Posts tagged pancake tank
Recommendations
Jan 26th
No matter what you need it for, find the best portable air compressor right here!
Basic inflator (12 V): Campbell Hausfeld RP1200. This inflator is quick, powerful, and plugs into your cigarette lighter. Priced around $20-25. Campbell also offers at 120V option if you need more power, which is priced ~$55.
Most portable options:
Pancake tank – Powermate 1-gallon Pancake Air Compressor. This is a very user friendly model that requires minimal maintenance and only weighs 16lbs! Priced $70-80.
More powerful options:
Pro-Force 10 Gallon, Oil Free, Air Compressor – This model offers much greater power while still being mobile enough to use around the house or garage. Priced ~$250 it is a great investment for any novice homeowner. *A professional or semi-professional contractor along with homeowners that attempt advanced household projects may want a more powerful option.
Ingersoll Rand Garage Mate 20-Gallon (Belt Drive) Cast Iron Compressor – This model is one of the best options that provides as much power as you would need for any consumer pneumatic tool and still is portable enough for any shop or garage. Runs on 120V and priced ~$600. Great mix of quality and affordability.
All the above options are electrically powered and thus a great option for any homeowner. If you are just using it around the house I would definitely recommend using an electric option, as gasoline powered options often come with a much larger maintenance burden. However, if you are interested in a portable, gasoline powered option than check out:
EMAX 17-gallon, 8HP Single Stage Portable Air Compressor w/Honda Engine. This is a great mix of quiet and power. Great for any job site as it is tough and durable while still portable enough to roll around on flat surfaces with relative ease. Priced ~$1,800-2,000 it is definitely only recommended for professionals.
I will reiterate that the average homeowner only needs a small pancake or hotdog tank to do small tasks like blowing up a tire, stapling, or air brushing. If you need to use any other air powered tools than I would recommend upgrading to a vertical/horizontal tank model (See ‘Pro Force’ above) or the Ingersoll Rand model described above if you will have extended periods of use with larger tools.
Various Tanks
Jan 25th
There are many different types of tanks to choose from regardless of what you need the portable air compressor for. Many of the names do not make much sense and it can seem like a very arbitrary decision as to which one you select. The following describes the different types of tanks and what each kind is good for.
Vertical Tank: The motor and the pump are mounted on top of the tall, rectangular tank. This tank provides a very space efficient design for a typically large capacity tank. However it is not easily transported because of the large capacity and more unstable design.
Horizontal Tank: This is a much more classic design consisting of an elongated cylinder that sits on mounted wheels, parallel to the ground. This offers a bit more portability but is still hard to transport to new locations. The capacity is still sufficient for use in a shop or mechanics office.
Pancake Tank: Much more portable tank that usually only weighs about 60lbs. The name describes it exactly as it has a very flat, rounded appearance. This model is ideal for small jobs, especially in tighter areas.
Wheel-Barrow Tank: The most portable option that is widely used on job sites. It is slightly heavier than the pancake tank, but the design makes it very easy to pull around. It is arranged just like a wheel barrow with two handles and a single wheel.
These are just some of the main models to choose from and certainly does not encompass all the options. My personal recommendation is the wheel-barrow model because of its portability. You can’t really take it inside the house very easily, but around the garage or driveway its the best.