One of the handiest tools you can have in the garage is an air compressor, and to help us explain some of the things you should and shouldn’t do with buying an air compressor, we have Jennifer Marzano from Ingersoll-Rand. Hi.

Jennifer: Hi.

Goss: Okay, now, one of the very first things is to take inventory of what you’re going to be using, right?

Jennifer: Correct. The big thing when you’re picking out a compressor is know what your CFM is and what you’re running on that compressor.

Goss: Okay. CFM, cubic feet per minute.

Jennifer: Correct.

Goss: And different tools require different amounts of air.

Jennifer: Correct. The impacts are about 4 CFM, and then sanders and grinders that you’re holding all the time go up to the 12 range.

Goss: Okay. So we need more air to run sanders than we do impact wrenches or something like this powder coating gun and so on. Then another popular thing is a blast cabinet.

Jennifer: Right. You need a lot more to run that than any of these.

Goss: Okay, now, here’s a popular compressor. Very small, very inexpensive, but how’s it going to apply to do-it-yourselfers?

Jennifer: This is a great one if you’re going to just be using it every so often. You can maybe do a tire if you’re running a half impact on it.

Goss: Okay. So it would have to pump back up before you could continue.

Jennifer: Correct.

Goss: Okay, here we have an Ingersoll.

Jennifer: This is our Garage Mate, which you could do about two to three tires on with the impact, and it’s great for the weekend warrior or a little more than that.

Goss: Okay, and here. This is still suitable for the home garage, right?

Jennifer: Yes, it is. But that will do the whole car and then you’ll have a little left over for something else afterward.

Goss: And this would also run the sanders and so on.

Jennifer: Correct.

Goss: Okay, now, buy a compressor like this. You don’t have to bolt it to the floor. It can be mounted on rubber pads.

Jennifer: Correct.

Goss: And if you do that, you would certainly want some kind of a tie strap on it so that it can’t accidentally get tipped over.

Jennifer: Right. Compressors are top heavy because you have the compressor unit and motor on there, so you want to make sure you have some safety harness on it.

Goss: Okay. Jennifer, thank you very much.

If you have a question or comment, write to me.  The address is MotorWeek, Owings Mills, MD, 21117.