Air compressor tank bushing

[Spam16v]

I just got a new compressor

Honda Element owns joo, yeah it fit.

Long story short, it's a 60 gallon professional oil lubed 3hp 220v single phase basic homeowner compressor. $425+ tax Labor Day sale after using Sears Card online + military discount. Not half bad considering retail is something foolish, brings the price down where it should be for an aluminum pump and whatnot.

The output bung on the side of the tank I'm pretty sure is 3/8" npt, where can I acquire a larger 1/2" npt bushing to run a larger output? I have a commercial airdryer I acquired some time ago and would like to run a the largest line possible without a bottle neck until the service hose. And of course I'll be running PVC lines (LOL! j/k) The outputs on the cheapies at the Tractor supply had the larger output size on their 60 gallon units. Is that part available separately, or will I have to remove it and have a machine shop drill and tap it. I priced the tap, it's cheaper to have done than drill and tap myself.

thanks
-Zac

 

[jeffmoss26]

Does the compressor have male or female threads?
I've never seen a hex bushing that is 3/8 male by 1/2 female. You would need a 3/8 to 1/2 female bushing with a ****** on each end most likely.

 

[Spam16v]

No, the air tank has a ~2+" diameter threaded hole, it's got a bushing to reduce it to 3/8npt, I was hoping to find one that has a larger output.

 

[jeffmoss26]

If that's the case, just go to a hardware store and look for a 2 x 1/2 hex bushing.

 

[Davefr]

Modifying a pressure vessel would not make me too comfortable. In addition, drilling and tapping the existing fitting would result in shrapnel inside the tank.

External reducer fittings are the way to go IMO.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Modifying a pressure vessel would not make me too comfortable. In addition, drilling and tapping the existing fitting would result in shrapnel inside the tank.

External reducer fittings are the way to go IMO.

He is not talking about "modifying a pressure vessel" at all, and stepping up from a 3/8 hole in the bushing to a larger size does not eliminate the bottle neck.

What the OP wants to do is remove a screwed in pipe bushing, that is screwed into a bung in the side of the tank, and replace it with a bushing that has a larger hole in the middle of it.

Problem is, every one of these bushings I've ever seen installed were extremely tight. If you don't own at least a 24 inch pipe wrench and a cheater pipe, you probably will not get it out.

You are on the right track, either remove it and have it chucked in a lathe and re-drilled and tapped and reinstall it, or find a new bushing.... or live with it.

Charles

 

[Zrexxer]

I'd verify it's 3/8" NPT before I got too worked up about it... I've never seen a compressor with a 60 galllon receiver bushed down to 3/8". Not saying it couldn't be true, just that it's unlikely.

 

[bmfenn]

I'd verify it's 3/8" NPT before I got too worked up about it... I've never seen a compressor with a 60 galllon receiver bushed down to 3/8". Not saying it couldn't be true, just that it's unlikely.

My craftsman pro 60gal is 3/8 also.

 

[metal1313]

it'll take some effort but the bung should unscrew and you can replace it with another bushing of your desiered size. you may have to order one since a 2''- 1/2'' bung isnt that common

 

[rlitman]

My craftsman pro 60gal is 3/8 also.

I'll have to take you word for it. My craftsman pro 60 gallon came with a 1/2" output, but I sold that one years ago.

Those 2" bushings can be -really- hard to remove. Think 3 or 4 foot pipe wrench, and two friends holding the tank. They use this larger port, not so that you can change out the bushing, but because it doubles as an inspection port, so they can look at the inside of the tank after it's welded shut.
Go to a plumbing supply house with it, and they should be able to set you up. It's not a stock item at a box store, but pretty common in commercial plumbing (for say mounting a gauge to a larger manifold).

 

[Squankum]

Problem is, every one of these bushings I've ever seen installed were extremely tight. If you don't own at least a 24 inch pipe wrench and a cheater pipe, you probably will not get it out.

Yep, I've heard of this. Excesss tension of the ********.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I need TP for my ********!

 

[Stephenw]

Problem is, every one of these bushings I've ever seen installed were extremely tight. If you don't own at least a 24 inch pipe wrench and a cheater pipe, you probably will not get it out.

Charles

x 2

I've removed a couple myself. I had to heat them very hot with a torch to break the thread sealing compound.

 

[Spam16v]

If they're 2" for sure, they're cheap on McMaster, $6 is cake, if I can get it out....

