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Homemade compressor

hoarder

Active member
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
28
A buddy of mine found this the other day, its crude but functional. It gets up to about 80 psi. The thing is made from an old 3hp Briggs Stratton motor, a 1/3hp motor and two barbeque propane tanks.
I thought if nothing else it was interesting to look at.
Here's a few pics.
 

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andrew9

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Joined
May 17, 2011
Messages
11
I like it!
I've always thought of converting a old motorbike motor into a cheap compressor, I would think it would be fairly reliable
 

nine4gmc

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Joined
Mar 24, 2012
Messages
14,357
Location
Dallas
That's pretty slick. My first thought was death trap, then by the time I focused, I was trying to figure out what I have laying around to fab one up! Thanks for posting!
 

1930artdeco

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Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Messages
1,099
Location
Lynden, Wa
I remember that dad made a compressor out of a hot water heater tank, motor and compressor. It worked great and you could never fill the tank up to a dangerous level. But you had plenty of air!

Mike
 
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OP
H

hoarder

Active member
Joined
Dec 9, 2012
Messages
28
I'm not really sure whether they were freon or propane tanks, both have threaded top fittings, looks like 1/2 NPT, and both have two threaded ports also 1/2 NPT. The one side port has a blow off valve, the other a pipe Both tanks have a ports in the very bottom connected together, and both have ports just away from the handle as well. My guess is that who ever built this welded on the extra 1/2 ports but they're not just pipes welded on, they look more like threaded rings applied from inside and welded on the outside. The tanks are as large in diameter as my barbeque tanks, most of the freon tanks I've seen have been narrower. I wonder now what they really were from originally.

The electric motor and pressure switch read "Penn Controls". The thing isn't that heavy and the wire cart is made to nest the compressor in place but isn't permanently attached.

With as well as all the connections are made, the angle iron frame holding the motor and pump are hobbled out of shelving and crudely bent and welded. My guess is who ever built it had a pro weld the tanks and they did the rest themselves. I suppose its limited to the max compression of the old Briggs motor when it comes to max pressure?
 
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kbs2244

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2006
Messages
14,065
A somewhat popular project up until the 60’s.

That is when the imported stuff started to show up for the home market.
 

cruzzer

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Joined
Jun 29, 2007
Messages
60
Location
Jim Thorpe Pa
They dont look like propane tanks,, look like either r12 or r22 tanks. Either is good for the pressure that pump will put out. I made several air tanks for flat tire fill tanks from the r12 tanks. We would put the gauge and hose kit on it that napa part stores would sell for something like $10 and 3 or 4 would sit in the back of the tow truck.
 
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