# Forum Home Renovation Tools & Products  smallest compressor for framing

## phild01

My compressor packed it in today.  Any recommendation for a portable compressor.  I got a 21L 2HP replacement but I am not sure how well it may work as it is not a recommended size for a framing gun.  I only need it for occasional use so quick repetitive action is not what I need. Inexpensive, compact and lightweight is.

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## Marc

Inexpensive being the key word, you'll have to go direct drive. If you can stand the noise, any 2.5 (yea right) and 40 L tank would be just adequate for a framing gun. I had a direct drive GMC (2.5 hp 40 L) for years as my portable nail gun compressor until I bought a belt driven Pilot. The only modification I had to do was change the pressure switch to one that allows to adjust not only the high cut off but also the low cut in independently. This way I kept the tank at 90 psi all the time rather than letting it go down to 80 that is too low for a full size 90 or 100 mm nail. 
GMC does not exist anymore but I suppose that Ozito is in the same category. Cheap and 2 years warranty ... or is it 3?

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## OBBob

Ha ha my similar GMC built a whole house and is still going (unexpectedly). I also have a tiny wall mounted Stanley (must be only 10L) compressor and it'll drive my Bostitch framer. But you'd get tired of that if it were more than a few nails here and there.

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## phild01

> Ha ha my similar GMC built a whole house and is still going (unexpectedly). I also have a tiny wall mounted Stanley (must be only 10L) compressor and it'll drive my Bostitch framer. But you'd get tired of that if it were more than a few nails here and there.

  Interesting, so it builds up enough pressure but only for a few nails.  I guess a 21L might be OK. 
Marc you are right about the noise of direct drive, I have a much bigger belt drive under the house and it chugs along with much less noise.  Just too big to be bothered getting it out.

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## OBBob

Yep, but the small ones aren't exactly cheaper... I got it because it's quieter for small jobs and easier to carry around.

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## phild01

> Yep, but the small ones aren't exactly cheaper... I got it because it's quieter for small jobs and easier to carry around.

  Realistically this is more of what I would like, for small work and easy to carry.  Would you recommend such a small capacity unit as being ok or would you say frustrating for the odd frame or two?

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## OBBob

Frustrating I'm afraid because they need to constantly refill for larger capacity tools. Better suited to carrying inside to put some brads in,  or pump up tyres etc. ...  
I noticed these ones at the green shed the other day. Pretty cheap if you wanted a portable one and a bigger one.   :Biggrin:

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## phild01

Love to try before I buy, was at the store today and might have missed that one (could be too small though).  Looking at specs is more revealing....L/m, free air, max psi and cfm...the one I bought today is going back to Repco; SydneyTools has a better spec'd unit for the same money but still prefer something smaller.  Trying to wind down what I do otherwise I'd go for the twin aluminium cylinder one here: https://sydneytools.com.au/chicago-h...air-compressor

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## OBBob

Yep,  it can be a hard balance of size and performance.  Good luck.

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## paddyjoy

Would you be better considering a paslode gas framing gun for $669 if you are considering paying $450 for a compressor alone, or I assume you want to be able to use all your other air tools? 
I have a 24l project air el-cheapo I bought from bunnings a couple of years ago. Works fine if you don't need the repetitive action, gets about 6 or 7 nails before it needs to recharge. Only issues I have is when skew nailing, maybe it is the gun but only the first 2 shots will have the power to drive 75mm nails fully.

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## phild01

> Would you be better considering a paslode gas framing gun for $669 if you are considering paying $450 for a compressor alone, or I assume you want to be able to use all your other air tools? 
> I have a 24l project air el-cheapo I bought from bunnings a couple of years ago. Works fine if you don't need the repetitive action, gets about 6 or 7 nails before it needs to recharge. Only issues I have is when skew nailing, maybe it is the gun but only the first 2 shots will have the power to drive 75mm nails fully.

