Need to get a new air compressor for home garage and would like to get one big enough to accomplish setting the bead on a freshly mounted tire. Majority of use will be inflating tires on the cage and m/c, I don't use any air tools, so that's not a requirement.
Have been looking at compressors at Harbor Freight and Sears and am not sure how big I need to go to complete the job. Both stores told me that anything with 115 or 125 max psi and 5-10 gal tank should be able to set the bead...
Then there's the whole "oil free" vs "oil type" pump, which is better? One would assume a lube'd pump would last longer...
Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears...
I use an oilless compressor mounted under the hood of my jeep with a three gallon tank. Works great for what you have suggested and I can use air tools for a short time when and if I break down trail side.
Then there's the whole "oil free" vs "oil type" pump, which is better? One would assume a lube'd pump would last longer...
From my experience, the oil-free pumps are alot louder, this is only a concern if you plan to be working around it for any length of time. As for lifespan, I don't know.
I would recommend an oiled compressor, the oil free versions are very loud! For what your doing a 4 gallon will be more than adequate. Stay with something under 4 horse or you'll trip breakers every time it turns on. I am a woodworker and have 6 compressors total at the shop, one large main compressor and 5 small portable units for installers in the field. Three of the smaller compressors are oiled, two are oil free. The best one overall is a 120 psi 4 gallon 2 horse oiler. It can run my edgebanding machine which requires 80 psi constantly. It struggles a bit with the edgebander but it will run it for a small batch. My oil free Portercable 4 gallon 4 horse can run the edgebander for larger jobs, it struggles less but constantly trips breakers out in the field and at home not to mention it is deafening loud. When the big one goes down which it does occasionally, it feeds a 10,000 sqft building, we bring out all the small ones to keep the machines and tools running. I bring the 2 horse 4 gallon oiler home to do the same tasks you are doing and it is overkill, but it is comparatively much quieter and hasn't once tripped a breaker.
The oil-type pumps are much more durable, but if all you are doing is the ocasional tire work the oil-free should be fine. I personally have a crafstman oil-free and it has served me well, however I know two people with the same compressor that have had problems. (they no-longer sell mine so it might have been a model specific problem) I know plenty of others that have the oil-free and have not had problems. Your size requirements sound reasonable to me...but I'm not and eggspert!
If you're not using air tools, either type should last about forever. The oil-free units are a little louder for some reason, but not a reason that makes any difference. I have a 6HP/30Gal/150 psi/110 volt Sears unit. Normally, that would be a 220 volt motor/compressor, and operate with more of a fast "chug-chug-chug". But to get the high pressures and volumes at 110 volts, it runs at real fast "brrrrrrrrrrrrrr" and seems noisier because of it. And I use CFM-hogging air tools like die-grinders, and the 6 HP can keep up with it, but it runs almost non-stop, like 90% of the time I have the trigger depressed.
It's not so much the pressure, it's the volume that allows you to do work without constant cycling or pressure drop. A monster compressor that never gets above a mere 90 psi would be great for darn-near everything. But....the manufacturers trade off volume and HP by storing air under more pressure than any air tools actually need, and then assume you're not trying to port cylinder heads with a 1.5 horse/4 Gal unit.
I think your targeted size is about right for what you say you're going to do, but you didn't mention horsepower....which is key. Buy horsepower, not tank size. And they're all 125 psi or more, so that's not really an issue.
So....it never hurts to go bigger, because once you buy a compressor, you start noticing air tools, cycle lifts......
Trace, Feb 15 2006, 01:41 PMSo....it never hurts to go bigger, because once you buy a compressor, you start noticing air tools, cycle lifts......
Very good point!! Trace, I have the model just before yours...same size but 125 psi. It really stinks to have to wait for it to catch up when using the grinders / sanders!! I wish now that I would have gone for a bigger compressor!!!
I'll second Trace's point. In very light use, a direct drive, oilless unit should be fine. In the end it really depends on what you want to do with the compressor. I have what is probably the same unit Trace has. I regularly run a die grinder (an air pig as Trace notes), several impact tools ( 3/8 and 1/2 inch drive), and occasionaly a small, portable sand blaster (another air hog). If I had to do over again today I'd spend more $$ and buy a heavier duty cycle 60 gallon. Something like this Maxus/Coleman Compressor. (Note: I don't have any experience with the vendor or model, the link is just for the sake of illustration.) I will say that as work expands to fill the time alotted complete, the need for air is limited only by your ability to resist cool air tools. wink.gif
Generally, the cost jump gets less as you go up, so it's tempting (and normal) to go bigger. A unit with twice the capacity isn't twice the cost, all things being equal. I've found that the smaller "home sized" items are a price-point commodity so there is no rhyme or reason to the pricing other than how many you import from China in a single order. But the larger, more "shop type" equipment is more fair priced, and you get what you pay for.
And a portable sandblaster? Not pigs or hogs...more like an air T-rex!
I looked again and it seems that the units I'm looking at (around $200 or so), between HF and Sears are anywhere from 1 - 3 hp, with various tank sizes.
So I'll focus more on ponies instead of tank size... great advice.
Has anyone bought a compressor from HF? Thanks to marketing, I feel a bit more confident with Sears... though I'm proally paying more for the same thing...?
I've had the HF tire changer for a couple of years and while its a bit flimsy, it does the job... it's the tire bar that stinks, but a guy at BMWST.com made up a batch of really sweet bars, now its a piece of cake...though now there's several other tire machines I've seen on the market that I wouldn't mind upgrading to...
I have a small 2 gallon 3HP air compressor from Costco that inflates beads just fine. I have done over 2 dozen tires with it with no problems. It doesn't have enough pressure to run some high volume pneumatic tools, but does work my brad nailer and roofing nailer.
