Its coming along.. My Little Big Compressor

[bastage]

Couldn't find a compressor that would do what I wanted & fit in the little space I wanted it without spending way more then my budget... So I am piecing it together myself..

Receiver: Started with a Gardner Denver 30bvacc10 for 250.. stripped it down & sold the little pump & 3 phase 1hp Baldor motor each for 50 bucks..

Pump: Had to spend a morning driving to a little town the next state over, but snagged a old 80 Gallon Champion with an R15A & a 7.5 horse 3 phase motor for 300 bucks (the guy also threw in a neat old vise with no markings on it). Sold the Motor with its magnetic starter for 100 & the rusty old receiver for 50.

Motor: Could not find a suitable used motor for a reasonable price.. So I snagged one of the Castair (Baldor L1410t) from UPE_Group on ebay for 400 bucks along with a 6.75" pulley for another 47.

So far I am into this 750 bucks for a used compressor not including paint & other odd's & ends I have bought. Still have to get the pressure switch, magnetic starter, filter/regulator, check valve & whatever else I need to attach the pump outlet to the tank (there was a nice crease in the tube that came with it).

 

[May Pop]

You will find the R15A to be an excellent compressor.

 

[bastage]

I hope so.. I spent a year trying to find a pump and small tank to build this thing to the way I wanted it.

 

[May Pop]

Im always amazed how fast a recovery it has on my 60 gallon tank and doesnt run out of air sand blasting.

 

[bastage]

That’s good to hear. My old compressor would keep up but just barely. And it was loud.. really loud.

 

[dkmc]

Sold the Motor with its magnetic starter for 100 & the rusty old receiver for 50.

So when the guy that bought that rusty tank blows it up, will you be hiring a lawyer in your town or his?

 

[bastage]

Neither.. Sold as is with instruction to hydro test first.. Listing was also for a rusty tank so there was no secret to what they were getting.

The rust inside was also much much less (no major pitting) then the last rusty old tank I sold and it hydro tested fine at 240psi..

Seems like most of the people who contacted me for it also just wanted to make a bbq anyway.

 

[bastage]

Some progress has been made.. Some good & some super craptastic

The good..
Motor was delivered.. Poor FedEx guy couldnt of weighed much more then the motor & did a awkward little waddle carrying it up to the front door & doing everything he could to put it down nicely.



The Super Craptastic..

Flipped the receiver over while removing one of the inspection port fittings (one came out fine, but one at the far end of the receiver was put in all the way to to the flange) & found this.. So its going to be a smoker instead of an air compressor. Thats 150 that I am not going to get back. This wasnt rusted through, it was some sort of an impact it seems.

Now I have to order a new receiver. Thinking I am going to order this. But really dont want to spend 500 bucks on it. After spending months trying to find the last 30 gallon receiver though I am not patient enough to do it again & I sold my old 60 gallon so I am without all together right now.

Edit: Found a better way for the receiver. I got a local place who never seems to be open when I call that finally just answered & they carry them, also have one in stock for 415. So I will swing by after work tomorrow & grab a brand new receiver. It is the same Manchester I linked above.

 

[bastage]

Well the search for a receiver continues. I went down to buy the local one & no flippin top plate on it so its no good. I have calls in to everyplace local that services are compressors for the cost of a tank & the only one that has gotten back to me only has it with a bunch of extras that I dont want for 700+ freight so thats a no go with compressorworld being 200 less.

Any tips on where to get one & ways to avoid freight cost. I know they are big & bulky, but the weight is less then what FedEx delivered to my house yesterday.

 

[dkmc]

Yes, I wish someone could explain to me why bare tanks cost almost as much as some complete compressors. They seem very expensive.

Well the search for a receiver continues. I went down to buy the local one & no flippin top plate on it so its no good. I have calls in to everyplace local that services are compressors for the cost of a tank & the only one that has gotten back to me only has it with a bunch of extras that I dont want for 700+ freight so thats a no go with compressorworld being 200 less.

Any tips on where to get one & ways to avoid freight cost. I know they are big & bulky, but the weight is less then what FedEx delivered to my house yesterday.

 

[bastage]

Yes, I wish someone could explain to me why bare tanks cost almost as much as some complete compressors. They seem very expensive.

This is spot on... If I needed a 60 gallon vertical (or 80 for that matter) I would just go buy a new compressor at lowes or home depot & then flip everything buy the receiver. It would be cheaper.

 

[DerekV]

Nice motor and pump, I’m sure the tank will come around.

Something to consider: with a big pump and a tiny tank, you’re going to be cycling that motor a ton. If you can swing getting a few small tanks (spread them around the shop where they can fit) to increase your total volume, or even piece together a continuous run kit for the pump, you’ll put much less wear on the motor.

