Hitachi EC119SA 15 amp 2.5-Horsepower 4-Gallon Twin-Stack Air Compressor

• Quiet operation and extended life
• Powerful 15 amp-induction motor
• Protective roll cage design protects the pump and motor from damage
• Includes 2-inchdustrial couplers, oil dipstick, and 8-ounce synthetic oil
• 1-year limited warranty
• (2) factory installed couplers
• Cast iron, oil lubricated pump with oversized bearings for quiet, dependable service
• Comes with a 1-year limited warranty
• Contractor preferred 4-gallon twin stack tank
• Powerful induction motor

I purchased one of these units and was very pleased for about 3 months. The unit ran great and was very quiet for a compressor due to the induction motor. Running it indoors you can actually talk over top when its running and hear the other person. At 3 months the unit stopped working and would only hum without kicking on. After replacing with a new unit I was ok for about 3 weeks and the same problem happened. The issue is the oil level. Hitachi supplies a small bottle of 5w-50 oil and the instructions are to fill on a level surface to a point between the notch on the dip stick. The first time I over filled slightly using about 4/5 of the oil supplied. on the second unit I filled to the required level or about 2/3 of the oil supplied. Both units eventually seized. After speaking with a customer service I found out the supplied oil is premeasured and ALL THE OIL SHOULD BE ADDED. I found Hitachi to have very good customer service, the first unit was replaced and the second serviced at no cost. My opinion is this is a very good unit with a small design flaw on the oil pickup system and instructions which should tell you to add all the oil. Also note, when they say don't operate at more than 10 degrees angle, they mean it. The oil will not get to the crank and the unit will seize. This unit is very small, very portable, extremely quiet unit and supplies 4.cfm @ 90psi all of which is a great combination. I would have given 5 stars except for the lost time and effort of not properly addressing the oil issue for this unit. At the end of the day I purchased a dewalt D55146 oil free unit for a backup as jobsite reliability is key for me. I hope the Dewalt performs better over the long run.

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I ordered this compressor and was excited to recieve it. UPS does it again. The release valve was snapped off. I will give a full review when I talk to Hitachi and get a new one.

Update: Had to pay a machinest to tap out the broken value. Hitachi customer service was awesome and sent me the replacement parts for free but now the compressor is leaking at the plastic hose that uses a preasure fitting to hold it in. I buy a lot of tools and never have had an issue. I would not take my experience as a negetive. Hitachi is great I just got a lemon.

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This is the first air compressor that I've purchased, although I've used them on-and-off for years. After a lot of research, I concluded that the quality level of unit that I wanted, I could not afford. There is a significant jump in build/design quality when you go from the $125/$300 range to the $300/$500 range. I need one only for home remodeling/garage use, but I didn't want to buy junk. When I found this unit factory reconditioned, I bought one immediately. After 1 week of use, I am very happy with my decision. It is well made, easy to use, fairly quiet, has a very low tank fill time and recovery time, and is a notch above homeowner-grade tools. The unit isn't light, about 65 lbs, but that's due to the liberal use of metals instead of plastics. It arrived in almost like-new condition. It looks as though is was only used once or twice, then returned. You can download the manuals that originally came with it from Hitachi's website. Highly recommended.

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Owned this air compressor for 1 year. Used it to frame and sheath a house, sheath and shingle three roofs and trimming out two complete interiors.

My experience is as follows;

Framing

Compressor kept up with two Hitachi NR90AE framing nailers providing the nailers were not used in "bump" mode for several consecutive shots.

Barely able to keep up with one Hitachi NR90AE framing nailer in "bump" mode firing several consecutive shots.

Completely unable to keep up running two Hitachi NR90AE framing nailers in "bump" mode firing several consecutive shots.

Sheathing

Compressor kept up with two Hitachi NV83A3 coil nailers providing the nailers were not used in "bump" mode for several consecutive shots.

Barely able to keep up with one Hitachi NV83A3 coil nailer in "bump" mode firing several consecutive shots.

Completely unable to keep up running two Hitachi NV83A3 coil nailers in "bump" mode firing several consecutive shots.

Roofing (Shingles)

Compressor kept up running one Hitachi NV45AB roofing nailer applying five nails per shingle.

At times would not keep running two Hitachi NV45AB nailers applying five nails per single without waiting approx 45 seconds to fully recharge.

Trimming

Compressor kept up running two MT65A4 finish nailers or two NT50AE2 finish nailers.

