Porter Cable C2002 WK Oil Free UMC Pancake Compressor Review
Don't Feel Like Reading? Here's A Summary Of The Porter Cable Air Compressor Review.
This Porter Cable air compressor is very low maintenance and extremely affordable. Model C2002 comes with a 6 gallon compressed air capacity and a humongous 150 PSI of air pressure. This air compressor has a 90 day return policy and is featured with a 15 tools accessory kit from Porter Cable. Ideal for simple tasks such as air painting and pressure cleaning.
Porter Cable may not be the perfect power tools company in the market, but their products are more of an ideal substitute for a budget conscious user. I have tried and reviewed Porter Cable jig saws, Porter Cable circular saws and even a Porter Cable cordless drill together with many other accessories to finally recognize them as a trusted brand for cheap and affordable solutions concerning construction n;’ repair related work.
I have spent more than a week testing out the kinks with the fancy new Porter Cable C2002 series Oil Free pancake air compressor. It has a low-ticket price alongside a humongous 150 PSI rating – and don’t forget the 6 gallon compressed air capacity. You got yourself a dandy looking product that works well with car tires, nail guns, paint nozzles and tons of other things.
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However, all things aside, Porter Cable C2002 pancake air compressor is not meant for heavy-duty professional use. At least I wasn’t able to get any luck out of this fat boy when I tried it on my Ford truck. This is because the air pressure needed to fill different vehicle tires varies according to the type of the car itself. Bigger cars come with big tires. In that sense, your air compressor needs to be able to have enough pressure buildup to push the air in – instead of the other way around.
Built for Simple Tasks:
By “simple tasks”, I mean you can go beyond tires with the help of Porter Cable C2002 6 gallon air compressor. Within a reasonable amount of air related work, this compressor will assist you with different projects, such as, but not limited to the following:
Source:Porter Cable
Just in case it is your first time buying an air compressor, and you are wondering about how to use it with a paint gun, the process is very simple. You just need to know the basics about air painting. If you are not able to find any training material, ask a friend; someone who is more experienced, or watch a couple of Youtube videos on How to Use an Air Compressor for Painting.
Given that the Porter Cable C2002 pancake air compressor comes with plenty of accessories, I am sure you will find the right nozzle and the hose to use with your spray paint arsenal. The amount of paint that is actually sprayed, depends on the size of the hole in the nozzle. Of course, you also need to have a good idea on how thick or thin the paint should be for a visually pleasing result.
My best advice to you would be to spray paint with the help of Porter Cable C2002 compressor on a couple of spare planks. Once you have a grip on the motion, you will be able to paint like a pro in no time.
Fun Fact: Porter Cable is a subsidiary of ‘Stanley’ and ‘Black & Decker’; the former company is a recognized brand in the power tools and kitchenware industry and we have tested and reviewed some of their products such as the LDX120PK Cordless Drill, the B&D BDECS300C Circular Saw and the LCS1020 Chainsaw. Stanley normally creates products for a select audience; mostly professionals who are looking to spend an extra few bucks on a top notch thing.
Black and Decker is relatively low priced, but Porter Cable is designed to take B&D a step ahead alongside a competitive price edge and better quality. I am not a huge fan of Black and Decker products though; they look and feel a bit ‘plasticy’; you know that Made in China crap.
What Other Reviewers are Saying Vs. First Impressions With Porter Cable C2002 Air Compressor?
Source:Porter Cable
Okay, there are a lot of online reviews about Porter Cable C2002 6 gallon pancake air compressor with nothing but praises about its awesome quality, performance and vice versa. One of the reviewers went as far as to write that he was thoroughly pleased with the results, and that he could even get by with heavy-duty work.
Excuse me? For a $150 air compressor, dude are you sure that you can do heavy-duty work involving nothing but pristine amount of air pressure? Other reviewers said that the Porter Cable air compressor is literally noiseless and they were able to have a “meaningful conversation” with someone while the air was filling in.
I actually laughed my butt off because one of the biggest setbacks of the Porter Cable C2002 air compressor is the noise level. 60dB is where you can talk to someone with a slightly raised voice, but this bad boy is way too loud. I measured the noise level around 84 decibels, which means that this air compressor is loud like a tuck horn. You will not be able to have a “meaningful” conversation with your on-site buddy, or anyone else for that matter ALL THE WHILE the air compressor is on and it is filling up.
The good thing about this Porter Cable air compressor is that despite of the 6 Gallon storage capacity, Porter Cable made it lightweight. The build quality is good, and so is the stunningly appealing color combination of red and black on the air compressor’s body. You can also carry it around easily, as compared to other air compressors within the same league.
