Compressors cut the cord

Independently powered portable air compressors with internal combustion engines first appeared in woodshops at the beginning of the 20th century. Larger industrial versions had been used in factories since the Civil War (the first patent was filed back in 1829), but by 1905 manufacturers such as Atlas Copco saw an opportunity to make and sell small, portable units for individual craftsmen. By the 1930s, they were a commonplace sight in cabinet, furniture and millwork shops.

Today’s portable compressors come in models that can use 120-volt household current or battery power, and they deliver considerably higher pressure than their predecessors. With oil-free options (less maintenance and usually better for colder temperatures), quiet operation, and easy monitoring through digital readouts and controls, they can provide up to 180 PSI when needed. Technical advances such as compact pump and tank engineering, programmable memory, and enhanced safety features are the norm nowadays.

Typical of this new generation of jobsite compressor is the relatively simple 12V1P10S from California Air Tools (ultraquietaircompressor.com). Not what one thinks of immediately when hearing the word ‘cordless’; this is a small Light and Quiet unit that’s powered by clipping its leads to a 12-volt DC vehicle battery. It works with staple, brad and finish nail guns, plus airbrushes and blow guns, and it can pump up car tires, too. The 12V1P10S operates at 56 decibels (dBA), which makes it one of the quietest compressors on the market. It comes with a 1-gallon steel tank and a single piston pump that’s rated for over 3,000 hours.

Makita USA makes both plug-in and battery versions of its Quiet Series compact compressors. The main model has a 1/2-hp motor and 1-gallon tank, and the new cordless model (item AC001GZ at makitatools.com) runs on the company’s 40-volt XGT platform. Makita notes that this is the lightest cordless compressor in its class, and it’s also pretty quiet at 68 dBA.

Ryobi Tools (ryobitools.com) has introduced a 14 lb. cordless compressor that uses its 18-volt ONE+ battery system. Called the P739, it’s a 1-gallon unit that delivers up to 120 PSI and can “turn pneumatic finish nailers into cordless finish nailers,” according to the company. Quite affordable, it’s backed by Ryobi’s 3-year manufacturer's warranty.

The Milwaukee 2840-20 is a 2-gallon compact, Quiet Compressor that runs at 68 dBA and has a low profile and stackable design for easy storage and transporting. Online at milwaukeetool.com, it can fire up to 1,600s 18-gauge brad nails on a charge, and is compatible with all of the manufacturer’s M18 Redlithium batteries. It also uses Redlink Plus intelligence which “integrates full-circle communication between tool, battery and charger,” according to the company.

Freeman Tools (freemantools.com) makes a 20-volt, 1-gallon lightweight air compressor. The company also offers an adapter that lets the compressor and other tools use 20-volt batteries from DeWalt, Milwaukee and Makita.

Within a comprehensive line-up of small, portable compressors that includes both gas and electric models, Metabo HTP (metabo-hpt.com) also makes a 36-volt 2-gallon cordless unit, model EC36DAQ4. It works with pneumatic finish nailers, and also comes with an AC adapter that gets the job completed if the battery isn’t available. It has a 17 second refill time for less waiting between cycles, and it can drive more than a thousand 18-gauge brads on a charge, according to the company.

The Quiet Tech model 3300244 from Kobalt (available at lowes.com) offers a 2-gallon tank, 3/4-hp motor and dual oil-less pumps. The low-profile design makes it easy to transport to the jobsite. Other nice features include a large regulator knob and two easy-to-read gauges for the tank and tool pressure.

The C2002 by Porter-Cable (portercable.com) is a 6-gallon, oil-free compressor in a pancake style. This unit has two regulated, factory-installed air couplers to support two users simultaneously, and it only weighs 30 lbs.

For small woodshops that don’t often need to transport a compressor to jobsites, Champion Pneumatic (championpneumatic.com) makes the Commandair family of splash lubricated reciprocating compressors. These are single-stage units that run from 1/2 to 3 hp, which can be configured vertically or horizontally.

DeWalt (dewalt.com) currently offers seven portable compressors for jobsite and workshop use. Among these are an 8-gallon, 1.9-hp dual voltage wheelbarrow model; both 1.6 and 1.9-hp 30-gallon upright units with large wheels; an 8-gallon belt-drive, gas-powered 5-1/2-hp wheelbarrow; and the well-reviewed DXCM201. This latter is a two-stage machine with oil-lube, large 10-inch pneumatic wheels, and a belt drive that produces 6.2 CFM. It has a horizontal 20-gallon tank, and the ability to deliver up to 200 PSI. It runs at 78 dBA (not too loud, considering that hearing damage doesn’t become an issue until about 85 dBA).

Grizzly Industrial’s family of portable compressors (online at grizzly.com) includes two larger 20-gallon wheeled vertical tank models, the 2-hp oil lubricated T32339 and the oil-free T32337.  Then there are three smaller units that are ideal for jobsite transporting. The 2-gallon one tank (T32335) and 4-gallon two tank (T32336) are both oil-free members of the Quiet Series. They run at 60 dBA and 67 dBA respectively, which is ideal for jobsites where clients may be present. And the Grizzly PRO 6-gallon, twin cylinder, oil-free, pancake compressor (T33858) is both light (56 lbs.) and quiet with a 1-1/2-hp motor and low power draw (just 9 Amps at 3.5 SCFM).

Jenny Products (jennyproductsinc.com) makes hand-carry, single and two-stage wheeled portable compressors. There are seven models in the hand-carry family (six 2-hp units that run on household current and one 4-hp gas-powered), 21 single-stage wheeled options from 1 to 5 hp (where the 3 and 5-hp units require 230-volt power), and five 230-volt two-stage models.

