OK, here's a post that has nothing to do with technology. Usually when I acquire a new appliance, or piece of weekend warrior type equipment, I enjoy writing up a quick honest-to-God review about my first impressions. The Porter-Cable C2002-WK Oil-Free UMC Pancake Compressor with 13-Piece Accessory Kit I recently purchased is no exception. And for the record, I'm no contractor or construction worker; I'm just a guy who needed a somewhat simple air compressor for basic round the house jobs. Generally speaking, I only plan on using this compressor to keep tires inflated, and to spray out dusty computer equipment. I'm sure this compressor has other, more noble uses. I have yet to find one, but I'm sure I'll come across something soon.
1 - First Impressions
The Porter-Cable C2002-WK Oil-Free UMC Pancake Compressor with 13-Piece Accessory Kit appears to be very well made. Out of the box, the unit was a little dusty, and slightly scratched (I thought the compressor I purchased was a return). However, turns out it was dusty because of the loose cardboard packaging that housed the unit during shipping. The small scratches on the side of the tank were from the prongs of the plug rubbing against the tank. From my limited experience with air compressors, I know that any dents or scratches on the tank, if large enough, could compromise the tanks' stability (if it's weakened, it could explode under pressure). That was clearly not the case here; all of the scratches were purely superficial.
After unpacking, I followed the important break-in procedure to get the compressor ready for use. This involves opening the drain valve, and turning on the compressor for about 15-minutes to clear out any moisture collected in the tank during shipping. I was initially surprised how loud the unit was. The break-in procedure went fine, and I started to use the compressor to spray off some dusty computer equipment and my garage workbench. Assembling the sprayer and attaching the hose was a snap.
The unit is much louder and heavier than I expected, but wasn't too bad. I don't have experience with other compressors, so I can't compare it to another make or model. Contrary to what I read online about this compressor, the vinyl hose that comes included with the unit is actually quite nice. A few reviewers said the hose was stiff and "had a memory", meaning if you coil it up, it's going to want to stay coiled. In fact, the vinyl hose I received with my unit easily stretched itself out to full length with no issues.
2 - Pros
Easy setup; I un-boxed the unit and had it up and running in about 5 minutes. The 13-piece accessory kit that comes with the unit has just about everything a weekend warrior would need to get started. The tank pressure and regulator gauges are well built, and easy to read. The unit is reasonably sized, and can fit in just about any garage corner with ease.
3 - Cons
The compressor is louder and heavier than I expected. In a somewhat confined space like a standard garage, the noise from the compressor motor is almost uncomfortable. The compressor does appear to run on the warm side. The motor itself seemed to be OK, but the hose connecting the motor to the tank got extremely hot after about 30 minutes of run-time. When on, the compressor motor vibrates quite a bit; if the rubber feet on the unit are not on a surface with good traction, the compressor seems to "walk around" on its own. It had a tendency to move around a little bit on the smooth cement surface of my garage floor.
4 - Overall
4 out of 5 stars.
If you'd like to check out the Porter-Cable C2002-WK manual, you can download it here.
5 - Pictures
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