Went out and bought a new air compressor today. Bought a 2hp, 4 gallon, pancake compressor by Porter Cable. My heavy duty Cambell Hausfeld still works fine, but my arms are tired of lifting that heavy sucker. New machine weighs much, much less.
Turned on machine for its break-in period as instructed in the Owners manual and to my surprise, the little machine practically blew apart my poor ear-drums! Even with my insulated garage door closed and the macihne sitting in my insulated garage, and having lightly draped a blanket over top the machine to muffle some of the noise…you could still hear the blasted thing all the way to my neighbors house. He heard it too, and didn’t apprecviate it much, I’m sure.
Sooo, tool designers, when designing machinery or whatever for the trades, please take into consideration that real tradesmen do get banged up from the day to day grind they put their bodies through in lifting , climbing, and contorting their bodies to fit in, under, or on top of all sorts of interesting places. As a result…years down the road, the elbows start to hurt, the knees ache, the hands get stiff, and the ears don’t quite hear as well as when we first started out in this business.
Please design tools that contain built-in mufflers ( saws and routers whine way too much…and so do air compressors). Ear plugs are a pain to wear..you either forgot them, or lost them or, when wearing them, you hear as though you are standing under water, and you can’t understand what your boss is saying to you unless you pull the dang things out. No, please invent motors with better muffling capabilities.
Please start factoring in that tools should perform optimally, but not at the expense of adding more and more weight. (heft in a cabinet saw is a good thing, but I sure wish air nailers and cordless drills could shed a few pounds…or at least ounces…in the upcoming years).
Sliding Compound miter saws are a great thing, but most are way too heavy. Puting them onto work stands may help (though now you have to lug another dang item), and some can argue adding wheels help their portability, but not when your remodel job is a second story apartment that has no elevator ( lug, lug, lug!)
Please don’t just design for the new, eager, DIY “young-bucks” who will eagerly buy every tool you make, only to have it sit after 3 weeks of use and gather dust on it till God knows when. Remember, even young bucks eventually age and get old. Give us tools that are lighter, less bulky and made easier to carry, take up less room in our tool boxes, and perform like a jewel.
Is that too must to ask?
PS. If you need help with these designs, please give me a call…I’d be glad to inject my wisdom(?) ha! ha! Seriously though…start showing some mercy on us old codgers!
Davo
Replies
Maybe you got a bad one. The PCs are some of the quietest I've seen on my jobs.
Excellence is its own reward!
I have a PC pancake too - same experience. I keep mine at least one wall away from me at all times, and made a 200+ foot air hose so I can work in the house with the compressor in the (detached) garage.
didUnencumbered by knowledge or fear...
I have the 2hp, 6 gallon and it's not nearly as loud as many others I've heard.
aye ?... what's that you say ? look at me when you're talkingMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I need to get one of them for the neighbors hehehehehe
urban warfare specialist...
Darkworks: Its all 'bout da squilla
I know for a FACT my neighbor was unhappy...but heh( he he) I did OWE him one!
Davo
Piffin,
Maybe I did get a bad one....perhaps that's why it was "on sale." My one carpenter buddy Sam has the same model...his is very loud too...I just thought his was going bad...but now...maybe its not...or maybe both are?...who knows.
Davo
I think the Hitachi is the only oil-free that does not make a lot of noise. Go with an oil type but be prepared to lug those extra pounds. I went to all manufacturers site and checked the decibel count and the 1.5 Hitachi was rated down there with the oil type. Depending on use the trade off for noise vs weight vs cost needs to be considered. Get that long hose and put it on the side of your least favorite neighbor.
Another thing I checked is the reviews on the Amazon site. P-C has about six models and I saw some very interesting comments. I believe the oil-free is a new design but with problems.
Edited 5/16/2003 10:14:28 AM ET by RASCONC
Iv'e owned a twin stack, oiless Campbell Hausfeld for years...really never seemed too loud to me...especially now that I got this PC. Only drawback to the CH was the weight...it's really starting to take a toll on my arms and back.
How much is the Hitachi you mention? I could still return this one. Though I think I got a pretty good deal on the price...bought it at Sams Club for $159.
Davo
I got the Hitachi twin stack on e-bayfor around $135 inc shipping. I almost bought it new from Tool Crib for $238. At the time they had an additional $30 off Hitachi but that is over. If you do not need that big of a compressor Lowes has the Hitachi pancake.
I agree with the Thomas comments. From what I read and hear Thomas and Rol-Air are tops. The Thomas equiv of my Hitachi has the same 75 db noise rating. My biggest problem was finding one that would cut in above 100 psi so If I was shooting big nails into engineered lumber there would be enough punch. A lot of the compressors do not start up until they get down to 80 or 85.
It was a fun trip finding the web sites and comparing noise and pressure specs.
For quiet oilless compressors, Thomas is first place I'd look.
Edited 5/16/2003 11:23:47 AM ET by jc
jc,
I've heard of Thomas, but I've never actually seen one...ever. Not in any store I've been to, and I don't remember seeing them in Tool Crib either ( but maybe they are listed there?)
Where can I find one? approx. how much$$?
Davo
Thomas is one of the biggest comp manufacturers in the world. They also make some that carry other nameplates, but i can't remember which. They are definitely one of the better units made, from all that I read and hear, though I've never owned one.
To buy one here, I would be going to the air fastener dealer or searching on the web. If Coastal Tools had them, that would probably where I would go.
I searched and they don't but here's another good site,
http://www.bobstools.net/Store/Thomas.html.
Excellence is its own reward!
Piffin's link is as good as any. Amazon/Tool Crib does carry a couple models .............. prices are no better. Here's the factory link. http://www.thomaspumps.com/ultra/products.htm Piffin, if you're headed through Waldoboro, Allied Tool and Fastener did carry Thomas and had a better price than the online merchants. Service, too. They're at the bottom of the hill, intersection of Rt's 1 and 32, on the right hand side if your headed south. http://www.alliedtoolfastener.com/
Edited 5/18/2003 9:14:03 AM ET by jc
Ray is the first one who priced me a Thomas. He sold me my first Paslode and I've bought a ton of nails from him. I haven't been there since vikling started carrying the Paslodes and their nails though since they deliver to me.
I didn't know that he had a web presence though or that he shipped nationwide now.
He always did love to push Spotnails tools..
Excellence is its own reward!
Right on JC;
I have a Thomas 1.5 hp,1,5gal oilless that makes most fish tank aerator pumps seem downright noisy by comparison !
Chris
I have a IR (US made) shop compressor. It's very quite. Belt drive 2 stage.
The Sullair job site, 30 gal belt dive, is about silent but a beast. The Rollaire 2hp, 4 gal, pancake portable is noisey but tolerable. It replaced the PC pancake. That one made so much racket I got rid of it. Couldn't handel it.
IMERC,
Thanks for the info. I certainly don't need a shop compressor...am OK in that regard. Just looking for a nice little portable thing for jobsite action.
Davo