use but will probably see some auto body painting and of course my normal track prep.


For my Viper < makes this thread Viper related.

 

[Martin]

I personally like Ingersoll-Rand compressors. I have a 60-gallon 5hp unit that does everything I ask of it, and as long as you change the oil on a regular basis and drain the tank every few days of use, it's bullet-proof. It's big, and definitely not portable, though...

I would stay away from any of the non-oiled compressors. They seem like a good idea because there's less maintenance, and you don't have the chance of getting oil into your paint (if you're doing a lot of painting), but they tend to crap out pretty quick.

 

[Madduc]

For the garage I bought a Craftsman oil-less 17 gallon 150psi 1.1hp portable. If I had to use it much, which I don't, I would throw the thing in the trash! Takes forever to re-fill and it would drown out the Viper as noisy as it is. JUNK. In my pole-barn have a Sanborn(Tractor supply) 80 gallon 150 psi 6.5hp iron cylinders, works perfect. Have been using it for over 14 years now.