air compressor

hey guy i am looking in to getting an air compressor and plan to build up a selection of tools to go with it drill, grinder etc. was just wondering what i should look for in the way of cfm and how big the tank should be. it is only for personal use. but i still don't want to buy some thing that cant handle the job.

18cfm 10 bar/150psi and a hundred liter tank or bigger, hydrovane if you have the cash- otherwise oil lubricated and cast iron barrel.

Or a screw compressor if your loaded

I got a 24L one for free, its okay for very light use, getting a set of air tools for xmas , will report after. I think it will not be big enough for constant use as even just using a air blower ,the pump cuts in a fair amount. i think its a 7.2 cfm

Also be aware that cfm free air will be lot less than quoted under build up of pressure

I also found a few more uses for mine, BB gun, bag pipe powderer the list goes on haha

I bought a Clarke raider 100 litre from machine mart on one of their vat free days, was about 300 quid. 14cfm which is pretty good.

Buy the best you can afford, you'll end up using it more than you think once you have it, and it will **** you off either waiting for it to catch up, or not being powerful enough for what you want to use it for.

take the biggest you can afford and then double it, you will still run out of air.

seriously I have a 10cfm clarke with a 50l tank, it is ok for short bursts but you need to give it a chance to catch up. the other option is to "obtain" a receiver tank as well, Ive just picked up a 150l tank and this helps a lot, but it is still no replacement for a bigger compressor.
another thing to remember; pro tools use more air than the cheapies, my ingersoll windy grinder is useless at home but when I use it at work its awsome, same with me snap on rattle gun.

I have a 50ltr tank and 150psi dunno what the CFM is cos it were second hand. But it struggles to run windy guns

On the look out for a 2nd tank.

I have half fitted my OBA which is a aircon compressor convered to compress air. It inflated my 37 inch tyre to 30 psi from flat in less than 40 seconds. The valve was th elimiting factor and that was direct no tank from the sanden pump only 10 foot of hose.

The valve really slowed it down I have heard that this pump is circa 13cfm but hey my very quick tryout shows it will be very handy. I have a rrc tank, manifold, all switch and wiring just need to attach the tank and plumb up the hose. Will need a coil to lose the heat generated and some pirtek 800 Deg hose. Will be ok when done but not had chance of late to play the little 80 inch has proven very time consuming!!!

when I say RRC tank I mean air suspension tank not a fuel tank lol!

trax99 said:

take the biggest you can afford and then double it, you will still run out of air.

seriously I have a 10cfm clarke with a 50l tank, it is ok for short bursts but you need to give it a chance to catch up. the other option is to "obtain" a receiver tank as well, Ive just picked up a 150l tank and this helps a lot, but it is still no replacement for a bigger compressor.
another thing to remember; pro tools use more air than the cheapies, my ingersoll windy grinder is useless at home but when I use it at work its awsome, same with me snap on rattle gun.

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True get the biggest your electric supply will run, Ive got a 20kw kaeser screw compressor and sometimes I wish id gone bigger

I had a 10bar 24ltr but once I got going with air tools over electric the better tools do kill it quick. I mainly did spraying with mine so got a 200ltr tank but took ages to fill up just got a bigger compressor it's 18cfm iirc 3bhp motor with 50ltr but I went for power over size as I have the receiver. Power is important but useless without a large enough tank. So if needs be go for size before power and get used to a big waiting.

so what about this one
Airmaster Tiger 14/60 Air Compressor - Machine Mart

Yeah that looks a good little motor. Be warned will soon want a bigger tank once you get a few bigger tools a decent drill or impact gun will drain 50ltrs quick.

yer i have a daddy compressor at home 250 litres 14cfm but damm its a long time i can empty it in 2 or 3 minutes if im using my snap on DA or such tools and it takes 10 minutes to refill i love it but i want bigger same as at land serwis they have a monster 400 litre screw job but we can empty it in minutes it has to feed a whole workshop with anything up to 10 people working the lines and it gets pushed really hard you will want a big tank and the bigger you have the bigger you will want and pikey look in to a lpg tank the out lawed type with no pressure relief valve as they should be dirt cheap, i had a few 6 foot long by 18 inch diameter lpg tanks from fleet transits they now reside in my mates workshop as air tanks

jai_landrover said:

I have half fitted my OBA which is a aircon compressor convered to compress air. It inflated my 37 inch tyre to 30 psi from flat in less than 40 seconds. The valve was th elimiting factor and that was direct no tank from the sanden pump only 10 foot of hose.

The valve really slowed it down I have heard that this pump is circa 13cfm but hey my very quick tryout shows it will be very handy. I have a rrc tank, manifold, all switch and wiring just need to attach the tank and plumb up the hose. Will need a coil to lose the heat generated and some pirtek 800 Deg hose. Will be ok when done but not had chance of late to play the little 80 inch has proven very time consuming!!!

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Been looking into that idea - found this: Another On board air write up - Tools and Fabrication - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

Looks a very good idea!!!

I got the bigger one

redhand said:

I have a 50ltr tank and 150psi dunno what the CFM is cos it were second hand. But it struggles to run windy guns

On the look out for a 2nd tank.

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ere pikey do yer know how to decommission a 75kg propane cylinder

if so when yer got it safe you only need a couple of air line fittings and a 1/4" BSP threading tap and yer got a removable second receiver tank

johnny curt 1 said:

ere pikey do yer know how to decommission a 75kg propane cylinder

if so when yer got it safe you only need a couple of air line fittings and a 1/4" BSP threading tap and yer got a removable second receiver tank

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Yep was thinking along that line meself. have made a stove outta a gas bottle. But I know where there's an old compressor on a scrapp pile. so gonna see about getting hold of that in the noo year.

this looks a bit of a bargain to me its the same spec as the one i rebuilt to run me mates 2 spray booth's

Air Compressor 150lktr tank 3hp 13cfm 240v | eBay