Since you are considering either a tank or compressor, the first thing you should do is find out if a tank (on its own) is even a viable. For it to work for you, you need to have a source to fill it that is an acceptable distance and cost for you. And don't just assume that any dive shop will work - you need to talk to them, as some won't fill much above 3500 psi, some won't fill if you don't have a diver card, and some might not have the right fittings to connect to what you buy (like and SCBA tank - when I went that route I had a to buy an SCBA to DIN adapter for them to be able to fill it). If that works out well, a tank can be a great solution on its own.Once you know that, you can decide. Personally, I love filling from a tank, and I refill my tank from a Shoebox compressor. Some people don't like it, but I have no clue why - having a tank at the ready is so much faster, quieter, and more convenient than any compressor. With that in mind, I would recommend starting with a tank (if feasible per above) and add a compressor that can fill tanks later, if you want to.
A lot of things to consider. How often do you shoot? How much do you shoot? Do you only shoot at home, or do you need air to take with you? Do you need to be quiet when filling or is a noisy compressor an option when filling? You list several guns that take a lot of air, I can only assume you are hand pumping now.I started in 2015 and bought a tank with 5 years of it's 15 year life left. It's life/certification ended last year. Tanks have a 15 year life and 5 year recertification. Do you have someone local that can recertify? Expensive to ship probably. I just dug all of my guns, tank, equipment out, and bought an AEA HP TD. I decided to buy a Hong Yeng compressor instead of another tank. I will fill my own tank when needed. These little compressors build a lot of heat and have a high failure rate from my research. I went with the Yong Heng because it is water cooled and can be rebuilt. I also like having a tank available if I want to refill away from the compressor.
Talk to Joe, he will get you set up right. He sells everything you will need for those guns. I own the Nomad ll compressor, it's portable, easy to maintain, no water to mess with. It' fills to 4500 psi, no need for tanks just hook to the gun. Comes with a carrying case and extra parts, AC-DC power just plug it in to a wall or run it off a car battery(with vehicle running). I went with the Nomad ll after Hurricane Michael leveled everything here, nearest dive was an hour and a half a way from where I lived. Also the compressor allowed me to fill higher HPA guns. Some of my guns fill from 3600 psi to 4500 psi. They use a lot of air and tanks were out of the question for me. Here is something to consider as well is the cost of the fill, some can cost $15, tank inspections and testing can start at $45 and up. Like Alan stated make sure you can get the tanks filled somewhere. Yes, there is a lot of info out there, you have figure what will work best for you and not break the bank. Good Luck.
Can expired carbon tanks be recertified now beyond 15 years?
Quote from: AIRSPORT on December 06, 2021, 06:13:32 AMCan expired carbon tanks be recertified now beyond 15 years?In general, the easy and most typical answer is no. There are now some tanks that, if you follow a specific process and test a specific way, can go longer, but that is not cheap either (cheaper than a two new tanks though).That said, what it means is that once a tank exceeds its life you will not be able to get it filled by anyone for you. But people that have their own compressors fill their own expired tanks all the time. You will see all kinds of doom and gloom posts about this practice, but the reality is that these tanks, if treated properly, really don't fail. I bought a used 66 cubic foot tank from a fire department that had five years left on it, and after it expired I continued to fill it with my Shoebox (and still do). I generally don't fill it above about 3700 psi now, and I am not about to take it to a public range (nothing would happen, but if it did who needs the liability headache). That use pattern was my exact plan when I bought it - get it filled by a dive shop for about 5 years then buy my own compressor. Having both tanks and a compressor is awesome if you shoot a fair amount.I did eventually buy a Joe Brancato Guppy tank to have one that is able to be certified in case I take it to a range, and when it ages out I will probably buy another (for the same reasons) and keep the old Guppy and retire the old 66 CF tank - as a fire fighters tank that 66 probably had a "rough" first ten years of life, but my current Guppy has had a glorious life so far - it only gets "deep cycled" when emptied for inspections, never sees pressure changes of much over 1200 psi (since I fill when it gets down to about 3300 psi, and these tanks are expected to see deep cycle use), is kept in a stable environment, and never gets dropped, tossed in a truck or exposed to chemicals. We airgunners greatly under-utilize these tanks compared to what they were designed for . . .
It's a shame Tom quit selling the F10 Shoebox, people were buying all the cheap compressors instead and he decided to raise the price back up and only sells them to NASA now. You know darned well that if NASA is using them they gotta be good. I jumped on the F10 when the price was $499 and what a deal that was, I'll never need another compressor I'm sure.
Quote from: Wayne52 on December 06, 2021, 12:44:09 PMIt's a shame Tom quit selling the F10 Shoebox, people were buying all the cheap compressors instead and he decided to raise the price back up and only sells them to NASA now. You know darned well that if NASA is using them they gotta be good. I jumped on the F10 when the price was $499 and what a deal that was, I'll never need another compressor I'm sure. I would like to get a shoebox. Are they not available anywhere now?
As of now I don't shoot often. I would need the option to take air with me. Doesn't need to be quiet but would be nice to have a quiet option. Can expired carbon tanks be recertified now beyond 15 years?
Quote from: AIRSPORT on December 06, 2021, 01:53:38 PMQuote from: Wayne52 on December 06, 2021, 12:44:09 PMIt's a shame Tom quit selling the F10 Shoebox, people were buying all the cheap compressors instead and he decided to raise the price back up and only sells them to NASA now. You know darned well that if NASA is using them they gotta be good. I jumped on the F10 when the price was $499 and what a deal that was, I'll never need another compressor I'm sure. I would like to get a shoebox. Are they not available anywhere now? Best I can say is keep your eyes open on classifieds, not many people want to sell them because they're that reliable. I did see an F8 shoebox at Airgun Nation a while back but it's gone.
I know everyone is going to say compressor. I will be in the minority and say 100% a tank. These 400 dollar compressors are going to die. Not a matter of if but when. A nice 74 cu ft 550 dollar tank will last what 20 to 30 years? Can’t remember exactly what the rules are. Plus the tanks are completely portable to take anywhere. Not all compressors are. Seems a no brainer. Now I realize some people have no way of getting a tank filled. Of course then my response doesn’t apply.
Best of both worlds today, imo: A large CF tank and a YH compressor. BTW, you don't have to pay $550 for a nice 74 cf tank. I recently paid $293 for an Acecare 87 cf tank with a nice valve, shipped.