Help! Just got a 60 gallon air compressor

[evil_twin]

Hey everyone,
I recently just picked up a 60 gallon air compressor by Husky. I am stuck though, I have some questions that are unanswered.

Where can I find isolation pads (hockey puck style)?

Where do I find the adapters for the tank to air lines?

I'm sure I have more, just can't think of them at the moment.

 

[930dreamer]

Some people use thick rubber for isolation.

If your not running piping just use reducers to match up the air fittings.

 

[Jeff Ivers]

Discount tool stores frequently offer the vibration mounts. The ones I have seen were rectangular, though. I recently changed from purchased pads which were a cork/rubber laminate to a piece of scrap stall mat (3/4" thick rubber) that I like better. Stall mats are sold at farm/home stores, usually in a 4'x8' size. If you buy one of these and cut a few scraps off one end for your mounts, you will still have a large piece left as a work pad for in front of your work bench. Ditto on the previous posters comments about just using reducers from a plumbing supply house.

 

[Gary S]

What?
60 gallons at 2cfm or 60 gallons at 20cfm. Gallons means nothing CFM is what it is about.

 

[bullfrog123]

Ditto on the stall mats. I doubled mine up and you cant even tell its running except for the sound. NO vibrations.

 

[GarageEnvy]

I used actual hockey pucks from Big5 sporting goods. It's hard to find hockey pucks in my area. As far as adaptors go, I used a hydraulic line from tractor supply. There's one problem with it though. It has female connectors on both ends so a union or some other arrangement has to be made to allow you to tighten both ends.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Yupp, three used hockey pucks will do the trick..I get them from Play it again sports, here in Florida.

 

[Falcon67]

LOL - there are no hockey pucks to be had around here. We were in Fort Worth a while back and went to a giant Dicks Sporting Goods - no hockey pucks. I used pieces of stall blanket.

 

[holdover]

have the same compressor, left it on its shipping pallet with no problems with vibrations. As to the fittings to reduce the hole to allow you to connect your air line, they are in the plumbing dept, all the reducers you will need, I used a short section of air hose to connect the compressor to my hose reel, with a water seperator in line between the compressor and reel, I think the CFM is 10.2 @ 90lbs for those who asked.

 

[socapots]

good call on the "stall" mats.. never herd of them before. But i can guess what they look like.
I always figured hockey pucks would be the way to go as well.

 

[Jack Olsen]

You can get sheet neoprene at hardware stores. I constantly find myself using the toddler's floor padding stuff we put down when my kid was learning to walk. Just about any compliant material will work, so long as it's not so soft that it goes flat right away.

Bigger hardware stores will have the fittings you need.

 

[jvitez]

Here you go. Available on line.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=67844&cat=1

 

[R6 Racer]

Tennis balls! = complete isolation!

It's late & I'm tired, I'll post pics when I get home Thursday night!

Steve

 

[Popeyedad]

I used large rubber washers for my 80 gal 2 stage I.R. footings. Used a hydraulic hose to connect from outlet to black piping run. Got the needed fitting and hose from Tractor supply.

 

[Chris Adams]

Just spent too much time screwing with a lot of compressors.
On using feet to quiet the compressor...
Not so much.
Tried rubber, including hard rubber mat, soft rubber mat two inches thick. Hard plastic, really hard. Wood. Two by four cut in ten inch lengths. 4x6x12 blocks of wood.
Etc. etc.
Not much difference.
In a blind test, three of us could not tell the difference, could not tell you which feet were being used.
Now two of three could pick out steel on concrete, so some kind of feet is indicated.
Ringing sound when the feet actually were directly on the floor.
That's with three compressors, two two stage and a 7.2 hp cast iron one stage.
So put feet under it, but don't expect a big return by spending more money.
Pay more attention to being able to get your hands under there spider free

 

[SgtRauksauff]

for feet, I just cut up a 4x6 that I had lying around for feet, and some junk all-season tire that had a blowout:

it removed the steel-to-concrete resonance that was occuring, and also stopped the unit from moving slightly (the floor wasn't so level right there).

--sarge

 

[darkzero]

I used neoprene Mason machinery mounts. Overkill for the compressor but they were extras I had that came off the lathe. My main purpose for using them was for slightly elevating the tank & leveling. The corner were my compressor sits is not very flat.

