Compressors .. big / little, mains / cordless, quiet / scary load.

[Kev]

Probably similar to a lot of people, I've got a hulking great big mains compressor that I have to brace myself to use because the thing is so incredibly loud. To complement that beast I've also got a cordless Dewalt compressor that is also loud enough to wake the dead.

I've recently been paying a lot of attention to dB ratings on some of the more recent units, both mains and cordless and I'm tempted to take the plunge into new gear. Short of going for something fitting for a dental surgery I'm warming to some of the "stealth" low noise oil free units I see advertised.

For cordless I'm tempted by the little 40V Makita that's advertised as a 68dB unit. I'm at a complete loss on the bigger end of town. Anyone out there have any recent experience and favourites?

 

[Holzhacker]

Similar situation. My double tank Ridgid drives me nuts. The pancake Hitachi isn't much better.
I've looked at the Makita corded tanks. Depending on size they seem to range between 67 - 72 db. I might get one of those. The Makita seemed a bit heavy.
The current debate is between the Makita and the Rolair vt20tb. Louder than the Makita at 79 db but I like it being on wheels and the toolbox. 79 db will probably sound quiet compared to what I have.
Will pull the plug in the next couple weeks when I have time.

 

[rmwarren]

I've had a little 2HP California Air Tools compressor for about 5 years, it's been great. Just looked and it's 70dB:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005SOD08M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Their newer models look to be about 60dB:
https://www.californiaairtools.com/contractor-grade-ultra-quiet-series-of-air-compressors/

Probably no help in OZ...

RMW

 

[jeh]

I have a surprisingly quiet Kobalt compressor from Lowe's. I think it was $350 and has decent capacity.

 

[Kev]

I've had a little 2HP California Air Tools compressor for about 5 years, it's been great. Just looked and it's 70dB:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005SOD08M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Their newer models look to be about 60dB:
https://www.californiaairtools.com/contractor-grade-ultra-quiet-series-of-air-compressors/

Probably no help in OZ...

RMW

RMW

For some reason Chicago Air is popular down here, with a lot of their silenced compressor models available (made in China?)

This 3 head unit is advertised as 70dB
https://sydneytools.com.au/product/chicago-hush100-silenced-100l-air-compressor

I'd happily transfer the Pilot Air beast to the "B shed" if the Chicago Air unit was a reliable option.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I've had a little 2HP California Air Tools compressor for about 5 years, it's been great. Just looked and it's 70dB:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005SOD08M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Their newer models look to be about 60dB:
https://www.californiaairtools.com/contractor-grade-ultra-quiet-series-of-air-compressors/

Probably no help in OZ...

RMW

RMW

For some reason Chicago Air is popular down here, with a lot of their silenced compressor models available (made in China?)

This 3 head unit is advertised as 70dB
https://sydneytools.com.au/product/chicago-hush100-silenced-100l-air-compressor

I'd happily transfer the Pilot Air beast to the "B shed" if the Chicago Air unit was a reliable option.

I bought one of the 30 or 50L (can't remember which one) tank dual head Chicago's with the aluminium tank some years back to replace an old Ingersoll Rand that was deafening and the tank was rusting, and have used it very extensively to drive many thousands of framing nails and brads without issue. The noise level indoors is more than most power tools, but orders of magnitude quieter than my old one. Great value. I also bought one of the multi battery and mains powered Stealth ones from Total Tools, and even though it's only 5L, it's been incredibly useful and convenient.

 

[Cheese]

I have a large 2HP compressor downstairs but I needed to have compressed air outside to first proof and then maintain some inflation pressure in the in-floor heating lines for the new garage during the cement pouring stage.

Dragging that 2HP behemoth from downstairs to the outside was not an option. That compressor downstairs, will live and die in the basement.  [smile]

I purchased a Milwaukee 2840-20 M18 Fuel™ 2 Gallon compressor to fill the bill. It's really nice & light (31#), very quiet (68 dB(a)), very small & easy to carry and very conservative on battery power. It puts out 135 PSI max, 1.2 SCFM @ 90 PSI and Milwaukee claims it will drive up to 1600 brad nails per battery charge.

Here it's in action, leak checking the lines before the cement pour.

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

 

[timwors]

On the very small end of the scale, I have a Senco AC4504. This is 0.33hp with a 4L tank, and only 58dB.

It is certainly low-powered but works fine for what I occasionally use it for (brads, staples, blow gun) and it is very quiet. If you're inclined, it also comfortably fits inside a systainer (337) with space for a hose and nailer.

 

[peter halle]

[member=13058]Kev[/member] - glad to see you back!

I too will be in the market for a larger quiet compressor but until then I rely on my Rolair JC10 which has been updated and renamed (of course), so I will watching this thread for ideas too.

Peter

 

[jeffinsgf]

I have the Makita dual tank. It's hard to call it portable. "Luggable" is the best I'll call it. However, since I never take it out of the shop, I love it. I have it on a dolly should I need to move it around the shop. It's quiet, recovers quickly and has gauges for the tank and the regulator.

 

[kevinculle]

I will second the California Air Tools 2HP unit, got mine maybe 8 or 9 years ago and it has been quiet and trouble free.

 

[Mini Me]

I have a 3 phase 15CFM compressor and I put it as far away from the workshop and house as possible. I can't hear it from the WS and it has an auto drain so I never see it either. The great thing about compressors is they can be isolated and a long hose delivers the air.

