Air compressors who has one and who uses them here?

[Gman86]

As title really I have desided to get one but can't really decide what would be best for me so I was wondering what other people have and what they use them for.

I plan to use one for the whole spectrum really from sanding and buffing, painting, under sealing, grinding, torque wrench, air hammer etc. as I plan to do most jobs on my bus my self when it gets here. As far as I can tell I would be best off with a minimum of a 50l tank and preferably 9+cfm so if any one can tell me what they use and what they think that would be great thanks

 

[georgeyv]

For sanding a 50L tank runs out super fast so needs a really decent motor to keep up with it.

I have a decent 50L compressor (can't remember brand but it's about £300's worth) and it does every job well (drilling, grinding, painting, impact tools, air saw) except sanding which it does alright but requires a bit of patience as it fills back up! Also they're loud as hell in a normal garage, my neighbours are patient with me!

 

[vinvan]

For painting and sanding you want at least 14cfm with a 50 ltr tank,

 

[Gman86]

Thanks for the replies guys I won't be undertaking an entire re spray it will just be minor touch ups. I have been looking into compressors for about a month now and that is what I thought but it's nice to hear from people who have experience using them.

This is the compressor I might end up getting but am in no rush so any other suggestions welcome.

http://gtair.co.uk/air-compressors/1-burisch-bt-390t-90-litre-3hp-belt-drive-air-compressor.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Any thoughts, advice or experience on this model please let me know what you think. Thanks

 

[AxlFoley]

As with most tools, go for the best you can afford, I have had the small 50l ones and they are ok, but don't really power much, pop to your nearest Machine mart, look for what you want to power and ask what compressor will do the job. I have a big 200l one and its awesome, but that said I have used a smaller 100l one with a big motor on it and its plenty strong enough to power my impact gun.

 

[busdiver]

i agree with Gman i have the burisch model shown it's a generic chinese thing because wolf do one exactly the same i am now on my second ( 1st one got stolen) and can't fault it i bought mine direct from burisch trading in the uk. i have used it to do allsorts blasting, DA sanding and die grinders everything the serious diy guy needs,

when i bought mine the 1st time it was the only i could find an air displacement (14cfm) and a free air delivery (9cfm) figure. sits on a 90l tank fairly quiet with a good 3hp motor.

had my original one for nearly two years and was working well, i am doing a full strip down resto so it gets a pretty good work out with constant use all day on a weekend.

 

[Webbaldo]

Ive got a 50litre v-twin aldi one they were selling for £130. CFM is claimed 14, probs a bit exaggerated but I managed to paint my entire bus with it, runs my small blasting cabinet fine as well.

Id just use an electric sander

 

[Happystamps]

Electric sanders are OK TBH, I did my van with two Bosch PEX jobs, DA just like an air sander and you don't have to wait for the tank to refill. The spraying was done with a 25l bargain basement compressor... Whole van. Looks pretty shit, but a million miles better than previous.

 

[Gman86]

Thanks for the replies guys thanks for the review busdiver, it does look like it is good value for money. Like I say I don't plan on doing much painting to my bus when it gets here, so sanding and painting are not high on the list of things it has to be good at. The main jobs I want it for will be stripping off parts, so wrench and especially torque wrench ( nothing worse than a stuck nut or loose wheel bolts), restoring paint work, so buffing and waxing, then also stripping off old under seal and then reapplying new under seal and new cavity wax.

On the subject of stripping old crusty under seal has any one ever used a needle scaler? Looks like it could really take the pain out of stripping it off.

 

[ozziedog]

Thanks for the replies guys thanks for the review busdiver, it does look like it is good value for money. Like I say I don't plan on doing much painting to my bus when it gets here, so sanding and painting are not high on the list of things it has to be good at. The main jobs I want it for will be stripping off parts, so wrench and especially torque wrench ( nothing worse than a stuck nut or loose wheel bolts), restoring paint work, so buffing and waxing, then also stripping off old under seal and then reapplying new under seal and new cavity wax.

On the subject of stripping old crusty under seal has any one ever used a needle scaler? Looks like it could really take the pain out of stripping it off.

As far as a needle descaler , I`m not sure I`d want one of those too close to my tender bits :shock: Or my bus for that matter, I think you could do some serious damage with one of them little tykes. And as for using an air powered torque wrench , I`d be very dubious also. I`ve seen torque limiters etc but they ain`t accurate,,, so they don`t work in my book. A torque wrench is a torque wrench is a torque wrench and they is cheap as chips so maybe get a second hand one or a new one won`t break the bank. Always check your torque wrench before you use it the first time and never leave it wound up or it won`t be accurate.
As for compressors, and I mostly do the sort of stuff you`re on about, I went with machine mart, 50 litre and as big as I could run from a 13 amp socket, it`s been great and I`m glad I made the little investment.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Buy one,, they`ll last you forever :mrgreen:

 

[Gman86]

Hey ozziedogi completely agree about the torque wrench lol what I actually meant was an impact wrench I got confused I already have a manual torque wrench.

I think if you had a extremely rusty bus with thin metal the needle scaler could punch afew holes but then if it was that bad you would have to weld in replacement panels anyway. The scaler is supposed to be good for stripping paint on highly contoured surfaces so thought it could be useful for the underside of a bus.

 

[ozziedog]

Hey ozziedogi completely agree about the torque wrench lol what I actually meant was an impact wrench I got confused I already have a manual torque wrench.

I think if you had a extremely rusty bus with thin metal the needle scaler could punch afew holes but then if it was that bad you would have to weld in replacement panels anyway. The scaler is supposed to be good for stripping paint on highly contoured surfaces so thought it could be useful for the underside of a bus.

:lol: :lol: :lol: I was sorta hoping that`s what you meant :mrgreen: Agree with what you`re saying on the needle gun, but I still think they are just a little bit too savage for a forty year old bus. Maybe borrow or hire one and try it on a piece of scrap chassis and see what`s left of it. I haven`t used one myself for well over twenty years, maybe they are a little more `refined` nowdays, but the ones I used would have munched regular body panels (thin steel) and wheel arches, probably ok on chassis though. But try it, don`t let me put you off

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Might be on to a winner :mrgreen: :mrgreen: