Compressor and pneumatic sander?

[Mark Hepburn]

Open question to those out there with experience in this area or an opinion.

I mostly hand sand on the lathe through the grits up to whatever, depending on what it is and what the finish will be. So sometimes 400, 800, 2000 and sometimes higher.

I have a couple of Neiko angle drills and they're okay but big and bulky. I also have an old Sorby spinner and some home brew doo dads too. And of course, ahem, hemostats from days gone by. I've thought seriously about upgrading my shop compressor and going the pneumatic sanding route but am seriously on the fence.

I have a 20 gal Campbell Hausfield that I've used for a few years and it's fine. But my son-in-law has been eyeing it and so here's an opportunity for a win-win . I could be a really selfless, caring guy and give it to him. Then of course I'd upgrade to something else. Okay, enough jaded cynicism. Seriously, he would like to have it and I told him that if I upgrade then it's his.

So, do you guys think that there's a serious benefit to power sanding with air? I don't need a compressor for finishing because I have an HVLP system. But I'm sure it would be helpful for other things around the shop (I do use it to blow shavings out of hollow turnings and such).

And if so, does anyone have any thoughts on sizing and brands, etc? My shop is 9 x 27 and I'd put this outside and protect it from the elements (which down here means rain and humidity mainly). I can go single phase 240 by doubling my table saw feed since it's a one man shop and those two tools won't ever run simultaneously.

I've been talking with a couple of my buddies in our maintenance shop and they're talking 80 gallon Ingersoll Rand with 15 cfm at 150 psi but I'm a weekend warrior and doubt that I can A) use that kind of capacity, B) afford it and C) justify it.

I'd like to keep the cost below $1000 all-in, and that includes the accessories and such.

Your input is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Marshall Sadler]

I have used a small random orbit sander from HF to do power sanding. I prefer the inertia sander my mentor made for me. From my experience, power sanding is more aggressive than inertia sanding. My pneumatic sander is awful loud and my 20 gallon Craftsman has run too as my sander uses air as fast as it can be compressed. All this noise in my ~500 square foot shop means I have to wear ear protection. It seems to me that sanding with air and sanding with a drill would leave similar or even identical results with the main difference being size of the drill/sander. A Craft Supplies video on the subject said that drills wear out faster than pneumatic tools, this may be a benefit you are looking for.

 

[Odie]

Howdy Mark.....

I had a 20 gallon compressor for about 25 years, and if you plan to use air powered tools, you need more capacity. The problem is the tank is too small, and the heat from the compressor unit will heat the air in the tank and lines. If you use the air powered tools for any length of time, there will be condensation problems and spitting of water through the tool. The compressor will be inadequate for the air flow requirements of the air tools, and will be running constantly.

I suggest just going all the way and get the big tank compressor. You will appreciate that you did. I bought a Husky (Home Depot brand) 80gal 4hp compressor about 10 years ago, and have never regretted that decision. I can't recall offhand, but I think it's a Campbell Hausfield.

-----odie-----

 

[john lucas]

I got lucky and found a used 80 gallon compressor however soon after I got my Grex sander I moved and I haven't been able to hook my compressor back up so have limited experience with air sanding. My older compressor simply wouldn't keep up. I've been using a standard Dewalt hand drill for sanding all these years. I hand sand all of my mirrors and most of my smaller bowls so really the only thing I power sand is natural edge bowls larger bowls and platters. I tried the inertia sanders and they just didn't work for me. Air sanding is a big air hog and the bigger the compressor the happier you will be. Also the larger compressors are quieter. My little compressor was so loud I needed hearing protection. My 80 gallon is not only quieter but I was able to put in in a separate shed outside the shop.

 

[Fred Belknap]

I have a cheap 60 gal. Kobalt compressor and run a Grex sander, dye grinder. spray painter, impact and various air wrenches and it does ok. I have replaced the air valve three times but it only cost around $30 and is easy to install. The biggest problem is the three days to a week waiting for the part to come.

 

[Odie]

I have a cheap 60 gal. Kobalt compressor and run a Grex sander, dye grinder. spray painter, impact and various air wrenches and it does ok. I have replaced the air valve three times but it only cost around $30 and is easy to install. The biggest problem is the three days to a week waiting for the part to come.

Just wondering, Fred........are you finding rust or corrosion in the old air valves?

-----odie-----

 

[Fred Belknap]

Odie I installed Rapid Air 3/4" piping in the shop and put drops below my connection ports, I also installed valve on the bottom of the tank so it is easy to get rid of condensation. I also have a dryer near the output of the air tank. So far no problems with rust. I think the Rapid Air is aluminum with a plastic coating.

