Shop (and portable) air (1 Viewer)

[96FZJ80]

I have finished the structure/exterior of my (mostly woodworking) shop in the backyard. Have a few nailguns and worked with my little 2.5 hp 11 gallon Coleman compressor. I need more air for bigger tools and small sandblasting jobs and want to be able to take it around front to the driveway (for auto work) as well. I am going to get a Ridgid GP80150RT compressor. From what I can see it's perfect for me. I can put it outside under the lean-to getting the noise out of the shop and run a line inside where I'll keep the little air tank (still connected) that has the gauges to adjust outlet pressure. When I want air out front for impacts or anything I can wheel it out there. And probably the best feature, I don't get that big 15a draw on my limited supply competing with other tools. I realize it's not professional level equipment but neither am I. Anyone have actual experience with one of these? YouTube not very informative on actual use. Also, if anyone in the Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Beaumont, etc... area has one and looking to upgrade I'm looking to buy one. couple pics...

 

[Nas90tdi]

You will not be able to sandblast with that setup. Even a small sandblaster would probably give you 30 seconds of use max before it kicks on and tries to catch up. Unfortunately it won't.

I do understand the problem you are facing. Been there. But, sandblasting requires a massive amount of air. It's essentially an open line releasing air.
I used to sandblast with 60 gallon 10 CFM compressor and I found even that to be fairly annoying and upgraded. I have several of the smaller compressors I use for various things and they are virtually useless for any high CFM tasks. They are fine for your nailguns and if you give them time to pump up between uses, an impact can be used. Just expect to be waiting a lot between uses if it's really working hard.

Good air supply is one of the harder nuts to crack for cheap. The direct drive compressors won't keep up, they are unbelievably loud, and get really hot if you work them hard.

Congrats on the shop BTW.

 

[96FZJ80]

Well that's a bummer. Never done any sand blasting before. Is that the case even if I only plan to use one of those little guns with a pick up tube (I bought a Campbell Hausfeld) rather than the big vacuum hose looking set up? Just looking to things like wheels, patio furniture, etc.. .

 

[PAToyota]

My two-stage 5hp 80-gallon Quincy cycles pretty frequently while sandblasting. As Nas says, it is a CFM hog. The other thing is having dry air for sandblasting. I run a refrigerated air dryer and metal hard lines (not just airhose) to condense as much water out as possible before the sandblaster.

My compressor is stationary, but 50' hoses are cheap. I can run a hose to pretty much anywhere on my property (quarter acre in town).

 

[96FZJ80]

I'm gonna go cheap till it annoys the hell out of me or I drop it as one of my diy activities. So, for cfm the ridgid unit says it's 10 point something at 90 psi. I'm thinking that's OK for me as the gun I got says it needs 9. But I imagine capacity (at a measly 8 gals) is an issue. To be honest, the best thing I like about it is the 4 gal tank you can pull off and take with you with the regulator. So I'm thinking I'll plumb in another tank (big one but haven't researched specifics yet) between the fixed tank and the portable tank to add capacity. Drier is another expensive component of this "money saving" effort to diy.

 

[Hack]

Among the many shortcomings you'll face by going with that type of compressor is the air storage capacity. If you intend to use 'larger/bigger' air tools, with greedy air requirements, IE: Sanders, grinders, etc. You will run out of air sooner rather than later. And then you'll be waiting for the tank(s) to fill, before starting the cycle again. As others have posted, sandblasting, other than perhaps using a small 'spot' type blaster, isn't going to work very well. Sandblasting takes lots of air. My cabinet has a 24 cfm gun, and it will cause my 7.5hp IR compressor (with 80 gal tank), to cycle continually.

Those type of portable compressors are designed for outdoor contractors to run their nail guns, which don't use a huge volume of air.

I'm curious as to why you think the 15 amp draw of an electric would be an issue. Most often, you aren't simultaneously running the air compressor, and an amp greedy machine.

