burgie
Well-known member
Here are a bunch of pics, in no particular order, of the cooling tower and Camby Cooler setup I fabricated for my restored Curtis air compressor...
Video is here:
Video is here:
Compressor cooler completed...
- Thread starter burgie
- Start date
kunkernator
Well-known member
Excellent! That is one good looking compressor. Are you going to be using it in a shop environment, or just personal home use? Honestly I am so jealous, I am stuck with a little 20 gallon oiless 
I hope it works out good, have you tested it yet?
I hope it works out good, have you tested it yet?
MechManiac
Well-known member
wooow!! neat!!
kunkernator
Well-known member
And 175 PSI 
Damn, that thing can probably handle anything. You should get a jackhammer
I will say it again; I am jealous.
Damn, that thing can probably handle anything. You should get a jackhammerI will say it again; I am jealous.
That is SWEET setup you've done with the Franzinator and the Camby Cooler!! Your start switch and hour meter is top notch as well.
Gotta give us some details on where you sourced your components and what it all took to put together . . . . GJ loves pics . . AND . . . details!! You've just built the Bentley of air compressors!
Questions on operations thus far:
a) What kind of water you getting in Franzinator?
b) Any water buildup in after-cooler?
c) Is the Norgren filter coalscing for oil?
d) Water even getting to tank?
What's the budget for all these goodies, if you don't mind?
P.S. You and Camby are sure raising minimum standard that future compressors are going to be expected!! Top quality.
P.S.S. Only thing left for you to accomplish (for your next build), is do everything in tandem for FS Curtis CA series Ultra Pack??
http://us.fscurtis.com/products/?id=10
Gotta give us some details on where you sourced your components and what it all took to put together . . . . GJ loves pics . . AND . . . details!! You've just built the Bentley of air compressors!
Questions on operations thus far:
a) What kind of water you getting in Franzinator?
b) Any water buildup in after-cooler?
c) Is the Norgren filter coalscing for oil?
d) Water even getting to tank?
What's the budget for all these goodies, if you don't mind?
P.S. You and Camby are sure raising minimum standard that future compressors are going to be expected!! Top quality.
P.S.S. Only thing left for you to accomplish (for your next build), is do everything in tandem for FS Curtis CA series Ultra Pack??
http://us.fscurtis.com/products/?id=10
Last edited:
CNG...
Thank you for the kind words. I'll respond more once I get some hard data with prolonged use.
Alan Camby does amazing work and his welding skills are crazy (said in a very positive way). You will see a lot of similarity between my setup and Alan's...
But then again...his setup was very smooth flowing and logical so I used some of his ideas and concepts. I certainly cannot take the credit...but I will say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.
Alan and I chat off-line via PM and it's all good. He, like so many others here, are just sharing ideas and giving real world feedback...
Thank you for the kind words. I'll respond more once I get some hard data with prolonged use.
Alan Camby does amazing work and his welding skills are crazy (said in a very positive way). You will see a lot of similarity between my setup and Alan's...
But then again...his setup was very smooth flowing and logical so I used some of his ideas and concepts. I certainly cannot take the credit...but I will say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.
Alan and I chat off-line via PM and it's all good. He, like so many others here, are just sharing ideas and giving real world feedback...
Omphaloskeptic
Well-known member
The results of your rebuild are really fine!
Do you have any pics/documentation of the rebuild process? Did you have access to any reference manual for this beast, or online forums for advice? I've got a CL freebie no-name single cylinder electric that is waiting patiently for a total rebuild and I'm at a loss as to where to begin. Did you have the tank inspected/hydro'd or did it not warrant it? Sorry for all the questions; thanks for any advice you'd care to offer.
Do you have any pics/documentation of the rebuild process? Did you have access to any reference manual for this beast, or online forums for advice? I've got a CL freebie no-name single cylinder electric that is waiting patiently for a total rebuild and I'm at a loss as to where to begin. Did you have the tank inspected/hydro'd or did it not warrant it? Sorry for all the questions; thanks for any advice you'd care to offer.
