OT: Air Compressor

Sep 04, 2003 7 Replies
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I'm looking into an air compressor. I'd like to use it to:



  1. Spray herculiner/paint
  2. Inflate tires
  3. Impact wrench powerful enough to remove/tighten lug nuts
  4. nail gun

What size should I be looking at? What brands are good/bad? Are the ones at harbor freight tools any good?


When i got my compressor, i looked for something with a warranty and qualty, since i would be using it a lot. First i went to Sears, and got one there. It was a factory refurbished job, but at a lower price than a smaller unit, but with the same warranty as new. It's a 6hp with a 35 gallon tank, single-stage. It's great, but with that big of a tank the motor runs a lot on initial fill-up, and it's not quiet. But even with the three-year extended warranty i still paid less than a brand-new smaller unit. Two years later i'm still using it hard as ever, no problems. It get used hard for auto stuff; impact, ratcheting, drilling, etc.

Don W

'82 CJ8 Scrambler AMC 360 T/F 727 Dana 300 One-piece model 20

2" shackle lift/reversal 2" lift springs of unknown origin 33" Mickey's

Isn't it a bad idea to use an impact wrench to tighten lug nuts? I know on my Cherokeet that if I use an impact wrench it wrenches loose the chrome covers from the lug nuts.

-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

I use my impact wrench set to its lowest torque setting to spin my lugnuts down to the wheel. Near as I can tell, they're setting at maybe 75 or so ft-lbs. once the impact wrench is done with them. Then I use my torque wrench to do the final tightening to 90 ft-lbs. It's a LOT faster this way and the final tightening is still done with a more accurate hand torque wrench... best of both worlds.

Jerry

OK, I won't use it for lug nuts (except to remove). I really want info on air compressors. Thanks!

Anybody have any opinions on Central Pneumatic air compressors?

"harbor freight" made in china junk

If you are looking for a decent online place to order something from try northerntools.com

At least you can find a half-decent make there. I am a bit shy of the "house brands" from some of these goofballs (like harbour freight)

I have this one

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It was on sale something like $90. I bought it to replace this Campbell Hausfeld piece of junk I paid $100 for at WalMart:

The Central Pneumatic works very well for my needs, filling tires, changing tires in the driveway, blowing dust off stuff, etc. It would need bigger tank if I were going to use it for air tools that really use a lot of air like grinders and sanders. For my occasional use I just couldn't justify a more expensive air compressor.

Dean

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