 

[PT Doc]

Could this unit run more efficiently with the 1/2" output? Could putting a larger insert into the bung, make the compressor with harder than designed? It will turn on more frequently and if run for extended periods, this might put more strain on the motor than was intended. Just a thought.

 

[garboui]

You will still use as much as your air tools will consume. it will mostly help reduce you pressure drop across the whole system and also meaning that you'll have more consistent pressure before the pump kicks back on to charge back up. having the regulator closer to the tool with this will also help since there will always be more pressure in the lines than needed.

the second benefit for this is that on very high volume consumption (ie open hose end) you will flow more air.

 

[W-Cummins]

This is a TOTAL waste of time!!! Use that 3/8"fitting and install a short ****** in it, and up size it to 1/2" right after the ******. That small distance at 3/8" will not make ANY difference at all on that machine. It will flow WAY more than 100 cfm at almost ZERO pressure drop! A good 1/4" regulator will flow way over 100 cfm too, I wouldn't take the time to even think about it, let alone in this case to change it.

William....

 

[Spam16v]

Alright William, that sounds viable. I'm going to put the dryer on top of the compressor on a shelf with a soft hydraulic line. Thanks
-Zac

 

[csmitty]

My Kobalts a 3/8 as well on a 60gal. Got a small nibble and reducer to go from 3/8 to 1/2. Not gonna worry about it.

 

[malibu101]

What amazing timing. My buddy just bought that same compressor last week. Sears had them on sale but I forget what he paid for it.
Anyway, he had the same problem. It is a 3/8" hole. He wants to go to 3/4" to match the size of the rest of the pipe in his system. We tried a big pipe wrench and all that happened was were not able to hold the tank from tipping over. That thing is in there TIGHT! We did not try the torch and we do not have a socket that big to try an impact wrench.
So far all he did was the 1/2 hour break-in and just has it jury-rigged up with a piece of hose and some assorted fittings so he has air in the shop.
I will have him look at the discussion on this thread.

 

[amolaver]

my little 26 gallon had a 1/4" output ******** (hehehe) - i had to mapp gas the reducer bushing to break the thread sealant, and still required a pretty serious piece of leverage to get free. there is a noticeable difference in the strength of my impact, and i can use it for a noticeable shorter amount of time before the compressor kicks on once i switched to a 1/2" fitting.

maybe its tilting at windmills, maybe not, but its minor effort and minor cost even if its piece of mind. for a 60 or 80 gallon, it seems like a no brainer to me.

ahm

 

[bad_idea]

i had to remove a 2" plug from the side of an air tank from 1965 or so. 2' crescent wrench, hammer and a torch. heat the tank up to expand it (not the plug), put the wrench on it and beat the piss out of the handle of the wrench. think 3 lb hand sledge. ear plugs too. plug came out nice without damaging any threads, didn't even tear up the square head on the plug.

 

[Spam16v]

I'm likely to at least try to get it out.... no torches or excessive destruction, and if it doesn't budge, I'll still sleep soundly.

 

[Davefr]

no torches or excessive destruction

Good idea. Taking a torch to a pressure vessel and then beating the **** out of it wouldn't make me feel to secure.

These things can be pretty destructive if they fail.

 

[KinzeMech]

I just got a new compressor



Honda Element owns joo, yeah it fit.



Long story short, it's a 60 gallon professional oil lubed 3hp 220v single phase basic homeowner compressor. $425+ tax Labor Day sale after using Sears Card online + military discount. Not half bad considering retail is something foolish, brings the price down where it should be for an aluminum pump and whatnot.

The output bung on the side of the tank I'm pretty sure is 3/8" npt, where can I acquire a larger 1/2" npt bushing to run a larger output? I have a commercial airdryer I acquired some time ago and would like to run a the largest line possible without a bottle neck until the service hose. And of course I'll be running PVC lines (LOL! j/k) The outputs on the cheapies at the Tractor supply had the larger output size on their 60 gallon units. Is that part available separately, or will I have to remove it and have a machine shop drill and tap it. I priced the tap, it's cheaper to have done than drill and tap myself.

thanks
-Zac

Craftsman doesn't build their own compressors (like most compressor retailers out there). They rebadge someone else's product. For most of 200x the were using Devilbiss compressors. As far as I've seen, for 201x, they've used Sanborn.

I happen to be researching the same thing. The compressor provided in a shop I'm renting is a Coleman Powermate (also Sanborn OEM) 60 gallon, drawing air from a 3/8" NPT port in a 2" bushing. Thus, I've been researching options to do the same thing as the OP here, and sharing the results of my findings.