Mcmaster has a nice selection of inexpensive machine mounts & will usually arrive the next day when ordered.

 

[Boyd]

I used these, but did not bolt them into the floor. Vibration is almost non-existent and the compressor doesn't walk at all. Kind of expensive, but I'm happy with them.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/MASON-Floor-Mount-Vibration-Isolator-4C877?Pid=search

 

[mdbeck1]

Hey everyone,
I recently just picked up a 60 gallon air compressor by Husky. I am stuck though, I have some questions that are unanswered.

Where can I find isolation pads (hockey puck style)?

Where do I find the adapters for the tank to air lines?

I'm sure I have more, just can't think of them at the moment.

1. I used hockey pucks. Since not many people around here play hockey I got on yahoo and typed in "hockey puck" and found some inexpensive ones. I ordered extras for the future. My neighbor saw mine and wanted some so I gave him the extras. I think I paid about a dollar a piece for them. Use a spade bit to drill in so the bolt head and washer don't ride on the floor and then drill the rest with a regular bit. Works pretty good.

2. I was in HF and noticed that they have some "whip" hoses in different sizes. I put a 1/2" one my setup between the tank and pressure regulator/water collector.

3. Other questions:
- What about automatic drains? Try the search feature.
- How about an indicator light for when the compressor is at pressure and I quit for the night? Try the search feature.
- How about an air cooler between the compressor motor and the tank? Try the search feature.
- Should I leave the compressor with pressure in it? Try the search feature.
- What is the best/cheapest type of plumbing to use for the rest of the garage? Try the search feature. There are two major schools of thought on this forum. Those that like PVC and those that like metal. PVC is dangerous and there are a lot of people here that will flame about it. Gas pipe and copper are probably the most popular.


Suggestion:
- Put a cut off valve as close to the tank as possible. This way you can turn off the air to the plumbing system and don't have to wait for the compressor to run up when you need air.


BTW: Welcome to the world of compressed air. You'll never go back. Oh, and now you have a reason to buy more tools.

 

[srmofo]

I used hockey pucks also. I bought them from here.

I bought extras to use around the shop since every sporting goods store near me wants $5+ each

Like other posters said it wont make it super quiet but it will get rid of some of the "ringing" from such a large metal tank which IMO helped tremendously

 

[evil_twin]

wow, really didn't think I would get this manu responses. I've had a compressor, but it was a small 26 gallon. did the job for me working on cars, terrible when using the cut off wheel.

are you guys mounting the compressor to the ground?

 

[mdbeck1]

wow, really didn't think I would get this manu responses. I've had a compressor, but it was a small 26 gallon. did the job for me working on cars, terrible when using the cut off wheel.

are you guys mounting the compressor to the ground?

No need. I had it sitting on the garage floor for a couple of weeks before I put the pucks on it. I marked the floor and ran it about every other day. It never moved. So when I put the pucks on it I just set it in place and left it. It hasn't moved that I can tell. ..and it's pretty quiet. I think it's less noisy than my 2 gallon pancake.

Oh, my compressor is a 80 gallon that I bought from Lowes. It came with mufflers for the air intake. Those air intake mufflers DO make a difference.

 

[socapots]

wow, really didn't think I would get this manu responses. I've had a compressor, but it was a small 26 gallon. did the job for me working on cars, terrible when using the cut off wheel.

are you guys mounting the compressor to the ground?

yeah.. lotta good info in here.. And im loving it as well. lol.
Hopefully getting one by mid next week. Now i just gotta figure out how i want to hook it all up. lol.

 

[darkzero]

Those air intake mufflers DO make a difference.

That's good to hear.

I replaced my stock air box with a 3/4" inlet 6" dia Solberg silencer (also added an aftercooler). I can' t really rememeber how loud it was previously so I'm not sure if mine actually got quieter.

Before.

After.

 

[01ssreda4]

Left mine on the shipping crate also.

 

[evil_twin]

That's good to hear.

I replaced my stock air box with a 3/4" inlet 6" dia Solberg silencer (also added an aftercooler). I can' t really rememeber how loud it was previously so I'm not sure if mine actually got quieter.