I recently purchased a second Hitachi EC119SA for back-up and will run two compressors when "bump" nailing the large framing and coil nailers.

The compressor must operate on a dedicated 15 amp circuit or 20 amp circuit. Due to the oil lubricated pump the compressor can not operate on more then a 10 degree angle.

I have not used the compressor in temperatures below 48 degrees so I can not comment on the reported poor cold starts. I do know other name brand oil lubricated compressors also experience poor cold starts.

So far for the money I had good luck running these compressors!

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I have had this unit for a couple years, with only occasional use filling tires, blowing sawdust out of chainsaws, etc. MAYBE 10 or 12 hours of total continuous run time. Recently the pressure reducer/regulator control failed I have rarely made changes to the delivered pressure, so I think the part was just defective from the beginning. As others have noted, in cold weather the unit does not start up easilyeither trips it's internal breaker or the house breaker. It can take some time playing with it to get it going. In warmer temps this is not a problem.

(Over a year later...) I have run the compressor a lot since I changed out the reducer/regulator, and it has been a good performer since then.

Stanley Bostitch N89C-1 Coil Framing Nailer

• Pneumatic coil framing nailer with an adjustable exhaust
• Patented push-button adjustable depth guide sets nails to desired depths quickly and easily
• Lightweight magnesium design; aggressive wear guards to protect the tool from damage on abrasive surfaces
• Magazine holds up to 300 nails
• 12-1/4 inches long, 14 inches high; weighs 8.1 pounds; 7-year limited warranty

I purchased this gun as a quick replacement for my Max CN890II which Ive had for about 8 years. At almost half the cost of the Max I'm very glad I switched. No case, but I'd rather have a nice quality gun than a case. I overnighted the gun so I could get back to finishing my barn the next day after my Max died.. Oiled it up and ran about 9 rolls of various nails through it that afternoon and it fired on queue every time.. Very strong quick and predictable. Highly recommend this one!

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Just bought this gun after my old bostitch stick nailer died. I must say this thing is amazing.

As a contractor, I love the features it has. It feels well balanced and is easier to fit in smaller spaces than the traditional stick nailer. I like how I can set it down on its face when im working, I just grab it and go. no laying down and picking up.

A bonus feature that I did not expect nor does the write up tell you about is that It comes with a factory rafter hook that is well placed.

The only thing I can say bad is that it didnt come with a case, not really a big deal but here on the coast rust is a problem so I like to keep tools in their cases.

Cant go wrong with this gun.

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Excellent Nailgun. At first I had misfires or jams and couldn't shoot 10 nails in a row. I changed the couplings on my hose (the mild hiss was a give away) to better couplings. I reconnected the gun and had no hiss from the coupling to the gun or the coupling to the compressor. I went through 2,000 nails without a jam or misfire! Especially helpful was the extra trigger to convert the gun from a sequential to a single fire gun.

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This framing gun is everything I expected it to be. I like the coil nailers better than the stick nailers because they are much easier to work with in tight areas. Not to mentioned the N89C-1 is capable of driving 16d nails which was the advantage of the stick nailers before. Amazon's great price and fast shipping just makes everything that much better.

Note: The framing gun comes with two triggers "Smart" (Black Trigger) and "Sequential" (Gray trigger). I left the "Smart" trigger on as that is what I have always used. Some people like to change out the triggers because of the possibility of a double fire if the gun hits the surface twice. If you can control the gun and not let it bounce back after the recoil you shouldn't have any problems with double firing.

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I bought this nailer after working with a stick nailer for far too long. This Bostich is far more compact and versatile than a stick nailer. A friend had his for 18 years and didn't do any maintenance on it, so I figure with maintenance this may be the only framing nailer I'll ever buy.

Stanley Bostitch LHF97125-2 Floor Runner Laminated Hardwood Flooring Stapler for 1/4-inch to 1/2-inc

• Laminated hardwood pneumatic flooring stapler for 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch flooring
• Tool-free adjustable base; ultra-quiet rear exhaust
• Magnesium housing for extreme durability; molded rubber grip
• Tapping block-included
• 10.13 by 8.25 by 3-inches; 2-1/2-pounds; 7-year limited warranty

This item is a great assett to anyone that does engineered flooring installation. Very visible staple cartridge. No jambs and accurate on every shot. Consistant depth control. Ran this tool on a 2 gallon air compressor and had no problems

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Bought this from Amazon when they were running a promo. Used the staples recommended by Amazon (German made) as well as Bostich staples bought at Home Depot. Installed Mirage Engineered Hardwood floor due to online and distributor reviews (cannot buy Mirage online any longer, but has an excellent distribution network as far as I can see).

