Shopping for Air Compressor

I know this topic has been beaten up already but I need some advice on a specific model. Here is the link. It's a Central Pneumatic brand. The price is nice ($370+$60 shipping). But the tank size is 29gal, is that too little? I will be doing light media blasting and I will definetly want to use a DA but not that frequently.
Here is the tech sheet on it.

Are there any better deals out there?
For the price it seems really nice. I don't really wanna go past $600. I have to take shipping into account too unless there is something at sears, home depot or something else in Los Angeles.

 

That 3 would probably work, but the bigger the tank and the higher the specs, the BETTER it will work.

If you are willing to go to $600, I would find the biggest and best I could find for that price and get it. No matter what you get, you will someday wish you had gone a little bigger...

 

I agree with scoop I have a small single stage 33 gal. tank (craftsman) and it is definitely too small.
It does OK for spraying paint and with an impact and things like that....that only require short use. When I sandblast it will absolutely wear my compressor out, and it will only keep up for a few minutes.
** Any compressor is better than no compressor at all....but "if" you can go bigger, go.

 

Save your money, and buy something at least with a 60 Gallon tank, Blasting takes alot of air, and if you drain the tank quickly you end up building up alot of heat in the tank which causes condensation which will plug up a sandblaster pretty quick, I have a 2 stage 60 gallon compressor, and it has a hard time keeping up to my small blasting cabinet.

 

Think at least 6hp and 60 gallon tank.
Dan

 

Sixty gallon is a nice size. I have a vertical one to take up a smaller footprint. I used to use a portable one with a 20 gallon tank and I was never satisfied. Go as big as you can possibly afford...you won't regret it.

 

I have a 6 hp 60 falln 12 cfm and it struggles to keep up with a sandblaster

 

I have a 100 galon tank on my one compressor,,, when I blasted my parts it was just making it. a Good compressor can be made better by adding an extra tank,,, just look for a used compressor and hook the 2 tanks together,, use the new compressor and hook into the second tank,, it is a cheaper way around volume,,, we have 2 100 gallon tanks on our system with 2 compressors,, one is just a back up and is shut off,,
A 5hp unit is just perfect for all types of body work,, and @ 120 psi gets the work done just great with impacts and sanding units,, you can keep going,,,alot better then taking a break every 15 minutes waiting for air build up.





Joe

 

Go check out your local home depot.Get at least a 60 gal 120 psi set up that produces at least 10 cfm at 90 psi.(less is inadequate for air tools)Single stage is ok but you should be able to get a cheap 2 stage for 600 bucks.If you can, dont get a 110 volt set up. Get a 220 volt if you can afford the electrical side of the equation.Location is important too.If its in the garage with you get a piston type motor compressor not a diaphragm style(They are very LOUD)Check the requirements for your blast cabinet and(in a perfect world) try to match or exceede its needs.No matter which way you go,bigger is better.Even if you only use it occasionally.

 

Back in the old days, I tied 2 - 2.5 hp sears craftsman, 10 gal, into an old 30 gallon propane tank. Would not keep up with sandblaster. Messed with every way to get more air, just ended up waiting for air. Fast forward to now, 6hp 60 gallon, keeps up with anything I have thrown at it for over 10 years.
Dan

 

Hey Dan, may I ask which air compressor you have now?

Also, can I just plug a 220V air compressor into the same jack as my 220V drier?

 

I have a no name brand, sold by Home Depot years ago. Your electric question is too dimensional for me to answer correctly here. But, yes in a nutshell. Any hobbyists should be able to survive on a single stage 220v compressor. These compressors do not plug into any wall outlets. If you have 220v, then you can wire it to plug your compressor in. But the plugs vary. I wired mine in direct to circuit breaker box. You have to know something about AC electricity. Do like I did, go to your library and read up. Nowadays, you can probably search on the internet for that info.
Dan

 

Lots of the home depot stuff fell under the name Husky.I have one at work,60 gal 6hp upright tank single stage 220 volt.Will keep up with virtually anything at 10 cfm@90 psi. I call it the big red noise maker.

 

You can plug the compressor into the dryer outlet. The dryer draws way more current than the compressor will.

 

That's the way I have mine hooked up. a 6 hp 60 gal. I have one 220 plug in the carport, I use it for my AC in the house, my air compressor, and my Lincoln stick welder. Wife gets a little ill when I leave the AC/ Heat pump [window unit] unplugged too long, so I have to shuffle my use of the plug.