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Air compressor I've been building in my spare time

cybrfire

cybrfire

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Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

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Not the most economical way to go about getting an air compressor but it has been a fun project just the same and I get a hell of a big aircompressor out of the deal and didn't have to pay for it all up front.

I got the pump from a guy that said it was shot for 25 buck. Turned out it needed two new valves which put the pump expense up around 85 bucks. Made the cage for the tanks myself and don't know how much is there in steel but I did that before the big price hike insteel so not too bad. The coallescing filter and regulator I traded a set of factory rear springs for. Made the block for the air lines out of some aluminum tube and tigged end caps on. Gauge was a freeby and I don't want to go into how I got all the air hose couplers. All the lines are rated for 750 psi and up. The tanks I got for ten bucks. They were being dumped because of the valve change over on propane tanks. The tanks are rated for 250 psi so should be good to go. Need a motor and pressure on/off switch and she is ready to go. Even got a little bling bowtie on there. Was a drop out from a custom grill I made a while back.
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

Looks cool. That's a heck of a lot better than my Craftsjunk stand up. Though I bet that's not quite as portable /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif As usual, very nice work. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

woah! that looks mean! nice work Kert /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

It is on wheels. Two casters up front and some 6" rubber wheels in the back. They were freebies as well. Come with generators that go in emergency rescue vehicles I used to help build but most don't need them so the mount kits for the wheels just get piled up. Anyhow, it rolls but you won't be pushing it up any ramps into the back of the pickup! Little heavier than that. Thanks for the compliments guys. Like I said there might be simpler ways to go about getting a compressor but I've learned alot about them with this project.

The pump was kind of funny. Supposedly shot but still could see the original hone markings in the cylinders.
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

I still can't beilive you made that so effiecent (money wise) and it looks like it will hold ALOT of air. once again, awesome work like always /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

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I still can't beilive you made that so effiecent (money wise)

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I'm a pretty good parts scrounger and you can save alot of money if you keep a list of things your looking for in your pocket and aren't in a hurry to finish anything. Then as you are browsing the auction or junkyard, pull that list out and refresh your memory with what all you need. Sometimes you find it sometimes you don't but most importantly if you look at it often enough you get it memorized and then when that sweet deals pops up, you say oh yeah, I'm looking for one of those!
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

hmm thats a good idea... I will have to try that when I am building something. Thanks /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

Yeah, a list. I thought I was the only one who did that. I can't remember jack, and if I don't put it on a list and keep it in my bill fold, I'll invariably realize I needed "that thing" about 2 minutes after it's no longer available. Of course I still rarely get "deals", but once in a while it comes around...

Neat project. /forums/images/graemlins/waytogo.gif
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

that is the best tip a guy can get. "The LIST" another good one is keeping the list where you wife can find it. Sometimes, just sometimes she will just find something on the list and buy it for ya if you let her find it.
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

Chevrolet air compressor /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

Talk about turning sh!t into icecream.... /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gifLooks good dude.... /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

Q for ya about the coiled ... copper? lines ... there to cool the air off, before it gets tanked?

-- A
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

Intercooler to help keep the tank cooler and condense out water before it can hit your lines.
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

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Intercooler to help keep the tank cooler and condense out water before it can hit your lines.

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Exactly. don't see that much on newer compressors. Don't know why. Maybe they found a prettier way to do it. /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
One word of caution for anybody else planning to do something similar. It takes a good long time to get the LP stink out of the tanks. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I actually ruined a pair of shoes with this project. The LP fumes must be heavier than air and when the petcocks went in the bottoms of the tanks I left them open and fumes continued to drain. I believe the fumes sit on the floor and saturated my shoes. Could not for the life of me get that smell to go away so I ditched them.
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

I never find good deals like you. Well, at least up here. Yoopers want top dollar for everything. There is a fuel injected 87 K5 blazer with more metal missing than there and they want $1300 for it.

[ QUOTE ]
The LP fumes must be heavier than air and when the petcocks went in the bottoms of the tanks I left them open and fumes continued to drain. I believe the fumes sit on the floor and saturated my shoes. Could not for the life of me get that smell to go away so I ditched them.

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It's actually an oil if I remember correctly. In really old tanks you can have up to 10 gallons of it. It's quite stinky. I think it's called mercaptan something or other. I'd have to ask one of my friends that works on industrial propane equipment. Anyway, it'll stain everything. It reacts with the atmosphere and decays slowly.
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

Whatever it is it stinks. Some of my neighbors thought there was some sort of gas leak in the neighborhood and called the city office. They checked everybody's gas lines and meters for good measure before they figured out where the smell was coming from. /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
 
Re: Air compressor I\'ve been building in my spare time

[ QUOTE ]
Whatever it is it stinks. Some of my neighbors thought there was some sort of gas leak in the neighborhood and called the city office. They checked everybody's gas lines and meters for good measure before they figured out where the smell was coming from. /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif

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That is funny. My brother works on the gas crew for the local utility company (Weldor /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) He is always telling stories about when they put extra oderant in the gas systems and the phones start ringing. He loves it when he is on stand-by. Extra spending $$ /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
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