| 6 Amp 3/4 Horsepower 2 Gallon Oil-Free Hot Dog Compressor | Thomas Compressors T-635HD | |
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by Thomas Compressors  Long life, contractor quality machine - rated for continuous use Low amp draw - works on 15 amp circuits and with extension cords Versatile - offers framing, roofing or finish gun capability 3/4 Horsepower - delivers 1.7 cfm at 100 psi. Lightweight and portable, only 26 poundsfound in T-635HD's description: From the Manufacturer Thomas Industries T-635HD is a quiet running (69-decibel) 3/4 HP compressor that is both portable and versatile. Other uses include, tire inflating, painting, airbrushing, small air tools, and winterizing water lines and RV's. found in T-635HD's reviews: Light weight professional grade compressor for small jobs - I was looking for a portable and not overly loud air compressor, for my low air-volume tools. I had a 4-gallon pancake compressor for several years, but at 70 lbs. Although it hardly qualifies as "quiet", it isn't nearly as noisy as other compressors I've heard. I installed a 16" stainless steel braided faucet plumbing hose on the compressor's air-outlet port; routed the hose out the back under the motor support, and screwed on a quick disconnect coupling. Because the tank is only 2 gallons (to keep weight/bulk down), the pump comes on more often than on larger units, but when it does, it's only on for about 12 seconds (if you're not using air). Translation: the compressor can be used continuously, without letup. Some compressors have only a 50% duty cycle, which means you shouldn't run it more than 30 minutes for every hour used, as that could cause excessive wear on the pump and/or motor. You'd want a bigger unit if you had two roofing or stud-nailers going, but for low-air-volume requirements such as trim work, this little Thomas unit is just about perfect. September 2006 update: While working on a home renovation project, the compressor's low air pressure switch clicked, but the motor didn't start. By the time I got to the compressor, the motor was smoking, literally. |
| 18 Gauge Brad Nailer Compressor Combo Kit | Porter-Cable CFBN200A | |
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by Porter-Cable 1 year limited warranty Complete kit with quick-connects, 25' 150 psi air hose, thread sealing tape, nailer case, and wrenches Oil-free compressor produces 3.7 scfm at 40 psi and 2.7 scfm at 90 psi Nailer features cushion grip, depth of drive, quick-release nosepiece, and directional exhaust Professional nailer shoots 3/4" to 2" 18 gauge brad nailsfound in CFBN200A's description: Here they've packaged their hard-working 18-gauge brad nailer with its power source--a 15 amp, 120-volt, 6-gallon compressor driven by a 2-horsepower oil-free motor. Fill up the nailer with standard 18-gauge brads from 3/4 inch to 2 inches long, hook up, and you're ready to install baseboards, chair rails, moldings, even make quick work of those wooden craft items like country shelves and vegetable bins. The kit comes with quick connects, 25 feet of 150 psi air hose and thread sealing tape. found in CFBN200A's reviews: A happy owner!! - I bought this kit because I wanted a larger compressor than I had, one with a tank, and a brad gun. The compressor works flawlessly. |
| 4 Amp 1/2 Horsepower 2 Gallon Oil-Free Hot Dog Compressor | Thomas Compressors T-617HDN | |
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by Thomas Compressors Contractor quality machine - rated for continuous use. Lightweight and portable - only 26 lbs. Low 4 amp draw - will operate anywhere Will operate any (1) finish gun or brad nailer The quietest finish/trim compressor on the marketfound in T-617HDN's description: From the Manufacturer The super quiet (60 decibel) T-617HDN is the hands down favorite for those that want a quiet running, long life compressor capable of handling any (1) finish gun or brad nailer. Additional uses include, airbrushing, inflating tires, air mattresses, sports equipment, and winterizing RV's and motor homes. found in T-617HDN's reviews: When Quality & Quiet Matter More Than Price & Power - I researched compressors carefully around town and on the Web. Compressors available at the Borg and various local tool shops are gawdawful loud, heavy, and look to be made of cheap plastic and pot metal. The compressor will be carried around and used indoors. The unit is light enough to carry around easily, and its shape rides comfortably beside your walking legs (unlike pancake compressors). The compressor only puts out about 1 CFM and has a 2 gallon tank. You will not be happy with this compressor unless your needs and preferences are similar to mine. It really doesn't put out or hold much air. No durability experience since I haven't had the compressor for long. |
