Compressor recommendations or what to avoid.

[Tim Burke]

I'm looking for a gas-powered portable compressor, preferably 2-wheel, >10 CFM @90 PSI. I'm pretty sure the big box offerings aren't going to work, but the interweb claims about all the other contenders just leave me guessing. Some offerings that seem to fit the bill include Mi-T-M M1-PH65-20M, Puma PUN-5520G, and an alleged Quincy-produced NorthStar. It's going to be used around the farm and won't have to produce that much sustained air often, but I'm impatient about waiting on the tank to refill when running a 3/4 impact.

All help appreciated.

 

[Legdoc]

I purchased a Mi-T-M single wheel, wheel barrow style about 3 years ago. First time rolling it the non pneumatic tire came off the wheel. The other one the distributor had was the same. Mi-T-M did not offer a solution. The distributor had a scrap one with a cooked motor. The solution was to salvage the used wheel which had survived the test of time and put it on my unit. First and last Mi-T-M product for me!

 

[Vetech63]

 

[Vetech63]

I have 2 of these

 

[mitch504]

The bigger Harbor Freight compressors are great (13hp 18 cfm). A friend in the commercial tire business has 6 large tire trucks, they all have the HF units on them. I know several loggers who like them, too. The smaller HF engines are good, too, though I know nothing of the smaller compressors. All 3 of mine are Ingersoll Rands, just because they are old, I will replace with HF when needed. One has been repowered with a HF engine.

Something to keep in mind, if you plan much use of a 3/4 impact, don't get the twin tank wheelbarrow style, you need more tank than that.

I never use air impacts anymore, unless I need a 1". My Milwaukee M18 will put most air 3/4s to shame, without even using an engine or hose.

 

[Tim Burke]

Good to know about Mi-T-M’s customer disservice. I feel that way about Samsung A/V products.

I hadn’t considered Dewalt, as they seemed to fall into the big box crowd. I’ll take a look at their line. Do you know who’s making Grainger’s Speedaire line these days?

My major issue w/HF, besides butter-soft hardware, is the complete lack of part support. When they run, they’re fine. I have a 4 kw generator down right now that had a valve stick from, I believe, old crappy gas. A little Deep Creep down the stem cleared up the stickiness, but I chewed up the valve seal and rocker cover gasket getting them off and couldn’t find parts aside from a cart shop on EBay. If it hadn’t been the hemi model, things would have been easier. I’ll take another look, though. In the long run, their engines are cheap to replace. I was also a little suspect about the output claims for the wheelbarrow models with only 8 gals of storage.

 

[AzIron]

Speed air used to be a Dayton product I think it still is my father In law has one its had a few issues but overall it's been good after 10 years of hard use

My brother in law had a HF one it was good the first hay season then got weaker and slower but 3 years later it still ran that was the third one the first 2 both got returned in less than 3 months

I am partial to curtis it's a little spendy and I am also a huge fan of my emglo it's got a 15 gallon tank and a twin piston compressor with an 8 horse Honda puts out 18cfm and runs my 1 inch better than the ingersoll on the service trailer emglo is now under the Jenny name

 

[mitch504]

I wasn't just talking about HF with the 8 gallon tank, The only way any 8 gallon isn't going to be aggravating for a 3/4" is if the compressor is big enough to run it almost without a tank.

Whatever you get, 2-stage is far more productive than single.

I really like those 8hp units like AzIron is talking about, I want one for my next truck mount, but, I'll probably cheap out and go HF.

 

[AzIron]

Mitch buying genuine is the only way it's only money lol

 

[JLarson]

If you're gonna regularly use a 3/4" air gun or fill tires you want a 30 gallon unit. I've had very good luck with the IR units, both the Honda and Kohler units, they're 24 CFM two stage.

Personally my next compressor on my rig is going to be a Vmac G30, 30 CFM screw unit, no tank, less weight.

 

[Tinkerer]

I ran a service truck for 7 years and they had 10 hp. Champion compressors on them. Very dependable and maintenance free.

 

[Mike L]

I had a cp unit with a Honda engine on my first service truck. Worked flawlessly. I currently have a boss screw compressor on my truck and I HATE it. Temperamental, doesn’t like to run when it’s cold, when it does run in the cold it doesn’t work right, truck runs on high idle the whole time it’s running and I’ve dumped enough money into it to keep it running that I could have replaced it by now. Never again.

 

[Sberry]

Curtis now has a Kaw liquid cool on it. Tanks under truck.

 

[colson04]

Mitch buying genuine is the only way it's only money lol

At $3,000+/- a unit, you got cash to burn, or need a big compressor a lot.