Hi! My name is George and I bought my crossfire pro about 2 weeks ago. While I am waiting I had my garage wired for my Razor cut plasma . I am having a hard time finding a big enough air compressor that isn’t 220. The website says 6.7 cfm at 75 psi. Which is 8.04 cfm at 90 psi. What air compressors are you all using and where to buy? Thanks for your help.
@toolboy and @GunTruck1776 both run 120 compressors successfully. I recommend them as a reference. They will probably chime in.
I will say you will need approx. 30 gallon with the most HP you can get in 120 as a starting point. Plus another holding tank, or plan on pausing cuts to let the compressor catch up.
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thanks Mr.B Fox…
Yes…I run a 120v compressor with a 20 gallon tank…but what I do have is a 60 gallon reserve tank .
so my 20 gallon tank is in my cleaner basement shop and I run a line up to my garage where I have the 60 gallon tank before my plasma…
this allows me a good buffer of scfm…I have forgotten to turn on my 20 gallon and still cut for almost 2 minutes before I start having an issue.
there are some guys that even run off pancake compressors…
you really need steady scfm…smooth and steady flow of volume of air…
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Hello, welcome!
1st off this will be long.
I will start off with you do not want a 120V compressor if you are a shop, making money etc.
I have 2 120v compressors “linked” together, why? I had them and I am broke and I didn’t have the space. Both my compressors are 10 and 20 years old.
BUT…I knew I needed volume and 75 psi to cut.
I assessed my cutting requirements, I work 50 hours a week, cuts will be 1 off and repeat artwork.
Mostly 14/16 gage, so 25 to 30 amps at 120+ ipm, most of my cuts up to 12x12 would be under a minute.
12x24 rough quick landscape/lake/mountain welcome signs? Under 2 minutes
I have maybe 3 or 4 hrs to cut a couple times a week, so I also have to load,edit, resize etc.
So my compressors build air and shutoff, so I start with say 130psi at tanks, 40 gallons? Guessing, and they both turn on at the same time, using only 1 pressure switch.
I have a big radiator on the wall, these make heat = condensation.
I have no problems, I can cut 10/15 things go do other stuff etc, this is not my job, these compressors are at there limit with a sign I did that was 17 min of cutting (should of cut faster…early learning time)
So I can normally cut a couple things and then compressors kick on, I reload programs and repeat.
SO…YOU THINK 120V COMPRESSOR IS ENOUGH?
NOPE…
I CANNOT NEST A FULL SHEET AND CUT, NOT ENOUGH AIR AND SHIT GETS HOT AND WET…NOT THAT WAY.
So if you make a bracket here, bracket there, you will be able to get started.
BUT…
You need 220V for plasma so might as well go with a big compressor with I think 60 or 80 gallon tank.
I am running each compressor off a different leg of 220v to balance it.
I rambled 
feel free to ask questions, mine works perfect for what I do, will I upgrade? Hell yes. When we build new house/garage in a few years
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I agree completely…120v units can make do…but are not the best option…depending on the amount you plan to cut.
it is what you can fit in the space…what you can afford…and what works with both options…
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Thanks for your help
Hi All, Mark in South Carolina. Same thing as George, my boxes are coming in and I realized my 30 gallon doesnt have enough SCFM @90 PSI (5.1) I went to home depot this morning and found this one:
which is a high performance single stage that can do 6.2 @90 PSI, just squeeking past the Langmuir recommendation of 6 @ 90. It is 110v. It seems like the real number matters at 75 psi for the plasma. I know it is the low end of the spectrum for air compressors but at 499.00 I hope it would get me by. I still have a day job so I wont be running full time… any thoughts? Also does anyone know if there is a chart that will show or calculate SCFM @ any given PSI? Like if I know the rating at 40 psi and 90 psi, I can figure out what it would be at 75? Is SCFM linear so I could just graph it?
Thanks for any help… I will be hyper active in these forums very soon!
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You will still end up having to pause medium sized cuts and watch your air pressure. Don’t forget you expend air in between pierces and after cutting “post flow”.
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Take this for what its worth but I have a buddy on my race team that has a crossfire and a hypertherm 30xp that he runs with a 120v 6.1 scfm and 25 gallon tank and he can cut a full 2’x3’ piece full of brackets and other stuff and it doesn’t drop below 85psi. It runs the whole time its cutting but the plasma cutter never quits because of lack of air.
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Awesome. Thanks
Hey guys, found a deal on a dewalt 60 gallon at Tractor Supply 529.00 ( on sale) 11.5 CFM at 90 so it should hold up pretty well. As far as the quality, who knows.
DeWALT 60 Gal. 155 PSI Stationary Electric Air Compressor, DXCM601 at Tractor Supply Co.
HTH
Mark
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My dad bought the dewalt 60 gal last year and so far so good. Now it’s not pushing a plasma or anything. He’s just using it for tires and few air tools.
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That’s the one I have and other than being noisy, it has worked well for me. I’ve had it about 9-10 months
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So if anyone is lucky enough to live near a Tractor Supply, I got even a better deal on the compressor. 499.00 It was marked down on a clearance sale. This thing does 11.5 @ 90cfm. Sale is good till March 28.
My big banana. 
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That’s pretty funny! When I got mine I sent a photo of it to a buddy, sitting on my truck bed at the entrance to my shop, and the title was “It’s BIG, It’s Yellow, and it’s NOT a Banana!”
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Looks more like a minion
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Excellent point, @toolboy! I think we’ll keep you around to help us keep on track when it comes to Bananas vs Minions!
Poor OP, has lost total control of this thread! he he he
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Thanks for all the help. I am going to get the yellow banana or minion. Lol
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Paint some big eyes on it and you’re good to go!
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Definitely, undoubtedly get a 240VAC compressor. You have to wire 240VAC for the plasma cutter, it’s absolutely trivial to add a second outlet for the compressor, literally lessa than 20 bucks. You buy an very expensive plasma cutter and CNC machine and then you want to cheap out on the compressor? Come on! 