Finding the Right Air Compressor for Your Needs

<h1>Finding the Right Air Compressor for Your Needs</h1>Author: <a title="Brian Jenkins" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/brian-jenkins/58744.htm">Brian Jenkins</a> Air compressors are highly versatile tools, ideal for a wide range of different household and workshop tasks. The air compressor is usually attached to one of a variety of air tools (also called pneumatic tools), and in comparison to electrical tools, provide more power, durability, and ease of use.

An air compressor can be used to power nail or spray guns, hammers, wrenches, drills, saws, sanders, tire inflators-and that's just the start. There's almost no household or workshop project you can't complete with an air compressor and a few select tool attachments, making them enormously convenient tools.

The question is, what kind of air compressor do you need? The answer to that depends on several things:<ul>

<li>Where are you going to use the air compressor-will you have access to electricity?

<li>vAre you going to be working in a well-ventilated area?

<li>What types of tools are you going to use the air compressor to operate?</li></ul>

The tools you plan to use are the most important factor because most air compression tools have requirements for the air pressure and volume by which they operate.

Air Compressor Ratings

Air compression units are rates on four different factors:<ul>

<li>Pounds per Square Inch (PSI): This measurement is the amount of air pressure delivered by an air compressor unit. The higher the PSI rating, the greater the amount of air compression the unit can withstand, and the more air that can be compressed in the tank. (Essentially, the higher the PSI, the more compressed air a tank can hold.)

<li>Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM): This measurement is the volume of air that an air compressor can pump in one minute at a specific pressure. A higher CFM means a compressor can provide more air per minute. This means higher CFM-rated units are more suitable for larger jobs, while lower CFM-rated units are best for small projects.

<li>Horsepower (HP): This measures the amount of power produced by the air compressor's motor. A higher horsepower engine generally goes hand-in-hand with a higher PSI. Units with higher horsepower can usually handle a larger workload.

<li>Tank Size: Air compressor units with large tanks and powerful motors can operate at high PSI ratings for longer periods of time.</li></ul>

In general, for all of these measurements, the higher the measurement, the heavier the workload the air compressor unit can tolerate.

How do you choose the Right Air Compressor?

Choosing the right air compressor for your needs isn't a matter of guesswork, and there's more to it than understanding those four basic terms. There is, in fact, a specific formula you can use to select the air compressor that will work best (and safest) with your tools.

1. Check your air tools and select the one that has the highest CFM requirements at the highest PSI.

2. Add a 50% safety margin to the required CFM.

3. The resulting figure is the air compressor you need.

For example, if your highest powered tool needs 5 CFM at 100 PSI, you'll need to select an air compressor unit that provides at least 7.5 CFM at 100 PSI.

Other Considerations: Portability and Convenience

Once you've figured out the CFM and PSI requirements, choosing an air compressor comes down to finding a unit that provides you with the greatest degree of convenience and portability for a price that suits your budget.

Depending on how much you have to spend, you can choose between three main styles, and then take a look at extra features if you've got the budget for them.<ul>

<li>Twin-stack air compressors are the most portable, and are particularly good for projects that might be carried out in awkward places-roofing projects, car maintenance, or work carried out on uneven surfaces. Most are electric powered.

<li>Pancake air compressors are portable and light, but are smaller than twin-stacks and are generally more suitable for lighter projects such as crafts and hobbies.

<li>Wheelbarrow style units are highly maneuverable, and have the advantage of being gasoline powered, so you're not tied to using them in places that have access to electrical outlets. The downside is that you must operate them in a well-ventilated area for safety reasons.</li></ul>

Other features available depending on the unit you choose include electric start systems, dual air outlets to operate two tools at once, 'muffler' type units to reduce noise, and idle controls to help safe fuel on gasoline-powered units.About the Author: About Author: 
Brain Jenkins is a freelance writer who writes about products for the workplace such as a <a href="http://www.powercomplete.com/AirCompressors/index.html">Gas Air Compressor</a>Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/finding-the-right-air-compressor-for-your-needs-410942.html" title="Finding the Right Air Compressor for Your Needs">Finding the Right Air Compressor for Your Needs</a>

Air compressors are highly versatile tools, ideal for a wide range of different household and workshop tasks. The air compressor is usually attached to one of a variety of air tools (also called pneumatic tools), and in comparison to electrical tools, provide more power, durability, and ease of use.

