What can you do with a 14cfm compressor?

[marlinspike]

I wish I'd bought a decent compressor when I started my car resto, but I didn't. I'm wondering if it would be worth getting one at this point, but for wider general use not just car stuff. I was thinking 100 litre/14cfm because that seems to be the point at which the compressor has enough umph to do most stuff and is affordable.

What are you guys using your 14cfm compressors for?

I would probably want to do a bit of sand or soda blasting of car parts. I've been reupholstering stuff and finding electric staplers aren't powerful enough. Nailing together fence panels and pet runs would be useful. An air cut off saw and grinder for metal would be handy.

Is it unrealistic to think a 14cfm compressor would be a useful all-round tool? I can't really justify buying one just for sand blasting but doesn't seem any point buying one that wouldn't let me sand blast either.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

 

[armalites]

Sadly you really can't take the numbers as too much of a reference but a 14CFM should be fine for most home use.

I previously had an old 15CFM Snap On compressor that bought second hand ran for years, did everything I needed but quite noisy. In the last few year I switched to a small Hydrovane, doesn't generate as much air but you can stand right next to it on the phone when it's running.

You have to draw a line somewhere but for blasting you can't have too much air.

I use a 130CFM road compressor for blasting.

 

[Richiew]

I bought 150 litre compressor not long back and wish I'd bought a 200 instead. The receiver still empties far too quickly for my liking. I suppose there's a balance to be struck between time and energy costs filling the thing against what your actual air needs are.

 

[Bravheart]

I wish I'd bought a decent compressor when I started my car resto, but I didn't. I'm wondering if it would be worth getting one at this point, but for wider general use not just car stuff. I was thinking 100 litre/14cfm because that seems to be the point at which the compressor has enough umph to do most stuff and is affordable.

What are you guys using your 14cfm compressors for?

I would probably want to do a bit of sand or soda blasting of car parts. I've been reupholstering stuff and finding electric staplers aren't powerful enough. Nailing together fence panels and pet runs would be useful. An air cut off saw and grinder for metal would be handy.

Is it unrealistic to think a 14cfm compressor would be a useful all-round tool? I can't really justify buying one just for sand blasting but doesn't seem any point buying one that wouldn't let me sand blast either.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Remember you can get battery powered versions of those tools now, much more convenient to use and portable. Add up the cost of the tools you need, air and cordless along with a compressor and batteries. There might not be much in it at the end of the day.

 

[fizzy]

I find battery tools are usually much better these days than air ones!
But yes a 14cfm compressor is usefull to have.
I blasted a full 110 chassis with one. Just a bit slow. Fine for individual parts etc.
Will run most air tools and fine for spraying.

I had to stop and think what air tools I still use - very few but I would be lost without my die grinder - or a blow gun

 

[minimutly]

14 cfm might struggle paint spraying and air fed mask? In which case you could get a seperate low pressure oil less compressor for the airfed.

 

[Domdom]

The motor size is a decent indicator. Most of the alleged 14cfm have a 3hp motor. Some have a 4hp which makes quite a bit of difference. Needs a 16 amp socket.

 

[AVI_8]

I wish I'd bought a decent compressor when I started my car resto, but I didn't. I'm wondering if it would be worth getting one at this point, but for wider general use not just car stuff. I was thinking 100 litre/14cfm because that seems to be the point at which the compressor has enough umph to do most stuff and is affordable.

What are you guys using your 14cfm compressors for?

I would probably want to do a bit of sand or soda blasting of car parts. I've been reupholstering stuff and finding electric staplers aren't powerful enough. Nailing together fence panels and pet runs would be useful. An air cut off saw and grinder for metal would be handy.

Is it unrealistic to think a 14cfm compressor would be a useful all-round tool? I can't really justify buying one just for sand blasting but doesn't seem any point buying one that wouldn't let me sand blast either.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Get another one second hand and link them together, if your electrical supply can cope with it.

 

[Wildefalcon]

That's what I did. Worked well on the needle descaler.

 

[tom2207]

once you get to the separate motor and compressor you will be grand ,,, thats my test , if its an all in one unit its just not going to stick anything but light hobby use.

 

[optima21]

you can do most things with 14CFM compressor (apart from an airfed mask and painting) you just need to match the air requirements of the equipment to what the compressor can deliver, it might just take longer to do the job. if you only use the air in short bursts you wont notice it, but with high consumption equipment used for long periods of time you'll have issues. for blasting I normally use 50psi max as the compressor can supply that continuously, but if I tried 90psi, its fine to begin with and then the pressure drops. also with spray painting, you can LVLP spray guns which dont needs a much air as high velocity spray guys (HVLP) but will take longer to spray something.

 

[marlinspike]

Thanks, guys. Lots of things to think about there.

