Help me pick out a shop compressor. $1k budget

Jody Treadway

Jody Treadway

Croc wearing fool
Moderator
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Hendersonville, NC
My old Coleman 80 gallon compressor is on it's way out. I'm looking for a replacement. My shop use is lift installs, re-gear jobs, etc. 15-20 hours a week I use the shop. So, I really do not need "industrial" quality.

Needs to be:
240v single phase (shop is wired for 3 phase, but a bit overkill)
plenty of air to keep up with my plasma
under $1k

What say NC4x4?
 
For the money, this IR puts out a pretty substantial amount of air. The shop where a bud works has had one running about 4 lines for several years, and it seems to be holding up well. The Horrible Freight $800 compressor tends to review well, too, but it seems like you either get a good one or you don't. If you can stack another grand on that, though, a Quincy or Champion would be the direction I'd go. Nice and quiet, low-rpm pumps that should outlast you.
 
I grabbed an IR from TSC, for 550 single stage, 240vac...and it flows very well.
 
I've seen alot of good reviews of these. They used to be made in America, I have not looked at them in a while.

http://www.harborfreight.com/5-hp-60-gallon-165-psi-two-stage-air-compressor-93274.html


I have one of these. For what it cost new, I would have returned it. A friend has the single stage one they sell at TSC. It's about as fast, and no louder than mine. You don't need some bad ass compressor to run a plasma. I have no problem running the 80 amp on my table with a smaller compressor.

http://www.amazon.com/Ingersoll-Ran...368102874&sr=1-6&keywords=ingersoll+rand+t-30

I paid 500 for mine off CL, had not been used much.


http://greensboro.craigslist.org/tls/3780827883.html

This one is probably 3 phase, but was over 3K new.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/tld/3761363414.html
 
I have an ingersoll rand T30 80 gallon upright with a 7.5hp that needs a new home. It needs a new breaker box on it though. Model number 2475 if you want to do some research on the breaker. It's not the pressure switch cut off switch. It's the big breaker in the box. It has a relatively new motor on it. Couldn't have more than a years worth of use.

When it broke I needed a new one that day to finish a job and just bought a whole new compressor and never bought the parts to fix this old one.

Make an offer if your interested.
 
My big thing is having a 1750 rpm motor. I got an old speedaire, and it was great up until it broke a valve. Still works, but I haven't had time to see if I can rebuild the head. But the noise difference is huge, especially in a smaller space.
 
Well, today the engine seized and burnt the motor up. I saw flames through my cutting goggles.
Gonna be shopping for a new one tomorrow. Too many projects not to get one ASAP.
 
For no more than you are going to do with it check out the husky pro at home depot.
I have been using one for 3 years with no problem and it keeps up with my big esab plasma just fine and you will have some cash left over for plumbing and filters
 
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