 

[bastage]

Nice motor and pump, I’m sure the tank will come around.

Something to consider: with a big pump and a tiny tank, you’re going to be cycling that motor a ton. If you can swing getting a few small tanks (spread them around the shop where they can fit) to increase your total volume, or even piece together a continuous run kit for the pump, you’ll put much less wear on the motor.

I have thought about this as well. I dont have room for anything else in the garage itself, however I do have rafters above the sheet rock that have plenty of open space. Eventually I am thinking I will toss a few small tanks up there for just extra air volume.

 

[theoldwizard1]

This is spot on... If I needed a 60 gallon vertical (or 80 for that matter) I would just go buy a new compressor at lowes or home depot & then flip everything buy the receiver. It would be cheaper.

CONCUR !

 

[Marctrees]

A while back when I was shopping for a comp, I saw quite often close to new 60 gal ones w blown motors or pumps for pretty cheap.

Usually "Big Box" store units.

I strongly suggest Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

Marc

 

[bastage]

A while back when I was shopping for a comp, I saw quite often close to new 60 gal ones w blown motors or pumps for pretty cheap.

Usually "Big Box" store units.

I strongly suggest Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

Marc

It took me 3 months of checking CL and the Facebook classified’s no less then a dozen times a day to get the last one and it has a cracked tank.. Stationary 30 gallon units are much more rare and expensive to begin with.

 

[bastage]

Some progress today, but nothing actually done.

Receiver should be available to go pickup middle of next week. The place with the wrong one yesterday has the right one on order for me & he got notice it shipped, but no tracking info on it yet.

Also I have been trying to pick a magnetic starter & pressure switch. Was leaning towards the standard ol reliable square D ones, but the thing really turning me off was the housing size for the starter. I am really space limited & trying to mount the starter to the receiver is probably not feasible since its all nice & compact & no real wall space to speak of since this is going under a shelf. Was actually thinking I would mount it to the underside of the shelf, but that just seamed like a real pain in the ***, but no other options..

Then I ran across the Condor MDR3 Pressure switch with built in magnetic starter. Ended up emailing Condor-USA directly with what I wanted (cut in/out, no unloader, 4 1/4 npt port & auto/off switch & the configuration isnt a standard one. So they are putting it together for me with a 20-24amp overload module. Still not sure this was the right decision as its not going with my typical "overbuilt" way of doing things, but it is definitely the cleanest way of doing this.

 

[Marctrees]

The Condor switches are sure toy like compared to the old Sq D ones.

No comparison seems to me.

Marc

 

[bastage]

The Condor switches are sure toy like compared to the old Sq D ones.

No comparison seems to me.

Marc

Pretty much every pressure switch I have ever owned seemed toy like compared to the Square D's I have owned. Most everything else I have replaced with square D just because I like them. & if there was a comparable product from Square D I would have bought it even at the inevitable higher cost.

 

[bastage]

Now this actually feels like progress.. No rust at all of course.



What fittings would be best to use in the tank to make sure no extra chance for rust. Thinking all brass or stainless steel.

 

[bastage]

Again, Condor is **** compared to SqD.

Marc

Well then hopefully by the time this Condor fails Square D will have a comparable product..

I didn't go Condor because I like them better then Square D, or even because they are typically cheaper. I went with the Condor because as far as I can tell this product is uniquely suited to what I am doing & there are no other competing products to choose from.

 

[The Cobbler]

...
What fittings would be best to use in the tank to make sure no extra chance for rust. Thinking all brass or stainless steel.

brass is the standard. steel plugs ofr larger holes. Stainless could be hard to seal and might not play nice with the threads in the tank should you ever want to remove them.
I would stick with brass

 

[bastage]

brass is the standard. steel plugs ofr larger holes. Stainless could be hard to seal and might not play nice with the threads in the tank should you ever want to remove them.
I would stick with brass

I have no problem buying brass for all of them if thats whats best. All I was able to find on my way home today in 1 1/2 npt plugs was galvanized & I figured that I probably didn't want that.

 

[The Cobbler]

1-1/2 plug would be black steel from factory . the smaller fittings are usually brass.

 

[bastage]

1-1/2 plug would be black steel from factory . the smaller fittings are usually brass.

hah.. I think this is about as "from the factory" as you can get for a receiver, It was ordered factory direct on Wednesday & I picked it up today. It just has the plastic sleeves to protect the threads.

The black steel though being the norm is what I was looking for. The past several compressors I have pulled apart there wasn't any consistency (too rusted to remove on one, cast iron on one & Aluminum on one, but that one was also a manifold with 4 different fittings coming from it).

 

[Marctrees]

Well then hopefully by the time this Condor fails Square D will have a comparable product..