Before.

After.

I really like this idea!

 

[Chris Adams]

I really like this idea!

That is the model I found no useful difference in noise level.
Big difference in V motors when you change the intake to a bigger, quieter unit.

The HF 5 HP, just doesn't make that much intake noise.
A lot depends on the configuration of the engine, the type of air cleaner and the shape of the intake.
Again, all compressors are different.
While they all do something more or less the same (compress air) the specifics of HOW they do it vary as much as the difference between a Fiat 600 and a McLaren F1.
There is no 'one size fits all'.

 

[evil_twin]

I love the analogy. Thank you everyone for all of the inputs!

 

[darkzero]

That is the model I found no useful difference in noise level.
Big difference in V motors when you change the intake to a bigger, quieter unit.

The HF 5 HP, just doesn't make that much intake noise.
A lot depends on the configuration of the engine, the type of air cleaner and the shape of the intake.
Again, all compressors are different.
While they all do something more or less the same (compress air) the specifics of HOW they do it vary as much as the difference between a Fiat 600 and a McLaren F1.
There is no 'one size fits all'.

I agree. I can say that I doubt the new filter made any difference in noise reduction or even flow. Although the bigger filter can flow more the pump is only going draw so much air & the stock air box seemed to work just fine as long as it was clean. But I did not like the small inlet holes on the stock box & I felt they could get clogged easily depending on the work environment. The only advantage I see is that replacement filters for the Solberg are more readily available & cheaper than the stock one. The older style filters that came on these compressors looked much better, guessing they only changed to cut costs down.

Generally it's the piping, bends & resonators, that make more of a difference in reducing intake noise. But I can't image these pumps drawing that much air volume & is why the large silencers don't make a difference. I don't even notice a difference in sound.

But the aftercooler I added did make a difference even for such a small air to air cooler. It was worth the $22. Maybe one day I will try using a larger heat exchanger with a water trap.

 

[SgtRauksauff]

i went from a standard skinny round filter directly off the head of my compressor, to super-cheap automotove Fram filter, and noticed less "thumping". Then I added a couple feet of pipe, and noticed a definite drop in the sound again.

pretty crappy picture, but you can see the filter. 3/4" pipe, and I just use some threaded rod and nuts to extend the hat of the filter.

This was located in my father's shop, but once I move the compressor to my new digs, I'm going to run the intake up into the attic area above the ceiling, which will quiet things down even more.

--sarge

 

[Zrexxer]

J
On using feet to quiet the compressor...
Not so much.
Tried rubber, including hard rubber mat, soft rubber mat two inches thick. Hard plastic, really hard. Wood. Two by four cut in ten inch lengths. 4x6x12 blocks of wood.

Not much difference.
So put feet under it, but don't expect a big return by spending more money.

You're missing the point. Vibration isolators have nothing to do with making you comfortable standing next to a running machine. You can't declare them to all be equivalent by saying you can't feel any difference.

Vibration isolators are required to prevent vibration stress cracking in the receiver. In order to be effective, they have to have to be able to dampen those cyclic stresses as the machine is running. Using something that's as hard as the floor or the steel is useless, regardless of whether you can "feel" any difference or not.

For the OP, there's another easily-acquired solution available at Home Depot, though probably not the cheapest. They sell sets of isolators for front-loading laundry appliances that are very heavy duty and well-suited to the weight of the compressor you have. I used four of them on an 80 gallon Champion. Note the bolts are NOT into the floor, they just hold the isolator to the compressor foot, and the isolator sits freely on the floor.

 

[Chris Adams]

You're missing the point. Vibration isolators have nothing to do with making you comfortable standing next to a running machine. You can't declare them to all be equivalent by saying you can't feel any difference.

Vibration isolators are required to prevent vibration stress cracking in the receiver. In order to be effective, they have to have to be able to dampen those cyclic stresses as the machine is running. Using something that's as hard as the floor or the steel is useless, regardless of whether you can "feel" any difference or not.

For the OP, there's another easily-acquired solution available at Home Depot, though probably not the cheapest. They sell sets of isolators for front-loading laundry appliances that are very heavy duty and well-suited to the weight of the compressor you have. I used four of them on an 80 gallon Champion. Note the bolts are NOT into the floor, they just hold the isolator to the compressor foot, and the isolator sits freely on the floor.

