No offense , but rigging two units together will require a lot bigger pipe fittings to keep the cfm up to par . Blasters , unless you use a very small air jet will require more cfm than you can shove through those small pipes . Pressure pot outdoor types require double the cfm over most cabinet units .
Vae-
Unfortunately , compressors are like welders - buy the biggest you can afford . I'd almost shy away from the newer ones as they just aren't as reliable as older industrial units but if you must the 7.5hp is closer to what I have . CFM is the devil here , you'll need around 23-28cfm for blasting and other duties . The 5hp unit at that draw rate will run until it overheats the oil and live a short life . If you are stuck with single phase 220v then you are limited - just watched a VR4 industrial 50cfm sell for only $1500 used in excellent condition , but the 25hp motor would have spun most meters off the wall when running . Just to compare , a buddy has one of the newer 5hp units like you mention , his runs so hot and takes much longer to outrun his work he changes oil once a month when working on projects . I change oil once a year and run mine some days for 10+hrs continuously , no worries . Also , be aware that most of these new high-rpm units (3450) are extremely loud , I prefer the old style 1725 rpm low speed big-bore pumps . Just less wear and tear over time .
A good unit really should last most folks a lifetime if it's a quality one and keep up with whatever work needs done . Buy cheap , buy again and again ....
Sarge
Vae-
Unfortunately , compressors are like welders - buy the biggest you can afford . I'd almost shy away from the newer ones as they just aren't as reliable as older industrial units but if you must the 7.5hp is closer to what I have . CFM is the devil here , you'll need around 23-28cfm for blasting and other duties . The 5hp unit at that draw rate will run until it overheats the oil and live a short life . If you are stuck with single phase 220v then you are limited - just watched a VR4 industrial 50cfm sell for only $1500 used in excellent condition , but the 25hp motor would have spun most meters off the wall when running . Just to compare , a buddy has one of the newer 5hp units like you mention , his runs so hot and takes much longer to outrun his work he changes oil once a month when working on projects . I change oil once a year and run mine some days for 10+hrs continuously , no worries . Also , be aware that most of these new high-rpm units (3450) are extremely loud , I prefer the old style 1725 rpm low speed big-bore pumps . Just less wear and tear over time .
A good unit really should last most folks a lifetime if it's a quality one and keep up with whatever work needs done . Buy cheap , buy again and again ....
Sarge