 Great compressor, but know what it's good for 1st, then buy it |
| Review Date: May 14, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Flying V, So Cal USA |
My background: I am a General Contractor/Finish Carpenter, 20yrs in the business. Some of the tool reviews I see are flawed based on perception; "this or that tool doesn't do everything I hoped it would" - regardless of the tool designer's intention. Granted, there are some crappy, poorly designed tools out there, and it's good to have feedback to prevent buying mistakes.
That said, be honest with yourself, what do you need this compressor to do?
Here is what this compressor isn't good for:
(1) Running as the primary compressor for your rough framing gun for production work. Not just because it won't keep up, but also that it will not last as long as an oiled compressor under those conditions.
(2) Running an air-chisel/chipper gun or other large air consumption tool; it will not provide enough CFM at pressure.
(3) Throw-N-Go; yes it's light enough to toss in the back of your truck with ease, but if you don't secure it - expect a lumpy red bowling ball rolling around on the first quick turn/panic stop. (Note: it's stable standing still/won't fall over when bumped)
(4) For homeowners, the hose and accessory kit is adequate, nothing more, nothing less. If you contract, you already know it's not the reason you are buying this compressor.
Here is what it is great for:
(1) The best reason of all - lightweight (34 lbs.) but still has punch. You will actually use this w/o hesitation because of weight. Great for running up stairs. Easy to set down on a moving pad w/o too much worry about denting finished flooring. Easy to move through doorways/prevent damaged jambs. No oily residue around motor. Start-up is circuit breaker friendly. Small footprint/low profile, (a real asset when carrying so many tools).
(2) Great for running finish guns. They don't have high CFM requirements, so why keep carrying around the 60lb+ compressor?
(3) Basic everyday homeowner needs; tire inflation, blowing off dusty workbench, filter cleaning, etc. This compressor is perfect for you. Buy it, you will have no regrets.
(4) The higher/150psi is good for the occasional "kick" for some harder wood. (most top out at 120-135psi) Just be sure to dial it back down afterward to save the nailgun seals.
(5) Higher pressure allows for the 120 psi cut-in/restart. This means more useable air pressure for the nailgun; a decrease in the last 2 or 3 shots not being countersank by the gun because of low pressure/waiting for the compressor to kick in. When it drops to 120 psi, it restarts. Most other compressors in this class max out/shut off at 120 psi.
(6) Larger tank, (6 gallon), and higher CFM @ 90psi than most other compressors in this class.
(7) More durable and it has features that make sense, (2 hose couplers, a new handle design lets you run a cable to lock it up at the jobsite). It's better designed than most other small compressors.
There's a reason you see this compressor so often on a finish carpenter's rig - great bang-for-the-buck and it works well. If your expectations are realistic, it will last too. As far as the comments I see about it being loud, it's not any louder than other compressors of similar capacity and price, and actually quieter than some of the rest.
I use the DeWalt D55155 for my intermediate/remodel compressor. It's an absolutely great multi-gun/moderate rough framing compressor, but just too heavy to carry for those days of just finish work. Construction is hard enough on us as it is. Buy your tools accordingly.
The bottom line is this:
Be honest in your tool expectations. I highly recommend this compressor but only for small to med CFM use/finish carpentry work, and some incidental/on-the-spot rough framing (e.g. correcting bad framing for finish work, NOT production rough framing). For construction with higher CFM needs, buy this as your second compressor, not primary.
If you only have basic, small business/homeowner needs, buy it with confidence in your decision. (For the record, I own and use this as one of my on-the-job compressors)
For those new to the construction business/or tool buying, I hope this helps.
For the other contractors, sorry if it sounds like preaching the obvious. Just trying to help the newbies.
- Spread the love -
Also Note: Before starting, be sure to follow the break-in procedure to-the-letter. Since it is an oil-less motor, it will make a difference in how long this compressor lasts, and save you from some unnecessary grief.