HMCFab9
Well-known member
looks good!
Super nice work on the compressor restoration! Do you think that you might get water in the loop between the pump and the walletlightenator?? Where did you get your ss flex lines they gook nice! How is the belt guard restoration proceeding, it will be the finishing touch on a superb job!
William....
William....
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Where did you get the heat exchanger ?
Adding that fan is a great idea !
Adding that fan is a great idea !
alan camby
Well-known member
Great job Burgie, amazing attention to detail.
Now I am seeing a small scratch at the connection of the Franzinator to the muffler clamp mount
. I was not expecting the muffler clamp to have two saddles instead of the saddle and u-bolt. That is a neat idea. If I would have seen that first, my mind would never have guessed it was a muffler clamp. Now I am liking that for a mount on my drill press column.
Mr. Cummins,
I don't think, IMO, that the loop will hold water. The compressed air is still a hot gas at this point and any water will want to stay in suspension. Of coarse, I am not a Engineer like Mr. Burgie though. The loop should be good for expansion, contraction, and vibration between the pump and Franz.
I look forward to the belt guard build. Curious how you are going to make a guard and keep good air flow from the flywheel fan to the pump. Think someone else in another thread suggested a all copper guard. That would be slick, If you can keep good air flow.
Alan
Now I am seeing a small scratch at the connection of the Franzinator to the muffler clamp mount
. I was not expecting the muffler clamp to have two saddles instead of the saddle and u-bolt. That is a neat idea. If I would have seen that first, my mind would never have guessed it was a muffler clamp. Now I am liking that for a mount on my drill press column.Mr. Cummins,
I don't think, IMO, that the loop will hold water. The compressed air is still a hot gas at this point and any water will want to stay in suspension. Of coarse, I am not a Engineer like Mr. Burgie though. The loop should be good for expansion, contraction, and vibration between the pump and Franz.
I look forward to the belt guard build. Curious how you are going to make a guard and keep good air flow from the flywheel fan to the pump. Think someone else in another thread suggested a all copper guard. That would be slick, If you can keep good air flow.
Alan
alan camby
Well-known member
Vegaman_Dan
Well-known member
Things I like:
Square tubing extension bolted to the inside of the saddle mount for the compressor and motor. That's a great way to build brackets to firmly mount some of that plumbing to.
Hour meter. That's a brilliant idea and one I will add to mine once I get such a unit.
Heat exchanger. I like that notion and would love to see details on that part.
Things I'd change:
Rubber isolation mounts on the feet. I think the wood will crack over time where the feet touch.
Oil change / service tag. Even a paper tag on a wire next to the oil level window. Track when you changed the oil and how much / type. You may want to know that later.
Square tubing extension bolted to the inside of the saddle mount for the compressor and motor. That's a great way to build brackets to firmly mount some of that plumbing to.
Hour meter. That's a brilliant idea and one I will add to mine once I get such a unit.
Heat exchanger. I like that notion and would love to see details on that part.
Things I'd change:
Rubber isolation mounts on the feet. I think the wood will crack over time where the feet touch.
Oil change / service tag. Even a paper tag on a wire next to the oil level window. Track when you changed the oil and how much / type. You may want to know that later.
dvo
Well-known member
Thinking about doing the same. Would it be better to place the cooler before the franzinator?
The water will condense when the unit turns off and the lines cool, how much will accumulate there I don't know. I guess even if it dose burp it out some, the walletlightenator can drain it out. The flexible line would take care of all of the expansion, contraction, and vibration just fine w/o the loop.
As for the guard and air flow, most of them I have seen work just fine with an expanded metal partition between the flywheel and pump.
William...
OK...so let's get to answering some questions and make some remarks:
1. Compressor actually cuts out at 178 psi...but that could be a +/- error with the bourdan style gauge. Close enough for me not to mess with the pressure switch.
