Ideas On Very Small Air Compressor

IHI

I've fallen in love with my new hosed porter cable brad nailer since the hole left behind is sooo much smaller than my cordless paslode leaves, so it really helps when assembling intricate finish work and makes nail holes less conspicuous when filling. Problem is I have 1 small 3gallon compressor that is on the frits and the main one I use is a big heavy contracor twin 3 gallon 5hp contractor compressor-it's a compact unit, just heavy and akward.

So, I'm now thinking to myself I know there are really small compressors out there-like a gallon of milk sized or so, that are very small, compact, and LIGHTWEIGHT which could prove to be very useful for the quick trim jobs on replacing doors and windows. Am even going to go so far as getting the coiled up air hose that I typically hate just to keep overall package size to a minimum. These brad guns dont use very much air so I'm sure a tiny unit is more than suffiecent.

Let me know what you guys have used and how they worked out. I dont want a pancake unit, I picked up a Porter cable unit the other day and they must be made of lead LOL!! and I want SMALLER than that anyways...thinking one about the size of the now popular 12V models give or take a few inches.

Josh

__________________
Hot Rod Work Van
Car video clip
Web
The Photo Gear- Type Josh into Contact name when ordering

mdshunk

Somebody's bound to post it, but I have seen little compressors about the size of a loaf of bread. They either had a very small tank or used the hose as the tank. I'm pretty sure it was a German make, possibly starting with an 'M', but I'm not 100% sure. The one's I've seen were being used by two trim carpenters in the same house. The compressor kicked on about every 2 nails fired.

IHI

LOL, I bet it kicked on alot, but for all practical purposes and typical day to day that is totally acceptable to me. obviously on larger finish jobs I'll break out da big'n, but many of my smaller in and out jobs it's just too much set-up time so looking for a quicker package....thought that's what my cordless was for, but after seeing these tiny holes left behind, it's hard going back to the paslode bigger head design. Not to mention I like using 5/8"-3/4" brads for pinning my miter together after glueing to make sure it's bullet proof and that is not possible with the cordless paslode I have-think smallest I can shoot (without referring back to manual) is 1", and for typical 7/16" thick casing that's too much of a chance for blow out the front for me.

__________________
Hot Rod Work Van
Car video clip
Web
The Photo Gear- Type Josh into Contact name when ordering

RobertCDF

Look at one of these Not sure of the price on these yet. Dropped them a line asking them to let me know the price. I have not heard from them yet. I did look into building one myself and it could be a little spendy looks like between 150-200 But I dont think the little thing at the top of the tank would look as nice if I built one myself.

__________________
Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks

IHI

EXCELLENT!! Just today I was thinking to myself remembering off roading guys using nitrogen in these tanks and getting ALOT of tires filled from one tiny tank...I aint a chemist so dont know how, but heard they worked great.

Now this would be great if the price was right depending how much use you can get from a single bottle before fill ups! If it's quite a bit, for my use I could justify spending the few bucks to have it filled since I'd save that with set-up time, nail filling time, and get professional results!!

thank you very much for reconfirming my ideas Bob!!

__________________
Hot Rod Work Van
Car video clip
Web
The Photo Gear- Type Josh into Contact name when ordering

CE1

I have used manlifts with CO2 tanks to make the lift work just the same as compressed air. You might find something at a welding gas supplier.
Something about the size of a plumber's "B" tank might be handy.

Teetorbilt

Senco makes some small ones that also happen to be deathly quiet....for a compressor.

__________________
You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

Leo G

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=4794


even better price
http://coastaltool.com/senco/pc1010.htm

__________________
Sawdust Follows Me Everywhere

http://lrgwood.com
Custom Cabinets in Hartford County Connecticut

bob the builder

I use the baby senco, it works great and is very quiet. I don't know about using a coiled hose though, they suck. There is a new hose out that comes in 1/4" or 3/8" and it's clear, blue or green, I don't remember the name though, something snake maybe. The best hose I have ever owned. It is supposed to be very durable and seems to be so far. Beware of knock offs though. I was looking at one simular today and it wasn't as flexible as mine. Oh the difference was on the connector. Mine came with a male nipple and a spring about 5" long, and the one I looked at today didn't.....

Bob

Teetorbilt

You can buy polyurethane hose and connector/adapters through any hydraulic/pneumatic supplier. 3/8" will power most small tools, even the heavy users like inline sanders, hammers and wrenches.

I use Camozzi SS adapters to connect to the tubing, 10 yrs. without a failure. With polyurethane tubing for whips, you can forget those springing thingies.

I'm still using some setups that are over 15 yrs. old.

__________________
You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

RobertCDF

Its a 1/4 Flexeel hose, some of them are not very durable. Drop a cig butt on it and it melts right through. A local lumberyard had some made for them that are similar to the flexeel just a bit more durable. Still about as light as the flexeel hoses. I would NEVER go back to a regular 3/8" hose EVER these hoses are awesome. Here is a link to a flexeel hose hose But I think I saw one similar at HD the other day I did not look at it closely so I do not know the quality of it.

__________________
Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks

RobertCDF

Ok the link I posted about the compressor alternative is very costly... @ $549-595. I think I will try and build one myself. If I do I will post pics and instructions as well.

__________________
Robert Shaw
Colorado Springs Custom Decks
Colorado Custom Decks
Custom Composite Decks

IHI

Well that sucks, if it would've been $7-800/ea I would've ordered us all a set!!

that's nuckin futz!!!

__________________
Hot Rod Work Van
Car video clip
Web
The Photo Gear- Type Josh into Contact name when ordering

A+Carpenter

Roll Air Bro !!!

__________________