Project Garage Part V: Air Compressors

• Pipes, fittings, and hoses must have a rating equal to the maximum pressure of the compressor. 

• Keep air hoses free of grease and oil to prevent cracking or deterioration. 

• Avoid high speed aluminum pumps- they’re cheap and you get what you pay for. 

• Running off generators is not a good idea for anything but portable compressors. While most compressors only take 15 amps to operate, they sometimes require a startup surge as much as 3 times that high. The only reason they don’t cause you to blow your circuit is because that high demand is for just a millisecond. 

• Unless they come equipped with disconnect plugs, turn off air supply at the control valve and bleed pneumatic tools (riveting guns or nailers) before disconnecting them.

• Rings in oiled compressors won’t always keep some oil from entering the air stream in aerosol form; spray painting or working with wood should be done with an oil free compressor as to not contaminate the air supply.  

• Be careful when using pneumatic tools around fuel or flammable vapors as they can generate static electricity. 

 

 

Project Garage is equipped with a Sanborn compressor (made by Coleman). At just a $250 ebay find, it’s a steal. The Sanborn is a 5 hp, 27 gallon tank air compressor.  It pushes 6.5 scfm at 90 psi and 8.1 scfm at 40 psi. Although buying a compressor on ebay or craigslist can score a good deal, most online auctions won’t ship so it’s a little more difficult to find one nearby that you can pick up. A good compressor for the money is the Central Pneumatic one Harbor Freight sells, item 7. It is oil lubricated with 2.5 hp and a 21 gallon tank. The compressor pushes 5.8 scfm at 40 psi and 4.7 scfm at 90 psi and retails around $199 but can often be found on sale for $169. Porter Cable offers some good (decently priced) air compressors and if your tax return is burning a hole in your wallet, Ingersoll Rand has an amazing selection of very reliable air compressors. Now go be an airhead!