I've been using a small 6 gal air compressor and I'm looking into getting a bigger one....all I really use it for is sanding down laps and fin plugs....do you guys think a 22 gal would be enough or do i need to step up to the 33 gal? I am just tired of hearing the thing run and not getting the full potential of the die grinder...
any advice is appreciated.
Howzit adam, spend the money on a good electric grinder instead, Aloha,Kokua
If your shopping at homedepot or lowes You will have to get the biggest one they sell there,I cant remember how many gallons the tank is though.Sometimes you just need a little more tank volume to acheive your desired air output.Find an old compressor that doesn’t work and strip the pump off then add the required fittings to link it inline with your air supply.Make sure your entire system has no airleaks becuase your little pump will have to run a bit longer to fill the 2 tanks.If all you use it for is laps etc then kokua has good advice on your dilema,my advice is just a cheap way to get a bit more air volume.
Hi Adam,
Once again, Kokua is right on the money with this.
Air sanders and grinders use a lot of air and to really use them to their potential you need a lot of compressor. Not just a big tank but a big pump too, so that you wind up with 220 volts and a corner of your shop taken over and you spend more than you would on an adequate electric die grinder and a really good variable speed sander-grinder like the industry standard Milwaukee: http://www.milwaukeetool.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductId=6078&CategoryName=SC%3a+Large+Angle+Grinders - about $200 US street price . And I like mine a lot, use it for all kinds of stuff in addition to board work.
Figure another $100-125 US for a 'good' electric ( Makita ) die grinder, $200+ US or so for a true 10 amp industrial grade ( Milwaukee or Metabo) tool or $40 for an inexpensive 'once-in-a-while' 2-3 amp electric die grinder that may well be all you really need or want.
Oh, and, the good stuff turns up used in tool stores or as 'never picked up' stuff in tool repair shops at very nice prices.
hope that's of use
doc....
Adam: Doc and Mike have given you some good advice in reference to sanding laps.
However I have a 80 Gallon tank with a 7 HP compressor pump running at 220v at the shop and I have a second one at home. The reason is because I don’t like to hear a compressor run. It is expensive up front cost however they cost less in energy to run.
My shop compressor is 21 CFMs I did completely rebuilt it: Changed the electric motor, compressor pump, and pressure regulator it cost me under $400.00 to rebuild a Home Cheapo Husky. There good for about 5 years of heavy use. After the rebuild I may get 10 years.
Knowing what I know now I would buy a use 80 gallon compressor tank and put a fresh motor and compressor pump and pressure switch it would be better than a new one because you can use better parts. A tank is just a tank.
If you paint and use many pneumatic tool get a rig. If you just doing laps I would just listen to Mike or Doc.
Oil less compressors are a joke and only good for nail guns. I have one for that purpose and only use it with nail guns.
Surfding
If you are just grinding laps, blowing of blanks, doing minor painting the largest Home Depot or Lowes 120 is big enough and priced around or under $2oo. I use a pnuematic die grinder from Harbor Freight to grind my laps and not to disagree with others but there is no better tool for the job. I have stated previously in other threads on this site; There is no better set-up for grinding laps than an air driven right angle die grinder with a 3M Diskit set up .
. I think the last time I was in Harbor Freight I saw a compressor with a large tank and 120 for $159. Right angle air die grinders are an industry standard.
Right angle air die grinders are an industry standard.