Good Compressor

[bandsons]

I've been looking for a good compressor because using hand pump gets hard after a while... plus I can use it for many different tools so I figure it will be a good investment.

I've never owned a compressor so not exactly sure what to look for or stay away from. I would like an electric one and be able to "quickly" fill water rocket tanks to around 200psi or over.

Anyone have some suggestions? There are SO many on the market. I want to stay under $500...

[Blenderite]

Here are a bunch of options: http://air-compressors.findthebest.com/ ... le/Battery

This one appears to be the best: http://air-compressors.findthebest.com/ ... lime-40026

[bugwubber]

Here are a bunch of options: http://air-compressors.findthebest.com/ ... le/Battery

This one appears to be the best: http://air-compressors.findthebest.com/ ... lime-40026

Hmm I was given a slime branded compressor. Not the one pictured but as a brand, not impressed.

[bugwubber]

I've been looking for a good compressor because using hand pump gets hard after a while... plus I can use it for many different tools so I figure it will be a good investment.

I've never owned a compressor so not exactly sure what to look for or stay away from. I would like an electric one and be able to "quickly" fill water rocket tanks to around 200psi or over.

Anyone have some suggestions? There are SO many on the market. I want to stay under $500...

Are you wanting to stick to 12v compressors? There are some high quality portable compressors that are made for pneumatic nailers by dewalt etc that hit 200 psi. But you'll need ac power.

[bandsons]

I've been looking for a good compressor because using hand pump gets hard after a while... plus I can use it for many different tools so I figure it will be a good investment.

I've never owned a compressor so not exactly sure what to look for or stay away from. I would like an electric one and be able to "quickly" fill water rocket tanks to around 200psi or over.

Anyone have some suggestions? There are SO many on the market. I want to stay under $500...

Are you wanting to stick to 12v compressors? There are some high quality portable compressors that are made for pneumatic nailers by dewalt etc that hit 200 psi. But you'll need ac power.

Thanks bugwubber. I was not even considering 12v compressors really.

Yea I'm thinking about getting one I can use for air tools as well... and had my eye on that dewalt.

[bugwubber]

I've been looking for a good compressor because using hand pump gets hard after a while... plus I can use it for many different tools so I figure it will be a good investment.

I've never owned a compressor so not exactly sure what to look for or stay away from. I would like an electric one and be able to "quickly" fill water rocket tanks to around 200psi or over.

Anyone have some suggestions? There are SO many on the market. I want to stay under $500...

Are you wanting to stick to 12v compressors? There are some high quality portable compressors that are made for pneumatic nailers by dewalt etc that hit 200 psi. But you'll need ac power.

Thanks bugwubber. I was not even considering 12v compressors really.

Yea I'm thinking about getting one I can use for air tools as well... and had my eye on that dewalt.

I've got a 32gal tank on a 9.9CFM 150psi max compressor. That works for most air tools, but not things like pneumatic sanders. The pneumatic dremel will keep it constantly running. For the field, I can use a full tank for awhile, turn on the generator and recharge. If I had a smaller tank, the generator would have to kick on more but a higher max psi would offset that.

[Jamie5335]

Hello there,

I two an looking for a new compressor, of about the same price range as you asking with the same specifications. We already have a small 12 volt compressor that is powered from a cigarette lighter from a battery starter for a car. This works OK for smaller rockets but for rockets over 6 litre it takes forever to pressurise over 80 psi and that is not enough! This compressor cost £20 from the electronic store Maplins. However now I two and in the hunt for a more powerful compressor....

Cheers,

[Blenderite]

Jamie5335,

You can take several cheap compressors and gang them up to fill the volume faster. I once saw some one on YouTube use 10 small compressors to fill a rocket. Filled in like less than a minute.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Jamie5335,

You can take several cheap compressors and gang them up to fill the volume faster. I once saw some one on YouTube use 10 small compressors to fill a rocket. Filled in like less than a minute.