 

[Odie]

Odie I installed Rapid Air 3/4" piping in the shop and put drops below my connection ports, I also installed valve on the bottom of the tank so it is easy to get rid of condensation. I also have a dryer near the output of the air tank. So far no problems with rust. I think the Rapid Air is aluminum with a plastic coating.

Sounds like you've got it covered, Fred.......was just speculating on why you're having so many valve failures.....

-----odie-----

 

[Mark Hepburn]

Thanks everyone. So is there a big enough performance difference between 60 and 80 gallons to consider one over the other?

 

[Mark Hepburn]

M

I have used a small random orbit sander from HF to do power sanding. I prefer the inertia sander my mentor made for me. From my experience, power sanding is more aggressive than inertia sanding. My pneumatic sander is awful loud and my 20 gallon Craftsman has run too as my sander uses air as fast as it can be compressed. All this noise in my ~500 square foot shop means I have to wear ear protection. It seems to me that sanding with air and sanding with a drill would leave similar or even identical results with the main difference being size of the drill/sander. A Craft Supplies video on the subject said that drills wear out faster than pneumatic tools, this may be a benefit you are looking for.

Marshall, I do use my inertia sander a fair bit also but as you said, it’s not as aggressive. One of the benefits I was planning on was a lighter tool compared to the drills. Like John, I’ve also used a Dewalt drill that’s pretty heavy. But I’ve literal never been around a pneumatic sander in my life, so are you saying the tool itself is loud or is it the compressor?

 

[Mark Hepburn]

I got lucky and found a used 80 gallon compressor however soon after I got my Grex sander I moved and I haven't been able to hook my compressor back up so have limited experience with air sanding. My older compressor simply wouldn't keep up. I've been using a standard Dewalt hand drill for sanding all these years. I hand sand all of my mirrors and most of my smaller bowls so really the only thing I power sand is natural edge bowls larger bowls and platters. I tried the inertia sanders and they just didn't work for me. Air sanding is a big air hog and the bigger the compressor the happier you will be. Also the larger compressors are quieter. My little compressor was so loud I needed hearing protection. My 80 gallon is not only quieter but I was able to put in in a separate shed outside the shop.

I used my Dewalt cordless sometimes too, but it’s a hammer drill and a beast that weighs a ton, so i got the Neikos for less than $30 on Amazon. They get hot quickly and I don’t think they will last very long.

I was thinking 60 gallon but sounds like 80 might be the sweet spot as long as I have the capacity in my panel. I think my table saw is on a 20 amp breaker and I’ve already added a second box in the shop. Any more and I’ll have to upgrade the main, which isn’t doable right now.

By the way, my dearly beloved loves your mirror. It stays on her desk at the office and I see her using it often. It’s really a beauty. And it’s black and gold. Geaux Saints!

 

[Bill Boehme]

Mark, your generosity is commendable. It's a true sign of selflessness when someone would give up an old 20 gallon compressor and then be forced to get an 80 gallon 5 HP Ingersoll-Rand compressor. I've been drooling over an IR compressor for years. My 25 gallon Craftsman isn't bad, but it's not up to the task when it comes to tools that use lots of air.

Air sanders use LOTS of air and as Tim, the tool guy, would tell you, it would be a tragedy to be slowed down by anything less than a Binford 9000.

 

[Jon Minerich]

Mark, this is a long answer to a short question, but please bear with me.

I had a metal fabricating shop and have spent many days/months/years restoring a 1941 Chevy truck. I used lots of different air tools and have lots of experience with different air compressors. So please let me share some thoughts.

Air tools are very noisy. You should wear hearing protection every time you use them. Most air compressors are noisy. In warm climates, you can set them up outside your shop and minimize the annoying sound. They still must be protected from the weather. That means you must build some type of lean-to or shelter.

Air tools require lubrication. This is best done by injecting the oil into the compressed air. (There are many simple ways to do this.). That said, air tools exhaust air when used. The lube oil can get on your project. This may/may not contaminate the wood. (Depends on the exhaust port location and the position of the tool when in use,etc.) Moisture in the compressed air may cause you some problems as well. The exhaust air can also blow dust around your work too. Auto body shops use traps and filters to minimize these problems.

I have had several compressors ranging in size from 40-180 gallon tanks. They ranged from single phase to 3 phase, and up to 20 horsepower. (By the way, Ingersoll Rand compressors were the best.). When selecting a compressor you should think about horsepower and tank size. For this discussion I will only focuse on tank size, because most of us don’t need anything bigger than 5 hp.