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Air compressor
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| Review Date: March 6, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Stuart Langrehr, |
| Was using a one gallon Campbell Haus compressor. It was incredibly loud and didn't hold much air. Using it for filling car and atv tires. Wanted more air capacity and quiter use. This Porter Cable six gallon is far better and quieter too. The extra accessories included with the WK version is less expensive than the standard C2002. Very nice unit and well built. Meets all my needs and runs less often due to the 6 gallon tank. Delivered on time as promised by Amazon. Well done! |
Great for the garage
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| Review Date: February 29, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Gene Diefenbach, |
I was actually looking for one of those 12 volt dc compressors that plugs into the accessories outlet of the car, but my auto mechanic-brother-in-law recommended that I go with a pancake compressor. I'm glad I took his advise. It's great for keeping the tires on our cars properly inflated, blowing the dust out of air filters and tools, and even cleaning the empty mouse nest out the engine of the garden tractor.
I was originally worried that it might take up too much space in the garage but it's very compact, light, and highly mobile. Great price, too. No post-purchase regrets.
Update: A year later and it's still working great. this last winter one of my tires developed a slow leak that necessitated adding air every other week. Doing so in the comfort of my garage instead of in the snow at the gas station was great. A month or so later a pot hole bent a rim on my wife's car and the compressor again came to the rescue. I have now acquired the annoying habit of checking the tire pressure on my daughter's and son's car when they visit. |
Great deal
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| Review Date: April 11, 2008 |
| Reviewer: L. Webley, |
I'm a framer and carpenter with a 4 man crew. We run 2 framing nailers off this compressor every day.
It's bulletproof, very well made, liteweight and has a great refill time. |
Fantastic, small, powerful!
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| Review Date: March 19, 2010 |
| Reviewer: W. Richards, Center Ossipee, NH |
I've used portable work-site compressors of various types for over 30 years; primarily for pneumatic fasteners and framers. The Porter Cable pancake compressor is, by far, the only one that is truly, comfortably portable, without sharp corners, while at the same time having the PSI and air capacity of six gallons to keep an air-thirsty framer working. I'm amused by the occasional complaints here and at other sites of the Porter Cable not having sufficient power for framing nailers, or that the unit kicks in regularly. Regarding the first commentary, my response is that this compressor has ample capacity to keep two framing nailers busy, PROVIDED THAT the user understands the simple physics in volume air handling. The hose ID is, in actual terms, a secondary stage air tank. The 25 foot x 1/4 inch hose supplied with the compressor is a terrific, light-weight hose and suits the machine's portability. For blowing up things around the home, and filling tires or delivering air to a stapler or brad gun, it is perfect. Having said that, ANY professional carpenter knows that a framing nailer, with its large bore and stroke, gobbles a very large volume of air, which must be backed up with volume that exceeds it. Only a 3/8" hose, or greater, will do that. As to the issue of the compressor kicking in regularly, perhaps some understanding of what's involved with this cycling is needed. All compressors have a turn-on/shut-off tank pressure parameter, whereby the tank pressure never rises above its safe working pressure, nor drops below the design minimum operating pressure. A look at the specs are pretty interesting. Porter Cable's design parameter is 120 PSI minimum to 150 PSI maximum. Their minimum is greater than the maximum of most machines in its class, and the maximum is 15 PSI greater than many machines that top-out at 135 PSI! Now, look at the tank capacity... 6 gallons! Again, it's the gallons of air--the volume--that refills the tool. Of course, such a machine is not ever going to maintain continuous air flow to tools that operate by bleeding off copious volumes of air, but then, such machines are not only not portable, they cost many hundreds, into the thousands, more. Finally, I live where oil-lubed air compressors stop working on cold days. A dry compressor such as the Porter Cable is unaffected by cold, and keeps working. I wonder how many people experience problems with their compressor because they didn't break it in, and began working it out of the box. Read the manual. The compressor requires a 15 minute break-in period, with no load, with the drain valve open. That's key. If you don't do it, you'll have a scored cylinder and air by-pass at the piston, and NO POWER. Your father used to ALWAYS break in his new car engine, because he knew that otherwise he'd be buying stock in an oil company. Even though manufacturers of many motors no longer stress this, it remains a fact that piston motors and engines run longer, more smoothly, more economically, and with greater efficiency after break in. Leakage around piston rings with a new motor is almost always caused by failure to break a motor in. Did you break your compressor in? Hmmmm???
This compressor is the loudest of the ones I've owned in this class, by far, but such is the price for this power, so I would not recommend running it in your bedroom at night.
Buy this compressor, break it in, get a 3/8" hose, and nail away with confidence and gusto! |
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