Industrial Air Compressors Don't Have to be Just for the Big Boys

I have a cute little "pancake" air compressor. It's not one of the monster industrial air compressors, but with a name like "pancake" what do you expect. I think it might be a five gallon unit, if I'm lucky. It works great for about one second. I am constantly wishing I had more air, more time, and more capacity in the shop. And I am not alone. Woodworkers, tinkerers, and guys with shops all over the country deal with the same frustration. I think the think most of us fail to recognize is that just because we have a small shop doesn't mean we have to settle for small compressors.

Industrial air compressors can be used by anyone, and are just what their name says they are, industrial. That means that they are designed to work reliably under more intense conditions and demands. They are meant to be used in applications where lots of air is required. I mean, nobody likes to hear the compressor fire up every few minutes as it struggles to keep up with the high demands in a real shop.  And nobody likes their work flow interrupted while they have to wait for the compressor to recharge.

The one main feature that industrial air compressors have over their smaller cousins is a larger gallon tank. This means that tanks of 20, 40, 60, 80 or larger qualify as industrial because of increased capacity. There are several brands that make these available. Campbell Hausfeld and Industrial Air are two that stand out above the competition. Let's take a closer look at them and see what some of the models are worth your consideration.

Campbell Hausfeld industrial air compressors have been around for a long time. They know what they are doing and their machines are top notch. The VT6290 weighs 175 pounds and has a 20 gallon capacity. Like all of their compressors, this one is made out of heavy duty cast iron and is oil lubed. It has a twin cylinder pump with a motor capable of running on both 120 or 240 volts. Since they put it on wheels, it can be easily situated where it is needed. Their larger VH6111 60 gallon model has a vertical tank and is meant to be stationary. This is meant to be used for higher demand applications and is perfect for any garage or shop. It sports easy to read gauges, an oversized cast iron pump, a 230 volt 3.0 horsepower motor, and 135 max psi. Pretty sweet for the average Joe!

One of the larger industrial air compressors I really like is the 80 gallon IV7518023 by Industrial Air. It will run you about $2500 large, but it is the real deal. Some of the features on this unit that set it apart are its cast iron, two stage compressor pump, hardened steel disc valves, oversized taper roller bearings, a fully balanced cast iron flywheel, and of course the large tank. This bad boy weighs 651 pounds and isn't going anywhere you don't want it to go. 7.3 horsepower gives it a 145-175 psi operating pressure, and a 175 psi maximum pressure rating.

Thankfully, none of us have to suffer with a too small, irritating compressor any longer. Industrial air compressors are now available that any of us can get.