Horse stall mat or rubber/cork pads

[JimmyTheMonkey]

Very simple question on how to mount my 60 gallon vertical compressor:

Should I use:

1) a horse stall mat or

2) four of these rubber anti-vibration pads:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001THXRP8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Both have the same cost to me (pads cost $20 v. me driving an hour each way to my wife's barn to cut up a piece of horse stall mat).

I do NOT plan on bolting the compressor to the floor. My concrete floor is super flat and the compressor may be moved in a year or two so I don't want to do anything too permanent. We don't have earthquakes in Atlanta. I am simply going to sit the compressor on whichever of these two options you think is better.

 

[zkling]

I personally used and would recommend hockey pucks.

I don't think horse stall mat would be good for this. If I am thinking of the right thing.

The vibration isolators look interesting, and you should be well within the load rating of 50psi for the standard home owner 60gal vert (~400lbs / 3 legs / ~4" in^2 per leg =~35psi). I just wish they gave a bit more info on them. Like stiff, etc. Basically what you are trying to do is limit the transmissibility of the compressor.


EDIT

Here is a direct link to those pads.
http://www.pneumaticplus.com/anti-vibration-pads-rubber-cork/

Hum. Maybe something to consider. Just wish they gave more data.

 

[JimmyTheMonkey]

That website was helpful - it seems the all rubber pads by the same company might be an even better bet, although people on Amazon say they smell awful.

They can be had direct from the manufacturer for around $17 with shipping.

http://www.pneumaticplus.com/anti-vibration-pads-all-rubber/

These foam/rubber pads also appear to be popular.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HGEPB8/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[32krazy!]

dryer isolators from lowes. a 4 pack is approx 40$

 

[Falcon67]

I personally used and would recommend hockey pucks.

Which works - unless you live in Hell or Texas where it's so hot they don't sell hockey pucks.

I used horse blanket pieces - got lots of uses for the remainder.

 

[JimmyTheMonkey]

Which works - unless you live in Hell or Texas where it's so hot they don't sell hockey pucks.

I used horse blanket pieces - got lots of uses for the remainder.

You just use pieces of cut up horse blankets? I am not sure how my wife will feel about me cutting up her horse blankets - those things are expensive!

I do have a steady supply of hockey pucks as I used to play myself. I was one of the few Atlanta Thrashers fans, when the team was here. At least Texas still has an NHL team!!

 

[Falcon67]

You just use pieces of cut up horse blankets? I am not sure how my wife will feel about me cutting up her horse blankets - those things are expensive!

I do have a steady supply of hockey pucks as I used to play myself. I was one of the few Atlanta Thrashers fans, when the team was here. At least Texas still has an NHL team!!

Tractor Supply has them here, I think I paid $40 for one? Under the compressor legs and pieces under the skid. I also use some in the house as a bumper for the washer - it may have Vibration Technology but it still slides on the tile floor and bumps into the wall.

 

[zkling]

Which works - unless you live in Hell or Texas where it's so hot they don't sell hockey pucks.

Yea...sorry, but that is just an ignorant assumption. A guy from my HS got a full ride to a Florida University on a hockey scholarship.

Play it again sports --> ~$0.75 used, $1.99 new. Don't believe me? Call them.

I do have a steady supply of hockey pucks as I used to play myself. I was one of the few Atlanta Thrashers fans, when the team was here. At least Texas still has an NHL team!!

Problem solved. And sounds like no $ out of pocket
But isn't it hot in Georiga? surely you don't have hockey down there

 

[shoot summ]

I've got the isolation pads, although mine don't have cork, they are something else(blue).

They work great.

Real question is what is your time worth, I didn't want to screw around with getting stall mats and anything else, I just clicked order, and in 2 days I had the pads, walked out to the shop and had them under the compressor in a couple of minutes, DONE!!

 

[JimmyTheMonkey]

I've got the isolation pads, although mine don't have cork, they are something else(blue).

They work great.

Real question is what is your time worth, I didn't want to screw around with getting stall mats and anything else, I just clicked order, and in 2 days I had the pads, walked out to the shop and had them under the compressor in a couple of minutes, DONE!!

Exactly. To me, paying $20 on Amazon prime is probably a better use of my resources than the gas and three hours it would take me to to drive up to my wife's barn to cut up a horse stall mat and drive back.

I am not sure of whether having the compressor on one big mat is better than on four individual pads, but I imagine the pads give are a small bit better as each leg is sitting on its own vibration pad as opposed to all four legs transmitting vibrations through the same mat. Who knows, I am sure I am over-thinking it at this point.

Falcon's solution looks pretty great with the wood stand. I have a bunch of scrap wood laying around, I may try something like that if I go the horse stall mat route.

 

[Kevin54]

This topic has been brought up as much as PVC air lines and what wall covering to use. There is a bazillion things that you can use to isolate vibration on a compressor.

Leave it on a skid
Stall mats
Hockey pucks
Expensive isolators
Pieces of cardboard stacked
The OSB pieces with the honeycomb rubber glued to it
Carpet pieces
Four pieces cut out of an old tire
Cork flooring pieces
Folded up rubber drawer lining

Then you have the "bolt it down or not bolt it down"

It needs to be bolted to the floor so it doesn't walk away
It doesn't need to be bolted because it won't walk away

Then the "What type of anchors to use"

And the list goes on.

From personal experience....

I have never bolted down an air compressor.
I have used the OSB with honeycomb rubber pads.
I have used pieces of thick mudflaps cut up.

I have never had an air compressor move because I didn't spend $100 for lags, anchors, special isolators, and whatever else one could think of to get air out of a tank through a hose.

My air compressor gets used quite a bit, and the only time it has moved is when I decided to move it to paint the wall. Other than that, it just sits there in the spot it was put.

 

[matstng]

Tractor Supply has them here, I think I paid $40 for one? Under the compressor legs and pieces under the skid. I also use some in the house as a bumper for the washer - it may have Vibration Technology but it still slides on the tile floor and bumps into the wall.

I did something similar to this and also added a auto drain which purges the system every time the comp starts.

 

[DekeT]

Horse stall mats are one of the ultimate repurposing items around. I use them for compressor mats, to stand on of course, soft edge for my snowplow, insulator for outside electrical work, workpad for crawling under machines, vibration dampeners for small bench grinders, etc.

 

[mds5951]

+1 for hockey pucks.

Those pads look nice, but I'd be afraid of them breaking down. My hockey pucks have been in use for about 4 years now and show no wear at all.

Plus, with those pads, they're not bolted on... So every time I move my compressor... To clean, adjust the belt, whatever, I would have to reposition them. I'm too lazy for that.

 

[denis4x4]

My entire shop has stall mats...easy on the feet and there are two compressors sitting on they with no problems.

 

[koditten]

I used 4 x 4 treated post chunks. It raised the compressor up so I could get a broom under their and have access to the drain. My floor jack slided perfectly under the compressor. Win/win.

Honestly, you aren't going to tell the difference between rubber, cardboard, wood, yadda, yadda, yadda.

If I was to do it again, I would put nylon castors on the legs so I could move the thing.

KO

 

[koditten]

Love it! This problem doesn't require a boat load of thinking. So many answers and so many choices.

 

[softailgarage]

I used these, no complaints
https://www.grainger.com/Grainger/MASON-Vibration-Isolation-Pad-2LVP1?Pid=search

 

[JimmyTheMonkey]

Thanks to those who voted. Horse stall mat is the clear winner! I think it will look cleaner to have one big mat than four individual pads. Plus, its hard to be free! I just need to convince the wife to bring home a piece of mat next time she is at the barn!