Joe Flanagan Posted March 16, 2009 Report Posted March 16, 2009 This morning it expired with a wisp of smoke (and a very nasty burning smell). I was sandblasting one of my rear fenders and I noticed the thing sounded really bad. I looked in on it at one point and smoke was coming out the top of it. It had really been laboring to keep up and I figured it was just a matter of time. The good news is my Harbor Freight sandblaster works OK. I have a filter in the line and I'm really careful of how I screen the sand. Here's the question: Anybody have a good recommendation on a sandblaster? I heard that 60 gallon is the minimum you should have for sandblasting. I know they aren't cheap. My wife is going to freak out when she hears about this. The Campbell Hausfeld I had was a 22 gallon. When I bought it I had more enthusiasm than knowledge. It wasn't intended for what I was doing with it. I need something bigger and more powerful but I don't know if I can justify the expense. Any suggestions are welcome. Quote
brian hood Posted March 16, 2009 Report Posted March 16, 2009 I have a large Craftsman that works great. I spent about $500 several years ago on it. Brian Quote
oldmopar Posted March 16, 2009 Report Posted March 16, 2009 I have a 80 gal 5 hp IR compressor cost about $800 about 5 years ago not sure of price today it is a 220 volt. Maybe a 8hp would be better if you are blasting a lot. This may be out of your price range but some of the portables go for 4 or 5 hundred which is why I spent the extra. Also you maybe able to pick up a compressor for a service station repair shop going out of business for a good price. If you stay with a name brand parts are usually available. Quote
greg g Posted March 16, 2009 Report Posted March 16, 2009 Check your local farm supply stores. there stuff is usually a sep up from the home depots/sears, but ot as expensive as the full out commercial units. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 16, 2009 Report Posted March 16, 2009 here in the southland at the local Tractor Suppy Company..the vertical twin Camphell Hausfield (something green named for TSC) is a 60 gallon 5 or 6.5 horse (developed) compressor that will run your shop and air tools day after day..bought mine in 1984 and it is on 24/7/365 good quality good price and if you are running but one tool at a time the single stage unit will be all you need and its 399.00 super hard to beat given the cost of just a motor... Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted March 16, 2009 Author Report Posted March 16, 2009 I'll see if there are any such stores around me. Even if I have to drive a distance for a deal like that it would be worth it. Thanks. Quote
Jim Yergin Posted March 16, 2009 Report Posted March 16, 2009 Joe, There are Tractor Supply stores in Leesburg, Warrenton, Marshall and Culpeper. Let me know if you need directions. Jim Yergin Quote
Flatie46 Posted March 16, 2009 Report Posted March 16, 2009 A friend of mine had his compressor die on him, he had rented a garage for a couple months to paint his car.Being on a tight budgit he didn't want to spring for a new one so he converted his to a gas engine. He made a mounting plate to adapt the engine from his garden tiller and bought an unloader valve from Harbor Freight or McMaster Carr, I think the valve cost about $40.00.It had a 30gallon tank and he said it kept up better with the gas engine.He had to set it outside while he used it but it was totally portable after that.Anyway he got by on the cheap still using it too. Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted March 17, 2009 Report Posted March 17, 2009 I have a single stage that puts out about 9 to 12 CFM. Mine is a Craftsman with a 6 HP motor that runs on 110 volts, with a 30 gallon tank. Ran about $399. However, I bought that before KMart took over Sears. The one they are selling now in it's place isn't as powerful as the one I bought when Sears was still Sears. The key to buying a compressor is how many CFM's it puts out. Check your tools to see what CFM is required to run them. Then buy the size compressor accordingly to fit those needs. Mine will handle a sand blaster and any other tool as long as you are only using one at a time. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted March 17, 2009 Report Posted March 17, 2009 trust me..if you do not need to be portable with your compressor the reserve that the 60 or 80 gallon tank provides will be most beneficial..and single stage compressor not the CFM rating will be edpressed at PSI also..the higher number will most likely be stated at 40 PSI..even a HVLP spray gun eats that for lunch... Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted March 17, 2009 Report Posted March 17, 2009 Tim, My single stage puts out about 9 CFM at 90 PSI, and about 12 CFM at 40 PSI. Maximum air pressure is 150 PSI. I don't do much sand blasting, but when I do it keeps up with the 30 gallon tank with no problem. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Posted March 17, 2009 Tim: Your recommendation would be a 60 gallon single stage? Norm: You say your 30 gallon ran your blaster pretty well? Jim Y: Thanks for the info. I looked up the Tractor Supply stores. The one in Woodbridge is closest to me. Mine was a 22 gallon Campbell Hausfeld, the blue kind. I think they make different grade tools and maybe I had the homeowner grade. The CH compressors at Tractor Supply are yellow. Higher grade? I was just thinking about how expensive paint and chrome is going to be and now this. Well, welcome to the old car hobby. I still wouldn't trade it for anything. