# Ridgid Twin-Stack Portable Compressor, OF45150



## Howard Ferstler (Sep 27, 2007)

I have had this Ridgid (and Campbell-Hausfeld built) oil-free compressor for several years and have used it in conjunction with my Ridgid and Campbell-Hausfeld framing nailers to add timbering to my attic trusses, build a fancy coffered ceiling in my garage, and add additional nails to the siding on my house. I have also used it to power finishing and brad nailers for assorted projects.

The thing (although noisy like most oil-free designs) works just fine. The calibration is perfect and I appreciate not having to worry about oil in the compressor section. It weighs 70 pounds, which makes it kind of awkward to carry around (note the single hand hold in the photo, which makes me think it was designed to be carried by Popeye), but when I did the work on my house I simply left it inside my shop out back and ran hoses of appropriate length (up to 200 feet) to the project. The one exception was the garage-ceiling project, where I had to keep changing from the framing nailer, to the brad nailer, to a palm nailer, and back. It was good to have the unit close by for those multiple disconnect situations.

Sure, I could have attached two hoses, or even a splitter, with an outboard gauge and control (or two gauges and controls) for one of the guns, but this was a one-time project for a guy who uses the compressor only occasionally.

I cannot think of a thing I would change, except that maybe it would be a bit easier to live with if it had big wheels attached. Come to think of it, Ridgid now has one with wheels, but I think it comes with an oil-lubed compressor.

Howard Ferstler


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Good review.

You sound like you prefer oil free compressors. Why? 

In my experience they are far too noisy to have around. I have a small (1hp, 125psi 3 gallon) oil-lubed Craftsman compressor that I prefer to use when I can instead of the big oil free compressor that is ungodly noisy.

G


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## Howard Ferstler (Sep 27, 2007)

GeorgeC said:


> Good review.
> 
> You sound like you prefer oil free compressors. Why?
> 
> ...


Yeah, it is a noisy item, although it sits in one room in my shop and I do the small amount of nailing work that I do in the building in another room. Also, much of what I used it for in the way of adding timbering to my attic and putting more nails into the siding of my tract house involved me working with 100 or 200 foot hose lengths some distance from the compressor. I did use it when building a coffered ceiling in my garage, but it sat out in the driveway and so the noise was not that bad that time, either.

I opted for the oil-free version simply because mine was not going to be used all that much and (after experience with cars, motorcycles, and generators) I wanted something that was absolutely trouble free in the lubrication department. Seems that the oil lube issue is not really all that big a deal, however, but it is too late now. If I had to do it again I probably would have purchased the Ridgid version that has the aluminum tanks - and an oil lubed compressor.

The thing does run nicely as can be, thankfully.

Howard Ferstler


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## Cookn (May 26, 2008)

I own the aluminum tank version of this and I've been quite pleased with it. I haven't given it the use you have given yours but I will. I originally purchased it because of the weight savings over yours and the fact that it was a lubricated compressor. In a former life I was a technician in the rental dept. at HD and as such I had to sign off on all returned tools, and I saw way too many oil-less compressors come back. Never did see a oil lubed one. The aluminum tanked unit is just about 1/3 lighter than the steel tank unit.


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## Howard Ferstler (Sep 27, 2007)

Cookn said:


> I own the aluminum tank version of this and I've been quite pleased with it. I haven't given it the use you have given yours but I will. I originally purchased it because of the weight savings over yours and the fact that it was a lubricated compressor. In a former life I was a technician in the rental dept. at HD and as such I had to sign off on all returned tools, and I saw way too many oil-less compressors come back. Never did see a oil lubed one. The aluminum tanked unit is just about 1/3 lighter than the steel tank unit.


If I had it to do over I probably would get the unit you purchased, even at the slightly higher cost. I like the lighter weight, although the unit I have does have a maximum pressure and output speed advantage. Still, yours is more than able enough, and I like the durability advantage of the oiled compressor section.

Howard Ferstler


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## Cookn (May 26, 2008)

We had 2 units like yours in rental service and they were a bit more reliable than the Dewalt Emglo's they replaced. I had to rebuild the regulators on the Dewalts with some regularity, about every 8 months. The thing I noticed with the Rigid's was that parts seemed to vibrate loose after a bit of use. I developed a habit of going over them and tightening stuff after about 3 rentals, especially if they were long term heavy use rentals. The little rubber feet seem to want to remove themselves from the chassis and the tube from the compressor to the regulator, the compression nuts loosen up and they leak a bit. I used Loctite on those and it helps.


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## Howard Ferstler (Sep 27, 2007)

Cookn said:


> We had 2 units like yours in rental service and they were a bit more reliable than the Dewalt Emglo's they replaced. I had to rebuild the regulators on the Dewalts with some regularity, about every 8 months. The thing I noticed with the Rigid's was that parts seemed to vibrate loose after a bit of use. I developed a habit of going over them and tightening stuff after about 3 rentals, especially if they were long term heavy use rentals. The little rubber feet seem to want to remove themselves from the chassis and the tube from the compressor to the regulator, the compression nuts loosen up and they leak a bit. I used Loctite on those and it helps.


Thanks for the input. I will keep close tabs on mine to make sure it does not loosen up here and there.

Howard Ferstler


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