Need shop air compressor recommendations

[Derald Rice]

Originally Posted by bwcobra15

I do not have the 240v line yet - I have plenty of room in my breaker box to expand though, and I will already be adding another 240v outlet for MIG welder.

A suggestion if your shop is attached to the house (mine is attached) :

My wife used to complain about me leaving the compressor on through the night, and it would cycle on, waking her up. It really never bothered me, I can snore through anything.

Then I had my compressor circuit wired through a relay from an overhead light circuit. When I turn the lights off, the compressor cannot cycle on.

It has worked flawlessly, and wife is much happier now.

As for a compressor recommendation, stay away from the oil less, and get as big a unit as you can fit or afford.
I have a 80 gal IR, it is going on 15 years with no issues.

[Bernica]

I've been through many for my garage and finally went with the IR T-30...

2-stage
240v
5 HP
14.7 CFM @ 175 PSI (it cuts off at 175)

Then I piped the garage from it to give me outlets in various places and made sure I used a good oil / water separator setup with a regulator just after the compressor outlet. Make sure you mount it on rubber pads and bolt it to the floor well and use a flex hose connector as shown in the pic.

It is more than adequate. But is wasn't $800 either. Probably my last compressor.

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by Bernica

I've been through many for my garage and finally went with the IR T-30...

2-stage
240v
5 HP
14.7 CFM @ 175 PSI (it cuts off at 175)

Then I piped the garage from it to give me outlets in various places and made sure I used a good oil / water separator setup with a regulator just after the compressor outlet. Make sure you mount it on rubber pads and bolt it to the floor well and use a flex hose connector as shown in the pic.

It is more than adequate. But is wasn't $800 either. Probably my last compressor.

Gee, that almost seems like a big block when a small block would be more than adequate...

[mikeinatlanta]

I have a 5hp, 230 Volt, 30 gal, belt driven, cast iron, two cylinder CH and have one really big regret. I find that I often need a two stage. Two stage will be more able to support high CFM items like my blast cabinet, paint sprayers, and my DA sander, It really sucks having to switch out between corded and air DA due to lack of air. Tanks size matters for about 30 seconds of tool usage. For my blast cabinet it's one minute on and three minutes off for recharge.

[bwcobra15]

Originally Posted by Derald Rice

A suggestion if your shop is attached to the house (mine is attached) :

My wife used to complain about me leaving the compressor on through the night, and it would cycle on, waking her up. It really never bothered me, I can snore through anything.

Then I had my compressor circuit wired through a relay from an overhead light circuit. When I turn the lights off, the compressor cannot cycle on.

It has worked flawlessly, and wife is much happier now.

As for a compressor recommendation, stay away from the oil less, and get as big a unit as you can fit or afford.
I have a 80 gal IR, it is going on 15 years with no issues.

Fortunately for me, the garage and workshop is detached. Its my man cave escape pod. Heat/AC, U-Verse digital TV, stereo, internet.

I do intend on putting the compressor in an insulated closet or out shed. not sure yet. It depends on the farthest hose run I can do.