Got a new $159 HFT air compressor.

[JTK]

My little ~15yr/old twin tank HFT hot-dog compressor has been serving me well, but I'd like to keep it in the basement for smaller work. I've been poking around for a low cost, larger capacity unit for the garage. Had a coupon for this one and picked it up today. I was kind of shocked at how large (and HEAVY) it is, but she fit in the back of the Soob no problem. It's about 4ft tall and a good 1.5ft wide.

Of course the "regular price" was like ~$239, on sale for $179. I got a coupon in the mail for $159. They had a bunch of them. Dude loaded me from the loading dock.

 

[bigt61]

Sounds good - I'm still using the same Craftsman 1.5HP unit I got new in 1978. I'll need to change the oil on it eventually.

 

[JHZR2]

Wow, big tank but the cylinder and crankcase looks like most any other small/low CFM compressor. Nice that it is oiled and that they put some heatsink fins on the copper line from the compressor to tank... Ive seen some high pressure dewalt ones recently that use rubber hose!

Wonder why they didnt put the drain at the lowest point or on the side with wheels so that it could be tilted easily...

 

[Clevy]

That's a great shop compressor. Large capacity tank for impact and air wrenches,sanders etc and runs on 110 no problem.
Has an oiled pump which is a must.
For break in unscrew the drain cock slightly so that the tank holds some pressure to give the piston and ring some resistance and let it run full blast for around 10-15 minutes.
Change the oil and your good to go.

That's a great price. Here that pump would cost at least double

 

[Donald]

The critical piece of info is how many CFM at 90 PSI. What air tools will you be using? If you say an air sander, its too small a compressor.

 

[Coprolite]

It is the same one I got.

4.7 CFM @ 90 PSI
5.8 CFM @ 40 PSI

Good enough for most things. I have electric sanders and this one seemed enough for most activities. Even the high volume tools that I would use would not have continuous demand as I work slowly...

 

[JTK]

Yeah, all I run is some smaller impact tools, air chisel, etc. Most are a struggle on my small twin-tank one.

I had a big belt drive Coleman years ago. Gave it to my brother who helped me do a bunch of home remodel stuff years ago.

 

[jcwit]

Got one very similar to that, got mine about 30 years ago, used to use it daily all day. Never failed me, and its still going strong. Mine does have the drain at the lowest point of the tank.

Excellent value from Harbor Freight.

 

[Clevy]

5 cfm is lots if it's not continuous duty. For example that compressor will run an impact for long enoug to get 5 lugs off fast,then by the time you get to the next tire it'll be pumped up enough to do 5 lugs again.
When I build decks I use 5/8 6"minimum lag bolts to fasten the rim board against the house. I use my 1/2 impact for it.
My 5.5 hp compressors will drive 1 6" lag into solid lumber and by the time I move over to get the next the capacity and pressure is high enough to do another.
I've got 2 compressors with 18cfm pumps. They are triple cylinders running off a 5.5hp motor. Those triples are almost impossible to drain of air. Unless a hose gets cut in half.
I've also got a 40cfm twin cylinder. The pistons are bigger than coffee cans. I've got an 18hp Kawasaki motor using a 2 belt pulley to turn it.
It takes 4 men to load it into the back of a truck.

 

[FFeng7]

What kind of oil are you going to use in your new compressor?

 

[rshaw125]

Does this unit have enough capacity to properly supply a paint gun. Like the HF purple gun??

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: rshaw125
Does this unit have enough capacity to properly supply a paint gun. Like the HF purple gun??

No. This may run a small touch up gun but not a full size spray gun for very long.
My Sata 3000 HVLP needs 15.2 CFM @ 29 psi, the Devilbiss HVLP 12.5. That unit will run out of wind and you have pressure fluctuations potentially ruining the paint job.

A single fender, door, bumper cover it may be okay if you let the unit catch up between coats.
This unit is not for air/DA sanders, cutoff wheels, blasting cabinets and stuff that have large cfm requirements.
It should be fine for short use tools like an impact gun, ratchet, air hammer, needle scaler, blow gun and so on.

 

[dlundblad]

Looks good. Ive read those are great units for the money. Do you have any warranty with it?

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Coprolite
It is the same one I got.

4.7 CFM @ 90 PSI
5.8 CFM @ 40 PSI

Good enough for most things. I have electric sanders and this one seemed enough for most activities. Even the high volume tools that I would use would not have continuous demand as I work slowly...


Is that enough for a 1/2" drive impact gun? Or spray apply rustproofing where the quality of the finished product doesn't have to be visually appealing?

 

[dave123]

you paid the right amount for what it is I would not expect to much out of it mabey fill a tire or run a 3/8 impact a bit. No DA, paint gun or run any air tool for any amount of time.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Coprolite
It is the same one I got.

4.7 CFM @ 90 PSI
5.8 CFM @ 40 PSI

Good enough for most things. I have electric sanders and this one seemed enough for most activities. Even the high volume tools that I would use would not have continuous demand as I work slowly...


Is that enough for a 1/2" drive impact gun? Or spray apply rustproofing where the quality of the finished product doesn't have to be visually appealing?


Rustproofing guns need a lot of air at higher pressures, IIRC mine uses about 15 cfm @ 40 psi.
It will operate it but you be stopping and waiting quite a bit.
It should run a 1/2" impact okay for most jobs.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: Coprolite
It is the same one I got.

4.7 CFM @ 90 PSI
5.8 CFM @ 40 PSI

Good enough for most things. I have electric sanders and this one seemed enough for most activities. Even the high volume tools that I would use would not have continuous demand as I work slowly...


Is that enough for a 1/2" drive impact gun? Or spray apply rustproofing where the quality of the finished product doesn't have to be visually appealing?


Rustproofing guns need a lot of air at higher pressures, IIRC mine uses about 15 cfm @ 40 psi.
It will operate it but you be stopping and waiting quite a bit.
It should run a 1/2" impact okay for most jobs.


That's what I figured. I'm having some issues with my 30 y/o Craftsman and I was looking for something cheap to hold me over until I got the scratch together for something good. I'll just wait until the weather gets warm and decide then what to do.

 

[Coprolite]

For painting, the selection of the paint gun would make a difference. I did a quick search an this one would handle texture spray hoppers and certain HVLP sprayers. As noted earlier, this wouldn't be good enough if you were going to paint a whole car.

Please pardon the mixed message. My hobbies include house renovation, wood working and car piddling.

 

[rshaw125]

So to run a paint gun you need a bigger tank? Like 30 gallons and more cfm?

 

[Trav]

Yes more CFM. Think of the tank as a buffer in between the pump and the tool.
If the pump delivers more CFM than the tool is using the pump can keep the tank full and shut off till the low pressure switch kicks in again.

The bigger the tank the more stable the air supply to the tool/gun will be.
To run a large spray gun and do a large project like paint the whole car at once i would guess 18CFM @ 40 psi and a 40-60 gallon tank should get it done with no problems.

If the pump doesn't have enough CFM you will drain the tank at some point and the pump will never catch up.