Portable Air Compressor

Every home or business has a number of uses for portable air compressor, and when choosing just the right air compressor for your use be sure and consider more than just the immediate need.

Very often we purchase a tool only to discover later that it is too small, won’t do the job we want and that we have wasted money on something that doesn’t serve our needs.

When considering the purchase of a portable air compressor you need to understand how they are rated in order to make the correct choice for your needs. Very often we start out by selecting a portable air compressor for a specific job we have in mind with no thought about other, future projects that we might undertake that we could do with an air compressor.

Most people look at the gallons as a measure of what size portable air compressor to purchase; however, this would be a mistake. A more important measurement is air flow, which is measured in Standard Cubic Feet per Minute (SCFM). An ideal home use air compressor should come with an SCFM rating of at least 5 SCFM and air flow of at least 90 pounds per square inch (PSI).

For example, small tools like nailers typically require around 5 SCFM, while larger tools will require a rating of at least 10 SCFM. There are a lot of uses for a portable air compressor like:
Pancake Air Compressor

Nail guns;

Rotary sander;

Air hammer;

Cutting tools;

Air drills;

Air wrenches;

Blow guns;

Impact wrenches;

Grinders;

Paint spray guns;

Air chisels;

Sand blaster;

Pressure cleaner;

And many more.

Portable air compressor powered tools are preferable to electric or gas motor powered tools for the following reasons:

Air tools are more powerful than traditional electric tools;

Air tools deliver higher torque and rpm to get the job done quicker;

Air tools are versatile and can be quickly changed;

Air tools are safer than other tools.

Generally speaking most of your needs can be met by a portable air compressor powered by 110 volt outlet electric power; however, for shop use you might consider using a larger portable air compressor that runs on 240 volt electricity instead.

In some cases, such as working on a job site or at a remote location where electricity is not readily available, you may want to use a gas powered air compressor instead. For indoor uses an electric powered portable air compressor is the best choice because it emits no fumes.

Remember, always aim for a portable air compressor with a slightly higher rating than you imagine you will need. Over time you may discover you want to do more and more with your air compressor, and don’t want to have to replace it soon after you purchase one.
The most important rating to consider when choosing an air compressor is how much air the compressor can deliver, which is measured in SCFM, or Standard Cubic Feet per Minute.

The tools you use will also have SCFM ratings which indicate the optimal air flow required for best operation. Smaller tools may only require 1-5 SCFM, while larger tools may require 10 SCFM or higher ratings.
If you plan to operate more than one pneumatic tool at the same time you will need even more power. In this situation calculate the total of the SCFM requirements for each tool that you will use simultaneously and add about 20% for safety.

Figure out where you are going to keep the air compressor, and think about how long the hose length should be. The last thing you want to have happen is to be working on a project just outside the reach of your portable air compressor.

You will find a great selection of portable air compressors on our site, one of which is sure to meet your needs.

As always, work safely and wear protective eyewear when working with air powered tools.