Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Need a new air compressor n

I need a new compressor for the garage. I'm running out of air while plasma cutting. Hypertherm 45, and I can't get two feet of cut, on 1/2" plate before I go low air. Any suggestions ? The compressor I have, was purchased in 1974, so I've gotten my dollars out of it! Plus I have added an extra 40 gallon accumulator.

I'm no help.

I can't even figure out a trailer.

Good luck with it.

Do you have 3 phase power?

My kobalt 60 is pretty good for everyday stuff.

But who the fugg am I?

I go thru a compressor about every 5 years.

California air is getting real big on job sites around here, you can have a conversation with them running in the same room. Only issue I've had is you can't use an extension cord. Something to do with the digital motor

I’d look into a two stage compressor with about a 220 gal tank min. The bigger the better. You can also use your current compressor tank as an auxiliary reservoir for increased air reserve. With enough air reserve you can get by with a little less cfm… to a point

Build one

Rotary air squeezer.

No three phase.power in the home shop. I'm thinking two stage would be nice. I've got way too much going on to build one. Making parts for another pontoon, and algea product blenders. Just finished plowing this last snow, and am heading to town to look. Maybe I can find a good one for under a couple thousand. Sure hope so! The shop work rate might have to go up ten or fifteen an hour. I've been setting at $60 for a couple years now! It's just supposed to be a hobby!

Brother, buy what you need and raise those rates. Inflation sucks and has hit everyone.

Can't find shop rates for a local mechanic for less than $100 now, your fabrication time has to be worth more than what you're charging.

Good luck with it.

You haven't bothered to state the capacity of your existing compressor. But the Hypertherm 45 manual will tell you how much pressure and CFM it uses. Get a compressor that comfortably exceeds that amount.

[quote=Valsdad]Brother, buy what you need and raise those rates. Inflation sucks and has hit everyone.

Can't find shop rates for a local mechanic for less than $100 now, your fabrication time has to be worth more than what you're charging.

Good luck with it.[/quo

Looks like $1750 to $2200, for a new compressor.

Get a big tank and keep it charged? A nice regulator etc……. You must be burning a lot to need that. Full time job?

Just time to upgrade. Tools are like guns, can't have big or to many,. I'm still looking, there is a good deal out there somewhere.

Just time to upgrade. Tools are like guns, can't have big or to many,. I'm still looking, there is a good deal out there somewhere. I already have a 60 gallon accumulator, in line.

Yeah man, I get it.

You can get super fancy if you want. 😉

I'm not sure what your needs are but that doesn't sound like a very big compressor.... What cfm do you need to maintain?

Around 14 scfm when I'm working the plasma, should keep up, considering supply tank size!

I'd look here...

https://factorypure.com/products/em...6sr7S_QIVlzizAB2JdgONEAYYBiABEgIuHPD_BwE

https://eatoncompressor.com/product/10hp-quiet-80-gallon-industrial-air-compressor-vertical/

By the way, Eaton and Emax are the same compressor. Sister companies. Eaton is factory direct and you have to wait for them to build it, about 6 weeks. Emax is retail and can usually be found in stock at Compressors direct.
Compressors direct is typically free shipping and Eaton is not. When it's all said and done, about the same money to get it in a week or less from Compressors direct.

Emax also has a nice continuous run feature for sandblasting etc...