Um, the word used, by me and other was HEAR
Yes, sound is vibration, but that has nothing to do with what was under discussion.
Nobody in our little test could 'feel' the floor vibrate from any of the compressors, at any time.
We were doing sound checks to see what might work better as all of us have compressors and all of us hate the sound.


As to the value of difference to the compressor from isolation mounting vs. hard mounting, I will defer to the manufactures.
Who suggest hard mounting. At least on the six or eight brands I've worked on.

Now mind you, I much prefer 'sort of soft' mounting myself, but call your machines builder and they tell you it doesn't matter.
On the machine I'm using, I have hard plastic (mostly to raise it) hard rubber, rubber washers between the bolts, and rarest of all, the compressor is mounted on a hard rubber pad.
This goes between the compressor and the metal pad on top of the tank. I tried it, and found a small difference in sound, but a BIG difference in being able to change the oil without giving the tank an oil bath.

The isolators value is just not under this discussion, or at least, the part I addressed.

 

[Chris Adams]

You're missing the point. Vibration isolators have nothing to do with making you comfortable standing next to a running machine. You can't declare them to all be equivalent by saying you can't feel any difference.

Vibration isolators are required to prevent vibration stress cracking in the receiver. In order to be effective, they have to have to be able to dampen those cyclic stresses as the machine is running. Using something that's as hard as the floor or the steel is useless, regardless of whether you can "feel" any difference or not.

For the OP, there's another easily-acquired solution available at Home Depot, though probably not the cheapest. They sell sets of isolators for front-loading laundry appliances that are very heavy duty and well-suited to the weight of the compressor you have. I used four of them on an 80 gallon Champion. Note the bolts are NOT into the floor, they just hold the isolator to the compressor foot, and the isolator sits freely on the floor.

Oh, hey, we are using the same tank.
Manchester, isn't it?

 

[little d]

Mine came on an oak skid, cut the 2by close around the legs and discarded the rest. No vibrations and pretty quiet.

 

[shannonw]

I ordered pads (puck style) from https://portlandcompressor.com/Store/c-50-vibration-pads.aspx

5 bucks each.

good service, needed a part and those, ordered 1 evening, shipped next day received in days.

 

[gatchel]

Discount tool stores frequently offer the vibration mounts. The ones I have seen were rectangular, though. I recently changed from purchased pads which were a cork/rubber laminate to a piece of scrap stall mat (3/4" thick rubber) that I like better. Stall mats are sold at farm/home stores, usually in a 4'x8' size. If you buy one of these and cut a few scraps off one end for your mounts, you will still have a large piece left as a work pad for in front of your work bench. Ditto on the previous posters comments about just using reducers from a plumbing supply house.

Another happy stall mat user thanks to your post. I purchased the smaller mat for about $20 an cut it in half for 1" total thickness. No vibration whatsoever, now.

 

[alw65029]

A ny type of rubber mat will work. I am using a cut down truck mud flap and a 18" truck air brake line to isolate air line. Both work great.

 

[Nashty]

I've tried all the rubber feet mounts on previous compressors and when I just got my US General 2 stage I wanted a better option. I cut treated 2X4 pieces, made half lap joints and made a U shaped part. Then I squirted (2) tubes of 100% silicone on this U shaped thing. I applied it all over then spread it like butter all over it. Added a slight amount of additional silicone under where the feet would mount. Lots of surface areas to dissipate the vibration. Super soft and compliant. Lag bolted the compressor to it and put it to work. Best option I've ever used.

 

[James Aiello]

Just got my Quincy the other day.. and last year I cut up a 97 Dodge Ram and I had the body mounts laying around... so I mounted the compressor on them.
They work great, very flexible.

 

[SgtRauksauff]

...the compressor is mounted on a hard rubber pad.
This goes between the compressor and the metal pad on top of the tank. I tried it, and found a small difference in sound, but a BIG difference in being able to change the oil without giving the tank an oil bath.

I don't understand how a pad under the pump affects changing the oil, care to elaborate?

--sarge