Learn Me: Picking a Bigger Air Compressor

Like the title says, I want a bigger air compressor. What should I be looking at?

I currently have a craftsman 26 Gal 1.5 HP compressor. I hate it. It's loud, takes forever to fill, and runs down enough to be filling again too quickly. (It is just sitting on the floor inside my 2 car garage.)

I'm mostly figuring on a 60 or 80 gallon, and building a compressor shed onto the outside of my garage to try and keep the noise down. 

• Is 60 gallons enough, or should I hold out for an 80?
• How many HP do I need? 

I found this one today not far from me, that looks promising. 60 Gal, looks like 6.5 HP. Not familiar with the brand though.

HP isn't really a big factor.  What you need to pay attention to is the SCFM @ 90 psi rating.

You want something AT LEAST 10scfm at 90psi but really something in the 15-20scfm range will do anything you need to do.

With a higher rating 60gal is plently, if you get something on the lower end of the scale an 80 gal tank will help cover up a little.

I remember reading when I bought my new air compressor that basically all of these lower end 60 gal compressor are the exact same thing painted a different color.  I ended up getting an "Industrial Air" 60 gal which is likely the same as the one you posted. 

I've had this for almost 2 years now.  No complaints.  It's rated at 11.5scfm and will keep running if I'm using a cutoff wheel for an extended period of time.  For just a DA sander it works great.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Industrial-Air-60-Gal-Stationary-Electric-Air-Compressor-ILA3606056/202053060

^ Good advice about the CFM.  Pay attention to the pump RPM too - lower is usually quieter.  Single stage compressors pump to about 135 PSI, dual to about 175 usually.  Not that you run any tool at 175 psi - but it somewhat translates into higher capacity.  

In reply to Patientzero :

I think that's my unit exactly. I know for sure I didn't pay that for it. Pretty sure it was under $500 brand new from Rural King.

Horsepower matters if you're limited by your circuit breaker/wiring. I've only got 25 amp service in my garage, so I had to keep it under 6000 watts.

In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :

I bought my 80 gallon compressor back in  1982. About 2010 I had to buy a new  5 hp electric motor for it.  
Keep your small Sears compressor. use it to supliment your big compressor.  
 

I have a little $50 new in the box 1979  1/2 hp Chinese made air compressor  and when I'm doing high volume work like sand blasting or blowing my sprinkler system out I plug it into the tank and that little compressor adds a fair amount of time before the pressure drops.  

In reply to AWSX1686 (Forum Supporter) :

That Magna Force compressor you posted looks very similar to the Sanborn compressor I had. Google says Sanborn was sold/ rebranded. I had a 230V 5hp, twin cylinder, single stage, 60 gal. w/ 50 % duty cycle. It ran air tools okay including impacts. Air hogs like die grinders, sanders and media blasting at higher pressure cycled the compressor often... IOW, a lotta breaks. It could paint also, but not a whole vehicle w/o a strategy of painting sections, like splitting up sections on a pickup. There was also a lot of condensate.

Duty cycle is important if you want to work longer or continuously. 

After the Sanborn I bought a Ingersol-Rand 80 gal. 230V 5hp, two-stage w/ intercooler and 100% duty cycle. Never looked back. With the intercooler, condensation is a mere fraction of the old Sanborn. 

In reply to Cactus :

I didn't pay that either.  Bought it on Black Friday for $489 I believe.

I came to recommend the 60 gallon Kobalt from Lowe's but it appears their current offering is inferior compared to the one I bought in '10.  It used to be 11.5 CFM @ 90 PSI and 155 PSI tank pressure, all for ~$500 new.  Now it's got a higher tank pressure of 175 PSI but a rather pedestrian 7.6 CFM @ 90 PSI.

If you come across the older Kobalt, that'd be a good one to get.

The old version looks like this:

It even fits in the back of a Jeep.

I have one of the earlier versions of the 60 gallon also. The first one received had a pin hole in the weld of the outlet which Lowe's came out and picked up and delivered another. I replaced the drain valve when brand new 90 degree shutoff valve and length of flexible clear tubing just to make routine draining of water easier. Works well with no problems. 

I think I found one!

Used, 80gal, 12.6scfm @ 90psi, 6.5hp, 220v. Black Max brand. $450 and in the same town as me, so not a big trip to pick it up.

Now... Anyone ever built a compressor shed to keep the noise down?

Never mind, found now I found a 60gal, but 18SCFM.  That should do nicely!