The saga of fixing my air compressor

[robertdjung]

Alright, folks, here's part two of the Saga of Spring, aka fixing stuff that needs fixing!

This story begins when I returned home one day to hear my air compressor running in the garage. "****, I left that thing plugged in again", I thought. But it didn't go off after a minute or two while I was outside. Hmm. Not good!

I get inside to find that the copper filler tube has broken at the compression fitting. Oil is *everywhere*.

The tank is almost full of pressure, but because the filler broke it would never reach "full" status, and therefore the electric motor just kept on running.. getting the compressor hotter, and hotter, until I suppose it was the rings that started letting the oil past them. Crap.

So, I refill the oil, turn the motor back on, and put a white paper towel in front of the high pressure side. Ugh... lots of oil coming out...

The compressor is a very old Craftsman that was my grandfathers. But, no reason to shell out and buy a new one, b/c when I was searching for cheap go kart engines, I picked up this gas air compressor for almost nothing. Because the mounting holes are differnent, I just figure I'll cut the old mount off and weld it to the good one.

http://www.limestonemedia.com/dump/compressor_0001.jpg

then i decide this is stupid because it's ugly looking, and the added height would require a longer belt.

http://www.limestonemedia.com/dump/compressor_0002.jpg

So mount goes in trash.

To line up the pulleys, I have to remove some material from the mounting plate of the compressor for the pulley to fit in..

http://www.limestonemedia.com/dump/compressor_0003.jpg

Then I decide this is BS and not strong enough. So, I weld some angle to it to make a new mount that's strong and properly placed.


http://www.limestonemedia.com/dump/compressor_0004.jpg

Well, measure twice and weld once is the lesson here, because the pump now is too far out and won't line up. "Grrrrrr", I think, but, hey, I'll just get that torch back out and make a little cutout. Plus, "it's gotta be good and strong now!"

http://www.limestonemedia.com/dump/compressor_0005.jpg

Of course, the cut is too small... Soooooooo more cutting.... :mad2:

http://www.limestonemedia.com/dump/compressor_0006.jpg

And we're back to a really ugly mount... But it's been about 3 hours and "I've come this far...." I don't want to cut on the tank itself to remove the angle b/c I was afraid of weakening it..

http://www.limestonemedia.com/dump/compressor_0007.jpg


So I mock up the pump... and WAIT! In my tunnel-vision, I hadn't thought about the orientation of the filler tube...

See the above pic, where the filler hose comes out the BACK of the compressor, just waiting to get smashed on everything? (Plus now I'll be buying 20 bucks in copper to route it to the front.) So, I turn the electric motor around, and the pump around for proper orientation.

And, I weld two simple brackets to the mount. Why didn't I do this before instead of all that cutting and angle????

http://www.limestonemedia.com/dump/compressor_0008.jpg


OK, now we're cooking!

I get the pump hooked up, but ruin the piece of copper. I go buy more copper ($6 at ACE hardware, better than a roll of 30 feet at Home Depot...)

I turn the motor on. Pump works great.. EXCEPT.....


http://www.limestonemedia.com/dump/compressor_0009.jpg


IT LEAKS OIL LIKE A SIEVE! :furious2:

So, I solve the problem....


http://www.limestonemedia.com/dump/compressor_0010.jpg




8 gallon, 5CFS at 90PSI, normally $139 but on sale plus another 15% off discount = $76!..