2. I haven't gotten any water out of the cooling tower because I haven't really taxed the system yet. The cooler does cool the air though...quite well actually...and you can feel the temperature gradient from the input to the output.
3. Coalescing filter is for water...
4. I have only seen what amounts to a few drops of water come out of my stainless steel drain line so far. But again, I haven't put any real load on the system yet.
5. Budget: I would guess I have about $1200 or so in the motor, cooler, mag starter, pump overhaul components, hardware, counter, stuff like that. I will say this...I probably came close or broke even with the cost of a new 5HP, 80 gallon system. But for me it's all about the restoration process. It's what I like to do. I bought the compressor for $75 and now have a fantastic unit that will last me the rest of my life...
6. Once I had the compressor home I researched it and downloaded the appropriate documents from FS Curtis. I plotted the exploded parts view on a plotter at work do I could get a better picture of the pump for ordering parts. But essentially I just started tearing it down and bagging/tagging the parts. I've always been that way with mechanical things. The only real referencing I did was for the torque specs...
7. I didn't have any formal tests done on the tank. I did a visual test of the inside surfaces when all the ports and plugs were removed. Sans a bit of rust on the bottom, the tank basically looked new on the inside.
8. If any water does accumulate in the loop (i.e. when it is not running and air cools, I'm sure it will get dlown into the cooling tower at the next startup. Frankly, that doesn't even concern me.
9. I got my SS lines from Swagelok. They are polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) hoses. They are 3/4" inside diameter with a 1" outside diameter. The highly flexible PTFE core is wrapped with a fiber braid and then the outside is a Type 304 stainless steel braid. Minimum bend radius is 3.5" which is great for me as I don't want any kinks...even though most loops will be in the 6" - 8" diameter range. These have an operating temperature range of -65ºF to +450ºF and the working pressure is 1,250 psi with a burst of 5,000 psi...
10. The belt gauge...I am still pondering the options. Stay tunes, though!!!
11. I bought the CX racing cooler on-line. I think Alan posted a link.
12. I thought about rubber isolation, but the rails are 1-3/4" old groth oak...that incidentaslly I felled and sawed years ago when I lived in NH...and if they do crack I have bigger issues. Frankly, the system has very little vibrations.
13. Oil change sticker: I have a maintenance log for all my vehicles, ATV, Harley, etc. It's in there...
14. Everyone says the cooling tower needs to be closest to the output so it sees the greatest temperature differential to be effective. So far I have noticed significant temp reduction. Some people use a cooling fan, some a cooling tower...I fugured I'd try both in series. I will say that the braided homne that goes to the tank check valve is stone cold all the time.
It'll be interesting to see how all this stuff works when I use a lot of air. But for now, my fingers are tired...
1. Compressor actually cuts out at 178 psi...but that could be a +/- error with the bourdan style gauge. Close enough for me not to mess with the pressure switch.
2. I haven't gotten any water out of the cooling tower because I haven't really taxed the system yet. The cooler does cool the air though...quite well actually...and you can feel the temperature gradient from the input to the output.
3. Coalescing filter is for water...
4. I have only seen what amounts to a few drops of water come out of my stainless steel drain line so far. But again, I haven't put any real load on the system yet.
5. Budget: I would guess I have about $1200 or so in the motor, cooler, mag starter, pump overhaul components, hardware, counter, stuff like that. I will say this...I probably came close or broke even with the cost of a new 5HP, 80 gallon system. But for me it's all about the restoration process. It's what I like to do. I bought the compressor for $75 and now have a fantastic unit that will last me the rest of my life...
6. Once I had the compressor home I researched it and downloaded the appropriate documents from FS Curtis. I plotted the exploded parts view on a plotter at work do I could get a better picture of the pump for ordering parts. But essentially I just started tearing it down and bagging/tagging the parts. I've always been that way with mechanical things. The only real referencing I did was for the torque specs...
