The compressor I bought is called a Fengda FD-186. Widely available.
I finally connected everything up (I needed some adapters) and here is an initial score-card:
Pros:
- Small size so can hide under workbench
- Low cost entry point for small compressors
- Definitely quiet enough to work next to it with motor running
Cons:
- Not much puff. 3L at 4bar max is really only enough for a bit of chassis cleaning or light paint spraying
- Not really enough for a professional desoldering tool (Metcal) which needs more like 80 (continuous) than 55psi falling rapidly.
- Tedious for car-tyre top-up, with waits for tank re-fill, but do-able.
- Output pressure setting and gauge a bit hit and miss.
- 1/8" thread outlet rather than the more usual 1/4", no quick-connector.
- Needs a kit of more bits to make it useful (hose, connectors etc).
The kit of extra bits was only £14 from Ebay and included a hose, tyre inflator, air nozzles and a reasonable selection of adapters and male/female connectors. But note that this kit uses the standard 1/4" fittings, so I had to order a couple of 1/4" to 1/8" adapters from Ebay as well.
To give you an idea, blasting out dust from a chassis, you only get a few seconds of blast before the motor kicks in to replenish the tank.
So after all that it may get put away for a bit while I explore slightly bigger compressors with 6L at 8bar at least, for my desoldering tool. I should have read the fine print a bit more carefully, and I under-estimated my needs.
An interesting introduction to pressurised air and its uses, though.
Hopefully this will help those who follow in this path.
-Jeremy