An air compressor can be used to power nail or spray guns, hammers, wrenches, drills, saws, sanders, tire inflators-and that's just the start. There's almost no household or workshop project you can't complete with an air compressor and a few select tool attachments, making them enormously convenient tools.

The question is, what kind of air compressor do you need? The answer to that depends on several things:

Where are you going to use the air compressor-will you have access to electricity?
vAre you going to be working in a well-ventilated area?
What types of tools are you going to use the air compressor to operate?

The last factor-the types of tools you plan to operate-is the most important factor that will determine the air compressor you need, but it's also important to consider the environment in which you plan to use the compressor.

The tools you plan to use are the most important factor because most air compression tools have requirements for the air pressure and volume by which they operate.

Air Compressor Ratings

Air compression units are rates on four different factors:

Pounds per Square Inch (PSI): This measurement is the amount of air pressure delivered by an air compressor unit. The higher the PSI rating, the greater the amount of air compression the unit can withstand, and the more air that can be compressed in the tank. (Essentially, the higher the PSI, the more compressed air a tank can hold.)
Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM): This measurement is the volume of air that an air compressor can pump in one minute at a specific pressure. A higher CFM means a compressor can provide more air per minute. This means higher CFM-rated units are more suitable for larger jobs, while lower CFM-rated units are best for small projects.
Horsepower (HP): This measures the amount of power produced by the air compressor's motor. A higher horsepower engine generally goes hand-in-hand with a higher PSI. Units with higher horsepower can usually handle a larger workload.
Tank Size: Air compressor units with large tanks and powerful motors can operate at high PSI ratings for longer periods of time.

In general, for all of these measurements, the higher the measurement, the heavier the workload the air compressor unit can tolerate.

How do you choose the Right Air Compressor?

Choosing the right air compressor for your needs isn't a matter of guesswork, and there's more to it than understanding those four basic terms. There is, in fact, a specific formula you can use to select the air compressor that will work best (and safest) with your tools.

1. Check your air tools and select the one that has the highest CFM requirements at the highest PSI.

2. Add a 50% safety margin to the required CFM.

3. The resulting figure is the air compressor you need.

For example, if your highest powered tool needs 5 CFM at 100 PSI, you'll need to select an air compressor unit that provides at least 7.5 CFM at 100 PSI.

Other Considerations: Portability and Convenience

Once you've figured out the CFM and PSI requirements, choosing an air compressor comes down to finding a unit that provides you with the greatest degree of convenience and portability for a price that suits your budget.

Depending on how much you have to spend, you can choose between three main styles, and then take a look at extra features if you've got the budget for them.

Twin-stack air compressors are the most portable, and are particularly good for projects that might be carried out in awkward places-roofing projects, car maintenance, or work carried out on uneven surfaces. Most are electric powered.
Pancake air compressors are portable and light, but are smaller than twin-stacks and are generally more suitable for lighter projects such as crafts and hobbies.
Wheelbarrow style units are highly maneuverable, and have the advantage of being gasoline powered, so you're not tied to using them in places that have access to electrical outlets. The downside is that you must operate them in a well-ventilated area for safety reasons.

About Author:
Brain Jenkins is a freelance writer who writes about products for the workplace such as a Gas Air Compressor

Rate this Article:

0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)

Re-Publish

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/finding-the-right-air-compressor-for-your-needs-410942.html

Article Tags: Business, Home, Equipment, Power, Garage, Construction Equipment, Air Compressor, Compaction Equipment

Related Videos
Related Articles
Ask / Related Q&A

Play

How to Choose Songs for Air Guitar

Play

How to Make Air Guitar Competitions

Play

Choosing Costumes for Air Guitar

Play

Acrobatics in Air Guitar

Play

How To Install Air Horns On Your Truck

Latest Home Improvement Articles
More from Brian Jenkins

Sewage Treatment Plants Installers Cambridgeshire

By: Danielle Ingram | 06/01/2010
Sewage Treatment Plants Installation And Maintenance By Cambridgeshire Specialists

How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs Fast and Easy

By: Markus Skupeika | 06/01/2010
Not all methods to get rid of bed bugs is hard to complete. Others can be finished fast and quick.

