Air Compressor install

[cchandler068]

Hello, I'm new here. although I've hung out as a non-member reading posts for a few months. Be warned, this post is long.

So, what prompted me to sign up for a membership and post is my 25-year-old compressor blew up last week. It shattered the connecting rod on one of the pistons, and of course, you can't buy replacements for those anymore. It was a Craftsman 60 Gal. upright two-cylinder single-stage oil-less compressor that I inherited from my father. It worked well for my needs for all the years I've had it. There wasn't really an air system, just a quick disconnect on the compressor where I hooked up what I needed.

I could probably have one of the guys in the shop make me a new connecting rod (I supervise a tool room that makes fixtures and repair parts for our factory machinery), but I really want to upgrade the compressor and create a real air system (and right now who knows when we'll all be back to work).

I thought about using the motor and tank and buying a compressor pump, fabricating a new mount on the tank and like a phoenix the dead compressor would rise again as a new, improved oiled compressor. After doing a little research on that, it seems more daunting than it first seemed, although doable. Not to mention being a whole lot of work just on the compressor before I even start on the rest of the system.

Between that, being trapped at home and the news that there will be a stimulus check on the way, I've started plotting out a new, improved air system for my garage (with a new compressor!) and thought I'd run it by you guys and see what you thought of my plans and where they could be improved.

I'm not quite sure how to present all the information, so I'll just throw it all out there.

Purpose:
Car restoration work.

Space:
26 X 30

Tools to be run:
Blast Cabinet
Various Air Tools (Grinders, Impact Wrenches, etc)
Air Fill (Tires, Balls, etc.)
Paint Gun

Compressor/System Equipment:
Quincy 2V41C60VC compressor (5HP, 2 stage, 100% Duty Cycle, 175 PSI, 60 Gal., 15.5 CFM @ 90 PSI)
PneumaticsPlus SAU430-N04G (Filter, Mist Separator, Regulator)
PneumaticsPlus SAL300-N03B (Lubricator)
PneumaticsPlus SAW300-N03BG (Filter/Regulator Piggyback)
PneumaticsPlus SAR300-N03BG (Regulator)
RapidAir Maxline 3/4" Pipe System
MaxWorks 3/8" x 50' Reel
Milton "V" quick disconnects

Setup
I will run a short hose from the compressor to the pipe system, which will then run to a (for lack of a better term) control panel about 20' away to allow the air to cool before the filters. It will run into the multi-stage filter first and then into a manifold I will manufacture. The manifold will be set up with four outgoing ports like this:

1) The blast cabinet will be plumbed to one port, with a piggyback Filter/Regulator at the point of use to attempt to remove as much moisture as possible and allow me further control of the air pressure.

2) The hose reel will be plumbed to another port with a Regulator and Lubricator inline.

3) A third port will run to the front of my garage with a piggyback filter/regulator online and a quick disconnect on the end to hook up a hose for filling tires or painting.

4) Finally, a fourth port will also run to the front of the garage with a Regulator and Lubricator inline for when I need to run tools out of the garage that the reel won't allow me to reach.

There will be a drain leg/drop before the first multi-stage filter, and also one at each point of use.

That's it. Hopefully, it's understandable (it is in my head ). Did I miss anything? Thoughts?

Chris

 

[BD1]

Junk all of it and buy new complete setup. I wouldn't consider using a old tank.

 

[sberry]

Get rid of the lubricators. You might be able to route this and do with 1 regulator, the whole place need not be filled with air equipment, some design is in order here. Nothing wrong with tailoring and it should be rigged for convenience but regulate the manifold. Not to say it's the deal here but have done a lot of blast plugged in to the hose reel. Location is everything, 1 well placed reel worth 3 poor ones.
Hook the thing up, do it simple to start and get a fit, build it out as needed.

 

[Stuart in MN]

Junk all of it and buy new complete setup. I wouldn't consider using a old tank.

??? He included a new compressor in his equipment list.

 

[BD1]

??? He included a new compressor in his equipment list.

Yes, he also considered reusing parts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sberry]

Fix up whip or reel. Ports are not really good, why move sections of hose and don't want to unhook sections of charged hose. A reel at the front, one at the rear, for tire fill outside a hole or port to shove hose thru. Put a t ahead of a reel and run a hose to blaster, put a valve on it.
One of my guys plumbed on the little blue hose for a blow gun but this fil/reg goes to 2 reels, 2 whips, paint reel.
It feeds the tool reel and the little local fil/reg goes to paint gun reel. In a smaller garage might simplify this but nothing wrong with local regulation if needed, in my case let 1 line do 2 jobs.
We had a couple big jobs in and added a fitting for 2 hoses for paint, I think it might have been removed but we are under supervision,, ha the connector to the tool hose was something had laying around and added as a disconnect, if it would have been the same type could simply been plugged in to the secondary reg,,, but this is all so rare it's irrelevent.
We paint some equipment, rigging up is common.