The stapler worked flawlesly for over 7500 staples. Back in box and looks new. I take of the tools and don't use pneumatic staplers as a general purpose hammer or bottle opener.

Minor complaint: has no 'empty' indicator. Ran out once or twice and had to go back over last plank to find last staple point. Get in the habit of checking the magazine.

Very light, easy to use. Size and weight of stapler was one reason I used engineered instead of solid wood in this application (second floor bedrooms, 2 5/8" plywood sheets as subfloor, so did not need any increased stiffness from hardwood floor, such as 3/4 solid may provide.)

With some care, you can start using the stapler from the second course outwards, which is very nice, esp in closets.

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If looking for an accurate and time saving tool this is the way to go. No wiping away messy glue just set the Floor Runner to the proper height of your laminate floor and run with it. The angle of the staples push the seems together for a good tight fit leaving no gaps.

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It will staple engineered flooring down but be prepared for more than a few bent and twisted staples. Unless you apply heavy pressure against the flooring the bent staples will damage the edge and you will need to remove it. Perhaps I have a lemon and you will have better luck than I did. Hope it works better for you than it did for me. Update, the stapler failed before I finished the job and I ended up buying a regular staple gun which strangely worked better once I honed my method.

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Recently purchased this product to lay down enginered flooring. It is definately worth the cost as it makes a challenging job a lot easier. The main obsticle I had was finding the correct staples locally. I actually found them in Home Depot in their tool rental area. My local Home Depot rents this same model out (if you can get it) which always gives me some confidence in its sturdiness.

If your going to lay engineered flooring ... get this product.

Makita 784859-A Quad-Driver 11 Piece Pre-Drill, Drive and Countersink Set

• Industrial quad-driver modular set for use in securing drill bits, countersinks, and screwdriver bits
• This set lets you do 4 jobs with 1 drill
• Change from a drill and countersink to a power screwdriver.
• Includes quad driver shaft, built-in hex key, #6, #8, #10, #12 countersink drivers, and case
• Weighs 9 pounds shipped

I've had one other combo Drill-Countersink-Phillips driver bit to date (a Ryobi) which is pretty decentbut having become a recent Makita convert, had to try this one out. I have to say, it's nothing special, and it does what it's built for. I generally don't use the phillips head for driving screws as I save that work for my impact driver but the countersink works well.

It's not the most clean at cutting countersinks but if you're patching holes or doing non-finish work where a clean visible screw and surface are not required, this works. I am looking into attempting a purchase of something made by Snappy tools which supposedly works with any standard drill bit and leaves clean holes but for rough carpentry work, this will be my go-to as it offers such versatility in sizes of countersinks and comes in a decent case (unlike my cheapo ryobi). It's also cheap enough that if it breaks, which I doubt it willit's no biggie to me.

I wouldn't however recommend this for use in an impact drill. Impact drills by design have a little bit of play in their quick release chucks and unless you tap your hole first, can get some wobble when trying to hit your mark on the drill end. As to the screw endI again avoid it for impact drivers due to their massive torque. When used in a standard drillthis works perfect.

Edit: after further use these past several daysI have to admit that I was misspoken in my previous statements that it's pretty good. This bit set is actually subpar for anything other than well... framing work. the bit wobbles enough inside the attachment that it makes it nearly impossible to drive straight holes through without predrilling with a separate drill only bit. I know it's not my drill as I hooked in a 6" phillips bit and compared the spin to a second drill and both spin true. This set is a disappointment so unless you're in a bind, or if this is just cheaper in general, I wouldn't recommend this set. I've dropped it from 4 to 2 stars just on the lack of how impressed I am with it. Still pretty handy to have so many sized bitspretty sad that the bit wobbles so muchthen again, I did need rather precise countersunk holes in some plastic and it got me to thinking that when I do countersink, it generally always needs to be precisewhich this set fails at. Better luck next time Makita.

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Great set of tools. I use them constantly. Pre-drilling a screw hole

is always better. Screw goes in straight and there is no wood splitting.

Some might think the price a little high but its well worth it. Very sturdy tool

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I already had one of these which I use a lot ,prevents boards from splitting and sets them down even with boards .. Thanks Marvin

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This is the best tool in my home arsenal. Thanks for the great product and price. I reccomend this product to anyone that has chores around the house.

