# Compact air compressor



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

The smaller the tank, the less storage, so it's going to run far more.
You need to buy one that has enough SCFM to run the tools you have now and will buy in the future.
Any compressor can produce 100 PSI, but if you have to sit there and wait for it to build the pressure back up that gets old real quick.
I own two of these and it will do anything I need it for.
http://www.cpooutlets.com/factory-r...ake-air-compressor/pcbrc2002r,default,pd.html
Here's a basic list of the SCFM needed to run common air tools.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...8_TbTljHLMBdBQ5t6FHIAz9OjAHfPfCjp0aApyU8P8HAQ

If you do not already own any air tools it's a good idea to buy the compressor and and tools as a set, it's less expenceve that way. 
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Porter-C...r-Crown-Stapler-Combo-Kit-PCFP12234/203471431


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## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

I had a 6 gallon PC oilless compressor but got rid of it because it was so loud I had to leave the garage every time it cycled. I have a bigger, oiled unit in the garage now.

I have a small Bostich compressor which weighs less than 20 pounds that I take with me if I'm installing a door in a unit or something like that. It's also oilless like the PC but it's a lot less noisy. Can't find a link at the moment for anything like it, maybe they don't make it any more....

Joe has a great point about starting with a combo set to get in cheaply.


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## mathmonger (Dec 27, 2012)

I have a 6 gallon pancake compressor that works fine, but I would love to have a smaller one. I think any compressor would have enough CFMs to nail together a bird house. I'd look for something small and quiet. An aluminum tank would be nice too because it is even lighter and won't rust out. 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Californ...-Aluminum-Tank-Air-Compressor-1610A/202977397

But on the other hand, air compressors are one of those things where you always find new things to do with it and want more power. If you want to spray paint those bird houses, you're going to need a much bigger compressor. 

Maybe a corded/cordless nailer might work for you too. If my compressor died tomorrow, I'd just get a battery powered nailer.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

stick\shift said:


> I have a small Bostich compressor which weighs less than 20 pounds that I take with me if I'm installing a door in a unit or something like that. It's also oilless like the PC but it's a lot less noisy. Can't find a link at the moment for anything like it, maybe they don't make it any more....


_*QUOTE: Can't find a link at the moment for anything like it, maybe they don't make it any more....*_
*********************************************
That seems to be the problem with air compressors in general and more of a problem with smaller foreign made. Even finding parts like regulators and relief valves for one just purchased is sometimes impossible. Try searching for parts as you shop.

Determine the cfm of the compressor and the required cfm for the nailer you want to purchase and see if they are compatible.

Maintaining pressure is key.

Example: My first experience with attempting to take a short cut because my compressor isn't portable. OK, so I'll just air up my portable tank and take it to the small job I needed to do. Worked fine at first with about 100# of air and down to about 80# then things went to hell in a hand basket. Nails begin to ricochet out the side at around 60 # pressure. This phenomenon was X-plained to me as a lack of velocity.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

stick\shift said:


> I have a small Bostich compressor which weighs less than 20 pounds that I take with me if I'm installing a door in a unit or something like that. It's also oilless like the PC but it's a lot less noisy. Can't find a link at the moment for anything like it, maybe they don't make it any more....


_*QUOTE: Can't find a link at the moment for anything like it, maybe they don't make it any more....*_
*********************************************
That seems to be the problem with air compressors in general and more of a problem with smaller foreign made. Even finding parts like regulators and relief valves for one just purchased is sometimes impossible. Try searching for parts as you shop.

Determine the cfm of the compressor and the required cfm for the nailer you want to purchase and see if they are compatible.

Maintaining pressure is key.

Example: My first brad nailer experience when attempting to take a short cut because my compressor isn't portable. OK, so I'll just air up my portable tank and take it to the small job I needed to do. Worked fine at first with about 100# of air and down to about 80# then things went to hell in a hand basket. Nails begin to ricochet out the side at around 60 # pressure. This phenomenon was X-plained to me as a lack of velocity.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

Ranger1227 said:


> .......so I can use it for finish nailing of picture frames, birdhouses, etc.
> 
> Thanks



Different tools have different requirements. The small Hot Dog type is entirely adequate for small brad nailers. I doubt you need more than 1.5". 

Mine will do all I need for my small brad gun. For low volume usage it also works okay with the 1/4" crown stapler.

When I use the 15 gauge Senco (1.5-2.5") it just can't keep up with the air demand.


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## Bird Doo Head (Dec 8, 2010)

Something to keep in mind when buying a small compressor is that many do not have compressor bodies that enclose the piston and cylinder. 

On my Bostitch BTFP02012 the cylinder and piston are out in the open so the cylinder's incoming air can't readily be filtered. You can see the piston & see inside the cylinder. 

The dust and debris that is drawn in will eventually score the cylinder wall, reducing the life of the unit dramatically versus an enclosed unit where the incoming air is filtered. (I suppose some sort of modification to enclose the whole head & allow a filter is possible. I'll dig into this after the warranty expires.) 

