I picked up a used compressor at the Berlin farmers mart for 25 dollars yesterday. It is a Speedaire by Dayton, single stage,Belt driven 1/2 HP motor, and I think it is 7.5 gallons.
Does anyone know where to get info on these? There does not seem to be an on/off switch(works by plugging it in), or a pressure regulator. I know pressure regulators can be bought aftermarket-Do I just mount it on the air outlet, before the hose connection?
I have cleaned it and changed the oil-Any other maint. issues I should check?
It is pretty badly rusted-Do I sand the tanks and repaint, or just leave it at the risk of weakening the metal?
Does anyone know the CFM of these?
Edited 7/22/2007 11:39 am ET by bubbajames
Replies
http://www.grainger.com/
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
graingers as Tom said.
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Graingers, like Dovetail said that Tom said.
What is this? A peanut gallery? LOL
Just found out Friday that Speedaire and Grainger were apparently one. I'd been under the impression Grainger was simply selling the line, like any other independent. Then I checked the catalog for an air line water separator, which indicated one and the same. Speedaire was about half the price of anybody else's I found online, including McMaster-Carr. Surprised me as I never thought Grainger was particularly inexpensive. Far as I know, Speedaire's good quality.
Dayton motor about to go into my new-to-me wood lathe, which came with a 208v. Though why Powermatic didn't bother with reverse, I don't know. New switch fixed that. Variable speed should be fun. This thing's a horse. $25 to purchase, another $400 in parts to get it right.
DW's picking up a pile of stuff for me there on Tuesday. Love on-line catalogs. And not paying freight. PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
Rusty tanks are scary, especially if it's rusted on the inside where you can't see it. Open the drain valve on the tank and see if rusty water comes out, bad sign if it does. If it does, or even if it doesn't, inspect the bottom of the tank for blisters that may indicate pitting/corrosion on the inside. Definitely make sure the pressure relief valve is in decent shape. At a minimum, bump test for a minute or two with the drain valve open. When you test it for pressure, do it from a safe distance, preferably with an oak tree or a concrete wall between you and the machine. If it builds up to pressure, and shuts off, leave it alone for a while. The absolute worse shop accident that I have ever seen was due to compressed air and not a spinning blade.
Be careful!!
thanks for the reply! Definitely rusted inside-can hear rattling around-Figure for 25 bucks I can use it till the tank ruptures, then get a replacement tank and transfer the motor and pump to it. Any idea on lifespan here? Also, Can I use JB weld to plug slight pinhole leak at bottom rear weld of the tank?
Edited 7/23/2007 3:24 pm ET by bubbajames
No, no,no....if you have hole, you have bomb! Junk the F**ker before it kills you. It ain't worth it.
But...but around here (CA) it'd cost me ~ 25.00 to drop it off at the landfill...
rustbucket
Bubba,
Leaky air tanks are bad karma, patching is not a good idea. If you've been blessed with discovering a pinhole, consider yourself lucky that you didn't pressurize it first. I know a guy who is sitting in a wheelchair with a rope of drool hanging off his chin. Permanently brain damaged from a pressure tank that failed. Nothing actually hit him, it was the pressure wave that rumbled through his head, causing swelling and internal bleeding. Do a good deed and torch it in half. I'd be surprised if you couldn't find a scrap metal dealer who'd be glad to take it off your hands.
thanks for the advice-I decided to pull the motor and pump, and cut the tank apart-very rusty bottom inside-very scary thoughts ran through my head!
I know one guy who is damaged beyond repair just from the pressure of water--gravity fed from a ten inch pipe---he pulled a plug off of the pipe and the cap hit him so hard he is crippled for life.An air tank is a pressure vessel and is deceptively dangerous. If it actually blows, someone or something will be hurt.As I heard once, there is a stick of dynamite in a gallon of water(refering to the pressure of steam in a closed vessel)..
.
.Nobody is as good as they seem, nobody is as bad as they seem either.
You done good Bubba. Good luck with the rest of it.