If you are doing renovation works, you are most likely already aware that different types of compressor can be helpful in powering tools, facilitating your work and generally being able to power your tools much more efficiently. There are two main types of compressor that you can use, here we will have a look at what each type of compressor has to offer.
Air compressors – electric powered
Air compressors run from a mains power source. Compressors tend to consume a lot of energy, so before you choose your compressor it is important to make sure that you have a power supply that can handle it.
To suit the compressor type with your tools, check the SCFM rating on your tool as this will tell you the level of power that you will need. Use the SCFM rating as your basis for choosing a compressor that is suitable for your tools.
Air compressors come in a variety of shapes and sizes and they all do different jobs. Smaller air compressors are good for inflating tires, ball, caulking windows, installing trims and creating headboards. Once you know what you are doing with your air compressor, it will be easy to choose the correct compressor for the job.
Standard air compressors are good if you want to use the compressor for inflating. If you need a compressor that will power tools such as for fastening projects, nailing and caulking an inflation compressor will power this for you also.
Sanders, grinders and cut off tools need a constant supply of air to run and so which compressor you choose depends on how regularly you are likely to use it. If you need a compressor to repair lawn equipment or to spray paint furniture, you will need a larger compressor (around seven to thirty gallons).
The specific size of the compressor you need will depend on the tools you are using and the length of time you will need to use them for. Also worth considering is how often you are going to use the compressor. If you are using your compressor daily, opt for a larger size, for less use a smaller size.
Liquid Compressor – liquid CO2 powered
A liquid compressor is an air compressor that runs on liquid carbon dioxide. The benefits of this are that liquid carbon dioxide takes up a fraction of the space (approximately less than 1% of the space of compressed air) giving you excellent efficiency and performance. That carbon dioxide is safe and dry so moisture is not injected into your tools and it can power anything that needs air power to run such as pneumatic tools and inflaters.
The main benefit of a liquid compressor is that you do not have to hook it up to the mains, making it portable so that you can use it in small and difficult spaces, or navigate your tools around precision work (such as spray painting furniture, or blowing dirt away from computing equipment and motherboards).
Citations:
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Ben writes for the home improvement
industry and currently writes for a tool hire company specialising in air
compressor hire.