For the purpose of high outlet pressure, compactness and low vibration and noise, 2 stage reciprocating air compressors can have various cylinder arrangement: opposed, in-line, and V type. This paper presents an effective method to calculate the inertia forces and to design counter weight. This method is based on the complex representation for the orbital behavior of the compressor shaft. This method helps to find the optimal balancing rate easily to reduce the inertial force or moment. This paper shows that the residual inertia forces of the single throw shafts and the residual inertia moments of the double throw shafts remain to be imbalanced.