The tank is an accumulator that stores compressed air and allows you to work while the compressor replenishes the air and maintains pressure within a set range. Generally, the bigger the tank the more continuous the airflow at your tool, at a specific pressure and volume. (Bill B. can explain the physics of accumulators far better than me.) Air tools use lots and lots of air. Once again, a larger tank allows you to use your air tools more or less continuously. The larger air compressors use oil bath lubrication (the expensive ones have oil pumps and pressure lube). All require routine maintenance for long life. The amount of maintenance depends on the hours of use, and the cleanthliness of your shop.

Now that I have moved to a small workshop and have taken up up woodturning as a hobby, i don’t care for the noise anymore. I purchased a California Air Tools compressor, which is much quieter that a standard air compressor and is also oil-less. (Which means almost no maintenance.). The compressor is installed inside a DYI enclosure to cut down the sound even more.

After calulating the amount of air I would need I plumbed my new shop with an inexpensive kit from Lowe’s. Rapid Aire also makes a great kit, but a bit more expensive. Unless you are using multiple tools simultaneously or very large tools requiring lots of air, you really don’t need the 3/4” lines; 1/2” is sufficient. Finally, Good quality tools will use less air than cheap ones. For wood turning you don’t need the heavy automotive tools. Buy good quality, small tools. Check the psi and cfm requirements before purchasing a tool. You may be surprised at the differences in similar tools by different manufacturers.

Personally I don’t use my air compressor for sanding any more, and only use it to blow dust out of cracks in my projects and chuck jaws, and for painting, etc. I now enjoy a quiet shop. I don’t think I would go back to sanding anything with air tools. (My goal is to improve my tool control to minimize my sanding.) For now, hand sanding and a little bit of work with an electric sandier is all I need.

Given a choice, I would recommend a quiet, 30-50 gal compressor and put it in a DYI enclosure. Yes, I understand that this only my opinion. That said, hopefully I have shared some thoughts that will guide you to a decision that is right for you. Good luck in your search.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[hockenbery]

Thanks everyone. So is there a big enough performance difference between 60 and 80 gallons to consider one over the other?

There is a performance difference between different types of compressors 2 stage vs 1 stage pumps, duty cycles, noise etc. a high end 60 gallon will out perform a low end 80 gallon

No one ever complains about having too large a compressor.

I have a 60 gallon single stage Quincey with a 50% duty cycle that works great for my sand carving. I can operate my sand blast cabinet continuously - the compressor recharges while i’m Blasting and it spends less than half the time charging. This compressor is almost quiet.

Also you will likely have to buy a water filter, pressure valve, and connection hardware.
I set my compressor pressure Output at 90. And have a pressure valve on my airbrush set at 35-40 and a pressure valve on my pressure pot set at 60.

 

[Mark Hepburn]

Mark, your generosity is commendable. It's a true sign of selflessness when someone would give up an old 20 gallon compressor and then be forced to get an 80 gallon 5 HP Ingersoll-Rand compressor. I've been drooling over an IR compressor for years. My 25 gallon Craftsman isn't bad, but it's not up to the task when it comes to tools that use lots of air.

Air sanders use LOTS of air and as Tim, the tool guy, would tell you, it would be a tragedy to be slowed down by anything less than a Binford 9000.

Bill, that's just who I am. Just a few months ago I gave someone my old Hitachi 7.5" miter saw and was forced to buy a Kapex. We sacrifice for the greater good.

But seriously, I'd like to hear if you an Ingersoll Rand at the 60 / 80 is the way to go? I hear from some that they are great on the high end but the low end is more name than product. My C/H has been just dandy and I'd be happy with that brand, or Husky, Kobalt, etc. But I do want to get the best I can afford so the other brands out there too like Quincy, Puma, and so on I'd like to know more about. I'd like to get an American made even though it will almost certainly mean higher cost or less capacity for the same dollar.

Also, I'd really like to be able to just leave the thing on 24/7 so I guess an automatic drain, and then a water and oil filter setup (which I don't currently have but then I don't sand with it either). I don't plan on plumbing the shop for air since it's just for two lathes that sit next to each other. What do you think?

 

[Tom Albrecht]

I use a Quincy:https://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/Quincy-2V41C60VC-Air-Compressor/p855.html

 

[Mark Hepburn]

There is a performance difference between different types of compressors 2 stage vs 1 stage pumps, duty cycles, noise etc. a high end 60 gallon will out perform a low end 80 gallon

No one ever complains about having too large a compressor.

I have a 60 gallon single stage Quincey with a 50% duty cycle that works great for my sand carving. I can operate my sand blast cabinet continuously - the compressor recharges while i’m Blasting and it spends less than half the time charging. This compressor is almost quiet.