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What can I say? It arrived on time and was what I wanted. Did not have to chase all over to find it.

Factory-Reconditioned DEWALT D55146R Heavy Duty 4.5 Gallon Compressor with Wheels

• Heavy-duty 4.5 gallon, 200 PSI hand-carry compressor
• Like new, factory-reconditioned compressor
• Constructed to withstand harsh job-site conditions
• Useful for carpenters and remodelers
• Oil- and maintenance-free pump

I was disappointed to see that this item has been withdrawn. Perhaps related to the way they are shipped? I shopped around for a compressor that was relatively inexpensive yet had enough CFM for some of the more demanding tools like higher end painters and impact wrenches that need 5+ CFM at 90psi.

My compressor arrived today. Despite the box looking to be in good shape, I found a broken piece laying the the bottom of the box. After a bit of research I found it was part of the mounting bracket the holds the compressor to the frame. There are three of them, one steel, and two cast (pot?) metal formed with the casing. The piece that was broke goes over the rubber under it that helps with vibration.

I went to the web site to see about getting a replacement and noticed that the item was no longer available so they only gave me the option of a refund, not a replacement. I was very disappointed as I thought this was the ideal compressor for the price, especially the cheaper, refurbed (in Mexico) unit.

I thought I would take a flyer, and rather than accept a refund and return it, to instead see if Amazon would be willing to give me a partial refund to offset the damage. Since the damage probably won't affect the operation of the unit, I was willing to keep it if reimbursed something for the damage. I suspect such negotiation isn't conventional for most businesses, but what did I have to lose to ask.

These units retail for around $600-700, are sold new by Amazon for $350, but the refurbs were a more modest $254 with free shipping. Amazon offered me a 40% refund if I didn't return it. I thought that was very gracious. I was also amazed to get a reply literally within minutes of asking for a partial refund, assuming I would get rejected. I think the resulting $153 price delivered to my door was awesome :) I almost bought a $150 compressor from Northern Tool (located locally) but like other cheaper units, it just didn't have the higher volume needed for the better air tools.

Having just gotten the unit today, I only did the 15-minute break-in and then pumped up the tank to be sure it would hold air. It passed that test with flying colors. Four hours later the tank still has full pressure so it seems to be holding the pressure well too.

I don't know why, but they ask you to operate the compressor horizontally, and only have it vertical for hauling and storage. Based on how I think it works, I wouldn't think running it vertically would matter, but I won't take that chance.

WARNING: As someone else noted, this is a higher pressure unit than most comparable units. As a result, the 250psi air hose most people are buying is NOT adequate. The owner's manual clearly says you should buy a 300psi hose instead. I am guessing the 250psi hose would work as the operating pressure is only 200psi, but for the price, why not do as asked? The hose most people are buying is the yellow Goodyear hose for around $20, but the Goodyear 300psi hose is $43, so being frugal I looked around. I see Amazon offers several choices, from no name to known names. But rather than buying the $43 Goodyear hose, I bought the $27 Gates hose, another fine brand. I called the local auto parts store and they stocked the same Gates hose for $68. It is red instead of "safety" yellow, but who cares, not me.

It would be great if Amazon would put something in the description about the need for a 300psi hose as it seems people (like another reviewer) are ordering the 250psi hose and then having to return it after reading the manual.

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I didn't read the reviews here until after I the unit was already in process I could not cancel the order. And the reviews here did make me worry worry that I'd be getting a crappy refurb. Well, sadly, that is what I got. I don't have anything against refurbs or reconditioned items I buy them frequently and save some money. I do have something against buying items that are misrepresented. And this one is grossly misrepresented. It doesn't look like the one in the picture. The one in the picture looks new. The one I received is battered and beaten and has been sloppily repainted. Sloppily repainted over the information and warning labels. The handle is difficult to get in and out. The pressure adjustment knob pops off by itself! All of the knobs, adjustments and fittings are extremely tight on delivery difficult to get them to move or even working. The tank was delivered with pressure and water in it. It looks like it's seen a lot of use. I should have gone with new _I_ would have been happier. But, hey, after a good deal of fidgeting and fussing I got it to work. It runs great just what I need for everything from framing to siding and finishing. But, wow, did ever get ripped off by Amazon on the quality of the refurb!!!! I compare it to, say, the refurb'd Bostich framing nailer I just got and it's almost like there's no comparison at all! That's because the Bostich looks (and behaves) like a brand-new tool. I hope this thing works for years to come but, well, yeah. Something this beat up... Yeah, I don't know. Oh, and the new unit has some weird/bad design features, too. What's up with making it look like a step stool and then writing "no step" on the stool?