I didn't go Condor because I like them better then Square D, or even because they are typically cheaper. I went with the Condor because as far as I can tell this product is uniquely suited to what I am doing & there are no other competing products to choose from.

You caught me !

I deleted that post cuz upon reading again you had already ordered the Condor.

Apologies, Marc

 

[bastage]

You caught me !

I deleted that post cuz upon reading again you had already ordered the Condor.

Apologies, Marc

lol No worries.. Truth be told I saw that you had deleted it & almost deleted mine, except that I figured your thought on Condor vs Square D is probably shared by most people here (myself included). I decided to leave it though just because I wanted to be clear to anyone else reading that I didn't choose the condor over square d based on anything other then that Condor offers a product that was a better fit for this application & Square D (or anyone else for that matter) doesn't have a competing offer to consider.

 

[BFBOB]

Well the search for a receiver continues. I went down tyesterday.

Couldn't that crack be welded? I mean by a Professional Certified Weldor competent for pressure vessel welding? Seems it should cost less than a whole new tank...

 

[bastage]

Couldn't that crack be welded? I mean by a Professional Certified Weldor competent for pressure vessel welding? Seems it should cost less than a whole new tank...

Maybe.. But it would of still been a used tank & I would of had to track down someone certified & I couldn't find anyplace local that works with pressure vessels that looked to be doing small stuff (one place, but they were like 1500 gallons & up only). Plus now there is no question of the amount of rust in the tank being zero. This will end up with an auto drain eventually & I am half tempted to attempt to coat the inside of the tank before I mount it all together in an attempt to keep it rust free for decades.

 

[bastage]

More progress made.. Got the top plate drilled out & its a bit better then half painted. I am digging the color which is Rustoleum Saftey Red enamel applied with a foam roller. Whats in the pic is with about 3 coats on that side. Going to wait till tomorrow before I mount the feet (hockey pucks) then flip it over & do the top. Got a couple spray cans of matching enamel to get inside of the top plate since thats going to be the biggest pain in painting this thing.

 

[bastage]

I hadn't bothered looking too closely at this till just now.. Doesn't get much newer than this.

 

[bastage]

Paint is done.. Brass fittings going in, though a couple of rough threads.. Thats what I get for buying from Amazon I guess.

 

[The Cobbler]

looking great!

 

[bastage]

Ok some real progress.....

Searched all over town for some 3/4 OD copper tubing & after like 8 stops found some. The place that had it doesnt sell direct to nobodys like me so they were awesome enough to give me some scrap (about 6'). Then I learned that I cant bend copper tubing without kinking it. I had enough for 2 tries & failed miserably. Ending up taking about 4" of it & using the fittings that came with the original compressor to make a ugly, but hopefully functional adapter to go from the weird threads champion used on the discharge tube to 3/4 npt. I then ordered a 3/4" NPT Flexible discharge tube from Amazon. It should be here later today.

Got the belts in today & got them mounted. Picked up a couple other assorted brass pieces I needed around the pressure switch & got that on & then wired...

Then I couldn't resist plugging it in & testing it out.

 

[Marctrees]

TSC Tractor supply has cheap pricing on ready made hydraulic hoses great for a number of uses when hooking up a comp.

Tank drain output, vib isolation going to rigid air line, etc.

Lotsa 1/2 and 3/4 assorted lengths.

Marc

 

[bastage]

TSC Tractor supply has cheap pricing on ready made hydraulic hoses great for a number of uses when hooking up a comp.

Tank drain output, vib isolation going to rigid air line, etc.

Lotsa 1/2 and 3/4 assorted lengths.

Marc

heh... TSC is one of the few stores local to me in my smallish town, but I wouldnt of even thought to look there.

Amazon should be delivering the rest of what I need tonight & I have a 6' Tekton lead in hose to connect this to the reel that will eventually be mounted at one end of it.

 

[Marctrees]

Realize some cu tube is bendable, some is not.

Someone can chime in w the proper name designations.

But, ya still gotta use a tool or method not to kink.

Marc

 

[bastage]

Realize some cu tube is bendable, some is not.

Someone can chime in w the proper name designations.

But, ya still gotta use a tool or method not to kink.

Marc

Yeah & I was doing it by hand. It was a short run, but needs a few bends to be done right to navigate the compressor stuff in the way

 

[Marctrees]

So you talked about increasing tank(s) volume in future by adding tankage in attic ? I think?

If so, I still say keep out on CL and FBM for newish comp cheap w bad pump.

I keep seeing them regularly, and I also live rural w/o many choices.

Only thing w that is- It will be 99% for sure a vertical 60 that you find... and being vert w drain at bottom, will not lay down in low attic.

Just thoughts.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Will be VERY nice and custom when completed.

Good Job.

Marc