Usually the open cylinder is why these units are so very loud in comparison with machines that have enclosed cylinders & cylinder heads. The Bostitch is my garage compressor due to the loudness.

On the bright side, I've had this type of compressor last as much as 5 years with about 2 or 3 hours use per week before it could not build sufficient pressure. 

PS: The thing works great, even in really cold weather. At first, it needed warranty repair, but that took only 2 days & it was back in business. 

On The Flip Side-
I do have a fully enclosed and very quiet Thomas T-50 oil-less that is well over 20 years old and has literally thousands of hours on it. (It was a soda pop system supplemental compressor in an NFL stadium and ran & ran & ran on game days.) It is still pressurizing fine, I assume due to filtered inlet air. 

So I guess it is a trade off- Shorter life & lower cost _versus_ larger unit and more cost, but longer life.

Hope this information is helpful when making your selection.
Paul


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

You can pretty much blow into the air fitting of a brad nailer and it will work, so any small compressor will work. You may outgrow a pancake later, though, if you want any mechanic tools to run on it.


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## gunner66 (Jan 3, 2017)

sorry I go off topic but might be useful input for you. 


".._ may want to spray_ _paint those bird houses, you're going to need a much bigger compressor."_

I'm also shopping for a compressor and finish gun. I'm in between getting a pneumatic framing and finish nailer vs a paslode cordless framing gun with an all-battery finish gun (I completely voided out the DeWalt DCN692 all-battery framing gun for its potential lack of power and lack of any parts available besides the $30 springs in case it ever starts lacking power. I think it may still have O rings inside which aren't purchasable and if they are purchasable, they're probably a rip-off from a parts site or direct from DeWalt, and I'm hesitant to just throw any hardware store O rings in it in case the material isn't perfectly specific to the DCN692's chemistry. 

And the reason I'd get an all-battery finish nailer vs a paslode cordless is the cost and smell of fuel cells and the need to clean paslodes somewhat regularly. The paslode combustion chambers are only separated from outside dust with a wire mesh filter (which should be cleaned regularly) meaning debris can get in and gunk up the spark plug and nick the O rings resulting in loss of power of misfire etc. But the spark plug is $13 (for framing gun and the finish gun spark plug is $9) on ebay and the set of O rings (for the framing gun) is like $3 shipped (finish gun o rings are $8). And then the paslode oil and spray cleaner are about $12 total every year or so (or every 50K shots for the framing gun Paslode recommends to clean it which is 25 cases which is a lot of nails but I would clean it yearly at the least and it's easy with tutorial videos).

I'm not sure actually though about getting an all-battery finish gun because all I found are the dewalt 18V and 20V and the Ryobi 18V. And they are quite bulky and look as if they won't get into corners well. I did a google search about that and some say they don't get into corners well which you can tell by the top of it protruding out more than the nose. Also, those all-battery guns do have O rings inside which I don't think are purchasable unless maybe direct from DeWalt or Ryobi, and eventually they will probably need replacing. So I may just end up getting paslode cordless framing and finish guns. Or just sell the Ryobi or DeWalt all-battery finish gun as is for a $40 loss if the o rings etc ever go bad. 

I might get all pneumatic get but hailing around the compressor might be a PITA if it's a small project, plus potentially getting tangled in the cord circling around work, or working on a ladder with the annoying hose dangling while transferring the gun from one hand to the other etc. But it's much cheaper to go all air and there's never the worry of lack of power and if you keep the gun oiled before each use (just drip 2 cents of pneumatic tool oil into where the air hose connects), and if your compressor has an air filter or isn't used in a dusty area, then the pneumatic guns will potentially last a million shots before you need to change the o rings. I would get something that is popular that you can find o rings for. But if you get a harbor freight gun (which you probably won't be able to find o rings for) the HF 18 gauge finish gun is only $15 after %20 off lol, so you might as well buy another for $15 if the o rings ever fail. Keep in mind though some, if not all the 18GA HF finish nailers don't have a depth adjust on the nose like their 15GA does. You would need to raise/lower the psi on you compressor. Or just get a refub or like new name-brand pneumatic 18GA finish gun off ebay for like $50 that has o rings available and quick depth adjust. 


With bridhouses, you probably just want thin 18 gauge brads (or possibly staples) because the thicker 15 gauge guns are more for cabinet making or hanging doors. The thicker 15 gauge can split mouldings so 18GA is preferred although I've shot quite a bit of 15GA though mouling without it splitting but it was brand new moulding (not age hardened) and possibly sometimes wood composite type that is harder to split than real wood. You can usually just get away with owning an 18 gauge and then if you need to hang a door, you can put 4 or 6 narrow-headed screws in each jamb to really hold the door and then putty over the heads. $5 EZ door hangers are also nice and quick to hang a door without needing shims or a nail gun but I don't know how well they hold up over time. 