Also you will likely have to buy a water filter, pressure valve, and connection hardware.
I set my compressor pressure Output at 90. And have a pressure valve on my airbrush set at 35-40 and a pressure valve on my pressure pot set at 60.

Hey Al, I just replied to Bill before I even read your post. So you like the good 60 then? I looked at the Quinceys on Aircompressor.com and Amazon and saw some excellent reviews. Also the IR and Puma too.

I told Bill that I'm not set against the IR, but I just want to be sure that I'm getting the best bang for the buck. If a compressor is really quiet then that would be best because I have just enough space inside the shop for it and wouldn't have to put it outside. My 20 gallon sounds like a jackhammer. Literally.

A 50% duty cycle is likely enough. I can always move on to another task if needed and if you can use a blasting cabinet then that's an awful lot of capacity it would seem.

Which model do you have if you don't mind my asking? Do you leave yours on all the time and if not, do you drain it every day and how long does it take to fill? Do you have an oil filter on the output side also? Is it necessary? Thanks!

 

[Mark Hepburn]

Mark, your generosity is commendable. It's a true sign of selflessness when someone would give up an old 20 gallon compressor and then be forced to get an 80 gallon 5 HP Ingersoll-Rand compressor. I've been drooling over an IR compressor for years. My 25 gallon Craftsman isn't bad, but it's not up to the task when it comes to tools that use lots of air.

Air sanders use LOTS of air and as Tim, the tool guy, would tell you, it would be a tragedy to be slowed down by anything less than a Binford 9000.

Bill, is that the one with the turbo and supercharger? Count me in!

 

[Mark Hepburn]

I use a Quincy:https://www.aircompressorsdirect.com/Quincy-2V41C60VC-Air-Compressor/p855.html

Tom, I'm drooling. That is a nice compressor and it's on the site I was browsing. Also, Al mentioned the Quincy compressors too.

We'll see how generous Santa is this year. Fortunately, I'm always debt-free on Christmas because basically I'm cheap. There's Yankee frugal, Cajun cheap, and Thrifty Scots. Well, I'm a Cajun Scot from Nova Scotia and grandparents from Gloversville New York. I think I have my first dollar...

Oh no I don't.. I spent it on a bowl gouge a while back.

 

[Mark Hepburn]

Mark, this is a long answer to a short question, but please bear with me.

I had a metal fabricating shop and have spent many days/months/years restoring a 1941 Chevy truck. I used lots of different air tools and have lots of experience with different air compressors. So please let me share some thoughts.

Air tools are very noisy. You should wear hearing protection every time you use them. Most air compressors are noisy. In warm climates, you can set them up outside your shop and minimize the annoying sound. They still must be protected from the weather. That means you must build some type of lean-to or shelter.

Air tools require lubrication. This is best done by injecting the oil into the compressed air. (There are many simple ways to do this.). That said, air tools exhaust air when used. The lube oil can get on your project. This may/may not contaminate the wood. (Depends on the exhaust port location and the position of the tool when in use,etc.) Moisture in the compressed air may cause you some problems as well. The exhaust air can also blow dust around your work too. Auto body shops use traps and filters to minimize these problems.

I have had several compressors ranging in size from 40-180 gallon tanks. They ranged from single phase to 3 phase, and up to 20 horsepower. (By the way, Ingersoll Rand compressors were the best.). When selecting a compressor you should think about horsepower and tank size. For this discussion I will only focuse on tank size, because most of us don’t need anything bigger than 5 hp.

The tank is an accumulator that stores compressed air and allows you to work while the compressor replenishes the air and maintains pressure within a set range. Generally, the bigger the tank the more continuous the airflow at your tool, at a specific pressure and volume. (Bill B. can explain the physics of accumulators far better than me.) Air tools use lots and lots of air. Once again, a larger tank allows you to use your air tools more or less continuously. The larger air compressors use oil bath lubrication (the expensive ones have oil pumps and pressure lube). All require routine maintenance for long life. The amount of maintenance depends on the hours of use, and the cleanthliness of your shop.

Now that I have moved to a small workshop and have taken up up woodturning as a hobby, i don’t care for the noise anymore. I purchased a California Air Tools compressor, which is much quieter that a standard air compressor and is also oil-less. (Which means almost no maintenance.). The compressor is installed inside a DYI enclosure to cut down the sound even more.

After calulating the amount of air I would need I plumbed my new shop with an inexpensive kit from Lowe’s. Rapid Aire also makes a great kit, but a bit more expensive. Unless you are using multiple tools simultaneously or very large tools requiring lots of air, you really don’t need the 3/4” lines; 1/2” is sufficient. Finally, Good quality tools will use less air than cheap ones. For wood turning you don’t need the heavy automotive tools. Buy good quality, small tools. Check the psi and cfm requirements before purchasing a tool. You may be surprised at the differences in similar tools by different manufacturers.

