First, I want to apologize for the novel. My previous air compressor was a Craftsman 6hp, 60 gal. direct drive, I bought it used, learned my lesson, and was lucky enough to sell it for what I had in it. I know that I want a somewhere around 1750 rpm motor. I don't know if this matters, but I'm in the Oklahoma City metro area.

I'd love to buy a Belair, but I just don't have the budget for it and I'd have a hard time justifying it. My budget ceiling would likely be $1000 and I'll bet I'll have a hard time justifying that with the wife anyway. Single income family with 3 kids ranging from 5-13 on a draftsmans salary and all. Plus, I'm a hobbyist, I'm not needing this to make money, but if something comes around and I end up where I can, when this one wears out, I'll buy something nicer.

I've got the wife talked into this one that they carry at Sam's Club, it's a Delta 2 stage, 80 gal. and puts out 16 scfm @ 90 psi and it's priced right at $767.46.

I've also found a couple at Tractor Supply, both Ingersoll Rand, a 5hp, 80 gal., 17.1 CFM @ 90 P.S.I. 230V Two-Stage 11.8 H.P. Peak 175 Max. P.S.I. On-Site Service for $999 and a 5hp, 80 gal., 18.1 CFM @ 90 P.S.I. 230 Volt Single-Stage 135 Max. P.S.I. for $742.38.

I don't know who makes the Delta compressor, I don't find it on their website, but I'm pretty sure Ingersoll Rand is a good quality compressor. Both Sam's and Tractor Supply are local to me, so no shipping. I like the single stage IR, heck I'd take any of the three.

I was wanting one that put out pretty good scfm for doing some media blasting. I got to thinking, my neighbor catty-corner across the street has a big industrial air compressor (with like 1 1/2" air hose) and a 600# pressurized pot that he does blasting with. He has the fresh air hood and comprssor and suit and all and he said I can use it if I buy my own media and supply the diesel. (I don't want to get into experience, warpage, materials when blasting, I know all about the pitfalls...) So if I end up doing any blasting, it'll likely be in a blast cabinet so it probably won't be a large part.

The other reason was that I understand a two stage compressor is better for painting, but now with the popularity of HVLP guns, I wasn't sure that it's that necessary anymore, but I posted this on the FordFE.com forum and it's now my understanding that they can use more.

I'm trying to figure out if I ought to just get a normal 5 or 6 hp 60 gal. upright single stage compressor that is an oil bath one and use the rest of the money to either buy a rotisserie or purchase the metal to build one myself. I've got a Whirly-Jig located for $600, but it has no castors or hydraulic rams. One of my friend's mother works at Lowe's and I can probably get her discount on a Kobalt, 13.3 SCFM @ 90 psi, 12,000 hour pump life, High output cast iron pump design, 3-year warranty on cast iron pump for $499, but I've read that someone had bad luck with one.

I only have one side of a two car garage to work in, so it's not like I'll be working on a bunch of different projects all the time. I just want to buy a good compressor that will last me several years. (if there is such a thing anymore, quality and reliability have seem to go by the wayside for the purpose of buying a new, whatever, everytime the old one goes out, sorta like a gas grille) I hope to add either a two car carport on the side of my garage (actually, a pass thru garage with doors on each end) or a 30'x30 min. up to 40'x60' shop in the back yard. I'm on an acre and a half in the country in a neighborhood with pretty lenient homeowners association rules.

I've got a few projects, but I'm not sure I'll ever do them all, but you never know what will come down the line. I have a '90 Isuzu Amigo that has a non-metallic paint that I plan to be my first paint job, if that proves successful, I have my 13 year old daughter's '90 Shadow that will recieve a metallic paint job with skunk stripes. I also have a '76 F-250 S/C longbed that I'm not sure whether I ought to just part it out or rebuild the 390, throw some paint on it and then sell it, it could be my first paint project. In the garage sits a '65 Mustang A-code coupe that I've owned since 1987 that needs a bit of rust repair and some body panel replacement. My other big project is my '63 Fairlane 2dr sedan that will be turned into a Nostalgia Super Stock car that I eventually plan on racing.

My neighbor with the blast rig plans on building a two car building that he plans to use exclusively as a spray booth, possibly this spring, which I'll help him on. And like his blaster rig, I'll likely have full access to this building.

I know you should get as much compressor as you can afford and that you should get more than you think you need. I was just wonder about the collective's thoughts on these compressors, or if there were any other suggestions that would be in the ballpark of these price wise. Also, if I were to look for something at like, an auction, what brands should I look for and which ones should I avoid? I could have gotten an industrial horizontal compressor from a buddy, but the tank was rotted out, which is why he replaced it. If I do buy one at an auction, what kind of costs am I looking at should the thing need rebuilding? I know about the magnetic starter prices and the motor prices, but I have no idea about costs related to getting the compressor head rebuilt.

I like to fully research things before I go about doing something about it and while I know, or have heard some things, I acknowledge I don't know everything. I tend to ask a lot of questions in a lot of different places and sort of base a decision on the popular answer. This has held pretty true for me in the past. I know to use the search feature before asking questions so I hope I don't ask any stupid questions.

Larry Hampton

Larry you dont have to have a 2 stage for painting... What matter is cfm.. I have seen single stages do much better than 2 stages...

