On May 24th, 2010 11:46 a visitor came here looking for "are stacked air compressor better than pancake" and that person was viewing the following page:

Porter-Cable C2002-WK Oil-Free UMC Pancake Compressor with 13-Piece Accessory Kit
perfect for the job I bought this for my Dad for Christmas. He loves it, he's using it to air up wagon tires and truck tires for his greenhouse/nursery. ...

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Customer Review :

Maybe a good compressor, but beware of shipping

I ordered my P-C 3HP/4GAL compressor from Amazon, and their tool supplier, Tool Crib, shipped the unit to me via UPS. When I unpacked the compressor there was a broken piece of plastic in the bottom of the box. After reading the Owner's Manual and starting the break-in procedure I realized the plastic piece was the on/off switch! Using plastic for such a high-use piece like the on/off switch is a very poor design.

I took the compressor to the local Porter-Cable service center and they tell me the boxes the P-C compressors come in are NOT designed to handle the rigorous treatment of UPS shipping. The compressor is very heavy and the support inside the box is just flimsy cardboard, so the unit will shift alot during UPS shipment. The boxes were designed to be shipped on pallets and sold in stores off the pallet.

No wonder the switch was broken. I'm just wondering what other parts may have been damaged in the shipping. Won't know until the replacement part comes in and we can turn the unit on. It's been two weeks now and the replacement switch unit still has not arrived.

Be advised about this shipping problem with this compressor. Your's might arrive damaged also. Tool Crib should know better than to ship these heavy units in flimsy boxes! Luckily the local Porter-Cable service center is willing to fix it under warranty!

Rating :

Badly designed pressure switch

The pressure switch occasionally will not shut of the compressor. The only way to shut it off is to pull the electrical plug from the wall. There is no consistancy in the amount of pressure it builds. Sometimes 140 PSI and othere 165 PSI. Fifty percent of the time the safety valve blows. I called Porter Cable to send me a new one and they wouldn't. Referred me to a service center 30 miles away. I phoned the service center and they said they may not have the parts for this compressor and may have to order them. So far I am not impressed. I had a CH for 7 years without a problem. My PC is a week old.

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Great Little Air Squeezer!!!

This little Porter Cable compressor is all (and more) that I expected it to be. It pumps the 4-gallon tank to 125 psi in less than a minute, and then cycles automatically as the pressure drops. The output should be more than adequate for my needs to run an air ratchet, blow nozzle, hand sandblaster and pressurize a small auxilliary portable tank. The order arrived ahead of schedule with no damage via UPS. Works like a champ, the price was right and Amazon's Free SuperSaver Shipping made this a no-brainer bargain.

The gauges, regulator and hose coupling on this model are out in the open, and exposed to potential damage if used at a busy construction site. A better choice for that kind of a work environment would be the 3HP enclosed, stacked-tank model offered by Porter Cable. The downside to that model is about twenty more dollars, and about twenty more pounds of mass to move around. For my application, however, the exposed fittings are not an issue.

Rating :

Something Different Inside

...The pressure supplied is more than sufficient for average duty use. The recovery time is not to bad. The price is reasonable. However with those positives let me get to the other side.
First, ..., the guages are exposed in a poor design and can be a serious potential liability. It can easily be broken off. The consumer needs to make special note of this.... Although most of these models are on the display floor, having four legs, I found that a good deal of them only have three legs. This makes it hard to stay upright any of the time. It rolled around the back of my van at every stop, go, turn, you name it. I even tried surrounding it with other items to box it in. It is so top heavy, it falls on its side anyway. A slight tug on your air hose is enough to send it rolling.
The four legged version is satisfactory but, watch out for that three legged version its a nightmare. I exchanged it for the roll cage model. I'll tell you about that one on that review.
I AM OUT.....

Rating :

good unit for the price

i've had one of these units for a few months, i bought it as a lightweight back up unit used mostly for my series of nailers (framers to brad nailers). So far it has been trouble free. although i do take my large compressor i find the unit that usually comes out of the truck is this one. some comments about it being loud, well yeah it is ..BUT IT'S A COMPRESSOR. they're all loud. the one guy a structural engineer had a few weird complaints...top heavy??? he must have used it up side down.it's hardly top heavy. in fact it's quite stable. i agree the fittings, gauges etc are exposed but then again i try not to drop 4x's on it. i have lots of tools i can damage if misused/mishandled. if you have a need for a lightweight fairly high SCFM unit, this might fit the bill. if you require a unit immune from any/all possible damage or an imagined worst case possibility buy one of the heavy weight units with a cage. just remember cage=weight=a pain in the [tush] to lug to and from the job site

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More reviews...

1. Electric, hand-carry design
2. Oil-less
3. Weighing in at only 38-pounds
4. 2.5-gallon tank storage.
5. 135 PSI max pressure

Customer Review :

A Great Little Powerhouse

This is a great, comparatively light, little compressor that drives my stapler; brad driver, 15 and 16-gauge finish nailers with ease. I have high expectations for any Senco product, so I did notice one minor design flaw if you plan to use a filter at the compressor connection.

The compressor's female quick release is facing more toward the roll bar frame instead of being angled away from it. There isn't enough physical space to clear a large in-line air filter, so instead of changing out the factory release, I simply used a swivel fitting on the air line (see my photo) to angle the filter and hose away from the frame. No big thing.

The stacked tank design doesn't seem to be as loud as pancake compressors, but is about what you would expect of a 1-1/2HP compressor. I still intend to fashion a noise shroud for indoor and woodshop use.

