Was thinking about getting an air compressor for my garage. Just need it for general filling up tires (auto and bike), blowing off dirt etc. Not sure what all I can really do with it that I really will do with it I notice Sears recommends 1.5 more hp than the biggest tool you'll use. Any tips of what size I should get? Brands? Tools that might be useful to begin with? Any suggestions will be much appreciated.

 

i dont use air tools in my garage so have a 120v tire air compressor, a 12v
tire air compressor (always in the boot of my MCS), cordless leaf blower
(to dry car), and a shop vac with blower capability.

i got the 120v air compressor at Sears for like $50. it's a nice unit.

i don't foresee buying air tools, although, i am planning to get an
electric impact gun down the road. i hate the noise.

 

Grassroots Motorsports had a article earlier this year all about air tools and compressors a while back. Nothing brand specific, but minimum cfm's were listed by tool type.

You can easily spend a bucket load of money. What's your budget? In any case, the compressors are going to be noisy, especially the cheap ones. In some garages/shops, the compressor is located in another room for noise control.

Like Ken said, the electrical impact wrench is great for casual use. I've got an old craftsman that works like a champ. The electrical leaf blower works very well for water and dust blow off.

Motor on!

 

I have a Craftsman that works like a champ...I don't know the HP figures but it's around a medium sized among the range. I have a air rachet and an impact wrench. I use it every day after pulling into the gargage to blow the debris off of my MINI's dirt boot...works great. I also use it after a wash/Hydro to blow water out of the cracks around the Bonnet/Boot and tailights.

 

For tire fill-up and blowing, pretty much any compressor will do. I have the Craftsman 1.5 gal and it works fine for those types of things. Even impact wrenches only need a lot of cfm for a second or two so occasional use of that type of tool should be fine on a small compressor. It's when you get into constant-on tools that you need a bigger compressor to keep supplying the air.