Dewalt air compressors at Tractor Supply good or junk?

[Eddyde]

Oilless compressors are only good for occasional, very light use. Any use that will cause them to run continuously or frequently cycle will kill them quickly.
If you need more CFM: Two or more Compressors can be ganged together via a manifold to supply as much air as you need. Just be sure to put a check valve at each compressors connection to the manifold.

 

[Liljoebrshooter]

Marketing sells. Plain and simple. The newest is always the best, right?
Joe

 

[Bi11Hudson]

While not directly related to your question, this might provide some insight into compressors in general. Your post struck a nerve, so I must answer. I have several compressors and wife has a couple from her days as a hardwood floor installer. All of them are "wet sump" machines. In all my years of looking at compressors, if I see one interesting the first thing I look for is if it is oil-less. If so, the machine is immediately rejected. There is no such thing as a "low maintenance" machine. An oil-less compressor works without maintenance until it doesn't. Then it must be replaced. It is near impossible to repair.

A "wet sump" machine is little different from a gasoline engine. Mainly in that it doesn't get hot and the valving is simpler. The "big end" of the connecting rod has continuous lubrication. Whether from a splash oiler or a pressure system, determining how long it can be run without some form of maintenance.

An 'oil-less" compressor came about to be used by the "consumer" on a "casual" basis for airing up tires, blowing up a beach ball and the like. And was never intended (my opinion) for any continuous operation. It was intended, and sold for in the day, to be a simple, clean convenience for John Q. to have compressed air without any mess or running to the filling station. And put on the closet shelf until fall when he needed to inflate the football. Consider changing the bearings in your automobile to some (unspecified) material and then running it without oil. How long do you think it would last? Even with a wet cooling system.

I use a wet sump compressor even at the model painting level, with a low pressure air brush. When I visit another modeler, I will use what he has on hand, but at home in my shop, it is wet sump or nothing. A decent compressor is big. Just how big is a matter of the CFM capacity and storage tank. It is messy, cannot be easily stored, and lasts nearly forever. And that's before adding pneumatic tooling. Add in something small, like an air ratchet or butterfly wrench, and an oil-less will run continuously. Even my Harbor Freight screw compressor has a wet sump.

The only time I would even consider an oil-less compressor is for a small shop in a spare bedroom. That's my personal opinion though and should not be taken as solid advice.

.

 

[Aaron_W]

While not directly related to your question, this might provide some insight into compressors in general. Your post struck a nerve, so I must answer. I have several compressors and wife has a couple from her days as a hardwood floor installer. All of them are "wet sump" machines. In all my years of looking at compressors, if I see one interesting the first thing I look for is if it is oil-less. If so, the machine is immediately rejected. There is no such thing as a "low maintenance" machine. An oil-less compressor works without maintenance until it doesn't. Then it must be replaced. It is near impossible to repair.

A "wet sump" machine is little different from a gasoline engine. Mainly in that it doesn't get hot and the valving is simpler. The "big end" of the connecting rod has continuous lubrication. Whether from a splash oiler or a pressure system, determining how long it can be run without some form of maintenance.

An 'oil-less" compressor came about to be used by the "consumer" on a "casual" basis for airing up tires, blowing up a beach ball and the like. And was never intended (my opinion) for any continuous operation. It was intended, and sold for in the day, to be a simple, clean convenience for John Q. to have compressed air without any mess or running to the filling station. And put on the closet shelf until fall when he needed to inflate the football. Consider changing the bearings in your automobile to some (unspecified) material and then running it without oil. How long do you think it would last? Even with a wet cooling system.

I use a wet sump compressor even at the model painting level, with a low pressure air brush. When I visit another modeler, I will use what he has on hand, but at home in my shop, it is wet sump or nothing. A decent compressor is big. Just how big is a matter of the CFM capacity and storage tank. It is messy, cannot be easily stored, and lasts nearly forever. And that's before adding pneumatic tooling. Add in something small, like an air ratchet or butterfly wrench, and an oil-less will run continuously. Even my Harbor Freight screw compressor has a wet sump.

The only time I would even consider an oil-less compressor is for a small shop in a spare bedroom. That's my personal opinion though and should not be taken as solid advice.

.

That would explain why the little 2 gallon Craftsman compressor I bought almost 30 years ago is still going. It is oil lubricated, and weighs more than the 6 gallon oil less. Only problem I've had with the Craftsman was I wish I had bought it with a bigger tank. It is a good little compressor but 2 gallons goes too fast even with an air brush.

The 6 gallon came with some nail guns, so I bought it when I was rebuilding a picket fence. The compressor and 2 or 3 nail guns cost less than the nail guns alone which says something about the compressor, but it has done it job. That one is about 7 years old, but I don't work it too hard, I figured out real quickly it didn't have the ability to run a impact wrench for more than a few seconds, so it mostly runs the nail guns, and airs up tires.
With this new 30 gallon, the 6 gallon will be able to go back upstairs to be dedicated to small hobby stuff, mostly running an airbrush. The two gallon can continue to be the handy carry around compressor that it always has been. Heavier, but narrow so less awkward to carry than the round pancake style.

 

[Bi11Hudson]

On reflection, I find I do have an oil-less compressor. I have a three wheel bicycle that I converted to a brute force electric bicycle. (Grown man's tricycle) Using a couple of low end HF winches and a small car battery for power. It works well enough on hilly turf, better than commercial electric wheel conversions. I live on flat ground but 1/2 mile up the road is a rather steep street.

As part of my tool kit, I have a 12 volt electric compressor with a tire fitting. I don't have a radio, but do have a cigar lighter. Yes, I am a smoker. Shame on me. . . The bicycle is powered because I am too old and broke down to pedal. Most times, the pedals are so I can learn to walk again, with the electric drive doing the bull work. This last stroke left me without the consistant knowledge of which way was up. So the bicycle hasn't been used much lately.

The electric tire pump, along with a patch kit, is to allow me to patch a tire without dragging the bicycle home on foot. Its' use is most decidedly casual, and resides in the tool kit on the bicycle. And cheap enough that when it does give out, it can be readily replaced. I don't use it for "work", only to keep the bicycle tires pumped up as needed.

I would suggest you swap tanks, with the larger one on the wet sump compressor. It wouldn't cycle as often. Although would run longer when it did cycle. The small tank would still serve on the oil-less pump.

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