Hello everyone, I would like to get some of your opinions on a U.S. General air compressor that Harbor Freight sells. I was picking up some car dollies the other day and saw the 80 gal 7.5 hp compressor. They had two different ones but this one had 175 max psi. 26 cfm @ 90psi and 21.5 cfm @175psi. It's rated at 29 amps. The price was 1349.99. It's a huge compressor but I was wondering what you all thought about their products. I was planning to buy the 80 gal from Sears this weekend. I think the specs are great on the U.S. General but I think it is overkill for what I need. The craftsman delivers about 16.8 @ 90psi which should be plenty enough to opperate my sand blaster.
Almost scared to buy things like this from department stores. Everything is made in China. Buy the way guys, Sears is running a promotional on this compressor until this Sunday for 819.00. Normally 849.99.
Thanks!

Harbor Freight makes me nervous with some of their stuff...Remember, you get what you pay for. I personally would stick with the Sears unit, especially if it's more than enough for what you need. Harbor Freight is OK for some stuff, I got some hand tools there, and some supplies...but lets face it, it's not really the best quality.

Well, coming from someone who actually has a US General air compressor, I think it has worked out great thus far. I paid $350 for a refurb'd 6hp 60 gallon tank (actually it is 3hp, but that was before they switched the rating system or some crap like that). Very cheap model, but quality wise, I am satisfied, doesn't have quite the CFM/PSI of the model you're looking at though..

Trying to do a cheap rebuild on a Teenager's Budget ($0.05) HAHA

You can see it in the picture I posted on the American Made Engine Hoist thread..

-Todd

Thanks guys, I was leaning towards the Craftsman anyway. I put the wheels on my car dollies today that I bought from harbor freight, put the car on them and they roll like crap. Feels like a bad spot in the bearings. I'm oiling them tomorrow and if it doesn't roll better those things are going back!

Before you buy the Craftsman compressor, check out a few other brands! If you were willing to spend 1399 for the one from Harbor Freight, I would check out a 2 stage Ingersol Rand, for a few dollars less at your local Tractor Store, or even Sears. Belaire makes a good compressor that should fall in your price range, you can check them out at autobodystore.com. Sears built the Craftsman name over the years to mean quality, but sorrowfully, they seem to be only worried about cashing in on the brand recognition, and not so much concerned with the quality of their power tools anymore. IMHO

Before you buy anything I hope you considered how it's going to get powered. At 29 amps, assuming 115VAC, that's beyond a normal garage circuit.
I don't know how your garage is set up but if it doesn't have a subpanel in it, you will need to run a new line from the main panel. Pushing it through a 30 amp circuit will require 3 lengths of #10 copper wire from the panel. It's going to cost some dollars to do that even if you do the work yourself.
Just ran some conduit overhead in his garage for my boy to fire up his new Craftsman. Don't remember how big the tank was but the unit ran on 18 amps, 115VAC. It pigs up the circuit when it runs but at least he didn't have to pull new lines from the main service panel.

Please don't do like I did and buy an oil less compressor. It makes as much noise as 4 compressors with oil.:(

dont buy the sears oilless, it was the bigest piece of cra@ i have every owned. for 1300 there are some nice two stage out there. i surfed ebay long enough to find a 2 month old bel-aire for 500 plus 90 for shipping.

Back when I built my garage I ran 220 out there using #4 wire. I came off of the house panel with a 70 amp breaker to a new panel in the shop. Power is no problem. I'm using a 220v. compressor now, but it's too small for what I need it for and it does have some age to it. (Craftsman). I do agree with all of you about an oiless compressor. I never did like the idea of anything oiless with moving parts. Thanks again everyone for your replys!

Might I suggest the The Home Depot's, Ingersol Rand line. I bought a 6 hp 60gal 2 cylinder for $496 and it runs everything in my shop. I can run my die grinder and it will cycle off and on. Do you really need an 80 gal for your house? Are you going to paint with it? By the way, The way in which to rate compressors is by the start up HP so for example a 6 Hp compressor will take 6 hp (capacitor start) to get it up and running, but while running it only taks about 1/2 or 3 hp

I like the Ingersol Rand also. The main reason I was wanting the 80 gal. was to have enough air to opperate my sand blaster. I will also use for painting. My old one is a 2hp. 30 gal. somewhere around 7.5cfm@90 which won't come close to running the blaster. It does OK for the gravity feed blaster but those things wear you out because you need to refill every 2 minutes. My compressor runs continiously when using a DA or that speed blaster and is starting to pump more water than air. Can't complain too much, I've had itsince the early 80's and painted many cars with it. I'm just wanting to go ahead and buy a bigger one and be done with it. Hopefully I won't need to purchase another one again.
Thanks again

Sorry for butting in, but how much does it typically cost to run the proper electrical outlet in a garage for this type of electrical load?

