good air compressor and tools??
Discussion
I have this ABAC model...
http://www.diy-compressors.com/catalog/shopping_ca...
Use it with, air wrenches, air saw, impact wrenches, tyre pump, spraying etc etc..
I even ran a small sand blasting cabinet from it for a while.....does everything I need, not to noisey, and has been 100% reliable...had it 5 years.
It was a lucky buy though, at £30 quid... And brand new
http://www.diy-compressors.com/catalog/shopping_ca...
Use it with, air wrenches, air saw, impact wrenches, tyre pump, spraying etc etc..
I even ran a small sand blasting cabinet from it for a while.....does everything I need, not to noisey, and has been 100% reliable...had it 5 years.
It was a lucky buy though, at £30 quid... And brand new
Spend as much money as you realistically can - also its better to get a big/industrial second hand one than a new hobby compressor. Nobody has ever needed less air, but its very annoying to have to wait for the pressure to build up again. Generally they are pretty bullet proof, especially the industrial ones. Pressure switches go every now and again, but they are cheap to replace. Motors and pumps generally not a problem.
I bought a 3hp 50l Airmaster compressor from Machine Mart which I am very happy with. I don't use it a lot, but I can run a nut gun from it. 3hp seems to be the most powerful motor that can be run from a domestic electric socket, although you will need to make sure that the circuit breaker is quite a big one (sorry to be rather vage here - my garage sockets will run it without tripping, but some of my other household circuits won't). Machine Mart advised me that lesser machines would struggle to keep up with a nut gun.
The catalogue price for this is £311.98 inc VAT, but watch out for promotions. I think that I got about 20% off.
As for tools, it is too early to say whether what I have bought is good.
The catalogue price for this is £311.98 inc VAT, but watch out for promotions. I think that I got about 20% off.
As for tools, it is too early to say whether what I have bought is good.
Quite a big budget, should be okay. Does add up though.
I think the normal advice is to get a belt drive compressor - they are far quieter than direct drive units. Then get the biggest you can!
In my experience an air setup is only as good as the weakest link in the chain. You have to make sure you have 10mm hose (nothing smaller), decent quality large bore fittings, high flow regulators, filters etc.
I have a cheap (£60!) Chinese 2.5hp 50l compressor. Had pretty much written it off for anything apart from blowing dust off things and pumping up tyres. Last night I swapped the regulator on it for a better one, removed the quick release euro fitting and screwed the hose straight on. Decent quality fittings on the tools and end of hose.
Suddenly my cut-off tool works brilliantly, think the air gun might be a go-er too. They were completely unusable before. I think the cheap compressors are okay, but all the fittings are way too restrictive to be fit for purpose.
I think the normal advice is to get a belt drive compressor - they are far quieter than direct drive units. Then get the biggest you can!
In my experience an air setup is only as good as the weakest link in the chain. You have to make sure you have 10mm hose (nothing smaller), decent quality large bore fittings, high flow regulators, filters etc.
I have a cheap (£60!) Chinese 2.5hp 50l compressor. Had pretty much written it off for anything apart from blowing dust off things and pumping up tyres. Last night I swapped the regulator on it for a better one, removed the quick release euro fitting and screwed the hose straight on. Decent quality fittings on the tools and end of hose.
Suddenly my cut-off tool works brilliantly, think the air gun might be a go-er too. They were completely unusable before. I think the cheap compressors are okay, but all the fittings are way too restrictive to be fit for purpose.
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