On top of that, Porter Cable C2002 is indeed an Oil Free compressor. I found no remnants of any residue or oil etc. while operating the air compressor over a variety of aforementioned tasks. Cleaning, in particular, yielded mixed results. I could clean the dust from vacuum cleaner filters, blow leaves, vaporize mice nests, blow debris and many other hard to reach places. However, the results varied over the air compressor’s nozzle exposure.
Source:Porter Cable
If you are looking to clean a computer motherboard, speaker mesh, air conditioner filter, car dashboards and etc. The Porter Cable C2002 Air Compressor will work effortlessly. On the contrary, expecting to blow leaves in the driveway, or any other task, which requires high-pressure air ejection over a larger coverage area, will not benefit you in any way.
Generous Tank Capacity:
Compared to the Bostitch BTFP02012 and the Campbell Hausfeld DC040500, the Porter Cable C2002 Air Compressor has a better default tank air storage capacity. Campbell Hausfeld offers storage up to 8 gallons (thanks to dual tanks design), but these variations are offered over different models. In this context, Porter Cable is at least generous enough to give an extra 2 gallons over its competitors.
Most of the air thirsty demands are easily met over 6 gallons of storage. At the same time, this air compressor takes around 3 – 4 minutes to reach full capacity. The time it takes for Porter Cable C2002 to fill up is slightly more because you have to endure the shattering noise, but it is worth it.
Portability Factor:
Of course, this is a lightweight air compressor, so you can expect portability and ease of use during transport. I find it particularly important for campers and RV owners to have such an air compressor because they are bound to run into a sticky situation on the road.
What if you have a flat tire, and there’s no repair shop within miles? Given that you have the repair kit for the tires, you will eventually need an air compressor to get the tire inflated and rolling again.
How to Break-In the Porter Cable C2002 Air Compressor?
To get the best results, you need to ‘break in’ this air compressor. Obviously that doesn’t mean that you get a sledge hammer and dent the beautiful pancake shaped body, but breaking in is more of a mechanical term.
Sometimes, new power tools need to “get used” to their owners’ expectations. Think of it as a warm up phase where the optimal levels of an air compressor have not yet been fine-tuned. Another good example of the ‘break-in’ phase would be stereo speakers and headphones. The latter need to be used over 12 – 30 hours of constant loop music so that the speakers’ ability to produce high quality sound reaches its optimal levels.
Source:Porter Cable
A Porter Cable C2002 Air Compressor break in is easy. You can find a couple of online tutorials on it, but the quick way is to do the following:
- Turn Off your Porter Cable Air Compressor.
- Open the air compressor’s air drain valve so that all the air leaks out.
- Now Turn the Porter Cable C2002 Air Compressor back to On mode and let the compressor “fill” the tank for a good 15 – 20 minutes. I know, the air will escape from the valve, but you are just synching everything here at this point.
- After 15 – 20 minutes, while the air compressor is running, close the drain valve and let the compressor tank reach its full capacity.
That’s it, you are done with the break-in phase. While letting the Porter Cable C2002 Air Compressor run dry for approx. half an hour, you let the air go in without any pressure build up. And, by closing the valve, you let the pressure build up and then cause the motor to automatically turn off.
Product Specifications Porter Cable C2002 Air Compressor
Porter Cable Air Compressor Specifications | Porter Cable C2002 |
|---|---|
Porter Cable Max PSI | 150 |
Air Compressor Noise Level | 82 dBA |
Power Supply | Electric |
Air Compressor Model | C2002 |
Product Dimensions | 18.3 x 18 x 19 inches |
Pump Type | Oil Free |
Model C2002 Tank Size | 6 gallons |
Measurement System | Metric |
Porter Cable Warranty | 1 year |
Air Compressor Weight | 34 lbs. |
What’s in the box
The following is included with the Porter Cable Air Compressor:
Pros Of The Porter Cable Air Compressor
Cons
Conclusion – To Buy or Not to Buy Porter Cable C2002 Oil Free 6 Gallon Air Compressor:
In my opinion, the main two preselling factors are the price tag and the accessory kit. I haven’t seen a lot of air compressors that come with as many accessories as this Porter Cable C2002 model. However, these accessories are easily breakable, and you will need to find a replacement in the long run.
That doesn’t have to be a reason to stop you from making hay as long as the Porter Cable air compressor is in mint condition. Best of luck, and don’t forget to subscribe below to our official Power Tool Buzz newsletter for the latest power tool and other air compressor reviews.
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