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So I ordered this item twice. The first time it came it would not start, so I simply returned it with no problems. Thought over the decision again, and I just couldnt pass it up: the price was good for such a good unit. Well, the first one was definitely a lemon, as I received another reconditioned d55146 and it works like a charm. I still let it run for 15 mins with the valve open. I just used a small brad nailer with it...the thing barely flinched. fairly quiet for an oil-less compressor, quickly fills... the only thing I find a little cheap on the compressor is the knob to regulate pressure. other than that, its a solid compressor. i will update this if there is any future problems.

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I'm a non-professional, hobbyist type of user for this item, so I figured I'd save a few bucks and get the reconditioned version. What I got from Amazon was either a mistake, a joke, or the sorriest excuse for refurbishing ever! Either way, the unit was broken in three pieces (the plastic motor cover, a compressor mounting tab, and the handle on the tank) and extremely beat up, with no sign of having even been inspected -much less reconditioned. Given some other reviews here I briefly considered that poor shipping could've been the culprit, and who knows -maybe it was, partly. But this thing had dirt caked on it from its last job site and there wasn't a shred of documentation in the box... no manual, nothing. It was almost as though they took the box from the "to be done" pile instead of the "done" pile, but Amazon couldn't tell me anything about reconditioning standards or whether this was just what to expect with refurbs.

So I sent it back. Called up an independant dealer of pre-owned DeWalt stuff. Rep told me there are A-grade, B-grade, and C-grade refurb levels, and that if Amazon is selling the C-grade junk that they have to clearly state it in the product description. This dealer sold only A-grade and assured me the unit would be far better than what I described from Amazon. I went ahead and placed the order (same price and free 2 day shipping). Unit arrived and was exactly what I expected. It's not perfect but it's clean, nothing is broken, and it works.

Summary: This is a good item, but my experience with a reconditioned unit was way below what I've come to expect from Amazon and another dealer did much better.

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So I'm really excited to use this compressor I've got projects waiting, but I'm now having to send the second unit back and waiting for a third to arrive...

The first unit looked like it was dropped during shipping and the metal brackets that hold the pump to the frame were completely sheared off. It was interesting that when UPS came to pick it up for return shipment the driver didn't have a hand-truck (he borrowed mine) then needed help lifting the box into his truck. Even more amusing was that I put arrows showing which sides can be up for shipping (the box was placed handle-side down on my porch when it was delivered instead of wheel side or bottom side down) and when I pointed this out to the UPS driver he proceeded to put the shipping label on one of the BOTTOM sides...

The second unit took another week to arrive (the return took only 2 days to get back to Amazon). The box was in much better condition, but again left handle side down on my porch. After opening the box I found that one of the metal brackets was sheared not what I would expect as factory-reconditioned.

I imagine most of these units are getting replacement pumps, so it seems the refurb company is not doing a good job assembling these. I'm also a little dissappointed that both units looked heavily worn scratches, dents and very dusty. I would expect some wear and tear on a reconditioned unit, but at least they can clean them up a bit, mabye replace the top cover if it's dented.

On the flip side, Amazon has been great in working with me to resolve the issue. I just hope they can lean on their supplier a bit to perform better QA so these units can arrive in one piece. Hopefully third time will be a charm for this one!

UPDATE: Third time was not quite a charm. While the latest unit was the best of the three, it still had one broken mount. Since the other two mounts are OK and this one still partially holds, I'm not going to bother sending it back because I'm tired of the back-and-forth and have doubts I will be able to get a unit without broken mounts. I'll still report the issue to Amazon and see what they can do.

UPDATE #2: After using this unit for a while, I absolutely LOVE the compressor. I'm changing my rating to 4-stars it would be higher except for the troubles just trying to get a decent unit. Most of the time it sits in my garage and powers impact wrenches while I work on my car, fills up tires, and blows out water after washing the cars. Lately I've been using it in the back with my new air powered caulk gun so I can seal up new siding/trim that I had to replace due to weather & termites. Being able to just pick is up and roll it back is very convenient. No other issues with the compressor pump is working good. I just need to remember to turn it off when I'm done as the hose reel I have hooked up (along with a filter and pressure regulator) seem to have a small leak, so the compressor kicks on every few hours if I don't turn it off.