  Yes, have other nail guns and can't warrant a gas gun as I have 4 other guns and the blower for chemset blowouts.  This will be my 4th compresssor.  Using the bunnings Spear and Jackson today, was working ok until I heard it click to kick the compressor in but nothing happened.  Am assuming the compressor motor has fused a winding as there was no other sound to indicate a compression problem.  It was only just over a year old.

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## paddyjoy

> Yes, have other nail guns and can't warrant a gas gun as I have 4 other guns and the blower for chemset blowouts.

   Fair enough thought so.

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## Godzilla73

Does it have a condenser (I think that's what they're called) on the motor might be a cheap fix.

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## METRIX

> This will be my 4th compresssor.  Using the bunnings Spear and Jackson  It was only just over a year old.

  4th compressor in what time frame ? This is such a classic statement for you get what you pay for, and why I always bang on about spending more to buy a quality product the first time.
 I have two compressors, one portable and one larger which gets used all the time for flooring jobs and various other tasks, and when it gets used it gets used heavily, in 10 years of use I am only on my 2nd compressor. 
The first one was running fine but eventually blew up when I loaned it to a mate (never again) and he left it out in the 40 deg summer sun all week and used it heavily all week, it eventually ceased up from overheating, that was a pilot direct drive, and had already done about 6 years of use.
I sent it to the scap metal yard, and bought an Italian made Fini belt drive, this has been fantastic, and is very quiet in comparison to any direct drive. 
The 2nd one is a small twin tank similar to the one you linked to from Sydney Tools, this has been great, but only suitable for running the brad nailers or else it will be cutting in all the drive, I dont think it will handle a framing gun very well. 
My suggestion is to stay right away from the Bunnings, Super cheap, Repco and any other cheapy compressors as they are all built to garbage standards and why they cost $100-$200, after you replace them and buy another one you could have bought a good one which will still be going in 10 years. 
Im not sure what you do Phil for a living, but I don't think your a Tradie who uses the compressor every day ?, it is more for home use isn't it ?, if so to only get 1 year from it is shocking, if that was used onsite for flooring jobs, it would only last a few weeks.  
I don't recommend any brands / models of compressors to anyone, this is a tool which can be either very good or rubbish, I currently use Fini and have no complaints, but if you buy one for $100-$300 brand makes no difference, they all come from the same factory just sprayed a different colour and will break sooner rather than later. 
But you might want to start your quest to find that cheap, light, small, robust, long lasting compressor which does not exist  :Biggrin:  here, https://sydneytools.com.au/chicago-h...air-compressor 
Below is the recommended compressors from Fasco who manufacture commercial quality nail guns.   *What is the ideal compressor for my nailer?* 
This depends from the air consumption your tool has for each shot. Small staplers need 0.4 lt. per shot at 6 bars (90 psi), while big nailer require more than 2 litres. Of course also the cycle speed should be considered.
Usually a 25 lt. compressor for small tools and a 50 lt. compressor for the big nailers should be chosen. 
But another important aspect in a compressor is the power (HP). If the compressor has a big air tank but is equipped with a small engine, it has to be running most of the time, in order to reach the pressure level. On the contrary, a high powered compressor requires less time to refill the tank again.   *When running my pneumatic nailer/stapler quickly, the first few nails drive okay, but others stand up. Is the problem with my compressor?* 
Probably not. The problem is volume of air, not pressure. Restrictions in the air line will cause a pressure drop to occur as a tool is being used in a fast operation. As the pressure drop occurs, drive power is reduced and the fasteners will be driven in a staircase appearance. That is, the first fastener will be driven all the way in - the next fastener will be a little higher, with the next fastener being even higher. 
Make sure you have the proper air hose requirements. Air supply hoses should have a minimum working pressure rating of 10 bars (150 psi) or 150 percent of the maximum pressure produced in the air supply system, whichever is higher. A good quality air hose with a minimum inside diameter of 5/16 should be used. Air hoses should always be kept as short as possibile. 
A filer, regulator, and lubricator should always be included in the air system for proper operation. A filter will prevent excessive tool wear and corrosion by trapping pipe scale, dirt, solidified lubricants, oil, moisture, and other components. Moisture removal prevents frozen airlines when operating at low temperatures. The regulator is the most important requirement for proper tool operation and the correct air pressure for the job. If the tool is over pressured, tool wear is greatly increased. 
If the tool is under-pressured, it will not perform satisfactorily. Heavy-duty lubricants applied at the factory and/or lubricating during a routine maintenance check cannot be expected to remain in the tool indefinitely. Consequently, a line lubricator that injects an oil mist into the tools air supply becomes essential. 
Check fittings and airline for restrictions. Even the smaller compressors can support a burst of at least 10 - 15 nails before pressure is so significantly reduced to affect the drive energy. Restrictions can be moisture, ice, dirt buildup, or even fittings and airlines too small to support the tools volume requirements.