Personally I don’t use my air compressor for sanding any more, and only use it to blow dust out of cracks in my projects and chuck jaws, and for painting, etc. I now enjoy a quiet shop. I don’t think I would go back to sanding anything with air tools. (My goal is to improve my tool control to minimize my sanding.) For now, hand sanding and a little bit of work with an electric sandier is all I need.

Given a choice, I would recommend a quiet, 30-50 gal compressor and put it in a DYI enclosure. Yes, I understand that this only my opinion. That said, hopefully I have shared some thoughts that will guide you to a decision that is right for you. Good luck in your search.

Thanks,
Jon

Jon,

Many thanks for your thoughts. I like long answers (hard to tell from my posts though )

One of the issues for me is definitely the noise. My little portable C/H is loud and I am definitely giving it to my stepson (who has a group of friends who restore trucks as a hobby; they're in Picayune by the way).

After reading posts from you, Bill, Al and Tom, I'm getting the idea that I'll be spending a bit more than I planned which is okay because this likely will be my last compressor purchase. And regardless of how quiet it is, putting it outside sounds like the best approach? You're in the same climate as I am. I'm in Houma and you're practically a neighbor over there in Biloxi (I lived in Gulfport for a couple of years). So I have a covered porch adjacent to the shop and would put the compressor on that slab, then box it in but have to work out the numbers so it can pull in enough air for the CFM it produces while still protecting it from the weather.

I understand from you that an oil and water filter would for sure be necessary, right? I'm fine with that too and could actually mount that on the wall right by my lathes.

The California compressors are an interesting alternative. You really seem to like yours. Would you buy it again? Do you have an auto-drain? Do you leave it on all the time or shut it off and drain it?

I'm seriously considering this as an alternative for sanding only for woodturning so I'm looking at the smaller 2 - 3" ROS. I don't think I can swing a compressor that will spit out 20 CFM for a 6" monster!

I really appreciate your opinion. I do like a quiet shop too for the most part (except the music), but would like to explore this avenue. Many thanks and thanks for letting me pick your brain.

 

[hockenbery]

Which model do you have if you don't mind my asking? Do you leave yours on all the time and if not, do you drain it every day and how long does it take to fill? Do you have an oil filter on the output side also? Is it necessary? Thanks!

I would suggest you look at northern tool.
They have quite a few compressors most with free shipping.
The comparison tool lets you look at 3 at a time.

If you know the CFM requirement for your tools you can decide what will work for you.

Below is the model I got 3 years ago. I don’t have an oil filter. I drain mine after use.

One other note. When I ordered, I declined an option to add a liftgate delivery for $60 - delivery guys would either have to put it on the ground at my house or call me to pick it up in which case they put it in my truck. The compressor came bolted to small pallet and the delivery guy put it in my garage with a pallet jack.
I could easily move it out to the shop on the pallet with a hand truck.

 

[Mark Hepburn]

Thanks Al. I have a Northern Tool store 2 miles away and can have it shipped there free. Put it in the truck and I'm 100 yards from the office and a forklift, pallet jack and about 6 guys that have received turned gifts (and hand-me-down tools) who happily help haul in my annual toy purchases .

So you don't find it a big deal to power up the compressor when you need it? I worry that I'll forget to turn it off. And drain it.

 

[Tom Gall]

Mark, I’ve also wanted to upgrade to a larger compressor over the years…..well, just because I always wanted one! But then when I think of how I, as woodturner, use compressed air (blow chips and sanding dust, airbrush, piercing, etc.)…..it is difficult to justify.

Beside all the noise and maintenance issues involved with a compressor…..I always come to the realization that running a 5+ hp motor and purchasing new air tools - compared to a fractional horsepower drill or sander to do the same job doesn’t make sense.

But I still want one! I just can’t seem to kill my 30 yr. old 2 hp Craftsman… even with a total lack of maintenance.

You can still be a good father-in-law and give your compressor away and maybe purchase one of those new lower horsepower QUIET ($$$). compressors for yourself !

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Mark you can add a spare tank to your existing compressor and have extended capacity. I added a 5 gallon spare to mine and it helps. As to draining it is my understanding that commercial shops do that maybe once a week. As to turning off I have a sign I put over my light switch to remind me to turn off air , disconnect lathe and release blade on bandsaw OR you could put a timer on it.

 

[hockenbery]

So you don't find it a big deal to power up the compressor when you need it? I worry that I'll forget to turn it off. And drain it.

