For large jobs, I run from four to six framing nailers per crew, and I need a compressor that keeps up as those carpenters are nailing like crazy. Whether we’re gang?nailing sheathing or sinking nails into LVL, when the compressor tank is drawn down, waiting for a weak compressor to cycle on or having to finish off proud nails with hammers slows us down.
Test Criteria
I tested five 15?amp compressors with air?tank capacities ranging from 17 to 25 gallons: the 20?gallon Campbell Hausfeld VT6290, the 25?gallon Craftsman 19541, DeWalt’s 17?gallon D55575, Porter?Cable’s 20?gallon CPFC2TV3520W, and the 20?gallon Rol?Air 5520HK17.
I ran the machines for more than two months on our jobsites and in the shop, first looking at assembly, gauges, oil change, and pressure output adjustments. Next, I tested each machine’s frequency of drain?down and low?pressure performance.
Assembly
Each unit assembled with no problem. It was a nuisance, though, that additional purchases were required before four of the five units were fully operational. The Campbell Hausfeld, DeWalt, and Rol?Air needed female hose fittings and the Craftsman needed oil. The Porter?Cable was ready to work right out of the box.
Gauges & Housings. The Craftsman, DeWalt, Porter?Cable, and Rol?Air pressure gauges are well placed and easy to read, seem durable, and react quickly to pressure changes. Campbell Hausfeld’s are a little smaller, but readable and functional.
The Campbell Hausfeld, Craftsman, and Porter?Cable compressors have plastic housings surrounding their belt drives, which made me wonder what damage a falling 2×4 could do to them.
Air Output & Recovery
I tested each unit to see which ones cycled on and off the most and which ones kept up with constant pressure demands. When the units were drawn down, I checked which ones had enough juice to flush?set nails just before the pump kicked on. Also, you can dial down the output pressure if you end up putting a unit like this on a trim site. The pressure adjustment knobs on all the units worked fine, easily letting me adjust the pressure to the level I wanted.
Air Output. I used each unit on site for six weeks and they kept up with our air demands perfectly. Only the Campbell Hausfeld was a little slow in high?demand applications.
But I also wanted to know if there were differences in pure capacity that might not have shown up out on site or that might be relevant for other uses, like air?hungry pneumatic sanders, grinders, or paint spray guns. I took the compressors into my shop and staged a draw?down test.
I timed how long the compressors took to draw down from full pressure to 90 psi by firing nails from my framing nailer. This test drew more air?faster?from the units than a crew of four gang?nailing subflooring or sidewalls could. It’s a pure capacity test designed to show which units keep you nailing or working longest before cycling on.
Full?Pressure Draw?Down. The chart below describes how long it took me to drain each unit from full pressure down to 90 psi driving framing nails into 6?by.
The 25?gallon (the largest tank in the group) Craftsman lasted the longest before its pump kicked on to refill, and the 20?gallon Porter?Cable was close behind. If I was spraying finishes or running pneumatic tools that require huge gulps of air, like an impact wrench, instead of firing framing nails, I’d want the units with the longest draw?down times. I can work in longer bursts before the pump has to refill the tank.
Setting Nails at 90 psi. Most framing nailers require 90 psi to set a nail flush, so I drew the compressors down to 90 psi, then shot nails into 6?inch timbers, checking for “laddered” nails (each successive nail is left higher and higher before the compressor cycles on). The Craftsman and DeWalt compressors drew down to 90 psi and still set nails well. The Rol?Air was impressive, consistently draining to 82 psi and still setting its nails. The Campbell Hausfeld was inconsistent, leaving nail heads standing high at 90 psi.
The Porter?Cable runs at a higher pressure than typical compressors, topping out at 165 psi. It runs down to 100?psi tank pressure before it refills, and it set nails consistently at its low range.
Distinguishing Designs
Testing compressors may not be as exciting as testing sliding compound miter saws or circular saws; after all, a compressor pretty much just sits there. Still, that didn’t keep the creative engineers from incorporating user?friendly features that my crew and I really liked.
The DeWalt is the most feature?packed. First, I love the ball?valve drain lever. It’s in a good location and, thankfully, there’s no chance someone can strip it with pliers, which happens all the time to the leaky screw valves on my compressors. No debris will fill the threads, either, which also causes screw valves to leak. (I liked this feature so much, I retrofitted my old compressors with ball valves.)
Second, I’m impressed with the compressor’s adjustable pilot valve, which controls the motor’s start/stop function. You can set the pilot valve to run in a start/stop fashion (the typical way) or you can bypass it for constant run. Constant run is desirable for heavy usage, according to DeWalt, and saves wear on the motor by avoiding constant on?off cycling. The toggle switch is pre?wired for operation at 120 or 240 volts?you only need an adapter. Running at 240 volts requires a lower current draw and produces less motor wear. Wiring at 240 volts also discourages a carpenter from running the compressor from a 100?foot 14/3 power cord and tripping every breaker within a mile of the job.
