# Does anyone have experience with this Air Compressor kit? (Porter Cable)



## MooseWoodworks (Dec 30, 2010)

I've been thinking of picking this up for a few days now. The reviews on the Home Depot website are good, but I figured I would ask here as well. It seems like a good deal, but I am not completely sold on the ability of the unit to hold up over time. 

http://www.homedepot.com/Featured-Products-Holiday-Savings-Event-Tools-and-Hardware-Savings-Great-Savings-on-Compressors-and-Nailers/h_d1/N-5yc1vZc0u0/R-100672212/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053


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## mickey cassiba (Mar 17, 2011)

The little oil free compressors are a hit or miss thing. Some will last for years, and some will belly up with relatively low hours. The newer PC nail guns, I cannot speak to. The only ones I've had any experience with are the brad nailers. In a commercial environment, they went down rather quickly. In a home use situation they could last for a long time.


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## MooseWoodworks (Dec 30, 2010)

mickey cassiba said:


> The little oil free compressors are a hit or miss thing. Some will last for years, and some will belly up with relatively low hours. The newer PC nail guns, I cannot speak to. The only ones I've had any experience with are the brad nailers. In a commercial environment, they went down rather quickly. In a home use situation they could last for a long time.


That is what I was afraid of. Thanks for your input.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Depends on what your going to use it for. For a home owner it's fine.
Never going to be able to keep up with a sandblaster, or paint gun. But for one gun at a time it's fine.
We tryed them for roofing and they would last a year then the piston and rings would be shot. But that's running two guns at a time and 8 hours a day.


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## MooseWoodworks (Dec 30, 2010)

joecaption said:


> Depends on what your going to use it for. For a home owner it's fine.
> Never going to be able to keep up with a sandblaster, or paint gun. But for one gun at a time it's fine.
> We tryed them for roofing and they would last a year then the piston and rings would be shot. But that's running two guns at a time and 8 hours a day.


That doesn't sound bad at all for what I would do with it. I would probably upgrade before the time came to replace the unit because of it dying if that were the case. What I am concerned about it buying it and using it for 3-4 projects and it crapping out just past the point where I could swap it out for another one or just past the warranty. It's very important to me to get stuff that have great warranties or that I know the quality is there. I'll pay extra for peace of mind.


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## ratherbefishing (Jan 13, 2011)

I'm not a pro. DIY only. I have 3 PC nailers that have done everything I've asked. The framer's done an addition, several outbuildings, finished a basement. Brad and finish nailers work great. 

I figure any oil-less compressor is not a lifetime tool. If you want long life, get a cast iron compressor with a oil sump. But for homeowner use, running a nailer, inflating tires, etc, I'm guessing that one will work well. If you want to use it for large CFM tools; sanders, grinders, buffers, sprayer, you'll be dissapointed. 

If you're shopping at HD, there's a sticker on the tanks of the larger units that indicate what it will do.


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## MooseWoodworks (Dec 30, 2010)

ratherbefishing said:


> I'm not a pro. DIY only. I have 3 PC nailers that have done everything I've asked. The framer's done an addition, several outbuildings, finished a basement. Brad and finish nailers work great.
> 
> I figure any oil-less compressor is not a lifetime tool. If you want long life, get a cast iron compressor with a oil sump. But for homeowner use, running a nailer, inflating tires, etc, I'm guessing that one will work well. If you want to use it for large CFM tools; sanders, grinders, buffers, sprayer, you'll be dissapointed.
> 
> If you're shopping at HD, there's a sticker on the tanks of the larger units that indicate what it will do.


Thank you. Yea, this unit will be used solely for nailing. Finish nailing specifically. I am getting into a little woodcraft/furniture making and that's all this will be for. As my needs expand, so will the tools I'll be using. My biggest concern with this unit is that I'll need to get 3-5 years out of it. I think it can do that with the load I'll be putting on it.


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## ridge-runner (Dec 27, 2011)

I had a 20G and it blew up in a h.o garage the moter exploded.leave it at depot


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## MooseWoodworks (Dec 30, 2010)

ridge-runner said:


> I had a 20G and it blew up in a h.o garage the moter exploded.leave it at depot


A 20 gallon Porter Cable? what happened exactly?


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## bpm (Feb 8, 2011)

I have an older version of that compressor. Mine came with the narrow crown stapler and brad nailer. I've had it about 6 years and it has been great. It has run a framing nailer and a roofing nailer with no problems. I've built a garage, a shed, reroofed my house and various other projects and it has held up great. These days it's mostly just running a finish nailer and pin nailer, and occassionaly inflating car tire or kids toys, but it's still alive and kicking. I didn't expect it to last as long as it has, but the price was right and it has more than met my expectations. I have a few friends with the same setup and have had good luck also.


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## MooseWoodworks (Dec 30, 2010)

bpm said:


> I have an older version of that compressor. Mine came with the narrow crown stapler and brad nailer. I've had it about 6 years and it has been great. It has run a framing nailer and a roofing nailer with no problems. I've built a garage, a shed, reroofed my house and various other projects and it has held up great. These days it's mostly just running a finish nailer and pin nailer, and occassionaly inflating car tire or kids toys, but it's still alive and kicking. I didn't expect it to last as long as it has, but the price was right and it has more than met my expectations. I have a few friends with the same setup and have had good luck also.


Do you think it's safe to say that the guns will outlast the compressor?


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## bpm (Feb 8, 2011)

WarEagle86 said:


> Do you think it's safe to say that the guns will outlast the compressor?


I can't really say. The compressor certainly has lasted longer than I expected. When I started using it to run some heavier duty guns, like a framing nailer and roofing nailer, I thought it would quit in no time. To my surprise, it's still going strong. 