7. I didn't have any formal tests done on the tank. I did a visual test of the inside surfaces when all the ports and plugs were removed. Sans a bit of rust on the bottom, the tank basically looked new on the inside.
8. If any water does accumulate in the loop (i.e. when it is not running and air cools, I'm sure it will get dlown into the cooling tower at the next startup. Frankly, that doesn't even concern me.
9. I got my SS lines from Swagelok. They are polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) hoses. They are 3/4" inside diameter with a 1" outside diameter. The highly flexible PTFE core is wrapped with a fiber braid and then the outside is a Type 304 stainless steel braid. Minimum bend radius is 3.5" which is great for me as I don't want any kinks...even though most loops will be in the 6" - 8" diameter range. These have an operating temperature range of -65ºF to +450ºF and the working pressure is 1,250 psi with a burst of 5,000 psi...
10. The belt gauge...I am still pondering the options. Stay tunes, though!!!
11. I bought the CX racing cooler on-line. I think Alan posted a link.
12. I thought about rubber isolation, but the rails are 1-3/4" old groth oak...that incidentaslly I felled and sawed years ago when I lived in NH...and if they do crack I have bigger issues. Frankly, the system has very little vibrations.
13. Oil change sticker: I have a maintenance log for all my vehicles, ATV, Harley, etc. It's in there...
14. Everyone says the cooling tower needs to be closest to the output so it sees the greatest temperature differential to be effective. So far I have noticed significant temp reduction. Some people use a cooling fan, some a cooling tower...I fugured I'd try both in series. I will say that the braided homne that goes to the tank check valve is stone cold all the time.
It'll be interesting to see how all this stuff works when I use a lot of air. But for now, my fingers are tired...
Holy Toledo Batman . . . . I thought that compressor was BRAND NEW . . . and you just added the Franz and aftercooler!!
For what you've got now, that is TERRIFIC build for the money.
Curious what a new FS Curtis 5 HP / 80 gallon would even run (without all the improvements added) . . . maybe $1,500 to $2,000 or more??
Burgie, this is the Bentley of air compressors for sure!!
Found a "Twin" if someone in Oklahoma wants the challenge of building a:
. . . . Twin, Franzinated, Camby After-Cooled,
. . . . . . . . Quincy 230 Compressors, 5 HP Twins, 120 gal
with used CL find for $1,000 OBO
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/tls/3663286821.html
Only then would there be a Lambo Twin to top the Burgie Bentley!!
For what you've got now, that is TERRIFIC build for the money.
Curious what a new FS Curtis 5 HP / 80 gallon would even run (without all the improvements added) . . . maybe $1,500 to $2,000 or more??
Burgie, this is the Bentley of air compressors for sure!!
Found a "Twin" if someone in Oklahoma wants the challenge of building a:
. . . . Twin, Franzinated, Camby After-Cooled,
. . . . . . . . Quincy 230 Compressors, 5 HP Twins, 120 gal
with used CL find for $1,000 OBO
http://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/tls/3663286821.html
Only then would there be a Lambo Twin to top the Burgie Bentley!!
onewaydave
Well-known member
Where did you get the rebuild kit? Did it come from FS Curtis? I ask because I have the same compressor pump and when I priced the kit it was like $5-600 (or something like, but more than I paid for the pump originally). I ended up buying a new pump instead.
Nice build, btw.
Dave.
Nice build, btw.
Dave.
hemifalcon
Well-known member
Are you going to continue running it without a belt guard mounted?? Seeing that original photo with the belt guard--I'm just left to wonder.. You did a fantastic job...
$500 - $600 sounds about right. When I was all said and done it was around $650 - $700...but I bought a brand new HP piston rod and wrist pin...
A new pump...and I'm not talking the Taiwan knock-offs...is about $1300. I can tell you this...I was completely impressed with the manufacture and quality of the compressor pump. It was well made and so far is operating superbly...
