OT: Never buy an oil-less air compressor.

Geo-TH,In · Nov 28, 2011

I purchased an oil-less compressor 20 years ago to build my house. It blew up before I finished construction, so I went to town and bought a small portable compressor to finish the job. I discovered the oil-less compressor had what looked like leather for the ring. The piston and rod was one piece. Had to buy the piston, rod and cylinder wall as a package. I gave the compressor to my son and he only used it to air up car tires. It blew up again. Same problem. Leather like piston ring fell apart. Decided to use tank as an air tank on wheels. NEVER BUY AN OIL-LESS COMPRESSOR IF YOU WANT IT TO LAST YOUR LIFE TIME. My oldest compressor is 60+ years old. The portable compressor I replaced the oil-less one with is still working.

Bob Huntress · Nov 28, 2011

Ingersoll Rand uses bronze impregnated teflon rings in their oil free compressors. Perhaps the small units are different, but, all the big oil free compressors use the bronze impregnated teflon rings. They work pretty well, also.

JMOR · Nov 28, 2011

(quoted from post at 16:47:50 11/28/11) I purchased an oil-less compressor 20 years ago to build my house. It blew up before I finished construction, so I went to town and bought a small portable compressor to finish the job. I discovered the oil-less compressor had what looked like leather for the ring. The piston and rod was one piece. Had to buy the piston, rod and cylinder wall as a package. I gave the compressor to my son and he only used it to air up car tires. It blew up again. Same problem. Leather like piston ring fell apart. Decided to use tank as an air tank on wheels. NEVER BUY AN OIL-LESS COMPRESSOR IF YOU WANT IT TO LAST YOUR LIFE TIME. My oldest compressor is 60+ years old. The portable compressor I replaced the oil-less one with is still working.

Yep, noisy, short life junk...2 in my junk pile, now.

Coloken · Nov 28, 2011

Mine from Sears is 30 years old and still going.

Bob Huntress · Nov 28, 2011

Any of you that don't appreciate you oil free air pump located near me? I need to trash pick yalls place. When you use the proper rings, those things are awsome! I worked on IR oil free compressors in the Navy, and I'm telling, use the bronze impregnated teflon rings, and they are the best. If you paint especially, as there is no oil in your air supply.

bill mart · Nov 28, 2011

campbell hausfield oilless 10 years old and going strong. bill m.

Jim R · Nov 28, 2011

I'm with the guys that say not to buy an Oil Free model! Perhaps if they are as good as you folks say they are, the supply houses need to educate the people as to which kind of Oil Free Compressor to buy. I have had 2 Craftsman Oil Free compressors and they didn't last anytime. They both failed just after the warranty expired! I learned the hard way, after two of them failed. I bought a Campbell Hausfield Oil compressor with a 100% duty cycle and it is going on 5 years old and still running strong, and I use it a Lot.

big fred · Nov 28, 2011

It blew up? As in the tank exploded? The tank in the picture looks fine. I'm guessing you mean that it just failed to work properly. Kind of a big difference, as one can kill you, the other not so much.

Russ from MN · Nov 28, 2011

My Stanley-Bostitch became slow to build air when it was only 2 years old, it was the valve plate. I got a new valve plate locally for about $10 and its been fine since. My biggest complaint is the noise!
My good compressor is made out of a Chrysler automotive air conditioner pump, the 2 cylinder V type.

Mike (WA) · Nov 28, 2011

Come on, Fred, you know what he was saying. Everybody says "The engine in my truck blew up" but it doesn't mean it actually exploded. Cut a guy a little slack.

Bob Huntress · Nov 28, 2011

I know what you mean. The best air compressors are the old R-12 semi hermetics. The ones that come from the old walkin freezers of the 1960's. You can lube it with the original RC02, or basic compressor oil, but flush it good before changing oil. If you're going to build your own, those are the compressors to use, well and an open type of about the same era. They were accessable for repairs, and they produced a large volume of low pressure compressed air.

Nebraska Cowman · Nov 28, 2011

I had one that worked real good for several years and I used it a lot. I think it's downfall was that dirt would get in the bore on the back side as it was all open there. Mud dauber nests, dust from the atmosphere. Anyway it's junk now. I bought a cheapie with small tanks that I can carry around. It's an oil one but I don't think it will last either. You are just not going to get lightweight portability and longevity in the same package. (not without spending bookoo bucks anyhow)

omahagreg · Nov 28, 2011

As a trim carpenter, I will NOT have a portable oiled compressor! It never happened to me when I had my junk Craftsman, but I hear you will never recover if you spill oil on the customers new carpet! I had a Thomsen (got stolen) that lasted real well. They said (I never had to) you could rebuild it in 10 minutes for about $30! I have a Porter Cable now, and it works real nice, so far!