We have a few Ryobi cordless tools and they are pretty impressive so far, so I do take the point that cordless stuff will probably do a lot of things better/more easily than air tools.

 

[MetalMonkey]

With 14CFM you can do quite a lot.

However, most "14CFM" compressors are actually only about 9CFM FAD.
The better ones can run all day, but the smaller ones and the direct drive units will be screaming blue murder and running hotter than a pistol trying to make even that.

I'd probably go cordless for nailers these days to be honest - it is a lot more convenient. A pneumatic nailer would run happily from a small compressor though.
Same goes for impact wrenches, although I do still like my air impact.

Obviously tyre inflator and blow guns are handy.
You could also run tools like a cut off, nibbler, air hammer, needle scaler and die grinder - some of those are real air hogs, but as long as you are realistic, not using it flat out all the time, and don't mind waiting for the compressor to catch up - they can all still be very useful.

Blasting is probably going to be bit of a disappointing experience on anything other than small parts. A pressure pot will give you better results than a cabinet/suction setup for a limited air supply.
A decent “14CFM” compressor (or ideally two) will give a lot better results than those really cheap ones.

 

[vw1]

Go belt drive if you can not as noisy , and 200l ltr and at least 18cfm if you can . I wish a had gone 270 ltr at 30cfm but I didn't have the room.The bigger the better Good luck.

 

[Domdom]

Have you got 3 phase electricity? If you have.....
One to keep an eye on

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<p>magnum air compressor. </p><br /><p>Horsepower 3 phase.</p>

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3 phase stuff is relatively cheap because not everyone can use them, me included. The single phase stuff is more expensive relative to the output cos everyone has single phase. Sadly there is still a lot of Covid pricing out there though. Even new stuff costs way more than it should really.

If no 3 phase, this one looks OK ish. listed as 4HP. Bit pricey.

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They are all much of a muchness in this range of CFM unless you buy something like Compair, Atlas etc. But the older ones tend to have cast iron cylinders and heads which is better than the newer ali ones.

I used to have one of these. replaced it with a dual pump version and gave the old one to my brother. The motor had gone but was easily replaced with a 4hp one. I bought it in 2002 and only swapped last year. 19 years of trouble free abuse.

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[julianf]

I paint with an air fed mask off either of my 14cfm (ish) compressors.

One is an old belt driven one with a single cylinder compressor and the other is a fiac direct drive.

Either will run the mask and the gun fine (alone). I never run both together.

But...

My usual gun is a little devilbis Sri. So less air that most other guns. And I'm not spraying whole cars.

But for somthing like a single car door, it's still perfectly feasible.

 

[julianf]

Have you got 3 phase electricity? If you have.....
One to keep an eye on

magnum air compressor | eBay

<p>magnum air compressor. </p><br /><p>Horsepower 3 phase.</p>

www.ebay.co.uk

3 phase stuff is relatively cheap because not everyone can use them, me included. The single phase stuff is more expensive relative to the output cos everyone has single phase. Sadly there is still a lot of Covid pricing out there though. Even new stuff costs way more than it should really.

If no 3 phase, this one looks OK ish. listed as 4HP. Bit pricey.

Sealey 200 Litres 4 Bhp Belt Drive Air Compressor with Cast Cylinders - Red | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Sealey 200 Litres 4 Bhp Belt Drive Air Compressor with Cast Cylinders - Red at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

They are all much of a muchness in this range of CFM unless you buy something like Compair, Atlas etc. But the older ones tend to have cast iron cylinders and heads which is better than the newer ali ones.

I used to have one of these. replaced it with a dual pump version and gave the old one to my brother. The motor had gone but was easily replaced with a 4hp one. I bought it in 2002 and only swapped last year. 19 years of trouble free abuse.

Clarkel Air Compressor 240v | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Clarkel Air Compressor 240v at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

That second one is pretty much what one of my units is. I think mine is older, and branded "air master" or somthing but the pump looks the same, I think.

I would always run it in preference to my direct drive unit.

 

[minimutly]

This is like the one I used to use, on a single to 3 phase 415V inverter. It didn't like it. Swapped it for my universal miller and now have a hydrovane, yet to be hooked up.

 

[not done it yet]

Electrically driven work-tools are far cheaper to run than air-tools. Compressed air is an expensive commodity.

Your ‘14cfm’ compressor is likely about 10cfm FAD.

The receiver size is fairly irrelevant (just more sales hype for the masses). If you want to use tools/supply continuously, the compressor output must exceed the usage (common sense, really). It’s really not cost effective if you fill a large receiver for loosening half a dozen bolts with an impact wrench!

 

[cheb]

I've a small air grinder, not much more in diameter than my thumb, when running at full speed it'll keep my 2.2kw powered compressor running continuously. It does the same sort of job as a Dremel type tool.