Air compressor shelf.

[Blazinzuk]

I searched some and really didn't find what I was looking for.

I want to put my air compressor on a shelf about 8 ft up.

Not a small compressor. 7 hp 80 gallon. It's not light.

I do not want to run supports to the floor.

Suggestions? Ideas? My walls have studs on 16" centers

 

[barrysuperhawk]

Maybe some pictures might help? Personally, I think that even if you were mounting it to a block or poured concrete wall it would still vibrate the heck out of everything. Enough bracing and anything can be suspended, but unless you use something like an old tire or three as vibration isolators, you are really going to be in for it...

 

[Firebrick43]

I searched some and really didn't find what I was looking for.

I want to put my air compressor on a shelf about 8 ft up.

Not a small compressor. 7 hp 80 gallon. It's not light.

I do not want to run supports to the floor.

Suggestions? Ideas? My walls have studs on 16" centers

I am sorry but this is not an intelligent endeavor. A post supported platform I can see. That much weight cantilevered on a standard wood wall and throw in vibration, that's asking for trouble.

 

[bad_idea]

Perhaps a shelf across a corner would support the weight sufficiently?

I would suggest you separate the pump and motor assy from the tank. Throw the tank up in the rafters and find somewhere to tuck the pump/motor. I think under a workbench in a sound proofed enclosure (with cool air intake) would be a good spot. Or behind the building under a lean to.

In my last garage (14x20) space was a PREMIUM. I put my air compressor on top of a couple vidmar cabinets (heavy duty tool chests) in a corner of the garage. Made an ungodly racket. The noise got worse when the compressor rattled itself against the wall (living room was other side of that wall). It would rattle the pictures on the wall in the living room. Was terrible, but I was cramped for space.

 

[Bretny]

You want to hang about a 250lb+ compressor from the ceiling? I think thats a bad idea.

 

[Augus7us]

You want to hang about a 250lb+ compressor from the ceiling? I think thats a bad idea.

250? He has a 7HP compressor, my 5HP weighs 680lbs.

I agree with the others, this isn't a good idea.

 

[lis2323]

250? He has a 7HP compressor, my 5HP weighs 680lbs.



I agree with the others, this isn't a good idea.

^^^ Agreed!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I'm just going to wait for the video to hit youtube...

Tommy

 

[Blazinzuk]

So has anyone actually done it?

I realize most here might thinks it's a bad idea and it might be. But I have seen it dozens of times. Mostly on unfinished walls so pretty easy to tie in.

I'm not worried about the weight at all. I have put 2 big blocks on a single shelf.

More worried about the vibration aspect of it.

Honestly with the bad idea comments I'm 50/50 now.

Yah yah listen I know. I know a shelf built right can hold that weight easy.

Yes it's gonna be in a corner. And yes it will have vibration dampners. On both sides.

Keep answering gents. The more your an idiot answers I get the less likely I am to do it

 

[bad_idea]

Another issue with mounting the compressor up high is heat. The compressor will be drawing in the hot air from up high and will be prone to overheating up there. Another good reason to mount the tank up high and keep the pump down low.

And maintenance will be a headache.

 

[Marctrees]

There was a recent thread about building a Rain Barrell stand that may have some pointers.

Marc

 

[Blazinzuk]

Another issue with mounting the compressor up high is heat. The compressor will be drawing in the hot air from up high and will be prone to overheating up there. Another good reason to mount the tank up high and keep the pump down low.

And maintenance will be a headache.

Yah but right now floor space is pretty important to me. I do part time work out of my shop so one bay must be left open irregardless. I have 2 of my personal rigs that need to come in. So climbing on a ladder every now and then doesn't kill me.

I have ceiling fans that so far have run all the time. So that will help with the heat issue.

There was a recent thread about building a Rain Barrell stand that may have some pointers.

Marc

Thank you sir

 

[NUISANCE]

They make mounts/bases for water heaters that mount to walls, can handle more than 350lbs. May be worth checking them out to get some ideas.