The no frills/all function Rol?Air has a real standout feature: a glass bubble for inspecting the oil. It’s right on the pump and allows you to check both oil level and cleanliness easily. I didn’t worry about breaking it, either.
The fold?away handle on the Porter?Cable is handy and makes transport and storage easier, but taking the cake for special features is the unit’s unique four?port manifold. You can attach four separate hoses to it and regulate the pressure from it. Not only does this neaten up a tangle of hissing fittings and hoses that are hard to plug in and reach, but the manifold also detaches. This allows you to run a lead hose from the main unit and bring the manifold to a central location inside the building?leaving the machine and noise outside and closer to the power source.
One note of caution, especially for crews using 3/8?inch fittings: The air runs from the Porter?Cable’s tank?unregulated?to the manifold. The manifold, where the regulator is, has a 3/8?inch fitting to tap into the air source, and more typical 1/4?inch fittings for hoses. The compressor runs at 165 psi and if someone unknowingly bypassed the manifold and plugged directly into a hose, 165 psi air would go directly to your nailer. Not only would this be bad news for your O?rings, but also your nailer may shoot through 1/2?inch sheathing or, worse, fail in some other way. I’m surprised there’s no permanent warning sticker or proprietary fitting.
Tank Size
I replaced my dependable 8?gallon twin tank compressors with these bigger, taller, and fatter units during the test period. As I wheeled one into my trailer, I wondered what I was really getting out of it; after all, my 8?gallon compressors work fine. The answer has two parts: First, these bigger units get more air to the crew’s nailers because the tanks are twice the size of what I normally use. Second, according to manufacturers, the larger units last longer, because their larger reserves require them to cycle on and off less. Also, they refill more quickly. This results in moving parts doing less moving than in a smaller compressor run under similar conditions, resulting in a more durable compressor.
Oil Change. The Craftsman has the most sensible oil?change feature; it’s easy to fill and drain, and the drain plug is well placed to accept a shallow pan or funnel. The next best is Rol?Air’s, which is easy to fill and drain, though I’d replace its drainpipe with a 2? to 3?inch extension of threaded pipe for easier access.
The Campbell Hausfeld and DeWalt oil changes are more challenging. Campbell Hausfeld’s has clear access to the fill port if you pour from the bottle; if you use a funnel, the air filter obstructs it somewhat. Draining it is a problem. There’s no drain pipe, just a drain plug, which causes oil to drain on the mounting bracket and tank. Filling the DeWalt is easy, but draining it is problematic because the drain pipe is too short. There’s enough room to wiggle a funnel in there and drain the oil but not enough room to conveniently use a pan. It’s not that you couldn’t rig something up to catch the oil, but if the drainpipe was 3 to 4 inches longer it would prevent the issue.
The Porter?Cable is the only oil?free/maintenance?free compressor in the group.
Winners
This was a close race. Most of the units in the test provide the big air and quick recovery we need. What separates the winners are smart features. Since the best features are so unique and good, I picked two winners: the DeWalt D55575 and the Porter?Cable CPFC2TV3520W. The DeWalt’s ball?valve drain plug works perfectly, the adjustable pilot valve for constant run or start/stop is great, and I love the unit’s ability to run at 120 or 240 volts. It also refills its 17?gallon tank quickly. Porter?Cable’s four?hose detachable manifold is brilliant. I love leaving a compressor outside or near power and only bringing the controls inside?on one hose. Also, the Porter?Cable is “maintenance?free.” While the skeptic in me thinks that only time will tell what “maintenance?free” really means, the compressor worked perfectly during every phase of the test.
Close behind is the extremely well?built Rol?Air. I like its rugged construction and the oil?inspection window. The unit functions beautifully, even when below 90 psi. The Craftsman also is a no?frills unit that works well; however, the plastic on its belt housing may be susceptible to damage. Its oil change is the best in the group and it provides plenty of air. The Campbell Hausfeld follows the others because it didn’t supply the power and consistency of air that my nailers need.
Steve Veroneau owns Transformations, LLC, in Falls Church, Va., and is a contributing editor to Hanley?Wood’s TOOLS OF THE TRADE.
Sources of Supply
Campbell Hausfeld
Model VT6290: $407
888?247?6937
www.chpower.com
Craftsman
Model 19541: $390
800?377?7414
www.sears.com/craftsman
DeWalt Industrial Tool
Model D55575: $849
800?433?9258
www.dewalt.com
Porter?Cable Corp.
Model CPFC2TV3520W: $499
800?487?8665
www.portercable.com
Rol?Air
Model 5520HK17: $689 to $749
920?349?3281
www.rolair.net