We have a Rol-Air 5.5 hp gas twin-tank compressor that we use on framing jobs. The only complaint is the drain cock may break off when you use channel locks to loosen when it’s literally frozen, but that’s another story.
We like to reduce the amount of noise while working so the compressor is often around the corner of the house or something like that to get some distance from the work area. We typically work in a neighboorhood where either the client or their neighbors are home during the day. I’m sure it’s no fun if the only thing between your home office and our gas compressor is 1/2″ GWB, FG insulation, vinyl siding and 25 feet of distance.
Does anyone have any novel solutions to easily reducing the noise a compressor puts out? We often will tip a piece of ply against the unit which helps to some degree but I wonder if there’s something better.
Anyone?
Replies
I haven't used a gas compressor, but my electric Thomas is fairly quiet. That was one of the big reasons I got it. I'm not saying its whisper quiet...about the sound level of a loud conversation, but that is probably half the noise of some of the other small electric compressors I've used in the past. Also, it can run on a 15amp circuit.
jt8
"Take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame." -- Erica Mann Jong
John,I've heard that the Thomas compressors are very quiet but we need something with a lot more power. If we used electric it would have to run off a 240v circuit and that's another round of problems to deal with.
Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
I like the electric units because they never run out of gas. When I began (framing) we had 1 of them on every job working 3 - 4 guns. Seemed to work just fine. We had the twin tank wheelbarrow unit by Emglo. I liked it so much I bought one when I went off on my own. It is a 15 amp unit and is still running after 18 years. I even used it for spraying from time to time, but that's another story.I don't know what you mean by "needing more power." Do you mean more than 120+ psi? Greater airtank capacity than 7 or 8 gal? Don't understand where the 220v comes from.The electric units don't make the same amount of noise as the gas units but some can be pretty loud. PC is notorioous for being loud.Did DeWalt buy Emglo? i think so and so I would go with DeWalt. Or you can stick with Rol-Air. They have electric.FrankieThere he goes—one of God's own prototypes—a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die.—Hunter S. Thompson
from Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
I don't know what you mean by "needing more power." Do you mean more than 120+ psi? Greater airtank capacity than 7 or 8 gal? Don't understand where the 220v comes from.Frankie, we use a large compressor because our hand carry units are a bit small. The 8-10 cfm that our gas unit can provide at 90 psi is not essential but it's nice to have at times. The reason for the gas is that even the small 1-1/2 hp Emglo and Rol-air compressors we have can trip the breaker or strain when run off an extension cord.Are you telling me that the 1-1/2 horse two stage wheelbarrow compressor will run all day off a standard 15 amp circuit? I've never worked with one but I would think they would trip the breaker often. Hence the reason for the gas.Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
Edited 2/14/2006 12:33 pm ET by JonBlakemore
Aha! I understand what you mean. My Emglo does run all day without tripping the 15 amp breaker, but it did not use to unless I plugged it directly to the outlet. Now I run it off a 12 gauge extension cord ($$) and that solved the problem.Now that cord is marked "For Compressor Only" and travels with the compressor.It only pulls max load - just under 15 amps (I think 13) - when it starts up, for just a second. Somehow the 12g cord is the solution. You can then get a splitter for the air hose connection which will feed 2 - 3 guns at 90psi.Rent one for a week to test it out.FrankieThere he goes—one of God's own prototypes—a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die.—Hunter S. Thompson
from Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
I made up an extension cord out of 12 ga Romex. Effect is the same as plugging your compressor directly into an outlet.
That's not entirely true. Any extra conductor has resistance.In fact, I use a 50' 10ga cord at times. It works well if you're close to the panel but if you already have a 125' loop of 14ga conductor before the outlet than it's pretty weak.
Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
Jon,
You need to make an enclosure to contain the noise. It has to be ventilated with tortuous air paths and absorbent material to soak up the noise from the escaping/entering air. MDF works well, and it can be a bell jar, IOW, no bottom to it, just spongefoam gasketing where it hits the floor. It will be, and needs to be, heavy.
I have never done a gas-powered compressor. Heat build up is a very real concern.
Bill
Bill,I've thought of building an enclosure like you mention but the size and weight deter me.I'm guessing that I want a panacea- light weight, small size, no effects on compressor performance, etc. Probably not going to find it.
Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
I have made a box to cut down the noise of a large compressor for a auto repair shop.It was made of 1/4" ply wood, furring strips and 2 layers of ceiling tile. I glued the tile to the plywood with construction adhesive and screwed the ply to the furrings to make a panel. I made the roof with 2 layers of ply and tiles separated by a 1 by 4. It was a flat box with one side missing to let air in, point that side away from the house.
It takes very little time to make up 4 panels and a roof and they do not weigh much. Taken apart,they don't take up much room when stored at the shop.
Do you use a tool trailer or something like that? I contractor I knew in Maryland had a tool trailer, and they built in a place for their gas compressor. I think they may have had a generator there too. Both stayed in the trailer, and they just ran their hoses and cords to the trailer.
Anyway, if you did something like that, I imagine it would be pretty easy to reduce the noise, maybe using ceiling tile and building in a dead air space.
Jon,
Electric is the way to go regarding quiet.. I have a tiny and ancient Chineese made 1/2 Hp electric that I run into a great big 65 gallon air tank..
It can keep up with several trim nailers or a couple of framing nailers..I even used it with three roofing nailers..
The size of the air tank is the secret.
A tiny little air compressor like that would never keep up with even a moderately used framing nasiler but add the big tank and it's amazing!
Where can you buy just an air tank and is there anything special to hooking it up? Just run a line from the compressor to the tank, then from the tank to your nailer, spray gun, etc?
check the cheap papers, around here they come under such names as trading times, village news etc..
Always seems to be one listed..
Yeh I just put a double end into the tank with two male couplings ran the air hose from the little electric compressor into the air tank and used the regular line out to the nail gun.. I actually used this setup when ever I used both the little 1/2 hp compressor and the big 5 hp compressor for high volume applications like sand blasting..
If I weren't so busy I'd rebuild the 5 hp motor and would rely totally on the cheap little Chineese import that's at least 30 years old..
Jon,
Google for Super Trapp muffler.
KK
Don't know if you'd be willing to replace the compressor with an electric, but a belt drive electric can be very quiet. My bigger compressor is an old belt drive I think the brand is DeVbliss. Makes a sort of "puttering" noise that is not at all objectionable even in the same room. Only bring it to a jobsite if I really need something bigger (and the darn thing weighs a ton-and-a-half-plus-two or anyway it's @#$%heavy). For a portable, I have a PC pancake that sounds like a loud lawnmower but I can carry it with one hand.