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## phild01

My first compressor still works but hardly used as it isn't portable.  Second one gave up after probably 5 years.  Third one, the one just gone, never seemed right taking forever to come up to pressure.  When I buy these things I don't expect it to be doing a lot of work simply because it isn't for my livelihood.  With my house I have a bit more framing to do and difficult to reach areas and then I may never use a compressor again.  Tools are cheaper these days and if this was the case back when I first got a compressor, I would have spent up.
My question really relates to what size is minimum for slow and easy nailing.  Maybe 10 nails before replenishing.  The one that just died was more than enough for me at 2HP, 24litre.

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## METRIX

> My question really relates to what size is minimum for slow and easy nailing.  Maybe 10 nails before replenishing.  The one that just died was more than enough for me at 2HP, 24litre.

  According to my above post from fasco, a framer will use around 2 litres of air per shot, if you want 10 nails per replenish, you will need a reserve of around 20 litres before replenishing, a 24 litre will not be enough for that, as the pressure switch will cut in way before it gets to 4 litres, you will probably need to look at a 30 litre minimum or 50 preferably. 
Why don't you look at renting a Paslode gas gun when you need it, if you have another compressor, and said you probably won't use the new one again, then rent a gun for a day here and there, it will do the jobs you need quicker, and no need to spend another $200+ for something your not going to have a use for later. 
It's not as silly as it sounds, if you can line up as much framing work and get it all done in a day or two, then you only rent it twice, give it back, your job is done and outlay is minimal, plus you might be converted to the convenience of a gas gun after that.

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## ringtail

+1 for buying quality. My belt drive trade tools compresoor is coming up to 12 years old. I even use mine for spray painting cabinets etc.. Which gives any compressor an absolute flogging. They now do a range of more portable units too although I'm not sure if they are in Sydney, yet.

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## Marc

> Interesting, so it builds up enough pressure but only for a few nails.  I guess a 21L might be OK. 
> Marc you are right about the noise of direct drive, I have a much bigger belt drive under the house and it chugs along with much less noise.  Just too big to be bothered getting it out.

   What about some extra long house? ... ps ... meaning hose hehe

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## phild01

> What about some extra long house?

  My house could be longer, but have heaps of hose  :Biggrin: .  I just got back from Sydney Tools with a cheapie.
Sometimes I wonder if I am thinking right, I could have bought new couplings, rigged up a hose from under the house to where I am working and and got through my woes.  Marc, you should have triggered my thinking sooner :Blush7:

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## Marc

Dental Noiseless OIL Free Oilless AIR Compressor Motors 40L Tank 800W 155L MIN | eBay     Or try one of this no noise dentist screw compressors