I should also mention that it took two tries to get a compressor delivered that wasn't damaged in transit. Damaged compressors seem to be a common problem at Amazon (read the horror stories under Makita) but this is attributable to bad compressor design, as much as rough handling during shipping. My compressors arrived by UPS, double-boxed with newspaper packing in between, yet the first compressor had a smashed pressure gauge inside. The inner box, from Senco, was not damaged in any way. So that must mean the gauge was damaged and shipped out anyway at the factory???

I have to praise Amazon Customer Service who replaced and delivered a perfect, new Senco compressor in just 72 hours--can't ask for better service than that.


Rating :

Senco PC0968

This is a great little compresseor. I have a small contracting buisness and this compressor is light enough to carry through a house. It is quiet enough not to force everyone out of a room. It also is capable enough to handle finish work through light framing that you do in remodling work.

Rating :

Senco PC0968

After researching the "smaller" compressors, the pc0968 was a perfect match. Billing was easy, shipping was quick, and the little guy works awesome. When the box came, I thought it was a toy. All around, great little unit. Lightweight, very, very, VERY quiet, super fast to pump up and recover. Haven't tried my framer yet, but I'm sure she will do ok.

Rating :

worth the extra money

the Senco costs more than comparable capacity compressors but the quality of materials, workmanship, quietness, and reasonable weight (37#) made me happy to have paid the premium. I was doing a remodel job that required using a framing nailer....got 10 to 12 nails before the unit quickly and quietly recovered.

Rating :

Best bang for your buck

I wanted to buy the smallest Senco compressor (1 gallon) at local lumberyard when I saw this little guy. I asked the sales person to plug it in and see how loud it was. To my surprise it was relatively quiet. Don't get me wrong, it's not silent but it purrs nicely and it is not annoying like most compressors of its size. It doesn't have that high pitch whine at all.
It recovers pretty fast in about 15-17 seconds and it gives me quite a few shots from brad nailer when I set the pressure at 80-90psi. I have not tried it with framing gun yet but it should be ok for small jobs I guess...
I highly recommend it. I paid $149+tax at local lumberyard which I think is a steal for this compressor.

Rating :

1. 2-horsepower motor delivers 4.6 cfm at 100 psi
2. Quiet, slow-turning 1700 rpm motor extends unit's life
3. Low amp draw--works on 15 Amp circuits and with extension cords
4. Patented LIFEGUARD dirt deflector keeps grit out of the compressor and improves cylinder cooling
5. The twin-stack tank design provides a 4-gallon air reservoir

Editorial Review :

Thomas Compressors' quiet-running, 2-horsepower Renegade compressor delivers 4.6 cfm at 100 psi. The unit's higher tank pressure (135 psi) gives you more available power when running long hoses or working with extremely hard materials. It draws only 13 amps, too, so it runs easily on 15 amp circuits and can also be used with extension cords. The patented LifeGuard dirt deflector keeps job site grit out of the compressor and improves cylinder cooling. A slow-turning (1,700 rpm) motor helps minimize noise and extends the life of the compressor. The twin-stack tank design provides a 4-gallon air reservoir. Portable Electric Compressors Horsepower: 2 Cubic Feet per Minute: 4.6 Tank Capacity: 4 Gal. Configuration: Twin Stack Input Current: 13.0 Maximum Working Pressure (psi): 135 Voltage: 115

Customer Review :

Nice and Quiet

I have had this for quite a while with no problems.....it is as quiet as claimed.....just a tad bit heavy to lug around.

Rating :

Outstanding Air Compressor!

I recently purchased the Thomas T-200ST and believe it is the finest portable air compressor available for contractors, builders or serious do-it-yourselfer. Super fast recovery, quiet, and extremely well built. All steel/aluminum and ball bearing construction make this virtually indestructable! I have tried them all and found the Thomas to be of superior quality! A few notches above the Porter Cable, Makita, or Dewalt. If you want the very best, spend the money and go with the Thomas...you won't regret it!!!

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great product,super fast delivery

product is exactly what i ordered, and the delivery was the best.

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Thomas T-200ST Compressor

About 2 years ago I purchased a Large upright compressor with a 60 Gal Tank that was powered by 240 volts and being a retired mechanic use to shops with large compressors I thought this would certainly handle all of my needs to work on my 74 Corvette along with my other cars. I then decided to also build an addition to my home and at first this compressor was beautiful and perfect but I soon learned that here in the humid south if you did not drain this huge compressor on a daily basis it would lock up if you left any air in it at all for even a few days. I replaced the seals 5 times in two years and finally I sold my $600 big compressor and shopped around looking especially here on Amazon and after reading all of the reviews I found myself purchasing the Thomas T-200ST. One of the major things I love about Amazon is it was delivered in record time right to my home. I have now used this compressor for about two months and I am currently building another addition to my home and the Thomas keeps right up with me with NO problems at all. The recovery time is unbelievably fast and no matter how fast I shoot the nail gun it is right there with me ready for the next one.
Should this unit ever wear out, I will without a doubt have another on the way that same day from Amazon. Take it from someone that is an amateur builder but was a professional mechanic, The Thomas T-200ST Compressor and [...] is a combination that you can NOT beat!!!!

Rating :

Great Compressor

Excellent compressor with quick recovery time (12 sec.), runs fine on a 15amp circuit even in cold weather (started fine at -20 degrees), quieter than most (75dB), and it's made in the USA. Not a throwaway- rebuild kits are readily available and easily installed. One of the best portable compressors on the market imho only surpassed by it's big brother, the Thomas T-2820ST. Highly recommended.

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