Well sort of.
If I need air for a tire I use my ancient 27 gallon roll around.

The compressor is between the door and the lathe.
Basically when I go into the shop with a plan to use air tools I hit the on switch, close the water drain....check the oil level...
When I go out I walk past it and hit the switch, let the air go to 30 lbs, open the drain
If the pressure is high I don't Think it hurts anything to open the drain but the rushing air will freeze the water and ice will stop letting air out. The ice realizes it isn’ being cooled by the rushing air and melts and the air rushes out. This can cycle several times before the tank empties. Once in a while I leave them all on but I triple check before going out of town.

The bandsaw just moved across the shop so releasing the tension on the blade is in an out of sight position but it is so close to lathe that I have been putting the bandsaw to sleep with my last turning going on the lathe

 

[Fred Belknap]

Sounds like you've got it covered, Fred.......was just speculating on why you're having so many valve failures.....

-----odie-----

My compressor was Christmas gift from my better half several years ago, at least 10 years. I think the cost at Lowes was less than $500. I use it for farm use as well as woodturning, air up tires, paint equipment etc. I don't consider the valve failure excessive. It is loud but it's outside the shop.

 

[Mark Hepburn]

Mark, I’ve also wanted to upgrade to a larger compressor over the years…..well, just because I always wanted one! But then when I think of how I, as woodturner, use compressed air (blow chips and sanding dust, airbrush, piercing, etc.)…..it is difficult to justify.

Beside all the noise and maintenance issues involved with a compressor…..I always come to the realization that running a 5+ hp motor and purchasing new air tools - compared to a fractional horsepower drill or sander to do the same job doesn’t make sense.

But I still want one! I just can’t seem to kill my 30 yr. old 2 hp Craftsman… even with a total lack of maintenance.

You can still be a good father-in-law and give your compressor away and maybe purchase one of those new lower horsepower QUIET ($$$). compressors for yourself !

Tom, you are absolutely right. If I cast an economist's eye on this then the cost/benefit is clearly not in favor of getting a compressor. Fortunately I'm not an economist

I do like the idea of a quieter compressor. I'm torn between the idea of putting it outside for zero noise or inside. The tradeoff is the hassle, cost and aesthetics of enclosing it vs. the loss of shop space if I keep it inside my 9 x 27ish space.

But yes, I still want one too

 

[Mark Hepburn]

Mark you can add a spare tank to your existing compressor and have extended capacity. I added a 5 gallon spare to mine and it helps. As to draining it is my understanding that commercial shops do that maybe once a week. As to turning off I have a sign I put over my light switch to remind me to turn off air , disconnect lathe and release blade on bandsaw OR you could put a timer on it.

Gerald, I'm really bad about the band saw blade. I think that's a good idea. I could make a big checklist and put it on the door so I see it as I leave. Weekly draining is much less distasteful to me, especially if the compressor isn't as incredibly loud is this little thing is (and I'm serious, it's as loud as two or 3 hot dog compressors going at the same time).

 

[Mark Hepburn]

Well sort of.
If I need air for a tire I use my ancient 27 gallon roll around.

The compressor is between the door and the lathe.
Basically when I go into the shop with a plan to use air tools I hit the on switch, close the water drain....check the oil level...
When I go out I walk past it and hit the switch, let the air go to 30 lbs, open the drain
If the pressure is high I don't Think it hurts anything to open the drain but the rushing air will freeze the water and ice will stop letting air out. The ice realizes it isn’ being cooled by the rushing air and melts and the air rushes out. This can cycle several times before the tank empties. Once in a while I leave them all on but I triple check before going out of town.

The bandsaw just moved across the shop so releasing the tension on the blade is in an out of sight position but it is so close to lathe that I have been putting the bandsaw to sleep with my last turning going on the lathe

Okay, so it sounds like I don't really need to set up an auto drain, I just need to have a good personal habit about shop routine. I can do that. I think.

 

[olaf Vogel]

Jon's explanation above is very good IMO. In commercial shops, with large compressors, air sanders are great. Especially for metal work.
But noise, cost and oil splatter are what turned me away.
(I have a 7.5 hp w an 80G tank) and I do a LOT of power sanding.

Note, there are power heads meant for sanding that run at lower speeds. They are very expensive.

For big stuff, I use a Dewalt polisher. DWP849X
Its not a drill (too little power and overheats) or an angle grinder (speed is too high).
The DW have gearing to get down into 1000-3000 rpm. They will run all day without getting hot.

Yeah, its heavy. So I have a bungie cord from the ceiling to take up the weight.
LOVE this machine.


