Help - Opportunity to buy a 60 gallon Husky Air Compressor

[340challconvert]

I have a chance to buy a new Husky air compressor w a 60 gallon tank for $499
Specs are:
60 gallon tank, oil type pump, 11.5 @90 PSI, and 13.4 @ 40 PSI. Max PSI 155 w 3.7 HP
Price $499

I went to Harbor Freight to compare.
They have a 60 gallon tank unit w 15.8 @90 PSI and 16.4 a@ 40 PSI. Max PSI=165 2 stage motor.Prince $799.

Looks like the specs on the Harbor Freight unit are just a tad better, but very close.
I want to eventually paint my car-single stage.

Is the Harbor Freight unit worth the extra $300?

Generally, it is recommended to have a 60 gallon tank w a range of 14-18 @ 90 PSI for painting a car.

They are both 220.

Thoughts on this appreciated.

 

[340challconvert]

Anyone out there who painted a car decently with these type of compressor?

 

[rbbruno3]

Not sure if you have checked peoples reviews .there was an Ingersoll-Rand model near me for sale ,I check the reviews they were all bad . Just do a little research

 

[hofilbert]

I'd go to a real compressor store or even a big farm supply store. They are going to have better brands. If you are going to drop 5-600 dollars, spend a bit more and get a good one. Oh, wire it for 220 if possible. I paid for my compressor in one year over my old 110 compressor. I started saving $100 a month in electric bills immediately.

 

[DetMatt1]

I think you’ll want a 2 stage unit for things like painting, running air sanders, media blasting etc..
Unless you plan on painting with an HVLP gun.

 

[moparleo]

2 stage for sure . If you air just painting, not sure you need that much. You didn't say what size HP the HF motor was. But if you will use air tools or use a blast cabinet a lot, the bigger is the better value. I wore out A Sears 60 gallon oil-less 150 psi compressor motor in a year and rebuilt the pump ( they had cylinder/piston kits) at least 5 times before the crank/motor connection seized up. I now have the Sears 80 gallon 2 stage/oil 7 HP, 220 volt. 175 psi. It was made for Sears by Devilbiss. I have replaced the motor once so far in 8 years . I use it A LOT. It runs almost non-stop for 6-8 hours at a time. I really need a bigger one. The 60 gallon was about $400. when I bought it and the 80 gallon was about $900. The first $400 was a waste. Depends on how much you will use it. I think Devilbiss is out of biz now. Ingersole-Rand makes compressors under different names for several major brand names.

 

[Adam]

I agree with Leo, buy more compressor than you need, if you are going to run air tools or sand blaster.

I needed portability so I bought a gas powered model.

Make sure you get a good water filter/dryer, and use it when you paint!

A “Dessicant snake” will also work well, and they are only $30. Be sure all the air line/hose fittings are tight otherwise you will get a drop of water in the worst possible place....

 

[340challconvert]

2 stage for sure . If you air just painting, not sure you need that much. You didn't say what size HP the HF motor was. But if you will use air tools or use a blast cabinet a lot, the bigger is the better value. I wore out A Sears 60 gallon oil-less 150 psi compressor motor in a year and rebuilt the pump ( they had cylinder/piston kits) at least 5 times before the crank/motor connection seized up. I now have the Sears 80 gallon 2 stage/oil 7 HP, 220 volt. 175 psi. It was made for Sears by Devilbiss. I have replaced the motor once so far in 8 years . I use it A LOT. It runs almost non-stop for 6-8 hours at a time. I really need a bigger one. The 60 gallon was about $400. when I bought it and the 80 gallon was about $900. The first $400 was a waste. Depends on how much you will use it. I think Devilbiss is out of biz now. Ingersole-Rand makes compressors under different names for several major brand names.

HF unit is a 5HP unit oil lubed, 2 stage unit.

 

[DetMatt1]

When I was shopping for my table saw about 6 years ago I ended up at a cabinet shop that was closing and selling everything. I ended up with not only the saw I was hoping for but also a couple of other major shop machines and quite a bit of other accessory items including this old beast of an air compressor. The guy didn’t really say wether it actually worked or not but we wired it up and the 5 hp 3 phase motor ran great so I figured for $200 bucks I’d take a chance. It was the shops original unit but had been out of service since they bought a new one. I left there with an open car trailer full of tools for about what I would have spent on just the cabinet saw had I bought a new one.
Anyway I wired up the compressor at my shop and no surprise, it didn’t build pressure. I figured I’d call in a pro to tell me if it was worth fixing and the guy kinda lit up when he first saw it. He checked it out and said the tank was surprisingly clean for a 50 year old unit and that the silencer was probably worth the 200 bucks I paid for the whole thing, you can basically carry on a normal conversation standing next to it. He said it was the Imperial of compressors in its day and one with similar specs would cost me somewhere north of $2,300 to buy new so $1500 later I had a freshly rebuilt pump on my 1963 Quincy.