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Posted March 17, 2009 The other thing I have to keep in mind is that I don't have a whole lot of blasting left and then there's the paint job, which will be done in pieces. I won't be shooting the whole car at once. Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted March 17, 2009 Report Posted March 17, 2009 Tim: Your recommendation would be a 60 gallon single stage?Norm: You say your 30 gallon ran your blaster pretty well? Jim Y: Thanks for the info. I looked up the Tractor Supply stores. The one in Woodbridge is closest to me. Mine was a 22 gallon Campbell Hausfeld, the blue kind. I think they make different grade tools and maybe I had the homeowner grade. The CH compressors at Tractor Supply are yellow. Higher grade? I was just thinking about how expensive paint and chrome is going to be and now this. Well, welcome to the old car hobby. I still wouldn't trade it for anything. Joe, I've used mine with my table top blaster and a regular blaster without a problem. My son has the same compressor that he bought right after I bought mine. He does a lot more blasting than I do and no problems. In fact, my table top blaster spends more time in his garage being used, than mine. We both have the exact same compressor with the 30 gallon upright tank. Quote
rolliejoe Posted March 17, 2009 Report Posted March 17, 2009 I have a 60 gal single stage 13.3 scfm @ 90 psi. It's a really nice compressor that I paid ~$400 a couple years back, but in some ways I wish I would have bought a dual stage, maybe 80 gallon too. I have the harbor freight pot blaster and it does keep up with that but runs non stop. It's barely almost doesn't keep up with my die grinder. Runs non-stop and have to give it a little rest so the psi can catch up. All that running non-stop heats things up and gets water in the line. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Posted March 17, 2009 Yeah, if I can avoid the non-stop running, that would be good. I think that means bigger and more power. For the sake of economy, I may go a bit to the cheap side since I won't have a great deal of need for the thing. The really demanding part is the blasting and I don't have a whole lot of that left. I'm not so much worried about the painting. Quote
Don Coatney Posted March 17, 2009 Report Posted March 17, 2009 Joe; Keep in mind that as you go 5HP and above that your power requirement will also go up. Do you have 220 50 amp power available in your garage? My compressor is 2 HP but I am running it on 220. I also added an additional tank and a big gauge. Quote
billwillard Posted March 17, 2009 Report Posted March 17, 2009 The key is storage. If you have the space keep your old tank and use it along with your new 60 gal 5hp compressor. If you don't leave your compressor on try to start it at least 1/2 hr b4 using it. That will give it a chance to cool down. when blasting you should give compressor a brake after 1hr to let it cool down a little. Now you car pass your compressor on to your kids. Another thing that helps is to change the oil after the first 20hrs and use syn oil. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Posted March 17, 2009 Thanks for the pics, Don. No, I don't have 220 in my garage. Right now I'm thinking about seeing if I can get by with a 30 gallon 110. Quote
bobby horne Posted March 17, 2009 Report Posted March 17, 2009 I run 2 compressors for my shop. A 5Hp 22 gallon is my main unit, and the 2 hp I have had for 25 years, I can turn on if needed. I just run the air inlets to the same air line. I have air outlet connections in different parts of the shop. Both compressors are in an out building, where it is cooler, and keeps much of the noise out of the shop. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Posted March 17, 2009 Is there a way to use the tank on my dead compressor as extra storage capacity? How would you plumb that? Quote
Don Coatney Posted March 17, 2009 Report Posted March 17, 2009 Is there a way to use the tank on my dead compressor as extra storage capacity? How would you plumb that? Simply run your compressor discharge line into the old tank and plumb your service line from the old tank. I got fancy with my reserve tank and added another safety relief valve on top of the tank and a moisture drain line on the bottom of the tank as pictured above. The tank I am using is from a truck with air brakes. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted March 17, 2009 Author Report Posted March 17, 2009 Would an arrangement like this make a compressor motor run less? It would have to run longer to fill the two tanks and reach its shutoff pressure, but then wouldn't it also go longer before having to run again? Just trying to figure out whether this is false economy. Quote
Norm's Coupe Posted March 17, 2009 Report Posted March 17, 2009 Joe, Running two compressors, or an extra tank like Don mentioned is done all the time in manufacturing companies. You just have to plumb them right to do it. I've been in plants that have had 5 or 6 compressors all hooked together for when they need more air supply. Quote
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