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New compressor: 15 or 30 gal.

SabreFlyr

Well Known Member
Sponsor
Currently working on my -14 at the company hangar using a portable compressor (about 20 gal, unknown HP or CFM). I'm working on my horizontal stab right now but may be moving it to the shop (in progress) at home before it's complete. After that, it's the tail cone and and finishing the QB wings (fuse is QB, also). At home, I have a 20 gal, 5 HP portable compressor (unknown CFM) but it's rather noisy. I'd like to buy a new California Air Tools compressor that would remain at home when I eventually move the project to my own (future) hangar with the noisy one.

I'm trying to decide between these two:

http://www.californiaairtools.com/u...ompressors/2-0-hp-air-compressors/cat-15020c/ $446.25 at Lowe's

https://www.ultraquietaircompressor...ltra-Quiet-Oil-Free-Compressor-CAT-30020C.htm $823.50 direct until April 30, then $915.00

Both are rated for 5.3 CFM at 90 PSI. I'm not doing any of my own painting or priming so riveting will be my heaviest use. I'm really wondering if the additional cost of the 30-gallon unit would be justified in my case.
 
Is 15 additional gallons worth ~$377

Please ask yourself if 15 additional gallons of compress air storage is worth ~$377? They both use the same 2.0 HP (SP-9421) motor, delivering the same output. Even though the tanks are different capacity, their floor space coverage may be similar since the 15-gal is horizontal verses the vertical 30-gal.. With the 30-gal capacity, the compressor motor comes on less frequent but may remain on for a long period of time to fill the larger tank.

Have you looked at oil compressor, they're quieter than the old school oil-free compressor? Or locate the compressor in a different/adjacent room.
 
Homedepot

I bought a 20 gal portable home depot 2 cylinder oil compressor. Couldn't be happier. I can move it outside for priming. It is also relatively quiet and doesn't run very much. I was surprised how little it runs during riveting. The are about $230 now. The super quiet oil less are probably not quieter than an oil compressor, I wasn't fooled. the home depot brand is made by a respected American compressor company. I also looked at the Lowes version, but the reviews were not nearly as good.
 
John, I?ll have to take a look at the one you?re talking about. I did locate this one:

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...RYHOsl-VxIPOODL9BZxswNrLAdMi9DxIaAuFKEALw_wcB

More expensive than the Home Depot unit but an upright with the same CFM as the CAT models. 77 decibels compared to 70. Not too bad.

Garage and the basement shop are both under the living area of the house so either would be just as loud to the wife upstairs.

I knew the California Air Tools compressors to be quiet but didn?t know where to start looking for other relatively quiet models. Was a little concerned that the 15-gallon compressor would run too often during heavy riveting. I?ll try to search for that Home Depot model.
 
Cheaper model plus two of

https://www.harborfreight.com/11-gal-portable-air-tank-69717.html

equals bigger storage for only $80 more [edit: probably $100, including the extra fittings] than cheaper model. Or watch your local craigslist for old/dead portable compressors to extend your storage capacity. Often available for 5-10 bucks.

For my own use, instead of buying new, I can do a lot of maintenance on a used compressor if I'm saving $hundreds.
 
Gun/bucking bar riveting is a very low air use activity. I use a $49 (sale) HF 3 gal. Noisy, but compact. It struggles a bit on a row of back rivets but again, the bursts are so short it is not an issue.
Turbine tools (drill, cutoff wheel) types are hogs. For that and painting I have a 30 gal in the paint shed.
So, if noise is a concern and riveting is the primary task, the small one should be fine.
 
None of these. You need a 60 gallon compressor mainly because of spinning air tools. Air flows fast thru grinders, sanders, disc cutters which I used a lot on my 7A. $487 at Home Depot. Plus the specs are mis-leading 9 CFM is still not enough without a reserve. And if you paint, you'll really need it. Or sandblast, you may need more.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-6...Ao6tEALw_wcB&dclid=CJ_Iyv7XtdoCFQV1YgodSCMHdQ

That compressor requires 230 volts, may not be an option for the original poster (and he stated he isn't priming or painting).

Having said that I have a similar compressor in the shop but it is waaaay overkill for riveting.
 
Ain't it grand when we tell *others* what *they* 'need'?

;-)

I did 95% of the work on my airframe (including air grinder work) with a little 110V, maybe 10 gallon oil-less hearing killer. Just kept it outside my work room.

Would it have been nice to have my current 3 phase, dual compressor, 5' long by 2' diameter tank model while I was building? Yes, but I was too busy building to do the wiring and minor control box mods to use it. Did I 'need' it? Absolutely NOT. Somebody else may 'need' it, but not to build an RV-x.
 
Thanks for all of the responses, guys! Still not exactly sure which route I will go but leaning toward the smaller CAT compressor although I could let the higher capacity tank and what MIGHT be a smaller footprint for the vertical tank push me into spending more money.
 
I recently bought the California Air Tools 8010 from Amazon for about $150, based on a recommendation from a prior VAF thread. Replaced a 30 year old CH that was near death. It May be small but it?s so quiet it doesn?t matter if it runs more than others. Works great & is Easily movable in case u need to use at home. Good value for the $$$ .
 
I went with the California Air Tools 15gal from the first post on the recommendation of another builder.

The "Quiet" part of the equation was the driving factor as I'm building in house for the time being.

Not in a garage, but in a spare bedroom, in a house, that I rent with two other people that have zero interest in aircraft construction.

After running a leak-down test on a manifold block I had built up I received a report back of "That was it? I could easily have kept watching a movie without turning the sound up."

That's a win in my book!
 
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