 

[The Cobbler]

I wouldn't be totally opposed to a compressor that size on a suitable shelf if it had some sort of independent safety so it can't fall if the shelf gave way

 

[kbs2244]

I like the split the tank and pump idea.
The room sealing tank up high and the vibrating pump under the workbench.

When my son did it he used a length of 3 inch pipe as the vertical connector.
It works great as a cooler for the air on it's way up.

 

[Blazinzuk]

I like the split the tank and pump idea.
The room sealing tank up high and the vibrating pump under the workbench.

When my son did it he used a length of 3 inch pipe as the vertical connector.
It works great as a cooler for the air on it's way up.

Actually that's a pretty stellar idea really. Gonna do some more checking into that. I have a separate 5 gallon tank I'm gonna use for water separation and that might work really well with a separate tank

 

[Blazinzuk]

I wouldn't be totally opposed to a compressor that size on a suitable shelf if it had some sort of independent safety so it can't fall if the shelf gave way

Any ideas on this. My plan is just to seriously overbuild the shelf. Lol. But having some sort of backup would be great

 

[The Cobbler]

2 chains that would hold the compressor upright & the weight. if the shelf fell apart the cahins could hold it up
vibration can do nasty things

 

[bad_idea]

There was a recent thread about building a Rain Barrell stand that may have some pointers.

Marc

Awesome.

I am fairly certain Marc's comment was not intended as helpful. If you can scare up the rain barrel thread, it makes for an interesting read.

 

[Kevin54]

Build a frame for the shelf. Add joist in it at every 16" then angle the supports from every joist back into the studs, but they will need to be longer than shorter. And you can always a brace from the shelf up to the rafters on both sides.

 

[Marctrees]

Seems to me, if it's an old school, could approach 900 lbs. ? ? ?

Marc

 

[dfiler2]

If the wall is not finished you could build a steel frame that would sit inside the wall then run the vertical beams to the top plate and run bracing down to the shelf. Most of the weight would be on the floor but you could fasten it really well to the top plate.

 

[Marctrees]

Certainly this could be done..

But w welded steel, not so much wood..

Based on the full vertical steel sistered to studs as dfiler 2 mentioned.

Then, sufficient angle "shelf" bracing, and ideally, some tie ins above.

Make sure an experienced welder does this, at the weight of this thing it is a Life safety issue.

Isolating pads through bolted w double nylon insert locknuts is what I would do.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Or, you could just use 2x2's.




Marc

 

[rlwhitetr3b]

Or, you could just use 2x2's.




Marc

and drywall screws

 

[wyb2]

2 chains that would hold the compressor upright & the weight. if the shelf fell apart the cahins could hold it up
vibration can do nasty things

If you do this you could give the chains a tiny bit of slack (thinking less than an inch). If you walk in one day and they are tight, you know your shelf is starting to sag.

 

[Viper98912]

Just build a massive box 8 ft high and then fill it with concrete

 

[ford33]

Did this idea begin with someone saying "hold my beer".

As others have said, yes you could do it. But should you?

 

[Marctrees]

Take a step back, couple deeeeep breaths, and reflect......

Is the gained floor area worth the hassle ?

Up to you... alone.

Marc

 

[PoorOwner]

if it's a true 7 HP it weights around 600-700 lbs.

OK, so the platform off the wall needs to be at least 24"x24" to stand a 80G vertical tank, lets put COG around 1 foot from the wall.
So you can see there is 700 ft lbs of torque needs to be carried by the studs.

I don't trust the way framing nails to withstand all of that, adding thicker studs in (not 2x2, not diagonal brace, haha) and using them along with the original wall studs would stiffening that part of the wall. And if you put only the tank up there and the pump somewhere on other studs, even better.