| 2.5 HP 4 Gallon Oil-Lube Air Compressor | Porter-Cable CPLDC2540P | |
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by Porter-Cable Three year limited warranty Cast-iron cylinder and stainless steel valves for cooler operation
Patent pending oil-lube system with ball bearing design
Direct drive, no belts or adjustments are necessary
2.5 horse power, 4-gallon oil-lube compressor
found in CPLDC2540P's reviews: Design flaws - First one of these I received came out of the box damaged beyond repair. Switch was broke, regulator fitting broken off flush with the tank, tabs on the compressor that the shroud connects to were broken off from the compressor. After about 2 hours of use (with me that translates to about 3 months) one of the tabs on the compressor that connects to the shroud has broken off. I have not moved the compressor since the day I took it from its box. It's a bit loud but not as loud as some of the "oil free" compressors are. |
| 15 Amp 2-1/2 Horsepower 6 Gallon Oiled Pancake Compressor | Bostitch CAP2560OL | |
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by Bostitch 4.9CFM @40 and 3.6 CFM @90 Synthetic pump oil for low temp operation Dual air outlets Cast iron pump cylinder for extreme durability 2.5 peak HP 15 amp induction motorfound in CAP2560OL's description: 5 HP oil lube pancake compressor Product Description mfr: STANLEY BOSTITCH 2. OIL LUBE PANCAKE COMPRESSOR Features: Heavy duty induction motor, oil lubricated pump, with synthetic oil included, two outlets included. Air delivery 4. found in CAP2560OL's reviews: Shipping Damage - Compressor is a good deal for the money and is quieter than oil-less version but when I unpacked it, the regulator was pushed back against the motor, the regulator gauge was broken and side of the tank was skinned-up on one side. |
| XPower Powerpack 300 Plus Portable Backup Power Source | Xantrex 852-1840 | |
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by Xantrex Technologies Built-in emergency light for illumination at home or on the road Vehicle jumper cables 250 psi air compressor for inflating tires and sports equipment Operates 115-volt AC or 12-volt DC products anywhere Provides up to 300 watts of AC powerfound in 852-1840's reviews: Does what it was made to do - They put a small compressor on it and it works fine for emergencies, but it's not meant to inflate tires all the time like a Campbell-Hausfield 10-hp dual-stage compressor with 50-gallon tank, it's an emergency convenience, and that's the point that should be remembered. If you want to run your TV, air-conditioner, hot-water heater, well pump, washer/dryer, dishwasher, home theater system, or refridgerator, then buy a gasoline powered generator instead. |
| 2 HP Oil-less Air Compressor | Makita MAC2200 | |
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by Makita Anodized teflon cylinder and teflon/bronze-based piston ring for improved compression and reduced friction Easy to maintain, reusable foam intake filter Dynamically balanced counterweight crankshaft for reduced vibration Durable cast aluminum components for lightweight and fast heat dissipation Specially designed for use in the construction industryfound in MAC2200's reviews: Only minor criticisms - I bought this compressor for some fairly goofy reasons. I wanted a compressor with a cage, oil-less, side stacked tanks, and preferably some sort of lined cylinders. The last reason was because the Craftsman compressor that I had ( 220v 6hp/33gal ) the tank walls surface rusted and the air/water separator ( thank goodness I had one ) would eventually turn rusty red. The Makita had all of those, especially the aluminum tanks. The Makita is not all that light, but it is pretty well balanced,and compared to my Craftsman ( which isnt really fair because of the motor size ) it is much more quiet, this unit is nicely finished and recovers very quickly - usually runs about 10 seconds after I realize it is running again. |
| 2-1/2" 16 Gauge Finish Nailer / Compressor Combination Kit | Bostitch CPACK200 | |
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by Bostitch Kit also comes with a 25-foot airline kit with all fittings and teflon tape 1.5 hp, 5.8-gallon oil-less compressor with wheels for portability 1000 2-1/2-inch finish nails, tool oil, tool carrying case Combo pack includes a 2-1/2-inch 16-gauge finish nailerfound in CPACK200's reviews: Horrible directions for a novice, but good equipment - I'd imagine that many people buying this kit are new to air tools (since they need to buy a compressor too). The compressor directions were worse, probably because they were roughly translated from italian. (I can't believe I was actually considering predrilling and hammering finish nails by hand for my project!) I wasn't really happy with the depth control on the nailer since there's no indicator (at least the compressor has a pressure guage). I do wish the compressor was quieter, or started up slower (it scared the hell out of me when the pump automatically refilled the tank, even through my earplugs). But the build quality is excellent (the tank welds are top notch). |
