compressor selection, your experience?

I am preparing to spend some money on a new compressor, and I have looked at several brands. Just wondered what experiences any of you have had with the following:

IR, Quincy, Atlas-Copco, Belaire, and Polar Air (Eaton)

The units I am considering are 5HP recip w/80 gal tanks. The air supplied will run a small VMC and air guns, no air tools (I hate air tools;-), and we will likely expand the need for air to another CNC or two over the near future.

I have seen comments on other sites regarding Eaton from about 6-7 years ago, and Chinese parts. I note that the Eaton/Polar Air website states specifically now "No Chinese Parts". They also have a 5-year warranty, bumper to bumper. Their price is also (apparently right now) about $1300 vs. the others at $1800-1900 range. I suspect that they are trying to regain some market share after a Chinese parts debacle.

I have previously (in another company) had a Quincy rotary screw 25HP unit, very nice, but way more than we can buy right now.

Any input based on recent experience or knowledge of these companies' business practices will be appreciated, as well as any other suggestions for mfrs.

air compressor

If I were in the market for a compressor, I would search for the best used Quincy I could afford. I bought a used 5 horse - 80 gallon Quincy 23 years ago and it is still ticking along. I don't use as much air as you, but still like them. Good luck.

JH

You forgot the most important brand to look at - Kaiser. Just do a search on here regarding them. Lots of excellent feedback.

Don't rule out Speedair. I bought my compressor [ 3HP 60 gal.] 40 years ago used. It has seen a lot of use. It is no different today than when I bought it. Bob

Im looking at one of these.
Rotary Screw Air Compressors

Bob-J-H said:

Don't rule out Speedair. I bought my compressor [ 3HP 60 gal.] 40 years ago used. It has seen a lot of use. It is no different today than when I bought it. Bob

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+1. I replaced a dead Kellog pump with a 5HP Speedair in 1977. It's had a long hard life and still works fine. I oversped it with a 10" diameter pulley on the motor in an attempt to keep up with a blasting cabinet for about 10 years. It's now my emergency backup compressor.

I bought a used 10HP IR T30. It outlasted one motor, then developed a death rattle in the bottom end. I replaced it with a newer 15HP Atlas Copco and put the IR aside to rebuild for a spare. The Atlas Copco seems very nicely made, has a nicer unloader system, runs at a higher speed and makes a bit more noise because of it. I have to call the A-C warehouse for parts and filters and etc.and they seem to have a premium price. IR parts and service seem to be available more places, I can't comment on price because I haven't bought them yet.

specfab said:

I am preparing to spend some money on a new compressor, and I have looked at several brands. Just wondered what experiences any of you have had with the following:

IR, Quincy, Atlas-Copco, Belaire, and Polar Air (Eaton)

The units I am considering are 5HP recip w/80 gal tanks. The air supplied will run a small VMC and air guns, no air tools (I hate air tools;-), and we will likely expand the need for air to another CNC or two over the near future.

I have seen comments on other sites regarding Eaton from about 6-7 years ago, and Chinese parts. I note that the Eaton/Polar Air website states specifically now "No Chinese Parts". They also have a 5-year warranty, bumper to bumper. Their price is also (apparently right now) about $1300 vs. the others at $1800-1900 range. I suspect that they are trying to regain some market share after a Chinese parts debacle.

I have previously (in another company) had a Quincy rotary screw 25HP unit, very nice, but way more than we can buy right now.

Any input based on recent experience or knowledge of these companies' business practices will be appreciated, as well as any other suggestions for mfrs.

Click to expand...

We bought a polar 15/20 3 CYL. What a fiasco. Shipped with wrong pulley installed and kept tripping out mag starter. Found the issue and got new pulley sent but wrong ID. Sent new pulley again but took awhile as they were out of stock. They also forgot to send the new belts, when they did they only sent two but we needed three. Not a matched set. After getting it going there was a rubbing whirring noise coming from motor. Cheap ass chinco fan had a chunk of flash hanging off and touching the cover. Belt cover was also a rattle trap POS and needed to be reworked. Feed pipe to tank was a ugly hack job but didn't leak? Call after call and a F you attitude to get things right. IMO -F- Them.

Real machinists use a V8-60. Four cylinders to run, four cylinders to pump

If you don't have a spindle that uses an air purge, you can literally get away with almost NOTHING
for air..

I'm running 3 Fadals and an OLD mazak lathe with air over hydraulic for the tool change, an air chuck,
and an air operated tail stock, and its got some leaks.. On one of these.

8 gal. 2 HP 125 PSI Oil Lube Air Compressor
Almost ALWAYS on sale for 99.99.

Same exact compressor as one of these, but with a smaller tank.
21 gal. 2.5 HP 125 PSI Cast Iron Vertical Air Compressor
Usually "on sale" for $145 or so...

And that little compressor does not run constantly...

