Where Did You Buy Your 60 Gallon Compressor?

Ironflight · #1 01-15-2014, 12:12 PM

Now that Louise and I are settling into the new, permanent home in Nevada, it's time to discard the sorely-worn portable compressor and install something permanent. I am thinking 60 Gallon vertical tank - we hate running out of air when both of us are using die grinders.

Of course, all of the usual suspects sell big machines - Home Depot, Lowes, Harbour Frieght...just curious where folks have bought their big compressors - and of course, how happy you are with the choice. Poll choices reflect what is available in the Reno/Carson area (sort of

)

(I must say that I only go to HF for things I am going to use once, modify, or plan to destroy quickly - but who knows...maybe they do OK with big chunks of iron?)

Paul

Mel · #2 01-15-2014, 12:24 PM

A local compressor shop here is Dallas built it up for me in 1989.

It is used every day and hasn't missed a beat. Drain daily and change oil annually.

RV8iator · #3 01-15-2014, 12:25 PM

I've had my HD Aerosupply compressor for 13 years now and going strong. You just can't have too much volume..

Sid Lambert · #4 01-15-2014, 01:05 PM

Tractor Supply had a nice sale on compressors after Xmas. Not sure if it's still going but they had a good price on a stand up IR.

Guy Prevost · #5 01-15-2014, 01:31 PM

My wife bought a Craftsman Industrial unit for me. It's a 135psi parallel twin job. The pump failed part way through the build, despite annual oil changes and general good care. I replaced the pump and the motor and tank have been fine.

A websearch indicated that I was not alone with this problem. Nobody ever reports good news, so it's impossible to quantify whether or not there is a real quality problem. I may have just had bad luck, but it soured me on the compressor somewhat.

scard · #6 01-15-2014, 01:32 PM

Whatever you do, don't buy an IR model SS5. They have a defective head gasket that leaks between the cylinders.

rockwoodrv9 · #7 01-15-2014, 01:35 PM

I had a large one from Lowes and it crapped out in less than a year. I got one from HD, and it has lasted about 2 years so far and looking good. I use it for woodworking too, so it gets work.

I wouldn't rule out HF. I bought (3) 3" trash pumps and have used them daily for the past 3 summers pumping sprinklers 6 hours a day without missing a beat. I had a Honda pump - cost double what the 3 others cost total and it died after 1/2 season.

mburch · #8 01-15-2014, 01:35 PM

Hey Paul, I went straight to the source and bought a factory zero-timed 60 gallon upright unit from Campbell Hausfeld. It says "Husky" on the label, which is the Home Depot store brand, but it was a lot cheaper than Home Depot's asking price!

I may have to check out the Swiss horologist / German engineer idea next time around though...

mcb

Guy Prevost · #9 01-15-2014, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scard

Whatever you do, don't buy an IR model SS5. They have a defective head gasket that leaks between the cylinders.

Interesting! I wonder if they make the Craftsman I have. Same failure mode I had and the pump appears to be identical.

Guy

rleffler · #10 01-15-2014, 01:51 PM

The poll didn't allow multiple choices.

My first compressor was a large Husky (Campbell Hausfeld) 80gal, 240v that I had in the garage for the first years of my build.

When I moved to the airport, I couldn't get 240v in the hangar, so I went cheap thinking I didn't have much riveting work left. I bought a 30 gal, 120v Harbor Freight special. It lasted about six months, so it wasn't covered by warranty.

I then purchased a more expensive Husky, 120v unit. It too died within a few months. Fortunately, it was covered under warranty. It took the local repair shop about three weeks to fix.

During this down time, I discovered that there was a common known failure of the HF compressors. Basically the gasket failed. At this point, what did I have to lose. I can build an airplane, I should be able to fix the compressor. I bought some gasket material from the local auto store and replaced the gasket.

So now I have three working compressors, but only using one at the moment. I moved during this process and don't have a 240v source for the good compressor at the moment. But in time, I can solve that problem. I'm having more fun flying and completing Phase I than to do projects at home.