Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be
light enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better
half can move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things
only lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.

eg. how bad do you think this thing is?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...sor-94667.html

Tks in advance!

Spehro Pefhany wrote:
Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be
light enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better
half can move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things
only lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.

eg. how bad do you think this thing is?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...sor-94667.html

Tks in advance!

i had one of those. it is REALLY noisy, broke after about 100 hours of use,
and HF twice sent me parts to fix it, both times which were the wrong ones.
parts came from europe (not chinese for some odd reason), so took about 2
months each time. they then gave up and since it was out of warrantee, i was
out of luck. wound up giving it away on craigslist. replaced it with an
ingersoll-rand 60 gallon, which has been trouble free for years.

JR North wrote:
Oops, I have this one:
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-too...sor-93271.html

not sure what the difference is.
JR
Dweller in the cellar

yours is 230v. the OP link is 115v.


Spehro Pefhany wrote:

Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be
light enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better
half can move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things
only lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.

eg. how bad do you think this thing is?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...sor-94667.html

Tks in advance!

On 2010-06-17, chaniarts wrote:
Spehro Pefhany wrote:
Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be
light enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better
half can move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things
only lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.

eg. how bad do you think this thing is?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...sor-94667.html

Tks in advance!

i had one of those. it is REALLY noisy, broke after about 100 hours of use,
and HF twice sent me parts to fix it, both times which were the wrong ones.
parts came from europe (not chinese for some odd reason), so took about 2
months each time. they then gave up and since it was out of warrantee, i was
out of luck. wound up giving it away on craigslist. replaced it with an
ingersoll-rand 60 gallon, which has been trouble free for years.



I had a similar one with a smaller tank

i hated it

sold to friend

he loves it

On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:05:56 -0400, Spehro Pefhany wrote:
Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be light
enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better half can
move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things only
lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.
eg. how bad do you think this thing is?
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...sor-94667.html

I have a couple of smaller units, with similar compressors, like
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-10-gallon-115-psi-air-compressor-90234.html
(one in basement, one in garage) which have been working ok for several
years. The one you linked to looks like a good buy and looks like it can
be wheeled around easily enough, but due to weight won't be practical to
take up stairs frequently. (Down stairs is easy...) If you watch for
sales on air hoses and quick connects, it doesn't cost a lot to get a
number of 25' and 50' hoses so that you don't need to work in the same
room as the compressor. These compressors are noisier than most drills,
lathes, or mills I've seen, but not as noisy as tablesaws or angle
grinders.

--
jiw

"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message
...
Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be
light enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better
half can move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things
only lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.

eg. how bad do you think this thing is?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...sor-94667.html

Tks in advance!

I have a 1 gal oil free version from Home Depot (Husky brand), tube style
tank about the size of a football w/ a shroud over the works so its not too
noisy. It works well for the brad nailer, trim nailer and filling small
tires. I even used it once to power the wife's asthma nebulizer when her
$1000 medical air pump went south. When I got it about 5 yrs ago it cost
$79, not sure what it is now.

YMMV

AndrewV

On Jun 17, 6:05*pm, Spehro Pefhany
wrote:
Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be
light enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better
half can move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things
only lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.

eg. how bad do you think this thing is?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...t-iron-vertica...

Tks in advance!

Quietest compressor I ever had was made from an old refrigerator
compressor- the motor made as much noise as the pump.


Dave

On Jun 17, 6:05*pm, Spehro Pefhany
wrote:
Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be
light enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better
half can move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things
only lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.

eg. how bad do you think this thing is?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...t-iron-vertica...

Tks in advance!

The air compressor I assembled from a 2Z498 pump and other parts in
the 1970's fits that requirement. I still haven't seen anything better
for sale. The paving contractor who watched me blow my whole driveway
clean without stopping noticed it was home-made because the paint
colors don't match and commented that he had never seen a small
commercial one that could do that.

Maybe you could ask a compressor repair shop for their
recommendation.

jsw

James Waldby wrote:
On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:05:56 -0400, Spehro Pefhany wrote:
Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be light
enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better half can
move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things only
lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.
eg. how bad do you think this thing is?
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...sor-94667.html

I have a couple of smaller units, with similar compressors, like
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-10-gallon-115-psi-air-compressor-90234.html
(one in basement, one in garage) which have been working ok for several
years.

