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Julie P.
 
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"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"Julie P." wrote in message
...
I have finally decided to bite the bullet and invest in a good quality air
compressor for auto mechanics and auto body work this summer. I have
about
20 different air tools, but they have been sitting around unused for 3
years
now, and I am getting tired of this. For example, I need to fabricate and
weld sheet metal to fix holes in my rocker panels, and I will need to be
able to run tools like a high-speed sander (aka "grinder"), 6" DA sander,
cut-off tool, air shears, etc.

Tomorrow is the beginning of Craftsman Club week at Sears, and I will be
able to buy a 60 gallon Craftsman Professional stationary air compressor
at
Sears for only $432 plus tax and delivery. The normal cost is $549! This
is
a limited-quantities, closeout item which has been drastically reduced!

Here are the specs:

http://snipurl.com/e6i5

Craftsman Professional Mfr. model #16561
Two Stage Compressor
Twin-V 2-Stage Oil Free
60 gallon stationary, vertical
175 PSI max
9.6 SCFM at 90 PSI
9.0 SCFM at 40 PSI
15 amps
7.0 HP
Direct drive
Internal cooling fan
240 volts
Warranty: 1 year
Weight: 192.0 lb.

The SCFM looks very low, but Sears rates this a 9 out of 10, which in
their
system, means can power all-known air tools continuously, with no trigger
time and 100% duty cycle time (except for a 1" impact wrench and 7"
sander,
which I don't use), since it runs on a maximum of 175 PSI. Only their
80-gallon compressor is more powerful. Does this seem suspicious?

I am also considering an Ingersoll-Rand 60 gallon compressor, for $799.
But
there would be no discount for this:

http://snipurl.com/e6ia (or http://snipurl.com/e6im)

Ingersoll-Rand Mfr. model #SS5L5
60 gallon stationary vertical
Twin cylinder
Oil lube
18.1 SCFM at 90 PSI
135 max PSI
5.0 hp
9500+ hours of life at 100% duty cycle
230 volts
2 year warranty
weight: 310 lb.

I just don't want to spend almost $400 more on an IR compressor, which is
also 60 gallon, if it won't actually be that much more powerful.

So I would like to know if the Craftsman Professional 60 gallon
compressor
will meet all of my needs? Or is the IR one really much better?

Also, aren't all these compressors made by the same company anyway,
DeVilbiss? See http://www.aircompressorsettlement.com/.

Thanks!

Julie


you're not comparing apples to apples. the i-r puts out lots more air. a
comparable i-r one would be their 3 hp model. northerntool.com has that
i-r on sale this month for the same price as the sears one you quoted. i
just ordered one, but it takes 4 weeks for delivery.


Thanks Charles! I checked that out. The only thing I don;t like about
northerntool is that they ship these by truck, and the truck may charge you
a liftgate fee to unload it. Or they may not even have a liftgate. Then how
are you supposed to get it out?

I do think I will be getting a IR one though, after reading everyone's post
here, probably the 60 gallon one for $800 at Sears.

And I think that air compressor chart that Sears provides in its Craftsman
catalog is misleading then, since many grinders, drills, etc., take 13-15
SCFM, and the chart claims their 60 gal. compressor will run those air tools
continuously, even though the SCFM output is only around 9.6! That's why I
was comparing the Sears 7.0 HP 60 gallon one above with the IR 5 hp 60
gallon one, even though the output was really different!