Anyone ever change compressors on your air compressor before?

[moneyisflying]

I'm in the market for a good used 60 gallon air compressor and while I'm looking, I've found quite a few 60 gallon tanks with no compressors for sale, so it got me thinking. How hard is it to just buy the compressor and install it on the tank? Has anyone done this before? Do you think it would save me money in the end?

 

[Davefr]

I'm in the market for a good used 60 gallon air compressor and while I'm looking, I've found quite a few 60 gallon tanks with no compressors for sale, so it got me thinking. How hard is it to just buy the compressor and install it on the tank? Has anyone done this before? Do you think it would save me money in the end?

Are you talking about buying just the tank without motor and pump?

Except for the Chinese HF pump, most 5 HP pumps start at around $500 and motors at $200+.

If you find a tank with a good motor then you'll need a compatible pump in RPM, rotation direction, etc. It's also unlikely the belt guard would be compatible.

 

[moneyisflying]

Are you talking about buying just the tank without motor and pump?

Except for the Chinese HF pump, most 5 HP pumps start at around $500 and motors at $200+.

If you find a tank with a good motor then you'll need a compatible pump in RPM, rotation direction, etc. It's also unlikely the belt guard would be compatible.

Gotcha. Thanks for the info! This was what I needed. If pumps and motors are that much everywhere for good units, I am better off just finding a good deal on a working unit rather than just a tank.

 

[The Cobbler]

It's tough now a days to beat the "manufactured price" unless you get the parts really cheap.
I bought a jenny v4 compressor new for $75 on clearance(it was missing the LH thread bolt to hold the flywheel) , got a 60 gal new tank for $200 and a 5hp motor for about $250. by time I get it all together with belts, drive pulley,belts, regulator, pressure switch, belt guard I probably could have bought a manufactured unit with similar specs. just saying.
I enjoy building stuff , for me it's a hobby but cost effective? meh...

 

[The Cobbler]

I sort of misread your post in that you're looking for used. I based on buying new, however, you could potentially find a good tank with a bad pump and then fine a good compressor with bad tank. it could be a $$$ saver . just be careful what you pay.

 

[moneyisflying]

Yeah, some day when money is not as big of a deal as it is now, it may change things for me, but right now money is a big factor. I've seen good deals on used compressors fitting my needs in the $350-$500 range. If I'm gonna be out more than the tank, that plus the labor and pain of ordering all the parts for motor and compressor from various places and putting it together, that's not gonna be worth it to me.

I did just happen to come accross and snag up a 60 gallon "Magnum" compressor for $100 that I'm gonna go with. It works good they say, and I know it's nothing like going with a Quincy, but at that price if it fits my needs for even just a few years, it will be worth it I think.

 

[Lelandwelds]

The best way is to take two similar compressors and build one good one. The components cost too much to buy new. Ugly or old or dirty machines, three phase, obscure brand names, or non working compressors will sell for near scrap price.

There is no reason why you can't have two tanks on one compressor, two compressors on one tank, or two pumps on one motor. I havent found rotation or speed to be of much issue. You just juggle pulleys or the motor position. Sometimes the end result looks a bit odd but the result is what matters.

 

[Packard V8]

The best way is to take two similar compressors and build one good one. The components cost too much to buy new. Ugly or old or dirty machines, three phase, obscure brand names, or non working compressors will sell for near scrap price.

There is no reason why you can't have two tanks on one compressor, two compressors on one tank, or two pumps on one motor. I havent found rotation or speed to be of much issue. You just juggle pulleys or the motor position. Sometimes the end result looks a bit odd but the result is what matters.

Agree completely with the above. Buy complete units needing only a compressor replaced or a motor replaced. When buying all the little bits at new retail; pressure switch, safety blowoff, plumbing and fittings, valves, guages, and very soon the project is a money pit instead of a money saver.

jack vines, who's built enough compressors to know better, but just did another one last month. Couldn't pass up the I-R T30 and GE Tri Clad.

 

[moneyisflying]

Thanks for all the info everyone!