I've been pleasantly surprised by the Harbor Freight 29 gallon upright I purchased for my lake house: 29 gal. 2 HP 150 PSI Cast Iron Vertical Air Compressor It is quiet, puts out plenty of air, and can be moved around if necessary. Although it is heavy. Really heavy for it's size. Buy a couple 50' sections of air hose, and you're good.

 

[96FZJ80]

I thought I was getting this figured out but must be missing something. I thought I needed 2 things. 9 or more cfm (for the gun I bought) and large air storage capacity to keep the pump from cycling too often. The cfm output not being something I could adjust or modify I needed to shop for the most cost-effective cfm output which this one seems pretty good at 10 cfm for anywhere from $500-$750 "barely used" to new. The issue of storage capacity could be addressed by plumbing in a large storage tank from an old broken compressor like this one Champion Air Compressor 60Gal. So, well under a grand I'd have capacity and decent cfm. This is uncharted territory for me so what am I missing?

As for the electric, it'll be on a 15a circuit, and I agree you can really only use one tool at a time, my thought was to not have one tool max out the circuit. Have never had a problem running my current 15a compressor on the same circuit, but thought of it as temporary. But thinking about it now, it is probably a good time to upgrade the wiring and put a bigger breaker in. Is that all it would take? I don't have 220v in the shop so in my research I don't think I've come across a 110v compressor that can deliver the cfm (9+).

Yeah, if money were no object or I was generating income from the shop I'd get it professionally wired up with 220 and throw in a big honking compressor.

 

[Hack]

So, well under a grand I'd have capacity and decent cfm. This is uncharted territory for me so what am I missing?

For a bit more than a grand you can get a real air compressor - 5hp 80 gal. That you will not out-grow (until you go 'over the top'). Buy once - Cry once.

Yeah, if money were no object or I was generating income from the shop I'd get it professionally wired up with 220 and throw in a big honking compressor.

IMHO, you should re-think this. Get 100 amp service out to your shop, and get one or two 220v circuits. You may very well be in your 'temporary' shop for a lot longer than you plan. Not having enough power is really, really going to put a crimp in your plans.

 

[96FZJ80]

Hold the phone.... email just in from the store manager at HF. I can save up to 92% starting Friday. Watch this space!

Seriously, thanks for the input (and enabling). Time to put the thinking cap on and try to figure out how not to waste money and time at this. In other words, justification.

 

[96FZJ80]

Well, finally got some time to try blasting some wheels. The 11 gallon compressor was catching up more time than I was working (maybe twice as much). Talked with my buddy 2 houses away and ended up running about 200' of air hose from his 60 gallon compressor to my back yard (guy in the middle was very understanding). So I think I'm going to watch for some sales and try to get the 5hp, 60 gallon, 100% duty cycle IR compressor from Tractor Supply. Still not willing to bite the bullet and bring in an electrician to provide 220 supply but going to run it off my 5500W generator that I keep for hurricane season. It has a 4 prong 240 single phase plug. This way I get the compressor and can run the generator more often to make sure I don't have to clean any more shellac out of the carb when I need it.

 

[Bob Morazes]

I bought the 80 gallon IR from Tractor supply a few years ago when they had their 20% off sales.
It works very well, however.
1. very loud.
2. after I plugged it in and it filled the tank I discovered there was a leak in the factory supplied supply outlet fitting, so I had to blow all the air, take it apart, tape the threads and start all over. The tank was pretty hot by then.
SO my advice it to check all your fittings before you fill, and you might want to get the extended bottom drain in place before you bolt it down and read the directions that says you supposed to drain the tank often.
Merry Christmas
Bobmo

 

[96FZJ80]

I'll definitely need some ear muffs with both compressor and generator running if I'm going to be in the shop. Luckily biggest job for it will be sandblasting which I'll do outside.

Good tip on taping all the fittings before firing it up and extending the drain line. Wouldn't have thought about either of those.