air compressor comparison

which do you guys think would be better to have:

1- a brand new 80 gallon compressor (either a quincy or champion)

or

2- two older 80 gallon compressors hooked together (both work well)

Dad and I each have older 80 gallon compressors in our shops. He is thinking about updating to something newer (he says his old champion is too loud in his steel building). I know he would just give me his compressor if I want it. I currently have a 70s Westinghouse compressor that works without issue.

The biggest air usage I have is my sandblaster. I can fill my compressor and once sandblasting if I don't take a break the compressor wont shut off. I'm thinking it would be nice to have 2 80 gallon tanks full for this. Plus I could add the 80 gallon for basically just the cost of new wiring (already have air line) or I could sell them and put the money toward a new compressor.

I don't really know much about modern compressors other than what the salesman would tell us. obviously they want to sell us a compressor so they tell us to ditch the old. I've never had more than 80 gallons of air on tap at one time, so just wondering if 160 vs 80 gallons makes a big difference?

yep big difference, we had 3-60 gallons hooked up in the tire shop The Ingersol Rand ran almost continually the other 2 came on when we were doing big ag, truck, or when we were very busy. If someone has 1 hooked up like he is thinking about buying, I would advise him to go listen to it run. Different brands can be very noisy or very quiet. We had to put 1 new unit in the back storage warehouse because of the noise.

If you're sandblaster is working good with what you have I would keep the $2000 in my pocket or so for a new one. Probably couldn't sell the compressors for what they're worth anyway. Unless I knew the person and that they had kept the compressor in good condition, I would not buy a used one.

Age and tank size mean nothing. For sandblasting you'll need a engine powered compressor about 10 times bigger than you shop compressor. They don't even have air storage tanks.

(quoted from post at 10:34:32 10/19/15) Age and tank size mean nothing. For sandblasting you'll need a engine powered compressor about 10 times bigger than you shop compressor. They don't even have air storage tanks.

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I'm sorry that's 100% incorrect. I have a cabinet sandblaster that requires 15 cfm. there are plenty of shop compressors capable of putting that cfm out. mine does.

i run 2 -10 hp 3 phase compressors here at the shop. they are hooked together, both have 120 gallon tanks. no problems, and have ample air. (auto body shop)

A true compressor runs slower and is quieter because they are rated differently. The cheap ones Make all of the noise cause most run like crazy to "make" their rated air amount. They sound like RAAAAAA as where a good machine goes tum tum tum tum. I use a small blaster with the smallest tip you can get. I think it is 3/32? Used to just run it with my Emglo machine in the basement. Puts out 6cfm a minute. Along the wall I have a 15 gallon truck air brake tank and also a little smaller air tank all hooked together. They hold a lot of reserve but the compressor was just not enough. I could blast at about two or three minutes until the pressure got too low. You want to stay at 100lb or even better is 125psi. This spring I bought an Emglo D8 unit at the auction and repaired the couple of little problems it had. WOWWWWWW does that thing pump! Now I have 15cfm from this machine and it will run the blaster all by itself. I hooked them together the first try and the basement machine never even turned on. Try things with a small tip first and you may be in for a surprise. If you have taken good care of your machines like 30wt ND oil and air filters and they do not knock you should be fine. Electric or gas doesn't matter it is what they are rated at. 6cfm or 125cfm will be the same no matter. The ideal machine for sand blasting is a 125cfm rotary screw machine. Mind blowing amounts of air and zero recovery time. Also the cost of a small house! Just hook your two together and use a small tip and you should be fine. I know, lots of information here but I just told you a bunch. Enjoy.

Apologies, my idea of sandblasting is truck frames, trailers, that sort of thing.

Option 2 is better. Why replace a working reciprocating unit with a new one? Now if you want to go with a rotary (screw) compressor, that would make more sense. 160 gallons will give you longer initial reserve time, but if you keep the blaster wide open - same thing is going to happen. Only now 2 units will run.

Build a box and insulate it around the compressors. Plumb the intake outside and add a vent for cooling. Mine would drive me crazy inside my steel building without some deadening.

have two 80 gal tanks tied together and complete unit is in sound deading room made under loft
stairway really nice.

have done some testing on my compressor over the past couple days. Its putting out an average of 18 cfm, so its not going anything.

About a month ago I downloaded one of those decibel reading apps on my phone, and my compressor was low 90s, dads was mid 90s. LIke I said, think the reasons dads sounds so loud is the echoing in the steel building. its lightly insulated, but not enough to stop the sound I think.

Stumbled on Eaton compressors, now badged as Polar Air. They advertise 73 db on their standard model, and have a "silent air" thingamabob that claims to bring it down to 56 db.

Short term plan will be to try adding a new air intake to the loud compressor. The Solberg air filter silencers seem nice, so that with a few 90 degree bends might get us a slight reduction.

Long term plan dad is getting a polar air compressor, and I'll hook the two compressors together.

You say when you are sandblasting your compressor won't shut off. If you have enough air that is not a problem. If air pressure does get low you might try just hooking the second tank and see if that meets your needs. I think you'll find one compressor operating full time is a little more efficient than two operating part time. The compressor runs more efficiently with lower tank pressure so you are moving air into a partially filled tank more efficiently than if you try to keep it full all the time.