Compressor choices

[Janger]

I need a replacement compressor. A quiet one, a really quiet one for the shop. Kms has a new line BE industrial which has very similar parts to the California air compressor line and the king Canada one. Noise specs are 60db for all three of them from kms. I had them plug in the California for me it's surprising how quiet it is. BE costs $210, king $200, California $300. All made in China , all oil less. I want to plasma cut, spray paint, powder coat, nailing, and inflate of course. Anyone have any direct experience with these brands?

https://www.kmstools.com/be-industr..._campaign=October+2015+Flyer&utm_medium=email

https://www.kmstools.com/king-industrial-twin-stack-compressor-106540

https://www.kmstools.com/california-air-1-hp-twin-stack-compressor-19425

 

[Alexander]

If they are willing to plug it in for you try to calculate the real world operating cfm. The factory numbers I have seen are exadurated greatly. Simply take the volume of the tank in cf and then find the amount of time it takes to get from one given psi to the next. I will suggest from starting at 60 psi and stop the timer at 90psi. Put that number into fraction of a minute. Use these numbers to calculate the cfm make sure it will run the plasma before you buy it. I'm sceptical that a cheap one can keep up with a plasma cutter. I'm not saying it won't but calculate the cfm to be sure.

 

[PeterT]

Not sure what you wanted to spend, but coincidentally I bit the bullet on this CAT model a month ago from KMS.
https://www.kmstools.com/california-air-2hp-10-gallon-twin-stack-compressor-93345
I don't have a lot of run time yet, but so far very pleased & meets my objectives. Its portable, small footprint & much quieter than my 5-6hp sears upright. I figured I'd buy once & err on the higher CFM side over the same models you are considering. I'm confident it will outrun my HVLP spray guns, but if I ever mess with die grinders & sanders one day, those can be CFM gobblers if run continuously. The tank recharge rate is super fast. In fact I thought I had a problem when it went from 40-90 psi & shut down after less than a minute. So whatever they did on motor & staging design, it works. The regulator is OK, nothing special, plastic knob/valve. If/when I spray in my planes in my 'ambient atmospheric spray booth' I will run the line to one of those desiccant dryers cartridge thingy's prior to the gun. These smaller potbelly tanks don't have the vertical separator factor or larger residence volume like a larger upright tank, so you tend to get more moisture/lub mist carryover. Guys who run nailers or pneumatic tools don't care as much, they just squirt oil in the tools drain the tank once in a while. But spray equipment demands clean, dry air. Right now I'm using it more for machining mode, a trigger blower on super low pressure to clean off parts & occasionally clear chips (although I prefer a vacuum). Hope this helps.

ps _ agree, get them to plug one in for a listen (if they will). I bought mine on the dB spec & reviews & crossed my gingers. Also I think you can download a free dB meter on your phone, but is +/- depending on the environment its sitting in.

pss - I found a better deal on Amazon even shipping in. But I was leery to gamble on a big heavy item in case of problem so called KMS. They didn't match cost exactly (on-line deals exempt?) but they did take some $ off which was appreciated. So check around first.

 

[Janger]

I went and bought the BE Industrial one. The California tank 10 gal that Pete bought looked much nicer but I'm on a budget. The refill on BE seems a bit slow. Anyway it's quiet and works. We will see. Thanks for the comments.

 

[Danton]

I am kind of late to this thread, but I have the twin tank california (aluminum tanks).

I got it at home depot for under $500 - http://www.homedepot.ca/product/462...free-aluminum-twin-tank-air-compressor/848484

It's surprisingly quiet. This version has a slightly higher CFM than the standard ones in this price range (5.3 CFm at 90psi), and that is why I ended up buying it. It works great. I have had it for over a year without issues.