I've had one of these for a year. Different color, cost $89.95 on sale,
but otherwise looks the same. I keep it in a shed about 50 feet from the
house & carport. The shed is uphill over uneven terrain.
I hate moving it around. It's heavy, both handles have sharp edges,
and the wheels are too small. Also, it says not to run it from an
extension cord, and they are right - it stalls. But once in place, it's
fairly quiet and leak-free. This one will probably end up stationary in
a plastic storage chest under the deck. If that doesn't happen soon,
I'll install bigger wheels and cushion or extend the handle
I'm shopping for another yet more portable, to run a brad nailer and
air up tires.

Dave__67 wrote:
Quietest compressor I ever had was made from an old refrigerator
compressor- ...

Yeah - I made one from a 1 Gal propane tank & a dorm-room size
refrigerator compressor. Just for filling tires in the shed. Last
count, I had 12 tires on the equipment in there. But I think that
they're multiplying.

Bob

On Jun 18, 11:19*am, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Thu, 17 Jun 2010 18:05:56 -0400, Spehro Pefhany
wrote the following:

Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be
light enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better
half can move it around 'erself.
...
She prolly couldn't load it into a truck bed (unless she curls 110lbs)
or car trunk (yeah, right), but they're easy enough to roll around.
...

These are better than you might expect:
http://www.gearinstalls.com/pepboys.htm

I bought the MF-1040 to stay within a reasonable lighter outlet fuse
rating. The most practical 12V power source is probably a jump starter
which you can use plugged into the wall indoors or independently
wherever the tire went flat. I used it successfully with one that was
~15 years old and down to about one Amp-Hour capacity.

The QD hose fittings are proprietary. The Schrader end screws on so
you could tee a valve stem into the plumbing of a small air tank. I
think whether or not it would be satisfactory for a stapler depends on
frequency of use, patience and willingness to start the staples with
low air pressure and then tap them home with a small hammer. For the
abused free furniture I reupholstered for a theatre set that was the
best plan anyway.

jsw

On Jun 17, 4:05*pm, Spehro Pefhany
wrote:
Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be
light enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better
half can move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things
only lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.

eg. how bad do you think this thing is?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...t-iron-vertica...

Tks in advance!

You can probably pick any two of those requirements. The lightest are
the direct drive jobbies, also the noisiest unless they've got
humongous housings. All-aluminum with nylon seals, the moisture in
the air is supposed to lubricate the cylinder. Cast-iron belt-drives
will be the quietest, also the heaviest. You can get hot-dogs with
aluminum crankcases and sleeved cylinders that will be intermediate in
weight, but still more than a small person could handle. Check the
local pawnshops in the fall, they're likely to have all sorts of
pancakes from roofers headed back to Mexico.

Stan

If you're a tinkerer, you might be able to use a very quiet AC
compressor, from a window or central AC. They often have good start up
torque. You'll need some other stuff such as cooling fan, pressure
switch, expansion tank.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message
...
Looking for a small compressor for portable use with a upholstery
stapler, inflating tires and that sort of thing. It needs to be
light enough (and/or maybe have big cushy wheels) so that the better
half can move it around 'erself.

Any suggestions? One of those noisy little pancake offshore things
only lasted a few hours (and that was too long at that dBA level).

$100 or $200 would be okay.

eg. how bad do you think this thing is?

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-hp-21...sor-94667.html

Tks in advance!

3 gal oilless pancake from HF, about $40. Noisy. Best if set up a
distance from where you're working.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"EIsmith" wrote in message
...

I have a 1 gal oil free version from Home Depot (Husky brand), tube
style
tank about the size of a football w/ a shroud over the works so its
not too
noisy. It works well for the brad nailer, trim nailer and filling
small
tires. I even used it once to power the wife's asthma nebulizer when
her
$1000 medical air pump went south. When I got it about 5 yrs ago it
cost
$79, not sure what it is now.

YMMV

AndrewV

It does take some modifying. Refrigerator oil is typically very
hygroscopic.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Dave__67" wrote in message
...

Quietest compressor I ever had was made from an old refrigerator
compressor- the motor made as much noise as the pump.


Dave

A couple decades ago, I used a refrigerator compressor, plumbed to an
old 30 pound freon tank, with the conversion kit from the auto parts
store. To convert the freon tank to air use. No longer legal, of
course.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
Dave__67 wrote:
Quietest compressor I ever had was made from an old refrigerator
compressor- ...

Yeah - I made one from a 1 Gal propane tank & a dorm-room size
refrigerator compressor. Just for filling tires in the shed. Last
count, I had 12 tires on the equipment in there. But I think that
they're multiplying.

Bob