:surrender:

Just another day in the garage... That 1 hour "remount a pump" project quickly became a multi-day, many hour project! Ah well, that's life! And now I've got a shiny compressor instead of a really oily old one. Whoop-dee-doo. :D

[kibble]

Ha ha! That was an entertaining read! Thanks for that, I needed it because I was working on a circuit board just now and I could not get the dang thing to do what I wanted it to do! So I gave up for now. That's the same compressor I have, but I have to check some of the fittings I have on it because somewhere there's an air leak. Sometimes I forget to turn off the compressor and it goes off in the middle of the night and my room is right behind the garage... :furious2:

[jr dragster Tyler]

That's a nice 8 gallon compressor looks like its a oil one too. I hate the oilless ones, WAY too loud compared to our other 60 gallon oiled one

[ironman]

o yea new tool toys thats aways the way to go.hum.. i think i might go to the tool store today..**** never mind i spent all my money this week.only thing bad about four go garts is the price to keep them all going.:furious2:

[crazycart]

haha not a bad price, but i prefer my 80 gallon compressor :thumbsup:

[robertdjung]

Yes, I thought long and hard about getting the 2 stage v-twin looking one (30-40 gallons) but will do 20 CFS... Was $360 or so.. but I dunno, I don't know that I would use it..

[I like karts]

Wait....so now you have 2 old unused compressor tanks?

Build a pontoon boat!

[Kenny_McCormic]

Wait....so now you have 2 old unused compressor tanks?

Build a pontoon boat!

f that, take a 5ish gallon one and make a flamethrower!!! Power washer gun, blowtorch, 1lb propane tank(pressurizes fuel as well as provides a pilot light), 5 gallon of gas and some Styrofoam will have you a napalm throwing monster.

[I like karts]

Cause that's legal :roflol:

[ed1380]

we got the same compressor (the green one) the drain valve on the bottom is going but othervise its still running great

flamethrower FTW

[Kenny_McCormic]

It is completely legal in all US states except california, I looked into this once, they are considered agricultural equipment. Write a letter to the BATF if you dont believe me.

[risto]

he's right. but you gotta make sure you can prove a need for it. i made a flamethrower once (which i still have somewhere). After I talked to some of my cop friends they said "Just tell everyone it's for killing weeds on your sidewalk. And don't EVER take it off your property."

haha. Flamethrower project!

[Kenny_McCormic]

Moving it around shouldn't be an issue, not even if its over state lines (excluding commiefornia) just make sure its empty/uncharged and wrapped up in a box or something. No law on moving a giant squirt gun that smells like gas and propane.

[kibble]

I agree with you guys about Cah-li-foh-nia, as our governor would say, we got too many crappy laws around here.

[ed1380]

lol commiefornia

[I like karts]

It is completely legal in all US states except california, I looked into this once, they are considered agricultural equipment. Write a letter to the BATF if you dont believe me.

Are you serious?Thats awsome!!

And of course it's not legal in California, nothing's legal over there lol

[ironman]

hum... flame thower go kart.man theres no way i would lose a race than ill just burn the guys tires next to me.:bannana:

[kibble]

Are you serious?Thats awsome!!

And of course it's not legal in California, nothing's legal over there lol

Not even some of the people :arf: :roflol:

[Kenny_McCormic]

Are you serious?Thats awsome!!

And of course it's not legal in California, nothing's legal over there lol

Completely.

[my_mini_bike]

I actually prefer homemade air rifles to flame throwers :sifone:

At only 50 psi i can put a marble through a 1/2 inch piece of ply wood :devil2: :thumbsup:

Just made from some parts i fond around in the shed.. an old tire vavle form an old holy go kart inner tube, regulat 2L soft drink bottle, PVC tubing barrel etccc...

I`ll make sure to get some pics up soon enough :)

_______________________
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[I like karts]

hum... flame thower go kart.man theres no way i would lose a race than ill just burn the guy next to me.:bannana:

Fixed :sifone:

[kibble]

At only 50 psi i can put a marble through a 1/2 inch piece of ply wood :devil2: :thumbsup:

Pffft that's nothing! With less than 1/2 a psi of gas I can clear a whole roomfull of people. :poop: :arf:

[I like karts]

lol

[ed1380]

Pffft that's nothing! With less than 1/2 a psi of gas I can clear a whole roomfull of people. :poop: :arf:

:useless: :roflol: