When choosing an air compressor, consider the tools you want it to power. Determine which requires the highest CFM with the highest PSI. If they all seem too big and you don't need high-demand tools, then having a 4-6 gallon hot dog or pancake style portable air compressor in your home garage might be the best solution for you. Those with lower cfm ratings will require patience; you'll drive in a few nails and then wait for the small compressor to catch up.
In fact, if you were to fill your tank halfway with cold water, the air would cool, the moisture would condense, and you would have drier air in your lines. With a long tradition of build-quality nailers, it's no wonder they also have compressors installed. Pancake compressors never include wheels and have a lower center of gravity and a wider base for use on roofs or anywhere you don't want it to roll. Some manufacturers continue to manufacture low-RPM direct-drive compressors in smaller sizes and are excellent for carpenter finishing and other applications where portability and silence are important.
You'll never have to worry about how you'll power your air tools on the roof or in the under-deck space. To have the freedom to be the warrior of the weekend or the experienced do-it-yourself, it's best to buy a larger single-stage air compressor or upgrade to a professional model. For us, “options” means those features that make the air compressor easier to use and maintain. A compressor works by continuously drawing in the surrounding air and mechanically compressing it through internally moving components and converts it into a force usable to power pneumatic tools.
There are countless ways to use air compressors to power pneumatic tools with unmatched power and longevity with corded or cordless power tools. Starting with single-stage machines that compressed air in a single stroke to two-stage compressors that compress at twice the air pressure, the technology has rapidly progressed to further adjust the needs of compressor applications that require maximum efficiency at all times. If you want to stay on the smaller side, a 30-gallon air compressor for your home garage can save a lot of space. It offers a better air supply than most, with up to 2.6 CFM at 90 PSI and a maximum of 135 PSI in its 3 gallon tank.
The way air compressor specifications are described may seem complicated, but there are six important specifications to consider.
