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UPS delivered it in just 3 days. At just under 20 lbs. * Reliable. My new compressor would have to meet 4 criteria:* Light weight. Although the photos of it looked rather cool; unlike any compressor I'd ever seen before (kinda like a cartop carrier, racing bicycle helmet, or maybe an 'AlienWare' computer)., the fit and finish seemed rather cheap, almost toy-like.
Most featherweight compressors are only designed to be used with brad nailers. There was no damage to either the factory packaging, nor the compressor.I'm a self employed, sole proprietor, remodel carpentry contractor. I already own a 65 pound, cast iron, oil cooled behemoth. It rapidly fills its 1.6 gallon tank with 125 psi, though there is no gauge to indicate anything other than outflow (regulator adjusted) air pressure. Deerso was the Amazon vendor.
, hauling it in and out of the truck is a pleasure. From top to bottom, this thing looks fragile. I've owned and used several Stanley/Bostitch pneumatic tools before, and never had a problem with any of them.Upon removing it from its packaging, I'll admit, I was a bit disappointed. Though it's great for spraying drywall texture and production wall framing, I'm getting too old to lug it around when I only need to nail up some kitchen cabinet crown moldings.* Powerful enough to also run my framing nailer.
A poorly made tool that breaks when you need it is useless, no matter how little it costs. You won't be able to nail off a subfloor like a machine gun, or frame a house with it, but it will capably handle a roomful of basebaord, or slam in a few wall studs.All in all, the Bostitch Trim Air compressor did meet most of my requirements. I recently received my Bostitch Trim Air compressor. The weak, spring loaded ON/OFF push button, the wiggly regulator/pressure gauge/hose fitting assembly, the flimsy powercord wrap tabs, all look vulnerable. And the first time I drained the moisture from the tank, the petcock fitting refused to close completely, until I was forced to over-tighten it with a pair of pliers.However, the CAP1516 does perform as advertised. It is surprisingly quiet, compared to any other compressor I've owned; about as loud as a quiet home vacuum cleaner. This is more of a factor for my clients than me, since I wear hearing protection almost constantly while on the job. I'd have to say the "contractor" label Stanley has given it might be a bit of a stretch.
I needed to replace my recently deceased, 8 year old Porter Cable 4 gallon pancake compressor. This unit seems more likely to excel as a homeowner compressor. This is going be my every day compressor.* Noise level. At 75 db, the Bostitch was one of the quietest in its class.After researching all of the lightweight models available, the Bostitch Trim Air proved to have the highest CFM @ 90 psi in the 20-30 pound weight class. And I am able to sink five 3" framing nails into old doug fir framing lumber with it, before it needs to refill the tank. If you're not too hard on your tools, it will probably prove durable enough.At around $150, IT IS WHAT IT IS.[.].
It is suprisingly quiet, light and easy to carry. Rather than lugging around my 50lb Emglo for smaller jobs, the thought of having a small unit made sense to me. I purchased this compressor because a small, light-weight unit appealed to me. Needless to say it worked fine with my finish nailer as well. The unit arrived intact and I immediately put it to use on a small 300 sq ft flooring job. It ran my BOSTITCH Flooring Cleat nailer at 80 psi with no problems. While it will not replace my primary compressor, it's going to be nice on those jobs where high volume psi is not required. Out of curiosity, I'll probably try it out on my framing gun to see how it performs.
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