Enclosing air compressor outside garage?

[mikev]

Hi all, wandered over here from an autopia.org link. Great site!

So anyways, I'm in the process of getting my garage up to par (will be looking at HD and Lowes today for countertops to use as a workbench), and I'm thinking of mounting my 60g compressor outside the garage in a box or something to save space and keep noise down a little bit.

My question is twofold. a) What should I build the box out of? I was thinking just plywood or mdf or something, with a waterproof coating/siding/shingles or something for weather protection. b) What would be recommended for the inside as far as soundproofing material?

I'm wondering if anybody has somethign like this set up, and what has been done for airflow through the box as well. Is it sufficient to put a couple of ventilation holes on each side of the motor?

Oh, here's a picture of the compressor for reference:

 

[Luckydevil]

Welcome.

I would look at what the car stereo guys use for sound deadening... dynamat. Another thing to think about would be incorporating a baffle system into the box. By having the side walls go above the air compressor and the roof of the box go a bit below the tops of the walls, it should create a baffle effect.

 

[casaleenie]

Has anyone had any experience with a THOMAS brand air compressor?

I've asked around and several people have recommended that brand....

Never heard of them before...


Unusual set up on the Craftsman compressor... with regards to the dart board

 

[mikev]

Thanks for the replies.

Luke, you're a masterful artist. Did you do that with a CAD program?

Seems like a good idea for the baffles, do you think it would still muffle sound?

 

[Luckydevil]

Thanks for the replies.

Luke, you're a masterful artist. Did you do that with a CAD program?

Seems like a good idea for the baffles, do you think it would still muffle sound?

You should see my stick figure drawings.

The problem with that air compressor is that it needs a lot of air. I'm not sure just cutting holes for it would be enough. With a baffle it should cut down a large amount of the noise. Be sure to screen off whatever openings you have to keep animals out also.

 

[mikev]

Thats a pretty good idea actually.

What do you think would be best to build it out of? Regular old plywood with waterproof paint or something on it?

 

[imported_banzaitoyota]

Build it CORRECTLY or leave the compressor in the garage. Buils a frame, sheath in Plywood and use siding to match/compliment the garage. That way it wont deteriote into an eysore in 2 years

 

[mikev]

Yeah, I planned on building it CORRECTLY, thanks. Dropping over $500 on a compressor kinda makes you want to keep it nice, yanno?

I was merely asking what material would be preferable for building, apparently you feel that it's plywood.

Thanks for your input, hopefully I can get this eyesore taken care of soon.

 

[imported_banzaitoyota]

didnt mean to come across rude, but if you reread your post it implies you were just going to use plywood

 

[OI812]

Mike V,

I think Luke has the idea. If your building it off of your garage wall, you may want to consider a lean to structure. This would incoporate into your existing wall of your garage well. Like banzaitoyota said I would try an get the exterior to match the existing exterior of the garage. May be hard since you have stone down below.
Towards sound proofing, I am thinking of what to use. Problem is most sound proofings are and insulation, and in CA you may not want to trap the heat in that building.

Banzaitoyota, if you look at Mike orginal question he did state something about using siding. I could be wrong, but I think his question is what should he use for the base material. For that I would use plywood or osb. Then siding over it to match the house. I have been told that using capital letters is like yelling at someone.

Mike I think banzaitoyota was just trying to stess the point of doing it correctly. I think you are, and that was you question on how to do it correctly. I think he was just trying to stess that point.

I believe sometime we read post and don't fully read them. That leads to misinterpertaion.

Hopefully that helps.

 

[jvo]

I see you are in California, but I'll post this anyway for those of us in colder climates. I built my garage as a 2 storey, with 10/12 pitch to match the roof of my house. Thus, I used 2x10 floor joists, and insulated fully between them. My 6.5 HP (what a joke) Sanborn is up there, and I can barely hear it running, when it kicks in. Only problem I have had here in Alberta, is when it goes to colder than about -20 Celsius (about -5*F) it will not start. I have to go up there in the unheated 2nd storey and hold a hand held propane torch about 6 inches away from the compressor fins, and let the heat blow between them for 2 or 3 minutes. Then the compressor will start up just fine. Otherwise, it barely turns over, and kicks the breaker. I plan on running another wire from a switch down blow, so I can plug a 1500 Watt heater into it, and build a shelf close to the compressor. I may put it on a timer, so I don't forget to turn it off, after the compressor starts. Then, I can flip the heater switch, and leave it for a few minutes, then hit the compressor switch. Usually, once I am working in the garage, it will cycle normally till it has been off for several hours before I have to re-heat it again. You guys down South don't know how lucky you have it. The only plus to this, is the moisture condenses in the copper lines up there fairly quickly in the winter. John V.O. Lethbridge AB Canada

 

[Wile1Coyote]

VERY Interesting idea JVO. Thats another one to add to the when I build a garage file!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[a462goat]

Here's what I did

Had a small (3' x 3') slab poured out behind the shop, where it is completly out of sight. I have made a roof, and am probably going to screen in the sides to keep the rain off of the tank. I don't really want to enclosed it - I want maximum cooling for the motor.

 

[gb387]

Looks good! We have some similar enclosures at work. They work just fine. In our case the sided are closed off and the front is wide open (back is against a building).

 

[byrdman]

Looks very similar to what I've got planned!

 

[bdaz442]

Why not buy a Quite Air Compressor?
Mine is a three cylinder / Two stage, true 5 Hp. Pumps 21 CFM @100 Psi.
So quite You can have a conversation beside it while its running.
go to http://www.eatoncompressor.com/catalog/item/504747/172983.htm

 

[byrdman]

Why not buy a Quite Air Compressor?
Mine is a three cylinder / Two stage, true 5 Hp. Pumps 21 CFM @100 Psi.
So quite You can have a conversation beside it while its running.
go to

bdaz, you must work for _______.com? Each of your first (3) posts seem to be advertisements. My apologies if you're just psyched about your new compressor, it's just that the wording seems a little salesman-like.

(What's the advertising/spamming policy around here?)

 

[C_F]

(What's the advertising/spamming policy around here?)

Something along the lines of death to spammers!

 

[ranger_dood]

bdaz, you must work for _______.com? Each of your first (3) posts seem to be advertisements. My apologies if you're just psyched about your new compressor, it's just that the wording seems a little salesman-like.

(What's the advertising/spamming policy around here?)

You notice he only has one post? Thatone?

 

[bmwpower]

I'll take mine in purple, please.

 

[Luckydevil]

You notice he only has one post? Thatone?

That is partly my fault. I banned him yesterday thinking he was an employee of Eaton Compressors and deleted his other two posts. We had a chat though and it turns out he is just extremely happy with his compressor and wanted to give people an alternative to the brand name compressors. He's a good guy.

 

[ranger_dood]

Ah, I see... I missed that he was on here yesterday. How did I miss _that_? Oh well

I can't wait to have a compressor large enough and noisy enough to want to put it outside

 

[bmwpower]

How about a compressor in the attic?

 

[Luckydevil]

How about a compressor in the attic?

Someone on here did that and was really happy with it. I'll have to see if I can find the thread again for you.