80 gallon tank refinish

[crocket468]

I'm going to start this out with a little chest thumping as my luck with project buys rarely end in my favor.

I ran across this on CL the other night and immediately set up an appointment with the seller to check it out.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/art/5462244827.html

80 gal 6.5hp 2 stage Devilbliss "Air America" compressor $100. Posted as "metal for art"

Seller stated that the compressor was pulled out of service and replaced. It was stored under a shelter, a bearing in the motor seized up so they had the motor rebuilt. After the motor was replaced the pump would not build pressure. He was selling it as scrap for art because the pump wasn't working, said he had no idea someone would want to fix it.

I take a gamble (cant test anything while there), pump feels ok on rotation, no play in the crank shaft, just dirty. I figure a a new valve body will be needed. The tank has surface rust from being stored under the shelter where the ground was frequently damp. Ball peen test on all the surface rust rang true so I drug it home. Tank shows date of 1996. I figure I've thrown away $100 on less...

I get it home and decide to test the motor before I go any farther, pull the pulley off and and notice there is no key in the shaft slot. Motor spins right up with no issues. Made a key to try the pump before I go any further. I fired her up and in less than 6 minutes, she was sitting nicely at 135 psi.


Now that that's out of the way....

This brings me to my main question, I'm going to start disassembling the unit to clean everything and repaint the tank (or powder coat it). The ASME tag has rust around it and looks like possibly under it as well, I plan to treat all areas with rust converter prior to refinish but I'm curious to know if it would cause me any issues to remove the ASME tag to make sure all metal under it is clean then reapplying the tag with epoxy. Id obviously take my time with the tag removal being careful to keep the metal cool and not to remove any material from the tank it self. I'll probably hand file the welds down after.

Have any of you done something similar? If so, how did it turn out?

 

[sld961]

I don't know the answer to your questions, but you **** for that deal. I wish I could find that compressor for 3x that money.

 

[rlitman]

That's a big you ****!

I wouldn't remove the tag.

 

[crocket468]

I knew I would be hated for this.. it feels good to come out on top for once lol.

I hate it for the company owner, he just shelled out over 3 grand due to a careless error in assembly.

I normally wouldn't bother with the tag, but with the rust around it (and under it), I hate to spend the time and money to clean and paint/coat it just to have the rust continue under the tag and cause me a problem later. I'll get a pic of the tag and area i'm referring to later tonight.

 

[rlitman]

I hear you, but I still wouldn't remove it. I'd use a rust converter, and paint over it. If you're not storing this outdoors, you won't have any issues.

 

[JTG]

Yeah, you definitely ****! I just picked up a used 3 phase compressor for $250 and need to replace the motor. I would much rather have had your deal.

And who makes art with a compressor?

 

[crocket468]

I hear you, but I still wouldn't remove it. I'd use a rust converter, and paint over it. If you're not storing this outdoors, you won't have any issues.

It will reside inside the shop.

And who makes art with a compressor?

The person tasked with selling it said he thought someone might want to make a grill out of the tank. He admitted that he knows nothing about compressors or tools for that matter, said the boss man told him he could have it and get what he could out of it.

I'm just glad it was listed like it was, posted under tools, it would have been gone in 10 mins.

Talked to my local blasting/coating company, said I'm looking around 150 to blast and powder coat it. Not too bad IMO.

 

[ngonerogwu]

My ASME tag is riveted on. I left it on for the blast and powder, it's still easily legible.

 

[crocket468]

My ASME tag is riveted on. I left it on for the blast and powder, it's still easily legible.

I was under the impression that ASME tags were welded on the tank.

So here is the tag and the rusted area around it.

I knocked the paint off with a wire brush, gave it a few hits with a ball peen, sounds solid. The pits aren't quite as deep as they look in the pics. You can see in the first picture the tag is bowed out a bit at the top, that was the spot that concerned me the most.

 

[469 runner]

That is a non issue. The tank is about 1/8" thick. I'd have it blasted and powdercoated.