 

[cchandler068]

Get rid of the lubricators.

Well, I prefer having the lubricators to having to remember to oil the tools each time before I use them (or after). I know myself too well, I will forget or be too busy or just be lazy and not do it.

Hook the thing up, do it simple to start and get a fit, build it out as needed.

I kind of look at the last 20 years of using the old compressor as this step. I know what I want and where I want it, I just need to make it happen now.

I know for sure I want a permanent dry line to the blaster. When I first got the cabinet, I made the mistake of not taking the oiler out of the line and that just made everything clog up. So the next time I took the oiler out and it still clogged up because I didn't have a, for lack of a better word, "clean" hose line.

By plumbing the cabinet permanently to a dry line, I save myself a lot of headaches and futzing about.

I also know I want a reel on the ceiling as I'm tired of tripping over lines laying on the floor. The 25' hose, mounted in the center, will reach every corner of the garage.

I might only pipe the dry circuit to the front for filling tires because upon reflection, I really have only had to use an air tool outside of the garage once that I can think of, and in that case, I can bite the bullet and use the dry line and just force myself to oil the tool used manually when I'm done with it.

Thanks for the input, you made me think about it some more and realize I didn't need quite as much as I was planning.

 

[sberry]

Oiling the tools isn't all that big a deal. It's not that sensitive. Been down this road. Not only my own but worked where there was hundreds, thousands of them.
This is from some real experience and actually doing it,,, more than once, it's not a hobby. What I can almost say for a fact is,,, if it works for me it will probably work for you. I read a thread like this and realize I should put a couple drops in a right angle and air gun I used a lot last week.

 

[Citation]

OP,

First, I'm going to suggest that the cheapest way to get your air system back up and running is go to Harbor Freight with a 20% off coupon and buy one of their "3hp" twin cylinder pumps. That will set you back perhaps $120 after coupon. After that you just need to drill new motor holes in your mount plate and route a new copper air line. There is no reason to assume your old tank is bad (you were draining it right?).

That is not to say this is the best solution to your requirements if you don't mind spending the money. A "3hp" (I'm assuming 240V, 15A motor) compressor is not going to be happy doing a lot of sanding and blasting. Still, for a bit over $100 you can get the old compressor going and pass it on to someone. Without specifically recommending the new compressor you selected, I agree that a 5hp, 2 stage makes a lot more sense.

 

[sberry]

5 let's a guy sand continious.

 

[didit]

My current compressor has been in place since 1984. It is a cast iron 5hp 2 stage 80 gal with a centrifugal unloader.
Last summer I took the time to run new copper line from the air compressor. The compressor is outside the garage in an insulated, sound reducing enclosure, on the shaded north side. It's mounted on rubber pads. The tank has a timed self draining valve for removing water. It just drains into a pan. I used a length of rubber through the wall of the garage to eliminate any vibrational effects.
I do a lot of sand/abrasive blasting in an outside structure and do all my own painting. When not in use, I do not store air in the tank, therefore it is drained. These pictures will illustrate how I achieved zero moisture in two separate airlines.
One line has a filter, automatic oiler. regulator combo and is water free for air tools, the other is oil free and moisture free using a Motor Guard Submicronic Filtration Unit, desiccant water separator, an aft particulate filter and a regulator.
In Canada we have available, the higher priced 'type L' 3/4" copper which is a lot heavier. There are 4 upright runs with water traps at the bottom. I have not gotten so much as a drop past the second upright. This was built on the bench and then put in place. A lot of soldering that took a few hours to complete but well worth the cost and effort.
There is nothing worse than having a spray gun spit out water or clog blasting equipment with moisture. This solved that problem.
There are "many ways to skin a cat" and this is just how I did it. Works great! I have been a professional painter for more than 50 years and now that I am retired applied what I learned during that time to outfit my home hobby system at a reasonable cost without too much effort.

I would add that if you do not have separate dedicated "clean" and "oiled" lines and are using the same lines for painting and running air tools, it certainly would be advisable to forego the automatic oiler and just add oil as needed to the tools.