quote:

Originally posted by 45 Cal:
I my senior years I tend to buy bigger and folks have a tendency not to want to borrow things mounted to walls.

A lot of truth and wisdom there.^^

I have a 26 gal oil-lubricated $150 harbor freight job that I've had for about 10 years. I've used if for everything from running an impact to blow guns to tires. It's been able to handle about 98% of the jobs I've thrown at it over the years, and has done it without any issues. I did change the air line on it to be true 3/8, added a water separator and a shutoff valve.

The biggest deciding factor for me was that I have no 220 outlets in my garage, and no access to the box to add any. If I had, I'd have bought bigger. As it was, this was about the biggest 120v unit I could find at the time, and the specs weren't any different than the more expensive ones of similar capacity. I probably use it 4-5 times a week, and pretty hard a fe times a month, so it's not like it's had an easy life, either.

If you have the option of running 220 to your garage, do it and get a bigger compressor (30-40 gal and high cfm). If not, look for an oil-lubricated 120v unit, and go as big as you can find. Dont discount the harbor freight stuff, neither, if price is an issue...so long as it's oil lubed. Somebod already said it, and I'll reiterate...avoid the oilless compressors. They're loud and won't hold up over time.

I have a pancake style Rigid I like, think I paid around $130. It replaced a hand-me-down Craftsman that had a good 40y/o life.

Whatever you decide, make sure you leave the tank drain open, as water will accumulate in the tank, and rust will eat it from the inside out. That's how I killed my Craftsman.

quote:

Originally posted by ScreamingCockatoo:
The 30 gallon is a must for my air tools.

I have a 30 gallon 20 year old Craftsman. If you think you'll ever be running any sort of sander for an extended period of time 30 gallon would be the minimum. I've never tried running any of my air ratchets on anything less but I would think it would be frustrating waiting for a smaller tank to recharge. Bigger is better than smaller because when you need bigger and don't have it...

I just recently sold two old tired compressors, and bought this one. I know it's over kill, but I will never need to buy another one ever.

https://www.tylertool.com/dewa...EEAQYBiABEgL1hvD_BwE

Jimineer, My needs for a home compressor are similar to yours. I've been using a 110V Craftsman with 26 Gal.tank, and 1 1/2 HP motor, for several years. I also use mine to supply a blast cabinet for bead blasting,etc. No complaints with this setup for the relatively light duty needs I have.

get one with wheels! I have tweaked the ole' back a few times lugging the Bostich pancake model around.

I have a Hitachi Pancake on top of of a ceiling shelf. It is attached to a Harbor freight hose reel and works great as a shop compressor. If I had to do over would get a slightly larger Harbor Freight one.

The hose reel and permanent mount up and out of the way should have been done a while ago - incredibly useful.

I use a Hitachi pancake that I got years ago at Lowes for $70. It'll fill tires. Blow off some dust. I don't use air tools. If you do, or want to, this is not enough I suppose. It seems battery hand tools are coming of age that perhaps air tools are no longer needed?