I'm no saying go out and buy shitty compressors... My 5hp compressor's motor fried and I
needed a quick replacement.. HF here we come... Never got around to fixing the big one,
I've got the new motor, replumbed the whole F'n thing, new pressure switch, nice big new
gage I can see from anywhere in the shop..... BUT!!!! Running the little compressor,
I was saving $150 a month on electricity...

Of course it doesn't take much of an air leak to keep a little compressor going forever,
so I did fix all the little leaks in the shop... Any quick connects that start to hiss
get replaced immediately now...

The first 21 gallon compressor lasted 9 months, the second 9 months... Then I got 2 of
the little 8's... The reason they died, the reed valves cracked, and the aluminum head
gasket burned through.. The new motor for the big compressor cost almost $400, and its
still sitting on the bench.. I've spent $500 on shitty compressors over the past 30
months or so, but I've saved over $4000 in electricity. I think part of that is fixing
leaks, and part of it is running lower pressure, and part of it is running smaller compressors.
I've got the leaks down to the point that I can come back on Monday morning and the entire system is
still holding pressure.

I'm just pointing out that you don't need something big or crazy or expensive to run a single
VMC.

tubeguy said:

We bought a polar 15/20 3 CYL. What a fiasco. Shipped with wrong pulley installed and kept tripping out mag starter. Found the issue and got new pulley sent but wrong ID. Sent new pulley again but took awhile as they were out of stock. They also forgot to send the new belts, when they did they only sent two but we needed three. Not a matched set. After getting it going there was a rubbing whirring noise coming from motor. Cheap ass chinco fan had a chunk of flash hanging off and touching the cover. Belt cover was also a rattle trap POS and needed to be reworked. Feed pipe to tank was a ugly hack job but didn't leak? Call after call and a F you attitude to get things right. IMO -F- Them.

Click to expand...

On the other hand I have bought a few pumps from polar and have been happy with the results.
Bob

Bobw said:

If you don't have a spindle that uses an air purge, you can literally get away with almost NOTHING for air..

Click to expand...

Had a similar experience ... I had a water-cooled Ingersoll-Rand from about 1930 that was nice and quiet and worked great but for some reaon had to move it or something, ran just the little 1 1/2 horse three-cylinder dry thingy for a couple days ... and never hooked up the monster again. Sold it, in fact. The little guy made an annoying racket but sure was cheaper to run and took up a lot less space.

I've seen quite a few places here that have a decent-sized receiver and then several pieces of junk feeding it. I can see some advantages to that ...

SeaMoss said:

Real machinists use a V8-60. Four cylinders to run, four cylinders to pump

Click to expand...

I have one of those, got it when i bought a service truck and removed the bed.

It's a Grimmer Schmidt, it's a Ford 302 v-8 set up that way.

Works very nice too.

But not for the OP's application

We ran a Devilbiss VAV-5061 15hp piston compressor for 60 hrs / week over 30 years before we needed to change the motor. The pump only ever got oil changes yearly (at best) and new belts every 5 years. The receiver tank was always drained daily. We had a stand alone drier coupled to it and never had air quality issues in the paint shop, so it must not have been by-passing any oil, even after that amount of run time. We replaced it with an IR UP6-20 rotary screw with built in drier to keep up with air demand in the plant. We spend more yearly on maintenance fluids and filters for the IR than we did in 30+ years (combined) of running the Devilbiss. Sold the Devilbiss for 25% of what we paid for it new, but I wish we'd kept it as a back-up.
I've also had a couple of smaller Speed-Air compressors over the years and always had good luck with them.

I have a 1 year old Quincy QP-5, the pressure-lube 5 HP piston version. It is fine, but I need to unload it as it's too loud for my little shop. I could make you a great deal, but it's a bit of a drive from Tucson .

Regards.

Mike

We bought a Polar Air (Eaton) 40HP last year. Top notch machine, and the support has been excellent as well. All of the maintenance parts are standard off the shelf items.

Finegrain said:

I have a 1 year old Quincy QP-5, the pressure-lube 5 HP piston version. It is fine, but I need to unload it as it's too loud for my little shop. I could make you a great deal, but it's a bit of a drive from Tucson .

Regards.

Mike

Click to expand...

I have the 10 hp version, and I plumbed the intake outside, it cut
down the noise so much, now you can hear the valves tick.

I know its not in the discussion but I found a 5hp IR screw for almost free and it is enjoyable to be able to have a conversation right next to the compressor running and not have to yell. Nice and quiet and the noise is a hum rather than the normal piston clatter. Not that I would spend the new money for an IR screw machine.

Another not on the original list to look at is Champion, I have had mine for 20+ years and spent only a few dollars on a replacement diaphragm.

This time last year I bought a Quincy QP 7.5 80 gallon vertical. It's not like it sees a lot of use in my home shop but it handles the air needs for sandblasting very well. I bought through Northern Tool since they had a decent price and free shipping.

Quincy all the way. Have one for muy shop. When I wad in school I worked at a hydraulics and pneumatic shop. Overall the Quincy compressors were the best.