You may want to check out Lowes... I have a 80gal 2stage that was 899.00 when I bought it... It works great.... If you do a search for ingersol rand you should find one that is comparble to it posted in the forums for about the same price. I just think the Harbor freight models are over priced... good luck and let us know what you get.

Heres a link for ya!
http://www.mytscstore.com/detail.asp?pcID=1&paID=1010&sonID=469&page=1&productID=1270

and another

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=SEARS&pid=00916780000&tab=des#tablink

I was down at Lowes the other day asking about that Kobalt 80 gal. They have now discontinued that one but can order the IR compressor for me. I'm going to check with a friend that works with a large plumbing supply whse. He told me he could order any of these for me at their cost.

Chris R
Assuming you are doing the work yourself, it's not expensive. If you came out of your electrical panel and had to run about 10 to 20 feet of wire it would be around $60.00. (Ballpark figure.)

ChrisR,
How far is it away from your main electric panel? You are adding a circuit. So you will have to have an open space for a new circuit breaker, wire and a way for the compressor to plug into. Use the requirements of the compressor manufacture. The will give you an instruction sheet. 30 or 50 Amps.

If the main service panel is full you can free up a space by buying a half-height breaker and moving existing circuits. These breakers are 2 seperate breakers that occupy the space of a single breaker. Move 2 existing 20 amp circuits onto 1 of these and it will give you a free space in the box.
Personally if I had to pull a new line from the service panel to the garage I'd spend a little extra and pull a 220 circuit to a subpanel in the garage. The labor is about the same but you end up with enough power to do most anything.
It was sorta fun running the tablesaw in the basement. Originally the circuits were tied together with the overhead lights. When boards would bind in the saw the breaker would pop putting me in the dark with a 10" blade still going 'round.

Might I suggest the The Home Depot's, Ingersol Rand line. I bought a 6 hp 60gal 2 cylinder for $496 and it runs everything in my shop. I can run my die grinder and it will cycle off and on. Do you really need an 80 gal for your house? Are you going to paint with it? By the way, The way in which to rate compressors is by the start up HP so for example a 6 Hp compressor will take 6 hp (capacitor start) to get it up and running, but while running it only taks about 1/2 or 3 hp

This is the exact compressor I bought, works very well even with air buffer.

ChrisR,
How far is it away from your main electric panel? You are adding a circuit. So you will have to have an open space for a new circuit breaker, wire and a way for the compressor to plug into. Use the requirements of the compressor manufacture. The will give you an instruction sheet. 30 or 50 Amps.

The panel is just on the other side of our walk in door that goes into the garage downstairs. I figure running about 10 to 20 feet to make a new outlet from there to a nice location in the middle of a wall in the garage.

I've got the 6hp/60 gallon 220V Harbor Freight... I think I pair about $380 or so for it last september. I've had no issues with it at all...works great... Even with a die grinder. I don't have a blast cabinet...yet, but it's on the list of 'wants'!

Ron

Can you run a blast cabinet with that Ingersall Rand unit?

I bought the IR brand as well. A Local store in KC had better prices, on new units than anybody I could fine on the net or elsewhere! Much better than Home Depot or Lowes.

Regarding wiring: If you wire up a separate sub panel ( I would recommend for a garage) for your garage, it will probably run you $ 400-$600 depending on how far away it is. Then run 220v to your compressor as it will operate more efficently anyway.

I run my blast cabinet off of the IR.

Little confused here, is a twin cylinder pumpconsidered a two stage compressor. Thanks

Just my two cents, whatever compressor you buy try to position it so you can take the little air cleaner off, when it is off you will see a pipe thread. For a long compressor life and cooler runing, pull your intake air from the outside. ALL garages have dust so your compressor will be sucking in the dust and dirt,and to the piston and rings this is like pouring gravel down your carb. This was told to me by my buddy that rebuilds air compressors. He also said Dont tell everyone its bad for my business. I ran a pipe outside stuck an L-bow pointing down, with a piece of screen on it, that was 15 years ago. Just something to consider. Bob ACES 2825
70 SS 454 M22 elky org ownr. 70 SS 454 RED sta. wgn.