AC and Heating Repair

By: Ben Kaylor | 06/01/2010
AC and Heating Repair for residential and commercial properties are essential to quality climate control. Find a local contractor in Phoenix for repair, service and installation of new heating and cooling systems.

Protect your hot tub throughout the year with hot tub covers

By: Tod Martin | 06/01/2010
Arctic Spas features Castcore hot tub covers which are water-resistant and crafted to protect hot tubs in any weather and temperature. Castcore hot tub covers actively insulate hot tubs and prevent heat loss. Arctic Spas UK carries Castcore covers, hot tubs, hot tub chemicals and hot tub accessories

Replacement Windows Help Delaware Homeowners save Money

By: Linda Dunkelberger | 06/01/2010
Installing replacement windows in your Delaware home can save you money year-round. So it is necessary to choose one of the best & efficient windows replacement contractors.

How to Choose the Right Cleaner For You

By: Bob Oracle | 06/01/2010
In today's world most of us want to live and work in a hygienic environment. We take this for granted in most of our work places but for some of us the pressures on our time mean we don't always have time to keep our homes as clean as we...

Picking Out the Right Office Furniture For Your Company

By: Annie Deakin | 06/01/2010
Buying the correct office furniture takes some time. You will need to do some research and learn about a few tricks so you can get just the right pieces for your office. It is so hard sometimes to choose because there are so many types to choose from. You want...

Well-Organized Offensive Services For Capable Cleaning

By: Manseo Sharma | 06/01/2010
The statement is simple enough, but keeping your home and office clean is difficult. Most of us are so busy working and cannot care enough to clean. On the other hand, some people think it is a lengthy process and the more times you're not ready to spend lots of time and clean energy. But there is now a solution to your problem; you can hire cleaning services to some service providers the most experienced.

The Benefits of a Standby Generator

By: Brian Jenkins | 07/08/2008 | Accessories
You cannot put a price tag on security and piece of mind. Convenience is another quality that is hard to give a monetary value. In a world of changing climates and increasing natural, and man-made, disasters, it is nice to have something to count on. That is where a standby generator can help.

Choosing a Home Generator

By: Brian Jenkins | 07/08/2008 | Accessories
What’s the right size? What kind of appliances would the generator have to power when there’s a power outage? Do I want a stationary or portable generator? What kind of accessories do I need to ensure that my generator can be used safely?

Benefits of a Portable Generator

By: Brian Jenkins | 07/08/2008 | Accessories
There are several benefits to having a portable generator in your home. Portable generators are reliable for supplying power for lighting and to electrical devices when the electrical service to your home experiences a power failure. Lightening, high winds, fires, vehicles hitting power poles, and other unexpected events can cause the electrical power supplied to your home by a service provider, to fail.

Understanding the Different Attributes of Air Compressors

By: Brian Jenkins | 16/06/2008 | Tools & Equipment
While it is easy to assume that all air compressors are created equally, they come in many different varieties and are uniquely suited to their specific purposes. They are simple machines designed to pump the air from one place to another and compress its volume. Once the gas has been stored, it can easily be used to inflate an object, for propulsion, or to provide energy.

How a Pressure Washer Can Revitalize Your Deck

By: Brian Jenkins | 16/06/2008 | Tools & Equipment
The right deck can turn previously unused space behind a home into a beautiful outdoor room. As the popularity of outdoor kitchens has skyrocketed in recent years, so has the construction of new decks. However, these extensions of home can become a maintenance nightmare for homeowners.

Finding the Right Generator for Your Camping Needs

By: Brian Jenkins | 16/06/2008 | Accessories
While some like to rough it for a few days, other camping aficionados prefer to have a generator around to power a few choice items for the camp. There are a wide variety of generators on the market, and each is designed with different purposes in mind.

Finding the Right Surge Protector for Your Computers and Gadgets

By: Brian Jenkins | 12/05/2008 | Home Improvement
The main function of a surge protector is exactly what the name suggests: to protect electronic equipment (particularly computers) from electrical surges.