Melding of two compressors

[Nimonic]

I have two compressors with issues that were free and I'd like to combine them into one functional unit.

One is an older (vintage) Craftsman twin cylinder unit that works great but has a pinhole leak in the horizontal tank. The pin hole leak condemns the tank, IMO

The other is a much more modern Craftsman with a completely dead motor/compressor, but the vertical tank is fine.

I'd like to use the newer vertical tank with the vintage motor/compressor hardware. Will have to fabricate some fixturing but do not intent to weld on the tank or anything like that. Any expected pitfalls?

See attached images.

 

[FigureItOut]

Not as helpful as someone who's done similar and had an issue to solve, but I've done that without any trouble.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk

 

[redmondjp]

If you want to physically combine them into one unit, here is what I would do:

Grind off the welds on the green compressor that hold the mounting plate to the tank. Take the entire plate with everything on it and transfer it over to the red tank as follows.

Note: I'm going to go the cautious route here and suggest not welding on a pressure vessel. Yes it can be done, and many here will say to go ahead and do it, but like I said, the conservative approach is not to do so.

With that said, it looks like it would be easy to tip the red tank over on its side, even reusing the existing wheels (or installing slightly larger-diameter ones if needed). You will have to modify the bracket at the other end of the tank in order for it to sit level.

EDIT: Downside with this idea is there may not be a low point for a drain - if there is a side exit on the tank, then use that for the drain, but this may not work with the orientation of the existing wheels . . .

Then take the green compressor mounting plate and strap it onto the red tank. There are several ways to do this but I'd use steel straps with a means to tension them on one end. You can even get really long screw-type stainless steel hose clamps (or connect several long ones end-to-end) and then run them through slits cut in the side of the green mounting plate.

Then do the necessary plumbing, making sure to transfer over the check valve to the new tank (or reuse the existing check valve). You can even reuse the chrome handle from the green compressor!

You could transfer the plate over to the top of the red tank and keep the tank upright, but that would be very top-heavy and would probably not be stable unless you widened the base of the unit. A lot depends upon your need for portability - you can do this much easier if you don't need to move it around.

 

[MrGiggles]

I'd find a bigger tank for the best performance. Putting that pump on a smaller tank will make the duty cycle shorter with the same given load.

 

[CNGsaves]

^ ^ ^ OP . . . . . IS indeed . . . planning to use the larger tank.

The green 20 gal horizontal tank is one rusted out (as expected) and the upright red 33 gal tank had the Crapsman oil-less pump that is **** now.

You're right on track OP . . . rob the motor & pump from green one, and install on the red one !!

Just fab the mounting plate on red one to match what's on the green one.

 

[plinker]

^ ^ ^ OP . . . . . IS indeed . . . planning to use the larger tank.

The green 20 gal horizontal tank is one rusted out (as expected) and the upright red 33 gal tank had the Crapsman oil-less pump that is **** now.

You're right on track OP . . . rob the motor & pump from green one, and install on the red one !!

Just fab the mounting plate on red one to match what's on the green one.

+1
Looks easy enough to add the mounting plate to the red tank mounting plate.

Worst would be having to possibly swap out the check valve on the red tank and hooking up the compressor discharge line. Which is fairly easy.

 

[MrGiggles]

^ ^ ^ OP . . . . . IS indeed . . . planning to use the larger tank.

The green 20 gal horizontal tank is one rusted out (as expected) and the upright red 33 gal tank had the Crapsman oil-less pump that is **** now.

You're right on track OP . . . rob the motor & pump from green one, and install on the red one !!

Just fab the mounting plate on red one to match what's on the green one.

Whoops.

 

[kunkernator]

If you want to physically combine them into one unit, here is what I would do:

Grind off the welds on the green compressor that hold the mounting plate to the tank. