By Mark Clement
November 17, 2006—This 25-gallon, horizontal-tank air compressor provides the go-juice for production speed.
An air compressor needs to do more than deliver air to your nailers. It also needs to be portable, rugged and have the muscle to support higher-draw pneumatic tools. Quiet, easy to start and simple to maintain are benefits not to be overlooked either. The good news is that the Craftsman 19541 has all these features and keeps you full-out bangin'.
Air Delivery. If you find your guns gasping and you have to stop working so the compressor can catch up, you have the wrong compressor. The 19541 never left me sucking wind. I could pound out sheathing or decking with my framing nailer until the cows came home. Using a finish nailer banging out base or cruising through crown, it took so long for the unit to cycle on I forgot it was there. Using the blow-gun to clean off work, blow out drywall-caked vacuum filters or blast away sawdust from a jobsite cut station, the unit pumped out all the air the job needed. And it kept up pressure as it cycled to refill. Very nice.
Nailers and blow guns require air, that's for sure, but I found the real measure of the unit's air delivery was using a pneumatic shingle cutting tool. The shingle saw I used had some serious draw, but the 19541 enabled me to tear through 40-feet of triple-lapped architectural shingles on rake cuts; plow through shingle cap cuts three shingles at a time; and totally blast through chimney, skylight, roof vent and other roof-penetration cut-outs without a hiccup. And all through 100-feet of hose in the dead of winter, no less. I'm impressed. This consistent air delivery is attributable to a powerful pump, basic design, and a big tank that all work well together.
At the end of the day, I'll suffer through lousy design to get the air I need. I'll deal with breaker-blowing amp draw while a unit warms up, miserable mobility getting it on site, and anything else you can think of. I won't do it quietly (ask anybody who's worked with me), but I'll do it because the punchline is that the right compressor maxes out production once it's set up and running. With the Craftsman 19541 I don't have to deal with those challenges, which makes me happy—and quieter too.
Mobility. A sturdy tow handle and 10-inch pneumatic tires make lugging this unit all over all kinds of sites easy enough. At 152 pounds, it's not light and I don't like to move it more than I have to. However, I can get it where it's going—and that's the point. It lives in the basement on big remodels but for outside projects like decks, fences, siding, or roofing, I can deposit it on site or I can run a cord to my truck and leave it there.
Amp Draw. On a freezing cold day I don't blame anything for taking a little longer to start. I take longer to start on those days, and if I'm not willing to do it, how can I expect my tools or crew to? The Craftsman 25-gallon worked hard in the cold, though, and in low-amp-draw situations. While I try to keep it (like any compressor) as close to the breaker panel as I can, I usually end up running it on a 50-foot or 100-foot 12-gauge cord. What I like is that Craftsman's thermal overload protection worked, and the bugger almost always kicks over without complaining. You can't ask for more when you have to scrape ice off the windshield before driving to work.
Gauges. Simple is good, and the 19541 proves that concept. The gauges live in a plastic housing on the front of the unit. They're easy to see and unlikely to get smashed by a toppling shovel or bundle of studs in the van. Considering the abuse and neglect compressors take, this is key. They also read accurately, which is nice.
The drive belt is simple to access and to change when it wears. While I was concerned about the plastic belt and wheel housing, time and transport proved out that it lasts.
The hose port is easy to access and right on the front of the tool. The fitting accepts a hose without pulling the collar back, which I like. If the unit is full of air, however, you have to push hard to counter the pressure and make sure the connection is made. No big whoop.
The drain valve is the same as most compressors—one of those annoying butterfly deals that wear out, bend or drive you crazy in about a minute. Change it to an aftermarket ball valve and forget about it. It takes five minutes.
While noise on a framing site or big time remodel is not a big deal, it matters to me in the shop, where the 19541 also takes up residence. It comes on quietly and operates smoothly. With smaller compressors, they kick on so fast and run so hard it shakes the enamel off your teeth, but the Craftsman's 2-horse motor is easygoing. And whether I'm using the blow gun or brad nailer, it gives me the air I need. Add to that easy oil changes. Just remember to use 30-weight compressor oil rather than motor oil. It's easier on the pump, according to Craftsman.
Air delivery and pro features make the Craftsman 19541 a go-to player for production output on all kinds of sites and in the shop.
www.Craftsman.com, Model 19541, $400.
Mark Clement is a remodeler and author of The Carpenter's Notebook and The Kid's Carpenter's Workbook, Fun Family Projects! Find out more at www.TheCarpentersNotebook.com.
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