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Re: Air Compressor

To: Brian Haskett <haskett@applink.net>, Shop-Talk <shop-talk@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Re: Air Compressor
From: jblair@exis.net (John T. Blair)
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 1997 22:44:49 -0500
At 08:01 PM 3/1/97 -0600, Brian Haskett wrote:

> I was looking at the Campbell-Hausfield 6HP 60 gallon upright for
> just under $400.  It's rated at 10 SCFM at 90 PSI.  The price is
> right about at the limit of my budget, ...

Brian,

   I have a Sears 5hp 30 gal 220V oil type compressor.  It is about
the smallest I'd recommend.  I paid about $450 in about 1990 for it.
It drives my spray guns, sanders, impact wrenches, ratchets, and sand
blasters pretty well.

  I've tried to find out what the differences in the "oil less" and
oil using compressors are as Sears as a 60 gal oil less compressor
for less that then 30 gal oil type.  

Scott M Ryan offered this on the subject:

>The oilless types I have seen have use a piston
>fitted to a diaphram.  The diaphram is trapped
>between the head and the cylinder and held to
>the top of the piston via a plate.

>The piston is supported by the diaphram and does
>not touch the cylinder wall, this is why it does
>not need lubrication.  The rod is connected to
>the crankshaft via a roller or ball bearing.

> I have seen another type of oilless compressor, that uses teflon
> rings in place of steel rings, and I believe also uses a roller
> bearing for the crankshaft.  This type tends to wear out the 
> cylinder badly if it gets full of dust. (this is also somewhat true
> of the oil type), I think the diaphram type is quite tolerant of 
> dust (except for the valves-but that is not usually what fails)

The other item that was addressed was that the vendors appear to
be playing tricks with the HP ratings on the compressors by rating
the peak instead of the average.

IMHO the larger the accumulator is the better off you are.  I think
that the compressor you are describing will serve you well for quite
a few years.  My dad has a Craftsman 4hp 20 gal oil type that he's
been using for over 20 years.

Hope this helps

John
  
John T. Blair  WA4OHZ          email:  jblair@exis.net
Va. Beach, Va                  Phone:  (757) 495-8229

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