As for the guns that it came with, they don't get too much use and when they do, they don't get used too hard. It's all indoor use and I haven't dropped them (too much).


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## ridge-runner (Dec 27, 2011)

WarEagle86 said:


> A 20 gallon Porter Cable? what happened exactly?


I was doing a roof heard a bang. Climbed down the ladder. some steel cylnder inside was shattered. my gc (sub-contract) took it back and got a 8g bostitch and it worked good...and yeah a 20 G stand up


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## MooseWoodworks (Dec 30, 2010)

ridge-runner said:


> I was doing a roof heard a bang. Climbed down the ladder. some steel cylnder inside was shattered. my gc (sub-contract) took it back and got a 8g bostitch and it worked good...and yeah a 20 G stand up


 Wow. Lucky no one was near it I guess.


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## ridge-runner (Dec 27, 2011)

WarEagle86 said:


> Wow. Lucky no one was near it I guess.


Yeah. No kidding. :eek:


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## ewils91 (Jun 12, 2006)

We use the older version of the Porter-Cable nail guns almost exclusively. We specialize in custom finish carpentry and have never had a problem with them. We maintain them as required, however we have never used an oiless compressor. Even for our trim work we use an oil sump Makita.

I think that setup would last you as long as you need it to for what you're going to do with it. I'd buy it without hesitation, beware though those oiless compressors are loud...seen or I mean heard them on the jobsites as our little Makitas just purr along.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

the newer porter cable compressors have gone downhill quite a bit from the earlier generations of the pancake compressor. i had one of the older ones up until 2 years ago.. it lasted me 3 years of which 2 years it was used for small cash jobs running trim and building custom furniture.. the 3rd year i had it on site to trim 8 houses in which it took a beating..

the newer models dont deliver as much air and take forever to fill up . also the newer guns are poorly made.. ive used 2 of the new 18 gauge guns.. both struggled to sink nails and left large nail holes in trim not to mention they have some break in time of roughly 500 nails

do yourself a favor and buy the makita, i know several guys that own them and have nothing but good things to say about them. except about larger models which are just hard on the lower back to carry :laughing:


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## Hardway (Dec 28, 2011)

*Porter cable pancake*

Woodworkbykirk beat me to it.

I have a porter cable pancake that came with a frame nailer. I also have several other nailers, purchased 5 years or so ago. I had/have a 20 gallon sears oil bath 220v compressor in service for 26 years (hard running), the tank rusted thru on the bottom. I purchased a new Ingersoll Rand 60 gallon to replace it (Just installed today). I have craftsman oil less 20 gallon compressor in the barn at deer camp. How long will the newer compressors last, I doubt 25 years. How long will the current model compressors or nail gun last, who can say. Nothing is made like it used to be. When the porter cable pancake was purchased it was $259.00 years ago at Lowes, it came with the framing mailer.


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## MooseWoodworks (Dec 30, 2010)

woodworkbykirk said:


> the newer porter cable compressors have gone downhill quite a bit from the earlier generations of the pancake compressor. i had one of the older ones up until 2 years ago.. it lasted me 3 years of which 2 years it was used for small cash jobs running trim and building custom furniture.. the 3rd year i had it on site to trim 8 houses in which it took a beating..
> 
> the newer models dont deliver as much air and take forever to fill up . also the newer guns are poorly made.. ive used 2 of the new 18 gauge guns.. both struggled to sink nails and left large nail holes in trim not to mention they have some break in time of roughly 500 nails
> 
> do yourself a favor and buy the makita, i know several guys that own them and have nothing but good things to say about them. except about larger models which are just hard on the lower back to carry :laughing:





Hardway said:


> Woodworkbykirk beat me to it.
> 
> I have a porter cable pancake that came with a frame nailer. I also have several other nailers, purchased 5 years or so ago. I had/have a 20 gallon sears oil bath 220v compressor in service for 26 years (hard running), the tank rusted thru on the bottom. I purchased a new Ingersoll Rand 60 gallon to replace it (Just installed today). I have craftsman oil less 20 gallon compressor in the barn at deer camp. How long will the newer compressors last, I doubt 25 years. How long will the current model compressors or nail gun last, who can say. Nothing is made like it used to be. When the porter cable pancake was purchased it was $259.00 years ago at Lowes, it came with the framing mailer.


Thanks to both of you. Although both of these testimonials are negative they shed light on what I really need to purchase. Sounds like a small non-oilless model is what I need to get into. Maybe a Makita Mac5200 is in my future? I've just never been that interested in buying "disposable" tools. Something like an air compressor should last 10+ years I feel. Anything less and I feel like I am throwing $$ away. I'd rather save a little longer and get something more worth its money. Soo.....

The Porter Cable kit is $260 (w/ 3 guns and 25ft hose) plus tax at the Depot

The Makita Mac5200 is $350 (no guns/no hose) at the Depot. 

Even though the Makita is going to cost a bit more upfront, I feel like I'll get way more use and ease of maintenance on the back end of its life. I don't expect to get much manufacturer support if any on the Porter Cable.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

your right a oil less compressor wont last its well documented. if your only going to use it for a day or two once every 6 months its fine but if you plan on running it fairly often a oiled model will go for years provided you change the oil every 40 -60 hrs of run time and occasionally change the seals.

my gc currently owns 3 compressors, 1 eagle 5 gallon twin tank which is over 10 years old and still runs like a charm. then he has a 15 year old eagle 12 gallon which also runs great other than missing a wheel off the axle. and our workhorse is a 12 gallon rol-air which we run 4 -5 framing guns off of, the only thing with the large compressors is that they have to be plugged into a dedicated circuit which has nothing else plugged into other wise the breaker will continously trip


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