i need a compressor to drive a framing nailor and am looking at the hitachi ec 12 and the dewalt emglo 55155. worried about durability and cold starting. any experience and advice welcome. thanks in advance
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Replies
I like Rol-Air compressors, but have also heard very good things about Thomas as well.
FWIW, I have a Hitachi EC12 and just have not had very good luck with it. We run larger compressors for the four framing guns, but I like to have a small one for punch-out type stuff. The EC12 always had problems starting in the cold for me and eventually it started pushing oil into the compressor tanks. I eventually threw it in the basement where it has sat for the past year or two. Never did figure out what happened to it, but with the warranty long ago expired I highly doubt it would be worth fixing. Couldn't have more than 50 hours total on it.
My buddy has the Dewalt that you were talking about and I've worked off it a couple times. Usually two framing guns when I help him build decks or something. Seemed to work well enough to me. And he doesn't take very good care of his tools. I'd imagine it rides in the open bed of his truck for most of it's life.
thanks for the info. i guess i will cross the hitachi off of my list. any more info regarding the dewalt 55155 would be great. cold starts up here in toronto, or as we like to call it, the T dot.
Sorry I can't offer more information on the Dewalt for you. Like I said, it's my buddy's and I've just worked off of it a handful of times. If I talk to him tomorrow I'll try and remember to ask him about cold starts.
It's a fairly popular compressor though.... I'd bet someone will be along right here at Breaktime to offer you some more information.View Image
For years we used Emglo with great success. I would see those bright blue compressors on almost every job I was on while working in the tracts of sunny socal. The boys that do a lot of nailing for me these days all seem to use Rol-Air. But like Dieselpig I have heard many good things about Thomas. I just have never used one. That Hitachi you mentioned is junk. I am still using old Emglos that I bought years ago. If you want a gas powered compressor, I would highly recommend a model with a Honda engine. Good luck.
I think Rol-Air bought Emglo.(or maybe they just buy their paint at the same place.) For what it's worth, I would buy just about anything with a Honda motor. I think Rol-Air still makes theirs with a cast iron pump, which I think is the way to go.(as opposed to Aluminum w/ a cast sleeve.) For whatever reason, the pumps seem to die long before the engines, esp. with the Honda motor. I've got a wood splitter with a motor off a dead pumped compressor that had to have had 5000 hours of all weather framing on it already. Still starts on the first pull.....
Think you might be mixed up on your compressor colors Bing. Rol-Air compressors are forest green while Emglo were bright blue. Perhaps you were thinking of Jenny Compressors? They have the identical markings and color as the Emglo units.
I don't know who bought who, but it seems as though Emglo is making Dewalt's yellow compressors while Jenny is making the blue compressors. Weird.
But Rol-Air is still Rol-Air and is still dark green.View Image
Pretty sure Jenny used to make Emglo which was bought by Dewalt, Jenny stayed in the game by putting their own name on it.
That actually makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.View Image
Jenny Products and Emglo were the same company when they started. DeWalt bought the name 'emglo' but didn't buy anything else. Just recently Jenny bought the name back. The compressors are the same now as they always were it was just the yellow ones that were different and didn't last as long as the blue ones.Greg
http://www.wernerbuilding.net
Hey Greg, is it your opinion that Jenny will market compressors under the Emglo name again? That would be good news for me.
I believe they already are here locally. But if you buy a Jenny compressor they actually are an Emglo. IIRC the last time I got the newsletter from Jenny they also had Emglos listed too.Greg
http://www.wernerbuilding.net
I was wrong. Jenny supplied the pumps and other various parts to Emglo. They bought 'Emglo' back from B&D/DeWalt but they only bought the commercial/industrial division. They do however sell the 'Jenny' portable air compressors which use the same motors and pumps that Emglo was known for. Take a look when you can. http://www.jennyproductsinc.com
Also found a place that still shows it has the true Emglos http://www.ambtools.com/emglo_air_compressors.htm
Hope this helps.Greg
http://www.wernerbuilding.net
For cold climes -- which would say is the better, oil or oil-less?********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
Welcome from the GTA.I would strongly discourage you from the Dewalt compressor. I purchased one last year, and let me tell you, it hates the cold. I've had better luck with a 10 year old beat to hell Campbell Hausfield compressor. If I was to purchase another compressor it would be oil-less. In the colder weather the oil tends to thicken right up.
I have a porter cable oiless that works well in the cold. OUr wheelbarrrow compressors( 1 emglo/1 dewalt) also work well in the cold and they are oil. However my small dewalt oil compressor as a hard time starting on a cold morning.Greg
http://www.wernerbuilding.net
Thanks. I guess one can conclude that whether or not a compressor is a good starter in the cold has nothing to do with whether it is oil or oil-less ..................********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
Has anybody bought the new aluminum Ridgid twin tank yet?
ANDYSZ2WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
"Has anybody bought the new aluminum Ridgid twin tank yet?"I bought the aluminum Rigid twin tank about a month back. It hasn't been that cold in Philadelphia but we've had trouble with cold starts. I've had issues with it not starting back up when pressure drops and with the pressure relief valve popping out from vibration I assume. All in all, not very happy.
Thanks Greg, I appreciate the information.
