Choosing The Right Compressor

Tsar

Hello Everyone,

Just looking for a couple of opinions on the right direction to go in choosing a new air compressor. Here's my needs:
-Electric
-Portable
-Must be able to keep up with 2-4 Hitachi coil framing nailers
-Oil'ed (I hate oil-free, too noisy)

If you have recommendations as far as 1 stage or 2, or specific brands you've had success with that would be great.
I also would love to change my setup to flexeel hoses. Does anyone have experience using them for framing? Would you go with 3/8ths or is there a larger guage?

Thanks in advance

MechanicalDVR

I have used 1/2" id from a large reel with a spliter on the end for three 3/8" couplers. I would look into Bostich in oiled compressors, they hold up well. Then again my uncle has one that's close to fifty years old with a cast iron pump (whoa heavy). Alot of guys will tell you dewalt but they aren't my favorite.

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dave12345

Honestly, you will have trouble finding one that will do all that you mentioned.
As far as electirc i would imagine the only thing that would keep up wiht 4 coil nailers is one of those big 70 gallon 240 volt setups, but that is far from portable. Even our boss compressor with 9 horse motor has trouble keeping up with 4 paslodes bumping. As far as hoses, 50' of 1/2" from compressor to three way, then either 100' or 50' 1/4" to each gun.

KillerToiletSpider

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Plank

^That's about your only option...

There isn't anything I know of that will run 3-4 guns oil lubricated and portable.

You could go w/2 twin stacked jobsite compressors...Ridgid makes an oil lubricated one. You would have to get 2 because its only going to run about 2 guns max.

Maybe a gas powered wheel barrow compressor...?

troubleseeker

To run four framers, I hope you idea of "portable" means anything you can roll, not a typical "hand carry" twin stack. The electrics with twin hot dog style tanks and wheelbarrow type set up will do it, except if everyone is nailing off sheathing like crazy. Most popular in my area was the Emglo's, now under the Dewalt brand, but still manufactured by Emglow. Although I don't have any negative experiences since the Dewalt name change, and cannot point to any specific items, I do just get the feeling that the newer ones are not quite up to the originals with the Emglo label. Maybe it is just bad karma because of my experiences with crappy Dewalt cordless drills.

troubleseeker

If you need this to run four framing guns, may I suggest you replace your air hoses, because they have more air leaks than can even be repaired.

MikeNeufeld

http://www.thomasairpac.com/products...ifications.jsp

thats my recommendation for as close as possible, with portability, there compressors are phenomal.....

look into fini as well.....

MikeNeufeld

http://www.thomasairpac.com/products...ifications.jsp

Plank

That was a joke about the ingersoll, Because "most" portable twin stack compressors aren't going to keep up w/4+ guns...you could get a big 2 stage compressor, but have fun moving it around...

IMO your probably better off getting 2 twinstacks

Dustball

I'm going to buck the conventional trend and say that you should go with a good portable compressor that has the CFM output to keep up with the demand but not necessarily the tank size you need and have a large surge tank (80 gal+) mounted on your truck or trailer. You can set the compressor where you need it and run a 3/4" hose to the surge tank. That's just my opinion though.

Tsar

I apologize for the confusion. When I said portable I didn't mean hand-carry. I've always been around wheeled compressors and for framing would consider one portable.

The one I'm considering will move 12.5CFM at 100psi and hold 25 gallons. I guess I'll ask the sales guy at the shop, I just thought I'd see what you guys think.

Thanks

shed-n-deck

I used to use a 25 gallon 175 psi Campbell Hausfeld that I paid $300 for....It would run 6 or 7 framing nailer's, and was on wheels. It was oilless, but it was relatively quiet. It was portable, only because back then I had other guys working with me...Now, it would be too much trouble to try to man handle out of the back of a truck by myself. I always used 1/4" hose, is there a reason that you want to go with 3/8"? I think that the bigger the ID of the hose, the more pressure loss you'll experience, same thing with length. I make my own hoses out of high pressure mesh re-enforced hose that you can get at any hardware store for $.30 per foot....It costs less, and you can make custom lengths. It's the same material used to manufacture those $80 per 100' hoses....

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Tsar

Thanks for the info ShedNDeck

The advantage of the flexeel hoses is the weight of the actual hose itself. A lot less to drag around behind you. Through the rafters and around the sheathing to the gable's house we go...

shed-n-deck

I know what you mean.....That's the same thing that I'm speaking of....I wish I knew what that hose was called, but it's available by the foot, it's lightweight, and it doesn't tangle when it gets cold.....

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ApgarNJ

i didn't think anyone used 1/4" hose for anything more than trim carpentry
i have all 3/8 hose, flexeel. i have a newer jobboss that is great for when i don't need the emglo 5.5 hp honda compressor. that one runs as much as we can throw at it, i haven't tried to max out the job boss by porter cable just yet. i've used it for trim guns only so far. because i hated using gas when i didn't need the extra air.
if you don't want to run a gas powered wheel barrow one, then you are probably better off with two electric jobs and run two guns off each one. they really aren't that expensive and the customer pays the electric bill. lol
i haven't used my wheelbarrow one in 6-7 months since i got this electric one. it's not that noisy either. i usually put it out of the way from where we are working, so noise isn't that much a factor to me.
one more thing, 3/8 is going carry a larger volume of air to the guns, and framing guns required a lot more air than trim guns, so it's better to stick with 3/8 all around. i don't use 3/8 large fittings though.

Tsar

Thanks for all of the feedback and advice guys.

Here's the one I decided on:

houseoftools.com/product.htm?pid=290963

Its a 3 horse, 8 Gallon, 2 stage Eagle. Canadian made which was one of the large selling points for me. I realize that I can't run four guns off of it but just two will have to do for now. I was originally thinking for getting one that will run four Hitachi's for future use but I guess I'll just have to run two compressors. The one I purchased was a floor model so it was discounted.

Thanks again for all the input

shed-n-deck

The first guy I worked for used the old Goodyear rubber hoses that were 3/8"....They were heavy to lug around....I've used 1/4" hoses, up to 100' in length, for more than 10 years, and I've never had any issues with them...They sink the nail, and they are noticibly lighter than even the 3/8" flexhose...If your running hose lengths greater than 100' then maybe a 3/8" hose would be necessary, but I've never ran into that situation. I don't think that 3/8" hose would be necessary unless you are running a tool that continuously drains the air pressure, like a DA sander or a die grinder...

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RobertCDF

I use 1/4" Flexeel with a hitachi framer all the time. I even run it 200' with no real problems. I did bump the output up a little bit and it works fine.

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ApgarNJ

maybe it's just the area i live in. but 1/4 inch is hard to find at most hardware stores around here. i have seen the flexeel 1/4 and know it's light, but i have too many feet of 3/8 to switch now. maybe keep one for trim work. every contractor i know of around here use 3/8 with 1/4 fittings or 3/8 fittings.
not saying you guys are wrong at all. i believe you it works, i just don't feel like buying all new hose. my old flexeel is broken in and coils up easier