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Discussion Forum

Best Portable Compressor: WHICH ONE?!

bk24 | Posted in General Discussion on March 9, 2005 10:04am

Hey All-

     Looking to buy a portable compressor in the next week or two, but stuck on which one to get.  Four that I’m currently considering: Thomas T-200ST or T-2820ST, Rol-Air D2000HBP6, and Porter Cable C-3551.  The Thomas’ are the quietest and have the highest CFM rating, but they’re oil-less (longevity issue?) and the T-2820 is significantly more expensive than the others.  The Rol-Air (oiled) has a great reputation, and it’s about the same price as the Porter Cable, but I haven’t had any personal experience with one.  The Porter Cable (oiled) has gotten good reviews on Amazon.com, but I hear that they’re not the greatest for various reasons…  I’d appreciate any advice from those of you who have experience with these compressors.  I’m looking for a quiet compressor that will put in a number of years seeing all kinds of use, and I wouldn’t hesitate to spend extra money for better quality.  Thanks in advance.


Edited 3/9/2005 3:29 am ET by BK24

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Replies

  1. User avater
    IMERC | Mar 09, 2005 10:07am | #1

    flip a coin over the first two and don't bother with any thing else...

    Rol-aires last forever ever with reasonable care... same for Thomas...

    The PC is made by Cambel Hausefield...

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

    WOW!!!   What a Ride!

  2. User avater
    RichColumbus | Mar 09, 2005 10:37am | #2

    What is the application?  Commercial roofing or general household?  or something in between?

    1. bk24 | Mar 09, 2005 11:24am | #3

      Rich-

           No commerical (daily) roofing for me, but I will be doing two or three in the next few months.  I need the compressor mostly for light framing (one person) and trim work, but I am also going to be building a house for my parents within the next couple of years.  I figure my needs are somewhere in between a handyman and a pro, and I'm always willing to chalk up the cash for good tools.

      1. Mooney | Mar 09, 2005 01:46pm | #4

        I figure my needs are somewhere in between a handyman and a pro, and I'm always willing to chalk up the cash for good tools

        If ya feel  that way, mebbe you better consider the Dewalt/Emglo wheel bar compressor. Super quiet and it will out produce.

        1. User avater
          IMERC | Mar 09, 2005 02:50pm | #5

          still a CH rig...

          Thomas and Rol-Aire offer the same configuration...

          better product and a better return fer yur money...

          Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

          WOW!!!   What a Ride!

          1. Mooney | Mar 09, 2005 03:37pm | #7

            They must be good if they are better than Emglo. That framer you met is running a 12 year old and Ive got a 20 year old . Ive never used the two you mention, so I dont know . I just know that 15 years of use is common with Emglo wheelbars. I visited a lot of jobs running old ones.

            edit; How come you figgure a better value and return ?

            Edited 3/9/2005 7:46 am ET by TIMMOONEY52

          2. gordzco | Mar 09, 2005 04:38pm | #9

            DeWalt bought out Emglo a few years ago. Those old beautiful blue ones are painted yellow now.

          3. Mooney | Mar 09, 2005 05:09pm | #10

            thats y i said dewalt/emglo.

            same compressor so far

          4. User avater
            IMERC | Mar 09, 2005 10:27pm | #18

            no... all that is history...

            check the mgr plate on them...

            China is subcontracting them to Vietnam....

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

            WOW!!!   What a Ride!

          5. Mooney | Mar 10, 2005 02:07am | #24

            Alright Marty,

            There was a discussionon tile saws not very long ago here and an aticle was posted about a motors real size. Seems like you were there , not sure. Anyway it was a good way to evaluate.

            Ive got [go ahead ] a cambell hausefield professional cast iron sleeves. [laugh] Its 2 horse power on a 30 gallon tank.

            Ive got an emglo [old ] 1 1/2 hp  whellbar twin

            Honda 5 1/2 gas wheelbar twin

            Porter cable  2 hp pancake.