These bushings are NPS thread, not NPT, and are sealed with an oring. This makes the bushing harder to find.

Searching the coleman powermate website for parts catalogs has been helpful. That is how I confirmed the bushing was 2" NPS-M by 3/8" NPT-F. From there, randomly searching parts catalogs for larger compressors finds a part number for a 2" NPS-M by 3/4" NPT-F bushing. Google "512-0043" or look here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078ZFKCGW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Bretny]

After 7yrs im sure he has all that figured out. Drill out the bushing anf tap it out.

 

[contendernut]

Search for pipe bushings. A lot of black iron firings are rated for 150 lbs. look for 3000 lb. look at fastenal and like sites. You may have to go 2 1/2” to 1” then 1” to 1/2”. You can stack bushings

 

[KinzeMech]

The harder part of finding a suitable bushing isn't finding on of adequate strength, but finding one that is straight pipe thread vs the incredibly common tapered pipe thread.

Bretny also makes a good point, it would be easy to drill and tap larger, if one has drill bits and taps in the correct sizes. If not, the listed bushing part number is cheaper, and the direct fitting part.

 

[sberry]

Leave them alone, that fitting will deliver more that the comp will make and the only time,, if it is an issue is on 3/4 impacts,, and I use mine on a section with a little 3/8 pipe. Wayyyyyy too much worry about something that doesnt make a pinch of poop difference, is expensive and difficult. If a guy really needed more delivery wouldnt bought bottom of the line in the first place.

 

[The Cobbler]

Leave them alone, that fitting will deliver more that the comp will make and the only time,, if it is an issue is on 3/4 impacts,, and I use mine on a section with a little 3/8 pipe. Wayyyyyy too much worry about something that doesnt make a pinch of poop difference, is expensive and difficult. If a guy really needed more delivery wouldnt bought bottom of the line in the first place.

this

even tho this thread is 7 yrs old

 

[md21722]

There is a bunch of useful information in this thread about removing a tank bushing and replacement sources:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177182&showall=1

The last time I came across new tanks, the bushings had an o-ring and were easy to come out. I slathered pipe dope on them in case they ever need to come out. Air compressor tanks start rusting on the inside the day they are made. When trying to remove the bushings keep in mind there could be flash rust holding them in place.

I'm inclined to agree with the camp that says leave it alone. I think if it were me, I'd just locate a 3/8 - 1/2 adapter, put a 1/2" ball valve on it, and run it to your system that way.

 

[sberry]

A 3/8 steel pipe ****** is closer to 7/16 than 3/8 almost double the capacity of a 3/8 hose and multiples of the plugs on common air connectors.
Most air pressure system loss is in the hose and some in turns, a little in barbs. On hi flow systems often "dress" a 3/8 ****** with s 7/16 drill bit to smooth it and take out a little seam if I want to be fussy, use 5/8 on 1/2 and dont mess with 3/4 on common air.
I have 100 ft circuits in couple spots, pretty straight, only 2 turns, have 7 hp, 200 gallons of tanks, runs 3/4 well on the rare occasion I need to, have 1 with about a foot of 3/8 pipe and cant tell its there.
If you are sandblasting with the small comp,,,,, even LESS important. A 3/8 hose will drain it in a hurry, as was said above, will feed 100 cfm from a comp makes a bit over 10.
The reason I am a bit sensitive to this is when I started out used to worry about the same stuff, still can go there on **** that doesnt matter. First air line I install inch where 1/2 would have been suffecient and would have worked from 3/8 hose. Could have saved time, work, money if I listened to old timer tried to tell me.

 

[KinzeMech]

Leave them alone, that fitting will deliver more that the comp will make and the only time,, if it is an issue is on 3/4 impacts,, and I use mine on a section with a little 3/8 pipe. Wayyyyyy too much worry about something that doesnt make a pinch of poop difference, is expensive and difficult. If a guy really needed more delivery wouldnt bought bottom of the line in the first place.

2 1/2" impacts occasionally operating simultaneously, with occasional usage of 3/4 or 1" impacts.

It's about doing what I can to get by with a compressor that is marginal for my needs. I don't yet have an insulated/heated shop. This is the compressor that is available in the shop available for rent.

I have a two stage 24 cfm compressor of my own, but then I have to listen to a gas engine run all day. This minor plumbing improvement will allow me to get by with a marginal system for this winter, and the cost is trivial.