-DogLover

A long time ago we had a discussion about cascading several small compressors so that the outlet of one would feed the inlet of the next one and that would result in a much higher pressure than would be otherwise possible. Was that what they were doing, or were they all hooked to a manifold in parallel?

[Blenderite]

A long time ago we had a discussion about cascading several small compressors so that the outlet of one would feed the inlet of the next one and that would result in a much higher pressure than would be otherwise possible. Was that what they were doing, or were they all hooked to a manifold in parallel?

I believe it was all attached to a manifold. This gives me a idea. If there were 5 compressors attached together to increase the pressure and then 5 attached to a manifold for high volume...

[Nick B]

yikes...


cheaper to use a small welding tank.



We often use a portable air tank to air up bigger rockets and top them off with a hand pump.

[Nick B]

Jamie5335,

You can take several cheap compressors and gang them up to fill the volume faster. I once saw some one on YouTube use 10 small compressors to fill a rocket. Filled in like less than a minute.

-DogLover

A long time ago we had a discussion about cascading several small compressors so that the outlet of one would feed the inlet of the next one and that would result in a much higher pressure than would be otherwise possible. Was that what they were doing, or were they all hooked to a manifold in parallel?

interesting.

Diaphragm compressors pretty much at a set pace stroke, pace and volume, so i dhunno how much that would work, plus you would need all the components to be able to handle the peak pressure, and the pressure switches and safety pop offs, set to match. not to say that it not done industrial settings, but still....

be a more costly mess than a easy solution....imho...

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

Jamie5335,

You can take several cheap compressors and gang them up to fill the volume faster. I once saw some one on YouTube use 10 small compressors to fill a rocket. Filled in like less than a minute.

-DogLover

A long time ago we had a discussion about cascading several small compressors so that the outlet of one would feed the inlet of the next one and that would result in a much higher pressure than would be otherwise possible. Was that what they were doing, or were they all hooked to a manifold in parallel?

interesting.

Diaphragm compressors pretty much at a set pace stroke, pace and volume, so i dhunno how much that would work, plus you would need all the components to be able to handle the peak pressure, and the pressure switches and safety pop offs, set to match. not to say that it not done industrial settings, but still....

be a more costly mess than a easy solution....imho...

Some would say that water rockets are a messy solution to a problem easily solved by the purchase of one of those Skill Level 1 Estes Rocket kits. Why bother making a messy rocket from bottles and having to make all kinds of special launchers and plumbing?

[Nick B]

Some would say that water rockets are a messy solution to a problem easily solved by the purchase of one of those Skill Level 1 Estes Rocket kits. Why bother making a messy rocket from bottles and having to make all kinds of special launchers and plumbing?

sure.
But it depends on where your perspective is on your analogy, as to effort, costs, function and repeatability.

If you see a few pieces of pvc, an o ring, and a tire pump as a difficult or cost prohibitive, as opposed to a cub scout pyro rocket package with three uses, .........yes. If you see cheap repeatability, and free rocket bodies and endless free reaction mass as a preferred opportunity, then no. If you prefer the mechanical challenge of the build project for the pump setup, regardless the cost, parts list, or labor, functional or not, then yes. If you want a cost effective, simple turn key, solution, then no.
Perspectives.

and the lifespan of pumps, assembly errors, unsuitable parts under testing and tweaking, only complicate the process. We know most cheap compressors are junk, beyond a few uses anyhow. Now we would enter a "group" of possible junk compressors into the math.

If we were custom build shops, quoting for the expense to build this ganged setup on parts and labor, without warranty, vs the customer buying a air tank, scuba or welding tank, the bottled air would win the quote by a country mile.

[bugwubber]

Here's the 4500psi compressor boosterthat was designed to be fed air from a normal 125psi compressor. Says 8 cubic ft per hour fill rate.

Guess it would take years of use to pay for itself unless you take up another hobby that requires high air pressure.

Bugwubber