Five compressors from Kyocera Senco Industriual Tools (senco.com) range from 1/2 hp through 1, 1-1/2 and 2 -hp models, with single and double horizontal tanks and a pancake unit. All five units have carry handles and feet rather than wheels for stability. The PC1131 has oil splash lubrication and the rest of the line is oil-free. The PC1010N is a lightweight 1/2-hp model with a 1-gallon tank and ultra-quiet operation.

Rolair Systems (rolair.com) offers a dozen hand-carry air compressors, 10 wheeled electric models, and nine wheeled gas units. Among them is the clever VT25BIG, which boasts the highest air output of any direct drive air compressor in the line. Its pump delivers an impressive 6.5 CFM at 90 PSI, but woodworkers hauling airpower to the jobsite will also appreciate the simple foot-actuated folding handle and heavy-duty flat-free tires. The compressor has two large wheels in back and two feet in front, and a handle that unfolds for pulling the unit through the shop or jobsite. There’s no lifting and no bending involved, and the single stage VT25BIG supports two hoses simultaneously.

Craftsman (craftsman.com) has a 6-gallon pancake unit that can be ordered with basic accessories, or as a kit with an 18-gauge brad nailer. The company also offers 30- and 33-gallon vertical tank mobile units with wheels.

For shops with higher compression needs, the new AKHL1320E from Max USA Corp. (maxusacorp.com) is a dual tank, 2.64-gallon unit. The company’s patent pending Outer Rotor Motor design generates more torque at slower speed, which enables the compressor to have more CFM at higher pressure (3.0 CFM at 300 PSI). This unit can actually compress air to 500 PSI and also perform in low-voltage scenarios (a circuit inverter manages and monitors the electrical current). Plus, it can be upgraded with three easy-connect extra tanks to deliver a lot more capacity.

Compressing air can be done in two ways. The most obvious is to pump it into an enclosed space (a reinforced tank, as in the compressors above) and then release it slowly through a tool. But air can also be pumped out of an enclosed space (such as a flexible bag) to create a vacuum. That process can be used to hold work in place on a CNC, shrink a bag to keep glued veneer in place, or even as a way to bend wooden parts.

Vacuum tables and spoil boards with holes or pods can hold sheet goods in place on a CNC, and that can be a significant upgrade from mechanical fixturing. There are no metal clamps for the bit to contact, and vacuum devices can be placed away from edges that are being machined.

The biggest challenge with vacuum clamping is generating enough negative airflow to do the job. A good rule of thumb is to size a pump, so it draws 5.5 CFM for every square foot of surface. That doesn’t refer to the area of the sheet being held, but rather to the area of the spoilboard that will be encased within the vacuum.

Another aspect of vacuum clamping is the pump’s strength. Larger pumps are rated for continuous duty, but smaller ones usually come with an intermittent rating too. Ask the salesperson about that rating: it tells a woodworker when to rest the pump, and for how long. Ignore the recommendations and the pump will overheat. An oil-free dry claw pump may not be as strong as an oil-sealed rotary vane model, but keep in mind that the volume of air (called the flow rate) is usually more important than the strength. That’s because, even with the best tape or pod, there’s going to be some leakage. CNC beds with vacuum hold-down can require more than 5.5 CFM per foot on large areas, where both seals and the MDF itself can be a bit porous. 150 to 300 CFM may be required, which is a lot of air for a pump to process. But vacuum pumps are more efficient than air compressors, so the CFM numbers are not quite as dramatic as they sound.

As in most woodworking operations, dust is the enemy when it comes to vacuum pumps. Filters must be constantly maintained.

For smaller CNCs, the Axiom Precision Vacuum Hold Down Kit (axiomprecision.com) includes a venturi pump that’s powered by pressure from the woodshop’s air compressor. It uses a hold-down mat to securely anchor workpieces to the CNC table, eliminating the need for traditional clamps.

Busch Vacuum Pumps and Systems (buschvacuum.com) is an industry leader in the use of vacuum technology in woodworking, and that includes work-holding on CNCs. For new CNC owners, it’s well worth a website visit.

Quality Vakuum Products (qualityvak.com) offers the PED-Vak system that is a foot-controlled vacuum hold-down system that comes in three strengths. This company also offers a wide range of solutions for pressing, veneering, and laminating.

VacuumTables.com (vacuumtables.com) draws on more than 30 years of experience designing and manufacturing vacuum/blowback systems to produce solutions for any application requiring precision hold down and/or gentle floatation, including vacuum tables for CNCs.

Better Vacuum Cups, also known as Green BVC (bettervacuumcups.com), makes small, hollow, sealed cups that can be strategically placed to provide superior holding. Its rubber tops are sectional so, for example, 2" parts are no problem on a 6" cup. The woodworker just uses gasket material to section the vacuum area. BVC’s rubber tops are also thicker, providing more than 10mm of error room before a tool hits plastic. And the cup design means no more clogged ports or dust in the vacuum system, because BVC has a simple ball valve to keep the dust out. Even if a cup does come in contact with a cutter, an incorporated groove can accept foam gasket material to make a new seal.

VacuDog is the brand name of a product made by TrackTubes (tracktubes.com) and it lets a woodshop easily add powerful vacuum clamping to a multi-function or other drilled worktop. The woodworker just pushes one of the vacuum dogs into a bench-dog hole, adds a seal to the surrounding worktop, and the result is a low-profile vacuum clamp for routing, sanding, assembly, and other tasks. It eliminates the need for mechanical clamps that can often get in the way. VacuDogs are available from Taylor Toolworks (taytools.com) and the TrackTubes websites, among others.

Originally published in the July 2026 issue of Woodshop News.