            Did have botich 1 1/2 wheel bar twin

            Emglo as old as it is blows every thing away totally except the Honda. On the others , close to twice the volume not counting the pancake bless its heart. 

            Thats why Im wondering about the ones yall are talking about . I do know the wheelbar types produce more air than the small twin tanks with supposedly the same size motor. So that part is not right either.  Emglo has a twin you carry that is 2 hp and my emglo 1 1/2 will seriously blow it away.

            The old Emglo will hold 35 lbs air pressure constant on a hopper blowing popcorn texture. It will hold 65 lbs on a air spray gun helping it a little by just not wasting air between passes. Those are two true tests for a compressor that have it constantly loaded up.

            The reason I ask is I need a new wheel bar compressor or find a deal on a good used one.  

          6. zendo | Mar 10, 2005 02:22am | #25

            Fine choice, it just isnt the newest model, they are trying to get rid of them.  Hitachi holds its own with compressors as well

            -zen

          7. User avater
            IMERC | Mar 10, 2005 04:34am | #30

            the new ones are not anything like the old ones...

            a new Rolaire is better than an old Emglo..

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

            WOW!!!   What a Ride!

          8. daFarmerDave | Mar 10, 2005 03:12am | #28

            CH does not usually get trashed on the web.  Would you agree with DW/emglow are good but rolair and thomas are excellant?  Perhaps the jury is still out on DW/emglow?

             Big Macs - 99 cents

          9. Mooney | Mar 10, 2005 04:03am | #29

              Perhaps the jury is still out on DW/emglow?

            All Im sayin is load um up and get the truth under full load. Their like wimmins , they aint all the same .

          10. User avater
            IMERC | Mar 10, 2005 04:35am | #31

            that's about it...

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

            WOW!!!   What a Ride!

          11. tmaxxx | Mar 09, 2005 05:16pm | #11

            i got to try one of these.  out standing!  although i have a pc pancake and its been flawless and i love it,  i cant weight till i need a new one.  this thing is really small and by far quieter than any other i have heard.  it would feel better working in someones apartment because it wont vibrate noise through out the building.

            http://www.senco.com/con_rem/ViewTool.aspx?toolid=175

            cheers and good luck.Tmaxxx

            Urban Workshop Ltd

             

            Vancouver B.C.

          12. zendo | Mar 09, 2005 05:35pm | #12

            another vote for Thomas renegade

            -zen

          13. User avater
            DDay | Mar 09, 2005 07:21pm | #14

            That senco is fine for finish and brad nailers but it too small to run a framer without driving you crazy

             

          14. darcey | Mar 09, 2005 07:30pm | #15

             

            Yep, it's cute and quiet, but it's so small it doesn't keep up and therefore runs constantly.  In a production circumstance, you will find yourself waiting for it.  It is also sold in a combo pack that includes a 18g. brad gun, hose, fittings, and a few brads for about $199 (compressor alone about $149).

            Much better for production trim work is the Senco PC1005.  Lightweight, compact, yet it can keep up without constanlty running all the time.  Even if it is a bit louder, you'll get the job done in less time (time=money).

             

          15. Shep | Mar 10, 2005 01:26am | #23

            Thanks for the tip.

            Been looking for a small compressor  so I don't have to drag out my big, heavy one for small jobs. That one looks good.

          16. User avater
            IMERC | Mar 09, 2005 10:25pm | #17

            not even close after the bean counters got done with with them...

            CH is making them now...

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

            WOW!!!   What a Ride!

          17. User avater
            IMERC | Mar 09, 2005 10:23pm | #16

            Emglo isn't Emglo anymore...

            only in name....

            yur old is a good one and the Rolaire and Thomas compressors are as good or better than the old ones... the only problem ya have with these compressors is thieves.. 

            Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming

            WOW!!!   What a Ride!

