www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

I own the Impax compressor I bought from Screwfix a couple of years ago.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/impax-om227- ... _container

It has a 24ltr tank, 145 psi and 10 bar working pressure. I've no idea of the cfm or what it really means.

I've been told they're okay for blowing away dust etc and for using to blow up tyres but not really and good for air tools such as sanders.

I've seen this on offer at B&Q

https://www.diy.com/departments/hyundai ... 5644eabddd

It has a 50ltr tank. The cfm is 10.6 but the psi is actually lower than the smaller Impax at 118psi.

Another forum said just because it's bigger doesn't mean it's any better.

What I want to know is would it be better than the Impax for using air tools such as sanders etc or am I better just sticking with the Impax?

interesting, I have been considering a compressor - and watched a few video some years/months ago - never got around to it

peter millard - small 8l
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJo3JMkv3JE

rag n bone brown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCX4jVy35Wg&t=0s

I follow both , and watched these videos - when they first came

I understand you would wait for someone with more experience to reply
just my 2 p worth

I have had a couple of compressors.
My first one had an 8L cylinder and could bow up a balloon, no chance with a car tyre, my latest one 24L can blow up several car tyres, no problem. The conclusion I have come up with is the bigger the cylinder the bigger the tools you can operate, or the longer it can run a tool for. I would have to ask, if its just for sanding, would an electric sander be better / cheaper in the long run? after all, you only plug it in once.

Look at the size of these cylinders, yep, they are for the foghorn.

Yes, I agree you need big compressors for anything that takes a good continuous flow to operate. I have a sandblasting attachment and it was like an asthmatic wheezing away when I tried to strip some rust I was doing, absolutely useless. Mine is big enough for car tyres which is mostly what it gets used for.

DWD

ideally your compressor will have enough capacity to supply twice the airflow that you need to operate so on continuos use it will have a rest 50% off the time and sporadic use a good rest a motor running continuos on a compressor is never a good idea

Hmmmm, I have a pretty old, inherited, 50 litre.

To inflate a 4x4 tyre from virtually flat, it will do it, but the motor cuts in half way through and inflation slows down - it can cope, but only just. So I reckon that I could do with 100 litres capacity. Blowing up tyres (checking & topping up pressure) is not the same as inflating from zero. PSI needs to be more than the pressure you're inflating to, so 30psi car tyre could do with 50/60 psi working pressure to allow for losees.

To remove wheel nuts using an old, traditional motor trade, 1/2" drive air wrench, it won't do it from tight, fine though if nuts loosened first. Not enough power to undo from tight, and if I have to slacken with a wrench first, I might as well go all the way. Although I do remove/refit wheels quite often, I would really be better off with a cordless impact wrench but don't do enough to justify the cost at present. So I rarely get the air wrench out, such tools generally operate at 90psi constant, set on a regulator valve inline.

Air tools such as sanders and drills are going to need at least 100 litres for constant work, and will cut the motor in occasionally. Spray guns need more capaciy, as a constant pressure flow is needed to maintain consistency, but less psi.

Go for the largest capacity you can afford, 100/200 litres. Tyre shops use 500 litres minimum, it's firstly capacity that's needed, and then, as the volume is used, cfm determines how quickly that capacity is replenished.

At 50 litres, not much cfm, you just have to stop for a fag while it recharges. As S-E said, 8 litres will barely inflate a balloon, it's enough for air-brushing model kits & art. 24 litres won't run air tools constantly, 50 litres struggles.

If you don't need to inflate vehicle tyres, go for a cordless sander and spare batteries. or corded.

get yourself down to a Machine Mart and have a word with the guys there. They are very knowledgeable about the products they sell

I have been down this rabbit hole take CFM ratings with a pinch of salt they are usually rated CFM @ 40 psi

if you want to run air tools you will need 100L tank and 3+ Hp

My 50L 2hp barely runs a die grinder, the more a compressor runs the more water it produces you need a decent filter system, air tools need dry air and inline oilers

TBH you're looking at a £1000 by the time you add fittings, hoses and filtration

Bob225 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2023 10:56 am I have been down this rabbit hole take CFM ratings with a pinch of salt they are usually rated CFM @ 40 psi

if you want to run air tools you will need 100L tank and 3+ Hp

My 50L 2hp barely runs a die grinder, the more a compressor runs the more water it produces you need a decent filter system, air tools need dry air and inline oilers

TBH you're looking at a £1000 by the time you add fittings, hoses and filtration

As a young lad it was my job to uncoil the air hoses and put a drop of oil in the nail guns every morning

Hi,

My wife bought me a soda blaster years ago so it needed a bigger compressor than I had at the time;I bought a 3hp V twin compressor and this compressor could be heard miles away it was deafening also it couldn't power the blaster as it should; I struggled blasting machine parts then got rid of the lot in disgust.

Later I bought an Hydrovane and getting it home found it to be faulty so as I usually do I rebuilt it; this Hydrovane was wonderful; it ran my air chisel for hours whilst I did some repointing to our bungalow; it was so quiet I could have it running in the workshop and not really notice it was there; it didn't have a receiver it being a blow by type; unfortunately for serious use it would need a huge air/water filter so paint spraying was out of the question it put out lots of moisture but I'll never forget how it just carried on supplying so much air to the chisel. I then sold it easily recovering what I'd paid for it.
Hydrovane 6PU as bought.
Accessing unloader valve.
Unloader valve was faulty and I couldn't buy a replacement so made a new unloader valve; it doesn't half bring back memories.

For continous use an industrial compressor is the way to go but comes at a cost.

Now I have a small SIP compressor which handles my needs.

Kind regards, Colin.