marcinnyc Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 (edited) Did anyone ever bought a used air compressor from ebay? I was thinking about getting a used Silentaire Super Silent 20A. The new ones are very expensive. I worry about any potential problems with the used one including proper packing for shipping since it is very heavy. Any thoughts or experience in this matter? Have anyone used this knockoff Silentaire? Best Quality 1/2 HP PRO Silent Air Compressor with OIL "Italy" 2 liter tank Edited January 23, 2016 by marcinnyc Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zeus60 Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I actually bought the knockoff you linked to a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't had time to try it. I hope to try it out this weekend and will let you know the result. Stacey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marcinnyc Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 Please let me know how good or bad it is. I am very curious. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zeus60 Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 (edited) The first thing to do is to put on the casters. It comes with oil, so the next thing to do is to fill it with oil. The oil bottle had leaked, and was about 80% full. I used all of that in the compressor. It has a little - and I do mean little, about the size of a shirt button - window on the side showing the oil level. After emptying the bottle, it was about half full, which, based on the instructions, seems satisfactory. I attached a standard compressor connector, and looked for the on/off switch. I didn't see one, so I plugged it in. Nothing. I looked at the instructions and found that the on/off switch is attached to the pressure valve and is supposedly preset to On. Well, I finally found it, and it was off. Turned it on and voila, it ran. I plugged in an airbrush, just to check the flow. It was consistent, and the regulator made it pretty easy to adjust the pressure. And, yes - it is quiet, about the same as an aquarium pump. I understand this is typical for "silent" compressors. This unit is intended for nail salons, and I can see it being used there. I didn't actually try to paint anything - I'll try that tomorrow. Also, since the power switch is rather awkward, I'll probably plug it into a switched outlet of some kind. But other than that, it seems like a good compressor for the price. One other thing - it is heavy, quite a bit heavier than an Iwata Smart Jet, for example. I don't know if that is typical for these kinds of compressors. I had to keep it on the floor while adding oil and trying to get it to start, which was a little inconvenient. Interestingly enough, the seller is in Arcadia, CA - my hometown. HTH Stacey Edited January 24, 2016 by zeus60 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kaibutsu Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Thanks for taking the time to post your findings on the air-compressor, Stacey. I may have to get one soon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marcinnyc Posted January 24, 2016 Author Share Posted January 24, 2016 Thank you very much zeus60! Please let us know if there are any issues once you test it with the airbrush. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marcinnyc Posted January 25, 2016 Author Share Posted January 25, 2016 Ok. I pulled the trigger and ordered one on ebay. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cyrus Tan Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 FWIW - I own a Super Silent 20 and have had it for 18 years. I bought it brand new and glad I took the plunge. Yes - it's expensive up front but considering the years of service I've had its a good investment for the hobby. I'm sure if I bought a cheap one to begin with I probably would have had to replace it several times by now. Another perk is it is quiet! You can work all hours of the night without disturbing your family and pets. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marcinnyc Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 I have received the compressor today, however it came in damaged. The plastic window on the side was completely broken and oil spilled all over the bottom of the compressor and the box. I need to return it and get the replacement. I have send the message to the seller and I waiting for the response. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zeus60 Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 Today I finally got a chance to spray some paint with it, and it worked as expected, which is to say well. The regulator that comes with it is quite good. The one thing I noticed is the loudest thing about the compressor is when it shuts off - there's the sound of air being released. (This happens with all compressors, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to know what causes it.) It's still not loud enough to be troublesome. It would not wake anyone in the next room, and maybe not even in the same room. Stacey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
datguy Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Just in case somebody searches this thread: I bought a used Silentaire 20 via eBay about 10 years ago. The seller did not drain the oil before shipping, so it spilled all over the unit and the box. That took a while to clean up, but ever since, the device has given me completely reliable and completely silent, trouble free service. It is NOT maintenance-free. Every few months (depending on usage) I open the drain plug to release any water trapped by the compression of humid Alabama air. I lose oil in that messy process, so I have to refill the reservoir. I'm not too fond of the built in regulator so I added a digital read-out regular from Harbor Freight, which makes the pressure easier to set and use. I have an in-lone oil and moisture trap, too. I do find that I get more even spraying pressure if I let the device run until the tank is full and the auto shut-off kicks in. I highly recommend the Silentaire 20. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kei Lau Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 I actually bought the knockoff you linked to a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't had time to try it. I hope to try it out this weekend and will let you know the result. Stacey Stacey, Thank you for your posting. It is about time that we get a super quiet compressor for airbrushing at this price point. Your experience seems very encouraging. I hope the workmanship is good and the unit endures We've had dorm refrigerator using the same type of pump for $100 or less for a long time. They keep running for years. I hope that this compressor is as good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kei Lau Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 (edited) FWIW - I own a Super Silent 20 and have had it for 18 years. I bought it brand new and glad I took the plunge. Yes - it's expensive up front but considering the years of service I've had its a good investment for the hobby. I'm sure if I bought a cheap one to begin with I probably would have had to replace it several times by now. Another perk is it is quiet! You can work all hours of the night without disturbing your family and pets. I used to recommend against buying small oil-free compressor that was made in China. I tested several and they all ran very hot. When I tested the Taiwan made Iwata or Sparmax compressors, they ran much cooler. This oil lub compressor that Stacey purchased may be a different story. I hope the quality is good enough to last a bit longer. Besides, it is very quiet. I am very tempted to get one myself. Have anyone used this knockoff Silentaire? Best Quality 1/2 HP PRO Silent Air Compressor with OIL "Italy" 2 liter tank When asked about the term "Italy" in the auction title, the seller explained that the compressor uses "some" Italian parts and was assembled in Taiwan. I have no proof of those claims, just relaying the message. Edited February 7, 2016 by Kei Lau Quote Link to post Share on other sites
yardbird78 Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 There are several air compressors on the market that are advertised as being especially designed for painting models. They are usually quite expensive, running into the multiple hundreds of dollars. I bought one at Wal-Mart for little over $100 and that included the fittings, pressure gauge, pressure regulator, moisture trap and so forth. It is a little bit noisy, but otherwise an excellent unit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jennings Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Ditch the compressor and get a CO2 cylinder. I can guarantee you'll kick yourself for not having done it years ago. I've never met even one single person who made the switch who would even consider going back to a compressor. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kei Lau Posted April 28, 2016 Share Posted April 28, 2016 (edited) Today I finally got a chance to spray some paint with it, and it worked as expected, which is to say well. The regulator that comes with it is quite good. The one thing I noticed is the loudest thing about the compressor is when it shuts off - there's the sound of air being released. (This happens with all compressors, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to know what causes it.) It's still not loud enough to be troublesome. It would not wake anyone in the next room, and maybe not even in the same room. Stacey Stacey or marcinnyc, any update on your overall opinion of this compressor after another 3 months? Edited April 28, 2016 by Kei Lau Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zeus60 Posted May 1, 2016 Share Posted May 1, 2016 Still running smoothly and quietly. I don't regret buying it. Stacey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marcinnyc Posted May 3, 2016 Author Share Posted May 3, 2016 I am very happy with the compressor. The only issue that bothers me is the loud sound when the air is being released. My compressor is placed next to the spray booth and when I concentrate too much on the painting that noise scares the hell out of me. I wonder if there is any way to lower/mute the volume of this air sound. Other than that it is a great deal for the money. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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