- 165 psi max pressure, 4 gallon tank for longer tool runtimes in a more compact, lighter design
- Oil-free pump for no oil spills/contamination and maintenance-free operation
- Low Amp 120V motor starts easily in cold weather or with extension cord
- Only 29 lbs for easy portability
- 75.5 dBA (per ISO3744) for a quieter work environment
We use finish nailers, brad nailers and staplers and the technical specs for this compressor are a good fit. We've owned a 6-gallon Porter-Cable C2002-WK for a couple of years, use it daily, and are happy with it, but convinced ourselves that a second compressor would let us work at opposite ends of the house without trailing hoses all over Creation. Now we can have two guns attached to each compressor and it should speed everything up.
The 6-gallon C2002-WK is on sale for 25% less than this 4-gallon C2004-WK at the moment, and that's makes the 6-gallon unit a much better deal, but we decided it was a Good Idea to add a more quiet compressor and decided to spend the extra money.
Ordered from Amazon, this arrived a day early and in perfect condition. In fact, in three years, this was the first package UPS delivered that did not arrive mangled or crushed. That's good, because it was shipped in the factory box with no additional packaging or protection, and the factory boxes are designed to protect the contents for pallet-load shipments, not local deliveries.
The 4-gallon C2004-WK is slightly lighter but much easier to carry around than the 6-gallon C2002-WK. It seems to be quite a bit more quiet than the C2002, but the 75 decibels P-C advertises is not "normal-conversation-in-the-same-room" quiet by any measure. Wear ear protection.
I don't think the in-box air hose is going to last a long time, but it's decent and the fittings don't leak, and including a hose allows any first-timer to get going right away.
The pro's are:
(1) Size. It's a slightly smaller diameter than the 6-gallon C2002-WK.
(2) Noise. Subjectively, it probably is 1/3 less loud than the C2002-WK, as claimed although I don't really understand the noise complaints about any hand-carry compressor.
(3) "Lugability". On a bathroom scale, it is only around 6 pounds lighter than our larger C2002, but the weight is better balanced, and it feels 10-pounds lighter when you carry it.
(4) Fittings. Has a ball valve tank drain.
(5) Layout. Anyone who has used a 6-gallon Porter-Cable model will have no problem with this 4-gallon model. The safety valve is relocated where it is much less likely to get banged-about but it is still easy to reach for pre-start testing.
(6) Solid. The label claims "Pro" and for the most part it looks and feels well-built and solid. It's new and only time will tell, but if it lasts as long and works as hard as our 6-gallon unit, it will be a great addition. If you have to pay extra to get this, it should at least feel durable, and this does.
The con's are:
(1) Information. You can't find it or any information about it on the Delta/Porter Cable website. Come on, guys, it's not that new.
(2) Price. There's absolutely no reason this should cost 25% more than the 6-gallon C2002-WK.
(3) Weight. Although easier to carry, it's not much lighter than the 6-gallon unit, and I still wouldn't want to carry either of them up a ladder. It's too much weight to be overhead anyway.
(4) Fittings. I don't remember the factory hose connectors on the 6-gallon unit we replaced them early on but the fittings on this don't seem as crisp or as well manufactured as they could be. They don't leak they aren't crappy there's just a slight bit more "slop" in the sliding locks than I like.
(5) Plastics. A lot of plastics. It's the same amount as is used on the 6-gallon C2002, so Porter-Cable doesn't seem to be adding plastic to cut costs, and the plastic shrouds and handles on the older 6-gallon unit haven't failed or been a problem... But I'd sure like the carrying handles to be plastic laminated around steel. When I first grab either of them, I don't yank them around, just in case.
Why 4-stars?
(a) Weight. It could have been still lighter.
(b) Support. Online information is not yet available.
(c) Price. There's no reason for this to cost more than the 6-gallon C2002 that we can see. It's not 25% better; but the price of these should come down after the novelty wears off.
(d) Item Description. The product photo on Amazon (and most other retailers, too) is wrong. We knew it was a C2002-WK in the photo when we ordered it, and read that it didn't include all those accessories, but not everyone will.
It's still new around here, and we'll update this as we go along.
Porter-Cable makes reliable and durable small compressors at a tolerable price-point. Overall, I'd recommend this for anyone who must use a small compressor frequently more than once a week. But right now, the 6-gallon C2002-WK gives a much better bang-for-the-buck for anyone who only needs a small compressor every-so-often.
ADDED ON 3/4/2011: We used this all day yesterday with the short polyurethane hose it came with. I wouldn't want the hose on a jobsite, but actually, it's surprisingly good around the shop or around the house. It lies flat and coils neatly for storage.
It's only real shortcoming is the 25-foot length. Otherwise, we were surprised that it was better than expected.
Buy Porter-Cable C2004-WK 4 gallon Oil-Free Pancake Compressor with 25-Feet PU Hose and Fittings Now
at first it leaked when I took it out the box I fix the leak then on the job site after I turned it on the regulator was broke the was spring missing . I don't know if this damage happen in transit but remanufactured products and not a good bye
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