[QUOTE]I've got the wife talked into this one that they carry at Sam's Club, it's a Delta 2 stage, 80 gal. and puts out 16 scfm @ 90 psi and it's priced right at $767.46.

I've also found a couple at Tractor Supply, both Ingersoll Rand, a 5hp, 80 gal., 17.1 CFM @ 90 P.S.I. 230V Two-Stage 11.8 H.P. Peak 175 Max. P.S.I. On-Site Service for $999 and a 5hp, 80 gal., 18.1 CFM @ 90 P.S.I. 230 Volt Single-Stage 135 Max. P.S.I. for $742.38. [END QUOTE]

I think any of these will be fine.. Have someone who has had one bought from sams for close to 10 years now without issue

I would not get the colbalt with 13.3 cfm... if you can swing one with around 18 or higher that will be perfect... You dont have to have one with that much cfm, as they make guns that require less, but it is nice to have and works the compressor less since it does not have to labor to keep up..
Also get one with a cast iron head if you can and run synthetic in it, instead of conventional oil

I appreciate it BK.

I'm really leaning towards the single stage IR at Tractor Supply. It's a bit cheaper than the Delta at Sam's and puts out more CFM. I figure the pressurized pot I'd use with outside blasting won't be that big, might fit two bags of media in it and the last time I used a blaster, it seemed I spent more time shoveling it up, sifting it and putting it back into the pot than I did blasting with it. BTW, it was convential washed sand, we were doing a firewall in a '67 Fairlane and I wasn't spending too much time in any one spot, not that it would have mattered I think.

I got a reply from Delta about the inquiry I made on the compressor at Sam's:

++++ PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS ++++
+++++++++++ Contact information is located below ++++++++++++

Dear Larry,
The compressors that are sold at Sam's under the Delta name are ours. The model number that you would be looking for would be DLKC6580V2, you might be able to locate information on the Delta site if you have the model number of the unit.

Thank you for visiting the Delta Machinery website.

Should you need to contact us again in the future, please call
1-800-223-7278, or click on
the following link: http://www.deltamachinery.com/index.asp?e=101
Upon contacting us, please refer to case number 2564225.

Regards,
Customer Care Department

=======================================
ORIGINAL EMAIL FROM [email protected]
=======================================
Model Number:
Serial Number:
Message:Sam's Wholesale Club sells a 6.5 hp, 80 gal. two stage air
compressor that says Delta on it, yet I don't see it on your website. It
makes 16 scfm @ 90 psi, but that's all I know about it. Do you make this
or does someone make it for you, and if so, who? Do you have any other
info on this compressor?

Thanks.

Larry:
All of those sound good. Just a FYI, the Kobalt's at Lowes are all Ingersol Rands. Don't know if that makes any difference. I've got one, 30gal 110v and it works fine for me.

My wife ended up buying the Delta from Sam's for me way back when.



I still have it, it's still rocking along, I ended up totaling the Amigo before I got to paint it, was picking my son up from kindergarten and taking him back to my work, ice in the road and short wheelbase, we flipped it. In about 2 weeks he graduates high school and he's an Eagle Scout.



The Shadow got a coat of white primer, but MAACO ended up painting it. I also ended up with the Whirly Jig.



The '76 F250 is gone too, but now I have a '73 F100 with 22k original miles.



Still have the Mustang and Fairlane, and still hoping for the 40x60 (hoping to start foundation and retaining walls next year).

2006 to 2019! Nice Update!

I was googling the diameter of the compressor from here at the office and came across the old post.

So I figured I'd do an update. I wished I'd have put an hour meter on the compressor prior to using it, although I'd say it doesn't have more than 2-3 hours on it tops.

I plan on replacing the original oil in it this summer, I also acquired a 1/2" ball condensate trap I plan on installing on the bottom once I lift it up for the clearance.

I installed it with 3 hockey pucks and wedge inserts in the concrete. I'm thinking I'll use some pieces of 3" or 4" square tube laid on its side and another set of pucks to raise it up enough to get the trap installed. It was a fairly new trap pulled off a jobsite, I took it apart and cleaned it up and made a new gasket for it, painted it.

WOW cool thread BUT dam you only put so few hours on the compressor in that much time I have burned up 4 of the same size and specs in that time lol

I've never gotten a pot sand blaster or a big cabinet yet.

Right after that I started coaching tee ball and basketball and soccer for my kids with the YMCA, the girls were band kids so there was that, then son being a Boy Scout (got his Eagle btw).

Middle daughter graduates college this weekend, son graduates high school the following weekend and 3 weeks later the oldest daughter gets married.

Maybe now it'll see some use. But I'm thinking of changing the oil for some synthetic.

You will NEVER regret the Time you spent with your family!!!!!

I on the other Hand do regret lost time with my kids working nights weekends and holidays for an Ungrateful employer! for a penitence of a Pay check and a tiny pension.


Plus time spent in my own shop thousands of hours weekend after weekend year after year on what few days off I did have in the middle of the week just trying to get a project done to sell to make a few extra bucks. I have yet to complete a project that I keep for myself.



You don't get time back and there are no redo's in life, In the end all your left with is your family's Love and your own regrets.
That's all you get to take with you to the next place my friend.

Eagle scout!!!!! way too go! You should be very proud.