So to me, money well spent...
A new pump...and I'm not talking the Taiwan knock-offs...is about $1300. I can tell you this...I was completely impressed with the manufacture and quality of the compressor pump. It was well made and so far is operating superbly...
So to me, money well spent...
20V'er
Well-known member
This post make me hate my Crapsman 60 gallon even more! Off to search Craigslist.
bsaint
Well-known member
Looks great! A little over engineered from the industry standard but it looks cool.
Todd.Brock
Well-known member
Bergie, I spent some time and effort on an 80 gal. 5 hp IR 2 stage I picked up on CL. I bought a new HP piston, valve plate, gaskets, and some other things and it adds up quick. All in I think I have 125 in the compressor and 350 in parts. I couldn't find a decent pump cheap to save my life. There is something frustrating and therapeutic in the restoration. You took it to a level I was hoping to with paint and things like that. I had to keep mine functional and cheaper. Looks amazing!
Excellent results. There's not many projects that showcase iron, wood, copper, and stainless braid hose all in one! I have a question on the cooler, you mention the CX racing cooler and referenced a link from Alan. I didn't go back and look but I thought Alan ended up using a purpose built air compressor heat exchanger from Grainger. Or maybe I'm confusing this with another thread.
alan camby
Well-known member
Alan (Me)used the Grainger unit and Burgie is using the CX
)used the Grainger unit and Burgie is using the CXonewaydave
Well-known member
I bought my pump from Surplus City (I think that is their name, in Lincoln, Ne) for about $300 about 12 years ago. Not a Chinese knock off but an olive drab Curtis. It was new and came with Curtis paperwork. I still have it but on a back shelf patiently waiting for my attention.
Thanks for the reply.
Dave.
Oneway...
I am startled by the $300...but maybe a decade+ will do that to the price? "Who knows such things...only the Oracle"
Another factor for restoring versus buying is money. I'm not wealthy and while I work hard for my income, I do have bills and such. A new compressor of equivalence is in the neighborhood of $1750 - $2000 and coming up with for a one-time purchase isn't easy.
With my compressor I was able to move it along a little here and there over 18 months to spread out the cost. I do have a smaller and very functional Craftsman 5HP, 20 gallon A/C that I used (and continue to use) while I was restoring this big boy...
I am startled by the $300...but maybe a decade+ will do that to the price? "Who knows such things...only the Oracle"
Another factor for restoring versus buying is money. I'm not wealthy and while I work hard for my income, I do have bills and such. A new compressor of equivalence is in the neighborhood of $1750 - $2000 and coming up with for a one-time purchase isn't easy.
With my compressor I was able to move it along a little here and there over 18 months to spread out the cost. I do have a smaller and very functional Craftsman 5HP, 20 gallon A/C that I used (and continue to use) while I was restoring this big boy...
Albiemanmike
Well-known member
Awesmome job Burgie! I too have contacted Alan offline to ask some questions and he was extremely helpful. I got my aftercooler all setup but it is akin to a Frankenstein monster the way I had to do it with flexible copper tubing and a junk yard AC condenser. But it does seem to work quite well so far. I too have yet to really stress the system like when I am sandblasting and that will be the real tell tale test of how well this new contraption works. I hated doing it the way I did it but I was strapped for cash and couldn't afford to buy the really nice flexible braided lines, the aftermarket cooler (like Alan's or yours) etc. So I spent about $100-150 on all of the parts to put together what I have now. I will change out the stff i currently have configured as money allows as I hate looking at the abortion that is my current cooler setup. The main and most important thing for me was to attack the water problem immediately so i could still use the compressor. I am very **** and just do not like doing stuff that looks redneck most of the projects I do always have an OEM look like yours and Alan's but this time function had to come before form.
brawls43
Well-known member
Burgie, what size pipe did you use for your Franzinator? 2" sch40? I love the restoration, hoping to do similar with my 325 Quincy from the 50s.