For smaller stuff, I use a flex shaft sander. NOT a little Dremel version. Rather it looks like this:
http://www.terrco.com/pictures/flexshaft/eg tripod gray background.jpg

1 hp, big shaft, 90d head. Weighs about 40 lbs total.
I can mount different size pads and its great for inside work.
Quiet and will run all day. Used, the whole machine was $100.

 

[Mark Hepburn]

Jon's explanation above is very good IMO. In commercial shops, with large compressors, air sanders are great. Especially for metal work.
But noise, cost and oil splatter are what turned me away.
(I have a 7.5 hp w an 80G tank) and I do a LOT of power sanding.

Note, there are power heads meant for sanding that run at lower speeds. They are very expensive.

For big stuff, I use a Dewalt polisher. DWP849X
Its not a drill (too little power and overheats) or an angle grinder (speed is too high).
The DW have gearing to get down into 1000-3000 rpm. They will run all day without getting hot.

Yeah, its heavy. So I have a bungie cord from the ceiling to take up the weight.
LOVE this machine.


For smaller stuff, I use a flex shaft sander. NOT a little Dremel version. Rather it looks like this:
http://www.terrco.com/pictures/flexshaft/eg tripod gray background.jpg

1 hp, big shaft, 90d head. Weighs about 40 lbs total.
I can mount different size pads and its great for inside work.
Quiet and will run all day. Used, the whole machine was $100.

Thanks Olaf. So this is for the smaller stuff? The small one is 1.5hp. I guess durability is not an issue with this product is it? Are you running it at 3450 to sand or do you have some means to control the speed? I looked at the downloads and didn't see anything on that.

By the way, when we last spoke, weren't you restoring an old, giant camelback drill press?

 

[Mike Johnson]

Here is a sure way to keep water out of your air compressor.
Wire a relay to your light switch or motion detector in your shop so it powers up your
air compressor when you come in each day. You can wire a solenoid valve to the drain valve
so it opens up and drains the water from the tank each day when you leave for the day. Another
variation on this concept is to wire a switch to the solenoid in a convenient location so you can
turn the switch on for several seconds to drain the tank. Most drain valves are located in an
inconvenient location which amounts to infrequent use as the years pass. Another option is to
hard pipe the drain line with a manual valve to an easily accessible location that can be operated
each day. A perfect application for the Clapper you were given years ago for Christmas.

 

[Gary Beasley]

If you have a solenoid air valve you can wire it to a timer powered in parallel to the compressor so that if its powered up it gets purged every so many hours. Large shops commonly use a feature like this.

 

[olaf Vogel]

Thanks Olaf. So this is for the smaller stuff? The small one is 1.5hp. I guess durability is not an issue with this product is it? Are you running it at 3450 to sand or do you have some means to control the speed? I looked at the downloads and didn't see anything on that.

By the way, when we last spoke, weren't you restoring an old, giant camelback drill press?

Mine is an older Walker Turner - I just don't have my own pictures of it
This is it:
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/808/2387.pdf
(although you should ignore the prices, they are a tad out of date...

These things are meant for serious abuse, so there's no issues with reliability. Those Dremel versions run at much higher speeds and are very flimsy by comparison. I think mine is 1800 - 9000 rpm, with belts and pulleys to create "gearing". Its also 3 phase, so with a VFD I could adjust speeds. I have 3P in the shop so its just hooked up as on/off.

If you want one, here yah go:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Heavy-Duty...105002&hash=item33b7d5acf5:g:B0EAAOSwMHdXQ3Dy


Yup - I finished the camelback about 6 months ago. Great drill press, works like a charm.
Have yet to find a way to stall the thing. Bought that for $100 as well, but it took a lot of work to restore. There are some old pix on my site, ad I need to update that. Maybe next week when I'm kicking back.

 

[Mark Hepburn]

Here is a sure way to keep water out of your air compressor.
Wire a relay to your light switch or motion detector in your shop so it powers up your
air compressor when you come in each day. You can wire a solenoid valve to the drain valve
so it opens up and drains the water from the tank each day when you leave for the day. Another
variation on this concept is to wire a switch to the solenoid in a convenient location so you can
turn the switch on for several seconds to drain the tank. Most drain valves are located in an
inconvenient location which amounts to infrequent use as the years pass. Another option is to
hard pipe the drain line with a manual valve to an easily accessible location that can be operated
each day. A perfect application for the Clapper you were given years ago for Christmas.

Finally I can use that clapper. I was just going to hard wire my life alert...

