My free air compressor costs me a fortune

Several years ago a friend of my son’s opened up a little shop. He had some connection where he could get the stuff that people returned to Costco for pennies on the dollar and resell it.

I went to visit him a few times and got some good deals.

One time I noticed he had two Campbell Hausfeld 4 gallon air compressors. I asked him about them and he said they weren’t selling because they didn’t work.

I offered to take a look a them to see if I could fix them as a favor to him.

I got them both working and he told me I could keep one.

I have used it for years but just the other day I was wishing I had a little bigger unit. Coincidentally last weekend it quit working.

I was trying to decide if I wanted to fix it again or, since I have never been a fan of Campbell Hausfeld, maybe try to find a Porter Cable or some other brand of air compressor, maybe a little bigger.

I have been checking craigslist all week and found several but the good ones were gone right away.

I decided on my way to La Jolla yesterday that I woiuld stop and see what they had at the new Sears Outlet store they just opened up next to KMart in Torrance.

I stopped at KMart first just to check there. They didn’t have any larger air compressors but they did have a pink Schwinn Beach Cruiser bike that the little woman has been wanting for years. I have been looking for one of those forever and never found exactly what she wanted but there it was. For only $169 I just had to buy it.

After I got that loaded in the truck I went over to the Sears Outlet store to see if they had an air compressor.

They were fresh out but I did see a Maytag counter-depth French door style refrigerator marked down from $2,700 to $2,200 then just that morning marked down to $1,600. We have been planning to buy one of these as well. The tag said it had cosmetic damage but I looked and couldn’t find a scratch on it. I asked the sales guy and he said they are all marked that way. He couldn’t find anything wrong with it either. It comes with the full one year warranty and I bought the extra 3-year just in case. I never buy the extended warranties because they are typically a waste of money but Sears has a deal where if you don’t use it after one year you can get a full refund. It just made sense to me.

I bought both as surprise Christmas presents so I hope the little woman doesn’t read this (she never read LJ as far a I know).

Now the real expense of that free air compressor starts. The French door refrigerator was part of our kitchen remodel plan that we were going to do “someday”.

I guess someday is here now… I better go buy a new air compressor, I’m gonna need it.

Bothus

-- Professional kitchen designer, amature woodworker.