Re: As big as you can go and still stick with the 120VAC...

Hey all, I am looking to add an air compressor to my collection of tools, basic tire inflation to occasional air wrenching on lug nuts and other parts. Any recommendations as to size or experience would be appreciated. I don't want to go too big or not have enough capacity. Interested in what you are using at home.

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cribfiller
Hey all, I am looking to add an air compressor to my collection of tools, basic tire inflation to occasional air wrenching on lug nuts and other parts. Any recommendations as to size or experience would be appreciated. I don't want to go too big or not have enough capacity. Interested in what you are using at home.

Unless you want to rig up wiring for a 240VAC through maybe the dryer outlet.

The size of the compressor is generally based on what you'll be using it for. Bead/sand blasting, painting, running a die grinder or a sander, these use lots of air and you need a big compressor to avoid running the small run into the ground. IIRC air tools, bead/sand blasting cabinets all have some kind of air usage on the box or packaging and you can go by this. If you can try to get a compressor that more than meets the requirements so the unit even if properly sized isn't running all the time.

But you can still get quite a bit done with a smaller one as long as the heavy uses above are infrequent and not too long of a duration. I had lots of air tools -- a local auto parts store was closing and the owner was selling air tools are a heck of a discount so I bought one of everything -- and used them all at one time or another. The one that got the most use was an air impact wrench and when I was machining I used the air compressor to provide a mist for when I was milling/turning parts and to feed an air nozzle to blow chips away. I also used the die grinder once in a while and the compressor was able to keep up. It was not like I was grinding the welds off a battleship hull at the house so my use of the die grinder was, well, not heavy and was of short duration.

Eliminate all air leaks, and install a good water trap to catch water before it gets into the air lines. Drain the water out of the tank frequently. Check/change the compressor oil once in a while. Many owners never change this and the unit suffers. I bought my air compressor used from a guy I know who was buying a bigger compressor and he took very good care of the compressor and I did the same and I used it lots every day for 10 years then sold it when I sold the machinery. The compressor was running as good the day I sold it as the day I bought it.

Last but not least, buy some good air tool oil and be sure to oil the air tools properly after each use.

Thanks Marc, appreciate your advice.