 

[Lelandwelds]

My interest is in swapping pulleys and motors so I can turn the pump at the slowest speed practical. Less noise and decades of service is my goal. (I also have a minor interest in more cfm at lower psi for reduced electricity usage.)

If the Eastwood scroll turns out to not have any drawbacks, I will forget all that and just buy a new one. I want a bit more cfm or about 240 gal in storage.

 

[driftpin]

I was at the scrapyard, and they had a near-new Campbell Hausfeld 240 V 10 cfm @ 90 psi 60 gal upright w/a blown compressor, I got it for $20. A trip to the local repair shop got me another compressor, rebuilt, for ~$100. It's been working now for probably 7 years in my home shop.

 

[Lelandwelds]

As long as you are thinking, why are so many 60 gal tanks out there? Have you noticed any common brands or other simularities? I think there might be an opportunity to make a smarter buying decision than other people.


Also, a little bit of extra storage after all the filtration and piping can make a marginal system better. Two tanks can be a good thing.

I've found quite a few 60 gallon tanks with no compressors for sale, so it got me thinking.

 

[moneyisflying]

I was at the scrapyard, and they had a near-new Campbell Hausfeld 240 V 10 cfm @ 90 psi 60 gal upright w/a blown compressor, I got it for $20. A trip to the local repair shop got me another compressor, rebuilt, for ~$100. It's been working now for probably 7 years in my home shop.

Wow! I'm not that lucky to find that kind of a deal.

 

[plinker]

I picked fairly cheap a Husky/CH 60 gal tank and motor, then fitted it with a 10cfm Eaton pump, the pump was matched with the motor specs. No belt guard, not a huge a concern for what I do with it.

Like whats been previously said, the only disadvantage is you can easily put just as much money into reassembling a compressor from parts then buying a new one. There can be deals as well that can make it worth it.

 

[moneyisflying]

I just bought a Magnum 6.5 hp twin cylinder oil lubricated 60 gallon unit.

I have not heard of that brand before, but it looks to be in good shape from what I have seen.

I'm only paying $100 for it so I believe even if it is a cheaper chineese unit that it should do well for me I given my rather small investment in it.

Hopefully it will last until I have the money for a good used Quincy or similar down the road.

 

[The Cobbler]

nice buy. hopefully it works well for you.

 

[moneyisflying]

nice buy. hopefully it works well for you.

Thanks. Only time will tell, but at $100 I feel it was worth it.

 

[The Cobbler]

you can always be on the lookout for something and jump on it if it's a good deal. My motto is deals usually turn up when you don't need it.

 

[Citation]

I've put a replacement pump on a cheap 80 gallon compressor. Not too hard and the pump in question was one of the $140 HF 3hp units.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=380815

It's well worth doing if the price is right. Not many years back 60 gal, 10-11 cfm compressors were around $400 sticker and often cheaper on sale. At that price used was a hard sell. It's one thing to get something like a 5hp, 15+ CFM compressor for under $500. That's a savings of typically $500 vs a new unit. However, with the 60 gallon models around $450-550 for the lighter duty, big box units you should probably want to do your whole project for under $300.

In my above thread we lucked into 3 mostly complete 80 gallon, low end compressors. Two basically needed trivial stuff such as a good clean up, fresh pump oil, etc. We transferred all the bad parts to the last unit which my younger bother just picked up. That one is missing a pump, the line from the pump to the tank and the pressure switch. I figure the whole thing can be done for no more than $200 using a HF pump. Even though it claims to be a "4.7 hp" motor we are going to use the "3hp" pump because that 4.7hp motor only draws 18amps... not much more than a 3hp motor. So in the end for $200 we get an 80 gallon compressor that otherwise is similar to the 60 gallon big box stuff. It's $200 well spent but would be questionable if we had to say buy the tank and motor for $200.

OK, economics aside, the rest of it isn't too hard. For us the hardest part was drilling the top plate. Not really hard but not fun. If you are only replacing say the pump and a few parts then I would say go for it (and the HF 3hp pump worked really well for us). But be realistic about the cost if you are buying someone else's wreck first.