 

[smorgasbord]

Take a look at the Rolair JC10PLUS.
2.5 gallon, 4.1CFM (2.4CFM@90PSI), under 50 lbs.
I paid $335 not that long ago.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Senco has a series of small, easily portable units that are all very quiet. They range from 1/2 hp-1 gal to 1 1/2 hp-2 gal. The smaller units work best in low volume situations, like brad nailers or micro-pinners.
You can't run continuous-use tools, like sanders, from them though.
I have had a PC1010 for years. It is great for running trim, base, casing, etc.

I do still use the big 80gal mains powered unit, in the garage shop. It is in another room, so I don't have to hear it. Since getting deeper into Festool sanders, I use far less air, sometimes not even turning the big one on.

 

[Kev]

Senco has a series of small, easily portable units that are all very quiet. They range from 1/2 hp-1 gal to 1 1/2 hp-2 gal. The smaller units work best in low volume situations, like brad nailers or micro-pinners.
You can't run continuous-use tools, like sanders, from them though.
I have had a PC1010 for years. It is great for running trim, base, casing, etc.

I do still use the big 80gal mains powered unit, in the garage shop. It is in another room, so I don't have to hear it. Since getting deeper into Festool sanders, I use far less air, sometimes not even turning the big one on.

Ultimately I'll probably enclose my big noisy old Pilot Air compressor in a back room of a metal shop .. I'm kinda stuffed for space at the moment. I've got 2 6x6m sheds and nothing I'd call a real workshop. I stupidly had a whim for metal work and that resulted in a bloody great fabrication table, a cutting table and a series of trolleys completely clogging my "working" shed. True to form I've got multiple welders and plasma cutters and still need to run a high amp circuit to use them. Where was I going with this? .. ah, yes - the plasma cutters need compressed air so I'll ultimately dedicate a smaller workshop for metalwork and similarly run lines for welding gas from larger more cost effective cylinders.

For a laugh I'll post a pic of my shed congestion in the near future but essentially I'm about 5 years behind on projects and sadly addressing workshop space isn't number 1, 2 or even 3 [sad] One of those sheds has a timber floor and is on the site for the future workshop, so its mostly just storing stuff.

One thing I had considered instead of a small cordless compressor was to use high pressure pony bottles. They're a bugger to fill but I'd then considered a cheap dive compressor (you can see that I live in constant danger of rabbit holes). Although I purchased all of the pony bottles, regs and lines I stalled at the thought of playing with what's essentially 4000psi bombs! [eek] This all became academic when I realised a dive compressor was $5k+ anyway. That's where I landed on the Dewalt cordless compressor - the thing that's so noisy it raises spirits from the dead.

I like Senco gear but I've had nothing but trouble with their batteries for the Fusion nailers and they don't offer cordless compressors or anything big enough in their quiet oil free mains gear for future workshop locally (Oz). Biggest I've seen here is a twin head 50l.

 

[Cheese]

I like Senco gear but I've had nothing but trouble with their batteries for the Fusion nailers and they don't offer cordless compressors or anything big enough in their quiet oil free mains gear for future workshop locally (Oz).

Trouble...?...the most trouble I've experienced is with Paslode gas guns, they are the worst out there. Absolutely love them when they work but that isn't often.  [sad]  I can't tell you how many times I've cleaned mine and then within 100 shots, had to clean them again...and then there's the battery issue.  [mad]

They've been parked on the shelf downstairs for the last 5 years. At this point I'm sure the batteries are toast so that complicates the issue. Do I just trash the guns or give them to someone who will use them but that just further complicates the issue. If I give them away, I've now put a pox on the person that needed an air nailer, but can't afford to spend $200 to bring these beasts back to life.

Caught between Scylla & Charybdis.

 

[Kev]

Caught between Scylla & Charybdis.

Ah the echoes!

Back in simpler days when my cordless landscape was little more than Festool, Metabo and a few oddments and I went for a Senco Fusion brad nailer. The freedom was addictive and I was seduced by a Dewalt cordless combo framing nailer and bradder.

You know what its like when you've got a battery system in place .. the tools for that brand start to multiply like bloody Tribbles [eek] I was close to a Passcode myself at that point and I think I dodged a bullet (nail?)

 

[Cheese]

While I've put a pox on Paslode gas guns, I'll put a larger pox on most of the Dewalt tools. The drills, the Sawzall clones, the sanders, the batteries...

I just gave up on them 20 years ago. The only shining star for them is their selection of planers which I've owned all 3 of them and possibly their contractor saw which I don't own but I have used and it was nice.

The rest could be dumped in a bin tomorrow and the construction world would be better for it.  [big grin]

 

[Kev]

Dewalt yellow is certainly a warning sign. I managed to hold off on more yellow for a few years but wanted a cordless grease gun, inflator and a cordless compressor. A few other add hoc Dewalts snuck in but the stuff just breaks. Dewalt deaths tend to lead to a Makita purchase.

Makita has been solid for me and seems to fill most of my other cordless tool gaps. I particularly like their track saw rail compatibility with Festool.

Not sure if I'll ever be able to completely boycott yellow though as Graco and Arbortech seem to have adopted the battery system with enthusiasm.

 

[luvmytoolz]

In OZ the trend is pretty much Milwaukee all the way with most tradies. Must admit a lot of what my apprentice son has is pretty nice, and gruntier than a lot of my Makita LXT stuff. There also seems to be better deals going with Milwaukee than with Makita too.

I am seeing far more finish and cabinetmakers using Festool now though, the SYS 50 certainly got good penetration.