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## Marc

House/hose ... ha ha, reminds me of the old timer that use to live next door.
He was a Scott that had lived 40 years in Australia yet I could hardly make up his thick Scottish accent. He use to tell me about his "hose" and how he built it ... I use to have a few seconds delay frozen thinking frantically what on earth is he talking about his hose ... and then it clicked ... Aaaaaah the HOUSE yes yes of course ...  
As far as cheap tools I bought cheap tools from time to time and regretted it most of the time. Cheap grinding disk that are out of centre, straight in the bin, cheap shift spanner with the flanges that are not parallel, straight in the forge and bashed it into an art nuvo decoration, Cheap bench top drill press not good enough to be called a toy, straight back to e-bay (and sold for the same money!) Pole chain saw pruner, worked for 5 minutes and blew up the gearbox. Back to ebay with $20 replacement gearbox not used ... some exceptions being my GMC compressor bought for $100 about 10 years ago, Green bosh drill about 15 years old can not kill it driving over it, blue Ryobi planer as good as new after 5 years

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## phild01

Wanted an ebay pole chain saw...darn :Annoyed:

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## Marc

How badly do you want it? If you want a good one the only good one I know is Stihl going between 1200 and 1500 according to model. If you want my ebay one, you can have it for cheap sicne I have yet to post it on e-bay. I replaced the gearbox with a new improved (yea right) version. The motor is actually rather good surprisingly and way more powerful than needed with some 50cc. It came with three pole extensions to reach some 7 meters, yet it is impossible to use a pole that long since it flexes badly, however with one or one and a half pole it is manageable. You can have it for $100. If the (new improved yea right) gearbox blows up again, you can build a go kart with the motor ...  :2thumbsup:

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## phild01

Used it today and got through 12 framing nails before it kicked in.  Bit lighter and a lot quieter than the awful thing that broke down on me.  It's Italian made so I hope it is reasonable quality.

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## phild01

> How badly do you want it? If you want a good one the only good one I know is Stihl going between 1200 and 1500 according to model. If you want my ebay one, you can have it for cheap sicne I have yet to post it on e-bay. I replaced the gearbox with a new improved (yea right) version. The motor is actually rather good surprisingly and way more powerful than needed with some 50cc. It came with three pole extensions to reach some 7 meters, yet it is impossible to use a pole that long since it flexes badly, however with one or one and a half pole it is manageable. You can have it for $100. If the (new improved yea right) gearbox blows up again, you can build a go kart with the motor ...

  I would be worried about the gearbox going, what were you cutting?

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## METRIX

> Used it today and got through 12 framing nails before it kicked in.  Bit lighter and a lot quieter than the awful thing that broke down on me.  It's Italian made so I hope it is reasonable quality.

  Phil, 
Did you get it at the 40% of price, its cheap for an italian made, and if you get 12 nails before kick in thats good.

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## phild01

Yeah, they have me on their mail-out and I saw it for $119.  Took the Repco one back and choofed off to get it.  They are great to deal with and quickly same day couriered one to their store for me to pick up.  While I was there the Fein rep wanted my interest in a $480 multi-tool kit.  They swear by their blades but at $60 each - wow!
So far very happy with the compressor.

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## Marc

Just some mulberry branches, yet I must confess that perhaps it was my fault. 
I bought the contraption on ebay in september 2012. Put it in the shed and forgot about it. In August 2013 I remembered that I wanted to prune the mulberry tree to avoid the pesky bats pooping my patio, so put the thing together, filled the container with oil for the chainsaw and tried to pump grease in the gearbox. Now this confounded box had a greasing nipple that was from the stone age when you had to press the pump against the nipple and hope for the pressure to open the valve up. I did so but perhaps wasn't as thorough as I had to be. When after 5 minutes the chain stopped running with some worrying grinding noises, I was out of warranty and so took it to my local chainsaw mechanic who told me that the gearbox was gone and that I needed a new one. (tell me something I don't know) I did ask him in passing as an unrelated comment if there was grease in the box ... by the way you know? ... and he said yes and I did not enquire any further, however it is my sneaking suspicion that there was actually not enough if anything at all.  
The new gearbox looked nothing like the old one, much bigger and with a proper nipple that took a lof of grease from my pump.
I have pollarded the tree already by climbing it and using the smaller of my chainsaw so I don't really need this for the foreseeable future. I would say you have a good chance that the thing will actually work as expected, yet ... who knows!

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