Has anyone bought or used and have experience at home with an air compressor?

I don't mean the itty bitty DC things that come with the goop. I mean ones from 1 gallon up to whatever ... Not to use air guns but simply so you can check your tires pressure when REALLY cold (in your driveway) ... and then fill them to the correct cold pressure right away?

I ask because I picked a small Campbell Hausfeld and the thing is pretty easy to use, small, relatively cheap ... and should do the trick.

 

I have a roll away one, as well as an upright.
They do come in handy.

 

I have a cheap one from Target that does a great job for airing tires, blowing the dust out of the shift boot, and running a nail gun

 

I got a Porter Cable set from Home Depot - brad gun, finish nail gun, staple gun, & pancake compressor for about $280 - to put some preengineered flooring down in a couple of bedrooms. I ended up having to get another gun for the flooring, but I love having it. No more bent nails, pounded fingers. Welcome to the 20th century! Wait, crap, its the 21st, still behind.

 

I have a 12 gallon/2 horsepower one I've had since the early '80's and it's still going strong.

I've used it for tires and some spray painting. I have a filter on it to help keep particles and moisture out of the air. That's something you might want to consider.

I also have a portable air tank I use when I check tires. I fill it off the compressor and carry it around to refill tires. I got tired of pulling the air hose around and having to unroll/roll it up.

 

I have a Craftsman compressor that I've had for years. It doesn't have the air tank but works great for filling tires.

 

I use mine all the time to blow off my lawn mower, clean paper air filters, etc. Once you have one it's easy to find all sorts of uses. They're really handy items.

 

Mine's a Coleman 15 or 20 gal. I got it at Costco a few years ago. I love it! So many uses as others have said. Tires (auto and bike) but I love it when it comes time to rotate tires. With my impact gun it makes life so much easier. Plus the cool sound it makes is a bonus.

 

I have a 15 gallon one on wheels for larger jobs (running my nail guns, some spray painting, various other air tools) and then a dedicated "on all the time" portable compressor for filling tires and the kids' basketballs (on all the time meaning there is no air tank and the compressor runs continuously while you use it). I got it for less than $100 at Lowes I think. I'll bet it's similar to the one you picked up chowsie!

 

Not if its running continuously. I got a very small, one gallon job. It fills up to 130 psi and shuts off. As you use the air, it turns back on. It worked very well.

What about water in the air going to the tires? I've been advised to make sure you drain the water, if any, after every use or get some kind of water trap between the tank and the tires?

 

I have that setup too. Also added tire adapter and the nozzle blower thingy and it does everything I've every wanted it to do. Highly recommended.

 

Depending on what your purposes are (and your uses will grow as soon as you get the thing in your garage) your storage tank capacity will go from a little one to a big honking one. Bigger is better as far as extended use goes and air tools are among the best things ever. An air impact wrench will loosen that blasted bolt that otherwise you'd strip using a six foot cheater pipe on a socket handle. A plain air wrench will zip bolts and nuts loose in a trice (whatever a trice is. I'm pretty sure a trice is a really small time measurement).

Whatever you decide to do I would suggest in the strongest possible terms that you do NOT get an airless compressor. They're so ungodly loud that you won't be able to stay in the garage with it when it's running. When my airless compressor finally burned up my neighbors stood in my driveway and applauded. An oiled air compressor is way quieter and all it requires is that you keep oil in it. Well worth the additional maintenance for the relative quiet.

 

I have a 60 gallon 5hp upright. It puts out 18.5 CFM at 100psi. I can run my tools and the neighbors at once. Overkill I guess. These inline water filters work wonders as well. I run a oil line and dry line separate from the compressor. Some tools need oil, some can't have it.

 

I've got a Craftsman air compressor (black one so it goes to 175 psi) and one of these:



Works great. It's got a really slick "quick fill" feature that connects directly to the quick disconnect of the air compressor. Fills in about 10 seconds. I use it to keep all our vehicles tires at the correct pressure. I also take it with me to the track (the main reason I bought it)

 

Chows, definitely drain the tank after use. Compressed air creates lots of moisture, and it can rot the tank from the inside out. I've heard a couple of horror stories of tanks exploding due to undetected inner rust.

And I agree that the tankless compressors would not be good for any tool use. I can stand the noise long enough to fill up my tires or a soccer ball though.

 

Did you end up getting the Campbell Hausfeld? Which one?