Anonymous-0 · Nov 28, 2011

I bought a Craftsman oil less compressor in the mid 90s & used it as a professional contractor & built at least a dozen homes running framing guns shingle guns & trim guns as well as countless remodels & mine hasn't missed a beat. I couldn't guess how many roofs I've reshingled with it. Gerald

JimEvans · Nov 28, 2011

I have the standard 33 gallon Craftsman oiless compressor. It is now 15+ years old. I have used it all the time to run air tools, paint, sandblast, etc. I have rebuilt it twice with new rings and cylinder sleeve when it became slow to pump up. Parts from Sears were about $15 to rebuild the last time I bought them. The other failure mode could be the rod bearing, which appears to be a $5 sealed ball bearing. Mine hasn't failed yet.

So $15 in repairs every 5 years. They are not junk, but they are loud. Mine sits in other room and the air is plumbed through the wall. Another advantage is you don't have to run an oil filter to paint with them and they don't have any issues in the cold weather.

I am planning on upgrading to a 5 HP, 80 gallon 2 stage this winter. So my Craftsman will be only used as a portable compressor after that.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 28, 2011

i have two harbor fright oil less and they both have been used and abused for over 5 years and both are still working like new they are the little round 4 gal size and paid something like 49.95. best thing for doing roofing i have found and if i drop one nothing lost

barnE · Nov 28, 2011

Had one years ago. Couldn't even paint a car without making repairs. Dave

Paul from MI · Nov 28, 2011

I have a 1-1/2H.P. Devilbiss that's been great, very handy for my finish nailer and the occasional tire. I had a Campbell-Hausfeld 5 H.P. that was the noisiest S.O.B. I ever heard, and it had to be repaired several times in the 15 years I used it. Replaced it with an old used Dayton piston type and couldn't be happier.

Ky Hauler · Nov 28, 2011

I have a small double tank fast fill Porter Cable. I have used it to build and roof three houses and many decks. The plug is actually burned almost away from poor connections. I never would have believed it would last this long.

Steven-Id · Nov 28, 2011

I bought a Devilbiss at Sam's club for $100 nearly 16 years ago. I used it to roof houses. It was too small for a framing gun but it would run the coil roofer very nicely. In the cold here in the winter I would go to the job site plug the compressor in and go to work. The guy that I worked with had a Rol-air oil type compressor. When he got to the job site he would plug a fitting in the output to relieve all air pressure. Then he would spend the next 30 minutes trying to get it to run. He would turn it on and it would putt a couple of times before he had to shut it off to keep it from tripping the breaker. He would then let it sit for a minute and try again. 30 minutes later he would have it running and could go to work. I had exceptionally good luck with my oil less compressor. It also only weighed about 15# so it was extremely portable.

Steven

kyhayman · Nov 28, 2011

I dont expect any 500-1000 dollar compressor to last my lifetime. Maybe a really good multi-stage compressor but not the economy ones. My oil free Craftsman lasted around 15 years, with no air filter on it. The little foam rubber stuff never would stay in so I just ran it til it died. My Sanborn 5 hp 2 cylinder 60 gallon has lasted 21 years, tank is leaking now, sounds like a rust out. It happens, but for 500 bucks what can I say. Ive for an IR from TSC to replace the Craftsman and Id be happy if it makes 20 years, probably replace the Sanborn this year with another IR. I'd like to get a tank but they seem to cost about as much as the whole thing does.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 28, 2011

You may have purchased a little citrus.

JMOR · Nov 29, 2011

(quoted from post at 18:51:38 11/28/11) It blew up? As in the tank exploded? The tank in the picture looks fine. I'm guessing you mean that it just failed to work properly. Kind of a big difference, as one can kill you, the other not so much.

ne I have , "blew up" means that the whole top of cylinder shattered! Finned pieces of aluminum everywhere!

Geo-TH,In · Nov 29, 2011

JMOR,
Here is what I posted: It blew up again. Same problem. Leather like piston ring fell apart. Decided to use tank as an air tank on wheels.

Perhaps I should have wrote it like this: It blew up again, same problem, leather like piston ring fell apart. Decided to use tank as an air tank on wheels. Sorry for the confusion.

You see what happens when you take a part of a statement out of context?

If you like, I'll take the compressor apart, only 4 bolts and the head and cylinder walls will expose the problem. You can also see the remains of the leather like piston ring on the cylinder walls.

My feelings for an oil-less compressor hasn't changed. This compressor would trip circuit breakers, it was loud, tipped over in the truck and a BPIA. The compressor most likely didn't have 20 hours of running time on it after I rebuilt 18 years ago.
George

OT: Never buy an oil-less air compressor.

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