 

[Bill Boehme]

I agree with the comments about air sanding. They are LOUD and use a lot of air and blow dust everywhere. Like Jon, I primarily hand sand both on and off the lathe ... mostly off the lathe. Occasionally, I will use my Sioux angle drill to do some sanding. But, I still want to get an IR compressor and every time that I go into Tractor Supply (my haberdashery) I have to go pay my respects to the aisle full of IR compressors.

I have heard good things about the California Air Tools compressors and how quiet they are. That just seems amazing to me because years ago the dry compressors were famous for being incredibly loud and for having catastrophic failures. I had one and the noise was absolutely unbearable. I would have to leave the shop every time that it came on. That compressor also had one of those catastrophic failures where the flapper valve cracked in two and the broken piece fell into the cylinder whereupon it wedged between the piston and cylinder wall ... not a pretty sight. After rebuilding it, I sold it to a guy who worked in construction. Apparently, something changed in the design of oil-less compressors several years ago that greatly improved the noise issue. I don't know if the low MTTF (mean time to failure) issue has also been addressed, but they do seem to be much better than they were many years ago.

About a dozen years ago I bought a portable (meaning that it has wheels, not that it is actually is portable) 25 gallon Craftsman Professional oiled twin cylinder compressor. It is reasonably quiet and is fine for most things like blowing dust and airing tires, but it doesn't have the CFM needed for some high CFM air tools nor for using the HVLP spray gun that I bought several years ago and haven't yet used. I abuse it terribly. I rarely drain the tank or change oil and I leave it pressurized 24/7, but it refuses to do the right thing and die so that I can get the IR that I covet. I wouldn't be surprised if it has ten gallons of water in the tank or if the oil is below the tip of the dipstick. I'm definitely not a good role model for a compressor owner, but I'm wanting this one to croak so that I can upgrade without too much guilt.

Humidity is bad enough here, but in Houma you guys need gills. And, it is amazing how much water a compressor will accumulate after a day of use. Having an automatic drain valve is more than a convenience. If you are spraying finish or piercing then you need to filter out all moisture and oil and other junk that is in the tank ... what you need is a coalescing filter with a 5 micron filter ahead of it to get really clean air.

 

[olaf Vogel]

I abuse it terribly. I rarely drain the tank or change oil and I leave it pressurized 24/7, but it refuses to do the right thing and die so that I can get the IR that I covet. I wouldn't be surprised if it has ten gallons of water in the tank or if the oil is below the tip of the dipstick. I'm definitely not a good role model for a compressor owner, but I'm wanting this one to croak so that I can upgrade without too much guilt.

Mine went through the same abuse, just because I kept forgetting to drain it.
So I ran a drain line, from the bottom of the tank (its in my attic) down. At a spot beside the light switch, I added a valve, then the line runs outside the shop.

So at night, went I turn off the lights, I just hit the value and let the tank drain in a loud woooosh.
My wife says she knows it my quitting time. Just like in the Flintstones....

 

[Bill Weaver]

Mark, I have a 60 gallon craftsman upright compressor, oil less and 220V. I run grinders, sanders, shears, mini body saw, mini grinders all of brands from Snap-on, MAC, Florida Pheumatic, etc. NO way would I use it to do my sanding on wood turning. After I found the cheap angle drill at HF and the sanding stems and pads at Woodcraft this is the only way I'll go.....No noise, and can sand up a storm. If the drill quits I can just go get another at HF for $30 or less.

 

[Odie]

Some of you guys might want to consider putting a timer on your compressor. This one I believe was meant for lawn sprinklers, and 220v. I only use the "off" pin, and it's set for 2am. That way, it automatically turns off the power. I believe it was Bill Boehme who had a bad experience when his compressor sprung a leak while he was away from home.....and, it ran continuously while he was away. I've never had a catastrophic failure like that, but I do (did) have some very minor leaks in the system that caused the compressor to cycle on every 6 hours, or so.

I turn the power on when I enter the shop......then forget about it.

-----odie-----

 

[Raul McCai]

I don't know of a single air sander or pneumatic drill that can get along on less than 12 CFM. It's a hard line and one you can't get around.
Then there's the problem of noise. The only compressors that don't produce so much noise that you want to kill yourself are involute Scroll compressors, Roots Blowers, and California Tools compressors. Quincy makes the quietest of the piston pump compressors but ya gotta get a cast iron one. The aluminum ones all hammer like hell.
The Ca Tools compressor that can keep up has dual compressors and they make about 70 Dbl
DON'T as in NEVER EVER order the one with the air cooler Unless you can get it off a show room floor. Their Shipping depoartment just shoves 'em in a cardboard box ( no pallet) with some padding and they slam around inside till they shatter. I bought three of them and sent each back before I gave up trying.