 

[Blazinzuk]

My walls were built on the floor so the studs are not toenailed in anywhere. I have had this idea for a while so on this wall I braced all the studs to the girts well to two of the girts. Not sure if I have a pic of that.

But this is the corner I wanna put it in.

View media item 88039
This is the air compressor in question.

View media item 88040
The shelf will span 64" and the studs are on 16" centers. So I'll actually hit 5 studs.

I really do appreciate all the input and I certainly understand the worry expressed. Even IF I go ahead with this bullheaded scheme, once the compressor gets mounted if I'm not comfortable with how it is acting I'll pull it off and will have a beefy shelf to put junk on.

 

[Blazinzuk]

The part that is framed is what the shelf would go on.

The framing is just stood up.

View media item 83921
It was eventually blocked 8 ft up then I added short 2x4s to the top 2 girts.

The framing on the side wall is 2x4s the framing on the front wall is 2x6

 

[Marctrees]

I think IF, but only IF.... you span over the topsides of the bottom truss chords w like two 6' + full unistruts, and like threaded rod/ nylon nut throughbolt to hang the shelf you would be fine.

A general idea.

Being so close to the joist support, and spread over at least 3 of them, (I would span 4) I think would be OK.

Unistruts, or couple of nice clear selected 2x6 maybe, or similar Angle or what have you.

Like TWO totally independant 5/8" rods hanging EACH of front corners of shelf.

Or maybe welded chain of decent weight.

Of course, tie into wall as good as possible also.

Or like GRK RSS screws.

Actually, you will tie into both walls.

The ledger, or header you fasten to the studs under the shelf .. I would go overkill w 2x8, two horizontal rows of screws.

Like GRK RSS , maybe 5/16 at least 2 1/2" into the studs.


My opinions to spur thinking and further discussion only, off the cuff at the moment.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

It can be safely done, IF intelligently designed AND executed.

Using a suspenders AND belt support redundancy type of thinking.

AND .. mandatory good soft truly dampening feet.

Will be nice to have a ball valve at knee height w a 5 gal bucket.

I'm sure you got it figured for.

Marc

 

[James-W]

If it were me, I wouldn't do it. I am sure it can be done, but I think the vibration will be a deal breaker. I think you would be better off building a small structure to house the compressor. That way it is completely out of the work area, you can use the money it would have cost to build a really "beefy" shelf to help defray the cost of the outside structure, and the noise level will be a whole lot less inside the shop.

 

[Blazinzuk]

Marc, I planned on dropping support from the trusses.

Thanks for the input. Also GRK RSS? Not familiar with these a abreviations.

I'm actually thinking about doing a frame out of metal. Probably 3x3 angle iron. Then the down braces out of 1x2.

 

[Marctrees]

Recently installed 400 3/8 x 7 1/4 in a retaining wall project.

Did not snap or strip head drive on single one.

Marc

https://www.google.com/search?q=grk...5j69i61j0l2.5367j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[Blazinzuk]

Recently installed 400 3/8 x 7 1/4 in a retaining wall project.

Did not snap or strip head drive on single one.

Marc

https://www.google.com/search?q=grk...5j69i61j0l2.5367j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Much thanks I like those.

 

[bad_idea]

A lean-to off of the back of the building will likely cost the same as a heavy duty shelf with similar effort involved. If you built the building yourself, you likely have some of the siding and roof materials left over. Pour a quick slab for it yourself. Moves the noise out of the shop and saves the space in the shop.

 

[Blazinzuk]

A lean-to off of the back of the building will likely cost the same as a heavy duty shelf with similar effort involved. If you built the building yourself, you likely have some of the siding and roof materials left over. Pour a quick slab for it yourself. Moves the noise out of the shop and saves the space in the shop.

I have thought about this, but it somewhat interferes with future plans. I don't like the compressor being outside either. It get very cold here. My waste oil heater requires compressed air. So not too keen on the poor compressor starting when it's -20 or worse.

If I don't build this, it will just go on the floor till I figure something out