| 5.5-Horsepower, 8-Gallon Gas Powered Air Compressor | Porter-Cable CPL55GH8W | |
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by Porter-Cable 1-year limited warranty Oil-lubricated for cool running and longer life Wheelbarrow design with pneumatic tire for portability Gas-powered for use on remote job sites High-pressure design allows almost twice as much usable airfound in CPL55GH8W's reviews: Real Happy!! - Mine is a updated verson with braded stainless steel hose connecting the tank to the compressor instead of copper tubing like it says in the product discription. |
| 3 HP, 4-Gallon Pancake Compressor | Porter-Cable CPF23400P | |
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by Porter-Cable One Year Warranty Supports use of all brad and finish nailers and moderate use of framing and roofing nailers High-flow regulator allows more work at higher pressures 3 hp induction motor for quieter operation High-pressure technology provides more usable air for longer run timefound in CPF23400P's reviews: Great Little Air Squeezer!!! - This little Porter Cable compressor is all (and more) that I expected it to be. It pumps the 4-gallon tank to 125 psi in less than a minute, and then cycles automatically as the pressure drops. The output should be more than adequate for my needs to run an air ratchet, blow nozzle, hand sandblaster and pressurize a small auxilliary portable tank. A better choice for that kind of a work environment would be the 3HP enclosed, stacked-tank model offered by Porter Cable. Poor Engineering - There is no gauge guard that would prevent the whole gage assembly from bending (and separating) at the base where the nipple attaches to the tank. Air will leak from the threads of the nipple (as was the case for me) or worse. Pancake compressors due to their top heavy nature can and do rollover, and if this unit rolls onto the gauge side, sooner or later your going to have a major problem. I discovered this design flaw when I plugged my brand new compressor in and a rush of air shot out where the gauge nipple screws to the tank. There was no visible damage to the gages so that means to me that it doesn't take much of a blow to damage the nipple-to-tank connection. The compressor was improperly packaged. There was no extra packing foam or otherwise to prevent the compressor from banging side ways. Great machine - The problem was, there were a couple `for' and a couple `against' this compressor which didn't help in the decision process (usually there's enough positive or negative comments to aid in making a decision). mechanical but that's completely irrelevant!) about the gage guard and the connection at the tank and yes you could easily break it off. If you want to ensure you don't have this problem, buy a compressor with a cage around it. Heck what do you want from a COMPRESSOR! - Plenty of air to shoot my 15ga nails and recovery time on the tank is VERY quick. Other than that what can I say - it pumps air. This gives it the reserve of a 5 gallon tank, even though it is physically 4 gal. It is fairly loud, but I haven't listened to many other models to make an educated comparison. I have used it quite a bit for high air flow operations, such as blowing off dust / debris and even running an air chisel to bust up concrete. It often runs full time for 5-10 minutes and is able to keep up with air demand. If you are going to be regularly moving the compressor around, spend the extra. I actually ran a compressed air line out to my garage, so the compressor can stay put in the basement and avoid potential damage from moving it. *** 4-year update *** I have owned this compressor for 4+ years now and am still completely satisfied. I used a hand held, air chisel to break up the mortar joints. The compressor was operating at 100% duty cycle for 10-15 minutes at a stretch, but couldn't quite keep up with continuous use of the air chisel. As an last ditch experiment, I bought a 10 gal portable air storage tank, some extra quick disconnect fittings and rigged up a reserve tank in parallel with the 4 gallon PC tank. (yes, I am an engineer) My thinking was that I would run the crap out of my little PC and if it bit the dust, that was my excuse to buy a new compressor. I am amazed to say the PC compressor ran flawlessly for the entire chimney demo and still works fine today. |