Brian Keller wrote:
"The two-stage compressors (which cost twice as much) deliver a
lot more SCFM with less horsepower, so he argues that the the one that I am
looking at will cost me a lot more money in the long run because of the
increased electric bill."
In my opinion, I wouldn't worry about the added cost. While it may be true
that it will cost more in the long run, we are talking about pennies and
nickel as you go along. I don't think you would even notice the difference in
your monthly bill from one unit to the other, under the type of usage you are
planning. The compressor would probably have been replaced a long time ago
before you would recoup your extra cost.The money you save now could be much
better spent on parts/other tools, etc, and absorb the extra operating
expense as you go.
Personaly, I have a 3HP unit, rated at 9.3 SCFM. This is adequate for most
things, but it is marginal when using a die grinder. If I use the die grinder
a full speed, I have to stop once in a while to let the compressor catch up.
This is very frustrating. My estimation is that the extra 0.7 SCFM might make
the difference. I haven't tried sandblasting yet.
Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN
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