Thomas Compressors T-617HDN 4 Amp 1/2 Horsepower 2 Gallon Oil-Free Hot Dog Compressor

by Thomas Compressors

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Thomas Compressors T-617HDN 4 Amp 1/2 Horsepower 2 Gallon Oil-Free Compressor is a super quiet (60 decibel) long-life compressor capable of handling any finish gun or brad nailer. Drawing less than 4 amps and weighing only 26 pounds, the T-617HDN is extremely portable and will run anywhere electricity is available. In fact, the low-current draw won't blow standard 15 amp house circuits, making it ideal for the homeowner or serious hobbyist. (It can also be used for other applications, such as airbrushing, inflating tires, air mattresses, sports equipment, and winterizing RV's and motor homes.) The professional contractor will appreciate the compressor's heavy-duty steel and aluminum construction and exclusive Perma-Lub design, which translates to an oil-free design, maintenance-free operation, and quick cold-weather starts. (There is not a single plastic shroud in this compressor.) The T-617HDN features a 1/2 HP motor that delivers .90 cfm at 100 psi. It has a 2-gallon tank capacity and measures 16.5 x 8 x 16.8 inches (length by width by height).

Product Description

Portable Electric Compressors Horsepower: 1/2 Cubic Feet per Minute: 0.90 Tank Capacity: 2.0 Gal. Configuration: Hot Dog Input Current: 115 Maximum Working Pressure (psi): 125 Voltage: 115

Product Details

Product Manual [762kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 26.6 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0000ANEIX
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: T-617HDN
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #230,930 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When Quality & Quiet Matter More Than Price & Power, July 5, 2004

By 

David S. Wright (Greenville, SC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thomas Compressors T-617HDN 4 Amp 1/2 Horsepower 2 Gallon Oil-Free Hot Dog Compressor (Tools & Home Improvement)

I'm an experienced hobbyist woodworker. Lately I've been tapped by my son's school for various projects such as bookshelves and work carts. A number of casework and trim projects are ahead for my household projects. I decided to speed things up by shifting to dado/rabbet joinery held with brads during glueup instead of biscuits. I researched compressors carefully around town and on the Web. Compressors available at the Borg and various local tool shops are gawdawful loud, heavy, and look to be made of cheap plastic and pot metal. It seems like most consumers want units that are cheap and powerful. I don't expect to use the unit for more than finish nailing, inflating tires, and blowing dust around the shop. The compressor will be carried around and used indoors. I don't mind paying more for tools that will last a long time. In my case cheap and powerful are low on the list. I'm looking for quiet, durable, and light.

The 1/2 HP Thomas seems to be right for me. It is conversation-level loud. Occasional indoor use won't send family members scurrying to other rooms. The unit is light enough to carry around easily, and its shape rides comfortably beside your walking legs (unlike pancake compressors). The unit seems to be assembled well using quality components.

The compressor only puts out about 1 CFM and has a 2 gallon tank. It will drive about a dozen nails before cycling on. There is plenty of capacity for inflating bike tires and topping up car tires. I only get several seconds of shop blowing before the unit cycles on, but that's OK for my home workshop use.

You will not be happy with this compressor unless your needs and preferences are similar to mine. It really doesn't put out or hold much air. So far it's looking like a good choice for me though. No durability experience since I haven't had the compressor for long. The factory replied quickly and completely to an e-mail question I had while shopping. I'll write again if my opinion changes over time.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great little compressor!, October 15, 2005

By 

Gregory Weld (Bellevue, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thomas Compressors T-617HDN 4 Amp 1/2 Horsepower 2 Gallon Oil-Free Hot Dog Compressor (Tools & Home Improvement)

I have several compressors - from a commercial "giant" model - down to this newest addition. I bought this for my hot rod trailer - and I needed a compressor that would run off a 3kw generator. I only needed this to air up the tires (75 psi on the trailer and 85 psi on the fronts of the truck) and the occasional "blow gun" for clean up. Not only does this little guy make 120 psi - it's quiet - light - and very nicely built! This is no imported junk! I couldn't be happier.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mine may be defective - (update: 74-76 db not 60 db), November 25, 2008

By 

Donald Frambach (Ventura, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thomas Compressors T-617HDN 4 Amp 1/2 Horsepower 2 Gallon Oil-Free Hot Dog Compressor (Tools & Home Improvement)

Received my compressor today. It's very loud. Clearly too loud to have less than a shouting conversation next to the compressor. Much louder than I expected. I have a RadioShack "sound level meter" which reports that the compressor is 76 decibels at 5 feet. Otherwise it seems to compress air as specified but much louder than the advertised 60db!

I called Amazon Customer Service. I told them that it appears that the compressor is defective. I was told that they put in a request for a replacement and that I should wait "24 to 48 hours" for instructions.

I will post back to this review when this is resolved. At this point, one star.

12/2/08 update:
Received a second compressor from Amazon yesterday. This one measures 74 db at 5 feet. Just for yucks, the sound is 60 db at a little more than 50 feet consistent with "inverse square law".

The sound level alone makes this compressor unsuitable for my intended purpose. Called Amazon tonight to arrange a return. Apparently they have to arrange something with Thomas because the compressors are listed as "non-returnable". They said to wait 24-48 hrs for instructions.

Definate 1 star to Thomas for not properly stating how much noise their compressor makes. So far, 5 stars to Amazon for being very helpful. I expect that they will eventually take back both compressors that I now have.

I should point out that both compressors compress air properly and that 74 to 76 db compressors are much quieter than most but these compressors make much more noise than the claimed 60db (unless you measure sound from 50 feet away!)

12/7/08 update:
No word from Amazon. I've waited more than "24-48 hrs." Called Amazon again tonight. The operator was very apologetic but said that he was not authorized to arrange for a return label for either the first compressor I received or the second replacement. I expressed concern that I would be charged for two compressors from Amazon when neither on met my needs because they were much louder than the advertised 60db. He said not to worry and that I should wait "24 to 48 hrs".

12/8/08 update:
received an email from Amazon telling me that they cannot "process" my return request until they know if the compressor has been used or "if fuel has been added to it". They also said "also please provide more information as to what exactly the defect with the product is"

I was instructed to go to the website http://www.amazon.com/contact-us to supply the requested information. For the life of me, I could find no place on the specified website to give this information. So I called them again. The person I spoke to was "very sorry" but told me to call another number tomorrow AM.

I'm getting very frustrated with Amazon!

12/13/08 update:
Called that other number on 12/9/08. Took some doing but both compressors sent back. Sad saga over!

If you just want a quieter than normal, presumably well made, oil-less compressor than this might work for you. Just be aware that two compressors that were sent to me were about 30 times louder than the advertised 60db.