Air Compressor

I have been looking for a new air compressor for very occasional use. Found a new one with a 21 gallon tank, 125 PSI cast iron vertical compressor. Oil lube. Has a 2 1/2 HP motor. Runs at 3400 RPM. 4.7 CFM @ 90 PSI & 5.8 CFM @ 40 PSI. I won't use much, but will need for airing up tires and would like to be able to use with an impact wrench. Is this big enough to run an impact? If not what do you recommend? Can't afford to spend a lot of money.
 
I don't think you will have enough pressure for impact. I sold my pneumatic impact along with all my other pneumatic tools, and bought a 18v dewalt cordless. It has more torque than my old wimpy pneumatic. I take it in the truck. I like not pumping up the compressor and like the idea I can use it away from shop.

I'm happier with electric sanders, grinders, drills. They don't require a 5 hp air compressor, uses less electricity and no air hoses.
 
George raises some good points. If you are going to run air tools you need at least 9 cft. per minute at 90 lbs air pressure. You really need one that will do 11-12 cft per minute so that years down the road and some wear on the compressor, you will still have 9 cft or so. The compressor you are talking about will do fine for tires and would run 3/8 drive air tools in an okay manner for short periods. 1/2 inch drives or die grinders --- forget about it. You might get away with a compressor this small for air tools for short periods if you add another air tank, say 60 to 80 gal.tank for more reserve, but you still won't be happy.
 
Impact tools have their place and uses.
They are however the most overused and misapplied tools in the shop.
I watched many 'mechanics' pick up his impact when a ratchet would do.
Every time I buy tires I tell the manager the mechanic can use an impact to take of the lug nuts but use finger and torque wrench to put them on.
 
I think the 18v dewalt has around 500 lb-ft of torque. Lug nuts are no problems. I have a 3/4 inch ratchet and a cheater pipe in truck for the problem nuts.

I like the 18v because I can carry it in truck. Does most of my work.

However there are other cordless impacts with even a larger punch. Not sure which ones. I carry 5 dewalt batteries in truck for all many cordless tools. You name the tool, good chance I got it. I consider my 1/4 inch impact to be priceless when it comes to putting screws in. I think it rated around 120 lb-ft. If I'm not careful I twist off the tool in the 1/4 inch impact.

A 120v electric impacts may pack a larger punch and cost less. My dad had an old 120v impact.
 

Just for the record that is not a true 2-1/2 hp motor.

I had a neighbor that when he and his son sharpened their sickle knives on their combine, they clamped it to saw horses and one used their 4-1/2 " side grinder, and the other used a pneumatic die grinder.

Now the side grinder uses a lot less amps than the true 3 hp motor on their air compressor. Yet the air compressor can not keep up with the side grinder.

Dusty
 
George, is there a way to know how much torque is being put out?
Is it adjustable? Like their battery drill motors? On their drill motors the torque is not known.

Dusty
 
I have used impacts on a lot smaller compressors than that, you just can't use them steady, 100 psi is about what is recommended. How big a hurry are you in?
 
Yes, my 18v is a 1/2 impact. I also have a 1/4 impact that I use to drive screws.

Years ago I paid $100 on ebay for just the bare tool 1/2 impact. I don't need batteries and chargers, I have enough.

The bare 1/4 impact is about $70 now, years ago it too was $100

george
my 18v 1/2 inch impact
 

I have some battery power tools as long as you stay on the high dollar side you can get 5 years out of a battery... I think a good cordless drill is hard to beat a impact driver compliments it as long as they use the same battery... Battery power is for convenience...

I am addicted to air and have the compressors to back it up... If I have a choice of electric are air I go air... If you are going for the long run buy a decent compressor if you are going for the short run buy electric are battery power and end up paying more in the long run...

I have the air I buy the best air tools if anyone wants to bring there electric are battery powered tools over for a challenge be prepared to tuck yer tail tween you legs when you leave...

Your problem is you are cheapening out on a real compressor... That low grade stuff is not gonna cut it if you want to get'er done...
 
That's my dilemma. I really can't afford a good compressor...especially since I won't use it every day. Thanks for your input.
 

The bare minimum... I have brought them for $25 on crack list

http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/Campbell-Hausfeld-VT6271-Air-Compressor/p87.html

Upgrade

http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/Ingersoll-Rand-SS3L3-Air-Compressor/p688.html

Worth the difference
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_211720_211720

We are staring to cook with gas..
http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com...V41C60VC&gclid=CMu0wYjntMACFUoS7Aod2SEAjQ

Move over rover bring all comers on..


http://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/C-Aire-A075V080-1230-Air-Compressor/p11524.html

I recomend a 18 to 27 cfm 2 stage compressor 220 volts at what you can afford... Any thing less you are sucking hind t-i-t...
 
It depends on what you want to do with the impact wrench. I have successfuly removed car wheels with just the air stored in a 5 gal. portable tank. Then again there are other places where that is just not enough air.

For years Dad and I got by with 1/2 hp. Sanborn compressor on a 20 gal tank. Even painted a little with it, but the compressor would run continuously. Trying to sandblast was a lesson in frustration.

Now I am on my third compressor: 5 hp Ingersoll on 60 gallon tank and 18 cfm.
 
George, I use a dewalt 18v at work. The best invention yet is the charger that plugs into the lighter plug. Always have a fresh battery. The impact is a very handy tool.

Steven
 
I guess I have to be different, I like it, very simple. Perhaps that's it, I'm simple too. It has yet to cause me a problem

What I don't like is how hard it is for an old guy to remove the socket, so I ground off the round ball that holds the sockets on.
 
No adjustment on torque. I use mine mostly for
removing nuts. When it comes to tightning just run
the nut up close, then use torque wrench.

That's why I do business with the tire barn. They
use torque wrench to remove lugs, and hand torque
when tightning.

As for the actual torque dewalt puts out you will
have to go to dewalt home page.

Keep in mind there are bigger, badder cordless out
there, I'm like the color of dewalts.

There are cheaper 120v impacts that may have more
punch. My dewalt has more punch than my old air
impact. Can't remember what brand, I had a few. It
seems like the older they get they lose strength,
like me.
 
That's always the problem, it seems. I'm holding off on buying a compressor right now, since I want something with enough giddy-up-go to handle 3/4 air tools. Neighbor had a compressor big enough to run 1" air tools. His 1" impact wrench tightend those disc harrow gang bolts so they didn't come loose. Only thing is, you sure needed that inch wrench to take the nuts off again!
 
I am going to add another opinion here.

I think the compressor you found sounds good for your intended purpose. It will run a 1/2" impact fine in most situations. Like 99 times out of 100.

The Dewalt 18V impact is nice. I have one and use it first cause its cordless. With that said I still maybe 1 out of 10 times need to use the air impact cause it has twice the torque of the dewalt. I would not want to be without a healthy air impact in the shop. You can do so much more work with an impact vs a cheater bar.
 
That's exactly why I'm a long time customer of Tire Barn, they use torque wrench. Put a end to stripped studs.
 
I have the newer yellow cigarette charger tht charges all 3 dewalt batteries, Ni-cs, Ni-Mh and Li-ion. Also have 2 chargers in shop radios and 2 other charger using 120v. I got rid of all my old black dewalt chargers, which won't work on Li-ions. The newer charger shuts down when battery is charged. The older ones would continue to charge, battery was hot when removed.
 

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