I used to live near the Emglo plant in Johnstown, PA. Dewalt bought the Emglo name, and for a time, "Emglo" built Dewalt compressors. Dewalt compressors are now entirely made in China, Taiwan or Mexico (with some parts from Divelbiss in TN). "Emglo" still exists in the USA, and manufactures compressors under the name Jenny. There are several dealers around me, and Jenny compressors are just as good as the old Emglos-and they are still blue (although a slightly different shade).
Elliott
Oops, the above posters are correct about the industrial/commercial line. My post refers to the smaller compressors.
Edited 12/19/2006 9:56 am ET by Guppy
the new color scheme for Rol-Aire if I got this right is
Orange for the all US made
Green for the US made with some off shore parts
dark gray for all off shore...
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!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I own the Dewalt. It's a tough compressor, I like the design, but really don't need all it's got most of the time. I usually drive finish nailers and pinners. I was dissappointed by it's cold morning start-up performance...pops it own breaker repeatedly. Once you get it rolling, it's good for the day, though. Other than that it's been trouble free.
PJ
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
thanks peter. i am one of these cheap and conservative types who wants to buy a tool for a long time. anyone else out there who has ideas, recommendations for a hardy compressor to drive a framing nailer and pinner?
FWIW, Thomas is probably where I'd look if I were looking. They've gotten good press here in BTPJ
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
The wheels on my Porter Cable are so freaking nice, I can't fathom carrying a compressor ever again. I have only been running it about a year, but so far zero problems whatsoever.
Is that the oiless? My PC's cut-on pressure is way to high-always popping breakers. It's been sitting in my shed for a couple of years waiting for me to adjust that. Practically new still.
yeah, weird. I'll swing by and pick it up. I joke.
Come on by.
BTW - FWIW Rol-Aire has three levels of compressors...
they are hardy.. 22 years on the US made version...
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!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Rol-Aire and thomas are very good..
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!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
have the hitachi twin tank for the past 10 years. with the exception of the cheapie drain valves (which i have replaced with quarter turn valves from a plumbing supply house) the thing is a tank. Cold though, it doesnt like...we frequently see twenty below and if you want it to work you better have a heater next to it!
I asked the same question a while back, and got mostly recommendations for Thomas and Rolair. I was able to find a Thomas more easily, and figured that meant parts and service would be easier to find around here also, so I bought the T-200 something-or-other. I liked it at first, it was quiet, always started, can't remember it ever popping a breaker, etc.
After a while though, it started leaking. I took it in to get serviced, and a place that THomas claimed was a service center refused to accept it, and said they were fed up with Thomas and wanted nothing to do with them anymore. So down the highway again, I find a place to service it, and they say the problem isn't covered under warranty (rusted draincock), that it was normal wear and tear. For those who don't know me, I am meticulous with my tools, and do not abuse them, and I always drained the tank immediately, but never saw much in the way of fluid coming out. Anyway, I argued with the guy a while, gave up with him, called the three numbers in the manual (none of which answered with a "Thomas Compressors") and miraculously had somebody call me back in a day or two. I argued with the CR person, and managed to get reimbursed for the part and labor.
However, I notice that, even with the new draincock, it won't drain. In short, I haven't been impressed, and if I was to do it again, I may look towards Rolair. It could just be that I got a lemon, but I can't say for sure.
Good luck, I hope you have better luck than I did.
the only thing that comes to mind is - how can a brass drain cock rust???
yur level of service is far different than what is experienced around here...
if you can find an Empire Staple outlet - repair center near you give them a try..
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!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Couldn't tell you why... maybe it wasn't brass higher up. They swapped out the draincock, and that was all they said they repaired, and it stopped the leaking, for now at least. Nearest place to me that is an authorized Thomas repair place, and will actually take the damn thing, is about 45 minutes away.
For only one framer, I am quite happy with the small makita (I don't remember the model #). It draws 12 amps, puts out 3.3 cfm, runs at 1720rpms and goes for about $180. When it is cold, I let it run with the valve open for 5-10 minutes to get everything warmed up. I believe that you can also get a winter wgt oil as well. Regardless fo the unit, make sure to do initial oil changes after break-in and then follow the regular schedule.
I have a Dewalt I don't know the model but its the one with the cage all around it and two valves it the front. It is built tough but is very cold blooded (Maine is sometimes on the chilly side) Right now I am in a major redo and there is no heat and the thing will pop its own breaker every morning if it hasn't spent the night in my house or had a silent glow but on it for a few minutes. If your going to be in the cold I would look at something else, maybe oil-less. I read in FHB #178 that oiless generally don't last as long but I also use a small oil-less Makita that is older than the Dewalt and never had any trouble and it was cheaper and a lot less agravating, and lets face all tools wear out and new shiny ones are fun to buy!
I also recommend the Max compressor. I've been using the Hitachi version (in/from Japan) with 2 regular outlets, and 2 400psi outlets, and I can run any type of gun off of it, and it never slows down. On top of that, its lighter and quieter than any other compressor around. Brought it to Calgary with me for the summer, and could have sold hundreds to the carpenters who saw it... only 2 downfalls, the price, and they don't sell it in North America yet....only MAX.... I'd seriously think of getting the MAX compressor, it'll save your back and keep things quiet as well...!!
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