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Finally buying a compressor

Alan Weinberg

Alan Weinberg

Joined
Feb 18, 2023
Messages
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Location
Orange, CA
Limited by space, I’ve had no compressor and it’s a hassle. To clear chips from small opening hollow forms is tedious, often removing the chuck from the lathe to shake it out. And there are lots of other uses for a compressor.

But after turning small opening HFs with Mike Jackofsky, I bit the bullet and today bought a California Air 15 gallon compressor, supposedly quiet at 70 dB, model 15020C, oil free: https://www.californiaairtools.com/...ompressors/2-0-hp-air-compressors/cat-15020c/

So I guess I have to find room now.
 
Lol, I know what it is to lack space. What I like to do is install the compressor high up off the floor in some central position, usually on top a shelf. I haven't done as it yet in my current place as I will need a hand to get it up there. This works really well for me.
 
hughie said:
Lol, I know what it is to lack space. What I like to do is install the compressor high up off the floor in some central position, usually on top a shelf. I haven't done as it yet in my current place as I will need a hand to get it up there. This works really well for me.
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That’s a good idea!
 
Alan Weinberg said:
Limited by space, I’ve had no compressor and it’s a hassle. To clear chips from small opening hollow forms is tedious, often removing the chuck from the lathe to shake it out. And there are lots of other uses for a compressor.

But after turning small opening HFs with Mike Jackofsky, I bit the bullet and today bought a California Air 15 gallon compressor, supposedly quiet at 70 dB, model 15020C, oil free: https://www.californiaairtools.com/...ompressors/2-0-hp-air-compressors/cat-15020c/

So I guess I have to find room now.
Click to expand...
Kevin Jesseqel was using one of those during his demo at the Oregon Symposium. Could hardly even hear it. I was impressed.
 
Alan Weinberg said:
Limited by space, I’ve had no compressor and it’s a hassle. To clear chips from small opening hollow forms is tedious, often removing the chuck from the lathe to shake it out. And there are lots of other uses for a compressor.

But after turning small opening HFs with Mike Jackofsky, I bit the bullet and today bought a California Air 15 gallon compressor, supposedly quiet at 70 dB, model 15020C, oil free: https://www.californiaairtools.com/...ompressors/2-0-hp-air-compressors/cat-15020c/

So I guess I have to find room now.
Click to expand...
I bought the smaller version and am really impressed with it.

www.californiaairtools.com

California Air Tools - The Largest Manufacture of Ultra Quiet, Oil-Free & Lightweight Air Compressors - CAT-4710SQ

New page
www.californiaairtools.com www.californiaairtools.com
 
Glad you pulled the trigger. You will find many uses for it. I recently watched a Glen Lucas video where he said he blasts the piece with compressed air between sanding grits. That never occurred to me. I know some people hate compressed air in the shop, but I've never had a problem with it.
 
Kent Reisdorph said:
Glad you pulled the trigger. You will find many uses for it. I recently watched a Glen Lucas video where he said he blasts the piece with compressed air between sanding grits. That never occurred to me. I know some people hate compressed air in the shop, but I've never had a problem with it.
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Jackofsky does that also. Makes a difference.
 
Kent Reisdorph said:
Glad you pulled the trigger. You will find many uses for it. I recently watched a Glen Lucas video where he said he blasts the piece with compressed air between sanding grits. That never occurred to me. I know some people hate compressed air in the shop, but I've never had a problem with it.
Click to expand...
I do the same, what you leave in there will instantly clog the next go with the sand paper. On deep vessels I have the DC fitted to the internal sanding set up in an effort to remove it as it occurs
 
Alan, if you have the time, check out Mike’s 5-day hollow form workshop through Craft Supplies. It is the best investment I’ve made on my turning journey. His September class is sold out, but they are planning another one for March.
 
Jaramiah Severns said:
Alan, if you have the time, check out Mike’s 5-day hollow form workshop through Craft Supplies. It is the best investment I’ve made on my turning journey. His September class is sold out, but they are planning another one for March.
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I just did 2 days one on one with him. He is 80 miles south of me so I drove each day. His class has 12 people, so less individual teaching. I’ll digest what I learned and return in a few weeks. Great teacher. I learned a ton. Thanks.
Kent Reisdorph

Post in thread 'Mike Jackofsky: challenging dogma'

Alan Weinberg said:
After sanding to 180-220 or so, further sanding is done off the lathe after the piece is complete, using random orbital sanders to 400 grit.
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I do that, more or less. I sand the piece with a ROS while still mounted on the lathe, but stationary. The advantage to doing it off the lathe, is you wouldn't have to worry about blending lines after removing the tenon. The disadvantage is obvious: I'm too clumsy or lazy to do sanding in my lap.
 
Alan Weinberg said:
Arrived today but missing the wheel assembly. I’ll call them tomorrow. Runs great and it is quiet. Easy to talk/hear over.
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Yeah, 70dB is pretty nice. I picked up a Husky quiet model, which is 72dB. Occasionally it will get a little louder (something with the compressor...its never failed, just something about how it operates internally and it seems fine, just slightly louder), but it will usually settle down to its quiet operation within about a minute tops. My very first compressor was LOUD, over 90dB! That is quite loud, and in a relatively small enclosed space, it can really affect the ears. It was more like a clang and bang, with loud knocking. The Husky is more like a thud thud, much softer, and even when its louder (which is usually just when it kicks on), its still vastly better than the original compressor I had.

If your shop is small like mine, which sounds like the case, you'll be quite thankful for that quieter operation. If you have to blow off a lot of chips and dust, that 15 gallon tank will last for a bit, but it will cycle often enough, and the softer sound will be an ear saver over the duration, for sure!
 
I mentioned this elsewhere, but my cheap(ish) Kobalt was rated at 60dB. My new Ingersol Rand is 70dB. The IR is half again quieter than the Kobalt. The Kobalt specs lie in this case.
 
Found the wheel assembly and put it all together. Turned a piece on the lathe yesterday and the compressor made it ever so easy to evacuate chips and saved so much time. Helped with cleanup also. Sound level was very tolerable, easy to listen to music over the sound of the compressor. Great purchase!
 
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