As long as the PSI on the compressor matches what the tool needs, it should shoot it fine. But as others mentioned, the size (gallons) will mean a smaller compressor will need to refill itself more often than a larger one, but with just shooting a 15-18 finish nailer, even the small 3 Gallons compressor should hold enough air and you'll get maybe 50 shots before it turns on for about 20 seconds to refill. 


if you're only painting a few bird houses, it's probably easier to just use a brush vs having to clean out a compressor gun hopper after. When deciding between compressor and paslode cordless, as other said, it's nice to have a compressor because you can buy all types of tools for them cheap. I already have pretty much all the tools I need as corded electric though but I was thinking having the compressor for spray painting would be nice but I read people say you need quite a large compressor to spray paint or it will be a nightmare and come out all messed up - it's better to just get a dedicated electric spray gun. For winterizing sprinkler lines, I'm not sure what size or psi or CFM is needed. Someone said his sprinkler guy doesn't even bring a compressor, he just brings the motor and the sprinkler lines act as the tank and eventually fill up and hold pressure to blow them out, but anyway I would look into that more if you're considering winterizing sprinklers. 

If you get a compressor, make sure you open the bleeder valve after each use to drain out the humid air and you will see some water spray out (do it over cardboard or something to protect flooring). Bleeding prevents internal rust which prevents the whole thing potentially exploding like an IED. 

anyway, sorry for going off track if I did, but I was looking at Harbor freights compressor for $120 ($100 after %20 off), they have a 6 gallon 150 psi which will run a framing gun just fine (and a finish gun much easier, and probably most other pneumatic tools). But then I noticed Home Depot and Lowes have a Porter Cable 6 gallon 150 psi for $99 (and they will beat each others' price by %10 in store), so I would get that if you want 6 gallon 150psi. The foot print of it is about the same as a 1 gallon off-brand at home depot for ~$60 so for ~$30 more, you get 6 gallon 150 psi. 


here, 




 he says he's running 6 framing guns off of those 3 small compressor, he has one small orange RIDGID holding tank, the 6 gallon red porter cable 150psi, and the black 8 gallon 90 psi Husky compressor, but still, even though there's 3 compressors, they're small and he's running 6 framing guns off them (2 guns per compressor basically), so I wouldn't worry about lack or air with a 6 gallon 150 psi for framing or even sheathing fast.


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## gunner66 (Jan 3, 2017)

just a heads up about that $99 porter cable 6 gallon 150 psi, the reviews, a lot mention a problem with a regulator eventually failing and can then need to rely on the over-pressure valve to kick in for the compressor to function. Something like that. If I go compressed instead of paslode/battery I will probably get a $150-$200 compressor (still costs way less than paslodes or all-battery).


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

porter cable compressors are more than enough for weekend warrier/ diyer.. if you go with a 1 or 2 gallon compressor the thing will cycle constantly as they store very little air and often have a motor that has low cfms...( recovery time for tank to fill up).. 

if your worried about noise if you have a closet in the work area just stow it in there and you can put some rigid foam on the back of hte door to help keep the noise down


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

As with the majority of compact compressors the regulator is most likely to be the first failure and the reg. is often specific to that compressor.

So before purchase, ask the sales rep. about purchasing a regulator and note the expression on their face or contact the manufacturer representative and see what response you get.


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## gunner66 (Jan 3, 2017)

for $40 more than the $99 porter cable, you can get the same thing from RIDGID and it has almost all 5 star reviews on home depot. 

I read about replacing that regulator with the Porter cable one someone might have said in the reviews it was a PITA. 

Warranty might be pointless with compressor with both RIDGID and Porter Cable would likely require you to pay shipping to and from which would cost as much as a new compressor. Even if you take video or pics and try and send them that showing that it's just a 3 oz regulator that broke, they might require the whole thing be mailed in. Always think of shipping cost for warranty if the item is heavy and under $~150. 

Like someone said, if you have the compressor just kept in the workshop, then putting in in an enclosure will quit it - might have to make sure it gets plenty of air flow though. 


I was going to get an oiled compressor but haven't found any as pancake and 6 gallon 150 psi. Oil is so much quieter (check youtube for comparisons) and is simple to change the oil now and then. Plus, of course, and oiled piston is going to last much longer than the oil-less compressors which use Teflon piston seals which eventually ware down.


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## RRH (Nov 24, 2016)

I have had a few over the years. Nothing beats the 
Makita 4.2 Gal. 2.5 HP Portable

Also something like the Ridgid is twice as load.

But also you said small shop so could do what I did with any. Get an plain extra 5 gallon storage tank. Mount that in the rafters. Mine is in a crawl space since I have an air hose from the shop to my attached garage. Then I have the above Makita.
Then it gives you the same as a much larger unit.


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

2x on makita. Heavier than I hoped, but quiet enough I can listen to radio while it's running, indoors. It also can run constantly for at least 10 minutes of stapling-1/4" head x 1 to 1 1/4" staples into 1/4" ply. After about 10 min, I need to stretch out.:smile: 

Question for RRH. Can a 5 gl-ful of air run a air impact wrench (3/4 driver for really stubborn bolts) for 10-20 seconds? Thanks in advance.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

I've had this one for about 5 years now, it's oiled and works well.

https://bigskytool.com/hitachi-ec89...-twin-stack-air-compressor-reconditioned.html


Forgot to say they have a 1 year warranty.


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