Yes, sometimes HF has really good deals on brand name stuff, sometimes they have really good deals on junk. Stick with some of the bigger brand names and you'll be safe. As far as Sears goes in my industry the general saying is good for hand tools but stay away from their power tools. I am not trying to give Sears bad PR or put down users who have purchased Sears Power equipment, you asked for advise and opinions and this is mine from 20 years experience with every power tool imaginable Sears included. Put it to you this way if you were to show up at a job site with a Sears drill or other power tool for that matter, you will be the target of ridicule.
I personally have the HF Chicago Pneumatic upright they always sell for around $170 in the flyers. It is a oiled unit but single stage which means it is still loud as two skeletons f$&king on tin roof using cans as condoms. It also if not used tends to leak out the oil. It comes with a nice breaker to keep it from overheating and it is set cautious. I use Brad nailers, staplers, framing nailers, HVLP spray guns and for filling tires airbrushing and general air tools and am satisfied for what I paid. I used to own an oiless craftsman not a big fan. When I do it again I am going Ingersoll Rand oiled dual stage, its expensive but worth the money as much as I use my compressor.
I actually seated a bead of a 180 rear tire with a 12v portable compressor once.
Yup, those little ones for roadside emergencies (or blowing up beach toys, etc).
And it worked! Took a couple of minutes to get to around 45 PSI, but when it did, POP, POP. And the beads were set!
I couldn't believe it actually. But it worked.
The best ones for occasional home use are the oiled type. The oilless ones don't last.
I've got one that looks just like this, but it's not a DeWalt brand. Actually, I've seen this identical compressor for sale under several different brand names, just the stickers and colour differ:
That will do. Should be inexpensive as well. Sometimes they offer great package deals where they throw in a nailer to. I have two Emglo compressors one under DeWalt.
ihilker, Feb 15 2006, 08:32 PMThat will do. Should be inexpensive as well. Sometimes they offer great package deals where they throw in a nailer to. I have two Emglo compressors one under DeWalt.
Synaptic Misfire, Feb 15 2006, 02:57 PMIt is a oiled unit but single stage which means it is still loud as two skeletons f$&king on tin roof using cans as condoms. $.02 tendered.
Mine's an old, very old, Sears twin-cyl., lubed 2 hp, 20 gal tank (actually 16.7 imperial gallon) and that puts outs 6.6 cu.ft. @ 90 pounds. Of course, I had to wire 220v to the garage, but I'm not tripping any breakers.
How do you get one of these compressors to set a bead? Do you have to manually hold the bead close to the rim to get a "seal" and then wait until the pressure pops it in, or is there another trick I'm not sure of?
Lobster, Feb 15 2006, 05:08 PMHow do you get one of these compressors to set a bead? Do you have to manually hold the bead close to the rim to get a "seal" and then wait until the pressure pops it in, or is there another trick I'm not sure of?
Sorry about the thread jack.
Nope, the volume of air entering just needs to be greater than the volume of air leaving the tire. I even inflate it with the air valve installed (it won't work otherwise on my airchuck setup). I have the fast red Coleman one. I paid $129 and it included a cart with wheels attached, and a hose. I have had it for about 3 years and it still works great. I added QDs to all the ends and all is good. smile.gif
Sondance, Feb 15 2006, 09:33 AMNeed to get a new air compressor for home garage and would like to get one big enough to accomplish setting the bead on a freshly mounted tire. Majority of use will be inflating tires on the cage and m/c, I don't use any air tools, so that's not a requirement.
Have been looking at compressors at Harbor Freight and Sears and am not sure how big I need to go to complete the job. Both stores told me that anything with 115 or 125 max psi and 5-10 gal tank should be able to set the bead...
Then there's the whole "oil free" vs "oil type" pump, which is better? One would assume a lube'd pump would last longer...
Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions I'm all ears...
Thanks,
a 12v compressor will do everything you want. they usually pump up past 100psi. the other very handy thing is the portable air tank. if you are having difficulty beading a LARGE TIRE fill air tank to max. remove valve core. remove air chuck. the stem will actuate the quick dissconnect. this will maximize the air flow for seatimg the bead. once beaded screw in valve stem. pump it up! if this method doesn't work for you i can tell you how to bead tires with starting fluid! YIKES!!!!!
I recently bought the fast red Craftsman 3 gallon 125 PSI oil lubed thing from Sears. Forget the CFM rating. 50% duty cycle, so 1/2 hour running 1/2 hour resting. $61.49 OTD on sale. So far so good. Hasn't seen much use yet though. biggrin.gif
VFR FLYER, Feb 16 2006, 08:20 PM if this method doesn't work for you i can tell you how to bead tires with starting fluid! YIKES!!!!!
Tried that on quad wheel. Wheel was slightly bent or something, and the bead just wouldn't seat. Never got the fire method to work, either. Probably too scared to fully commit to the idea. Just started a couple small fires. Finally got it with a proper air chuck and tie down strap around the circumference of the tire... Wishing we had one of those huge air cannons that are used to seat truck tires!
KPerham, Feb 17 2006, 09:29 AMTried that on quad wheel. Wheel was slightly bent or something, and the bead just wouldn't seat. Never got the fire method to work, either. Probably too scared to fully commit to the idea. Just started a couple small fires. Finally got it with a proper air chuck and tie down strap around the circumference of the tire... Wishing we had one of those huge air cannons that are used to seat truck tires!
i CONFESS! i actually watched three HUGE tractor tires get beaded with starting fluid and the last one, i thought i had just been blown up. to chicken to try it now and too old to risk it. a few tires i cinched down the middle with a rope and it worked so well i started using a rachet stap and have had no problems since. I carried a 12v compressor inmy 4wd for many years of good service. i lent it out and it disappeared. sad.gif
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