          18. jrnbj | Mar 10, 2005 02:41am | #27

            Long time back I saw a Bostich rig......wheelbarrow type but the motor + compressor were surrounded by a roll cage/tank made of 2" pipe.....had quick disconnect fittings so you could demount it from the wheelbarrow tanks & use as a trim gun compressor...vey slick & I never saw it again...it was at a Barrons yard in Gaithersburg, Md.
            Anyone else ever seen one?other than that I use Emglo (the old ones)....but I do have a silent, tankless, ex hospital compressor that works fine as a brad nailer rig....paid five dollars for it...

      2. PenobscotMan | Mar 09, 2005 05:43pm | #13

        That describes me, too, and I'm jumping on your thread to see if anyone has an opinion on the Hitachi compressor and framing gun deal offered by Amazon/Tool Crip for $499.

        1. RTC | Mar 10, 2005 06:07am | #32

          you should buy that combo! they offered that at home depot two weeks after i had just bought a new hitatchi gun.great deal.

          RTC

          1. sarison | Mar 11, 2005 01:46am | #33

            I am not a tried and true, die hard fan of the yellow.  But I do have to come to the defense of the Emglo name.  I don't believe that much major retooling at the factory happened immediately after B&D bought Emglo.  My machine was built shortly after the transition and has all of the characteristics of my old Emglo that was boosted forcing me to buy this one.

  3. User avater
    DDay | Mar 09, 2005 03:01pm | #6

    http://www.abccatalog.com/store/listcategoriesandproducts.asp?idCategory=108

    Don't have experience with thomas.  Rol Air's last forever

     

     

  4. FrankB89 | Mar 09, 2005 04:32pm | #8

    You might want to give the Makita oil-bath compressors a good look.  They're well-made, very quiet, don't cost an arm and a leg....

    I bought a single tank one last year as a back-up....now I use it whenever I can, mostly for trim, but have used it for framing on occasion.

    Friend of mine has the twin tank, similar to the Emglo and swears by it.

     

  5. User avater
    Mongo | Mar 09, 2005 10:46pm | #19

    I have a Thomas 2820.

    Have had it for...can't recall...guessing five or six years now.

    Zero complaints, zero maintenance, zero letdowns, if it crumped today I'd buy another tomorrow.

    No regrets on the oilless. One less thing to maintain.

    Starts cold, the twin pistons are an advantage, low electrical draw on start, fast, fast recycle time.

     

    1. User avater
      JeffBuck | Mar 09, 2005 11:19pm | #20

      I get tired answering these Q's and having to tell everyone just how smart I was last time I went compressor shopping ... can that thing be as old as 8 years already?

      can't remember.

      st2820.

      Jeff  Buck Construction 

         Artistry in Carpentry

              Pgh, PA

  6. jc21 | Mar 09, 2005 11:43pm | #21

    Another vote for the Thomas ............ I have the T-200ST. Runs fine on a 15 amp circuit, quiet, works fine when cold. The 2820 is even better -a bit quieter and more output ( and more money).

    1. sarison | Mar 10, 2005 01:20am | #22

      I got the Dewalt portable after my ten year old Emglo got boosted from the job and it was just after the change over.  Other than the routine maintenance, it hasn't given me a stitch of trouble.  There was a day, about 1 1/2 years ago when there were about 12 guns running on my little compresser because the 2 gas compressors died.  Granted, the Dewalt never shut off but nobody was complaining that they didn't have air.

  7. rbishop108 | Mar 10, 2005 02:28am | #26

    Another vote for the Thomas 2820. Bought mine this past summer after researching here and asking around. I also have a twin tank wheelbarrow style Honda/Emglo (before Dewalt), and that is many years old and still going strong, but......................

    It sure is nice to just pick up the 2820 and go!

    Rod

  8. pegkip | Mar 11, 2005 03:53pm | #34

    Gotta share this...I sent a copy of this discussion to my hubby thinking he'd appreciate the banter. His response? "Blah, blah, blah. Buy an $80 compressor from Harbor Freight and use it 'till it don't work no more, then go buy another"

    Not really a save the planet, treehugger kinda guy at all...what callus disregard, what blasphemy!

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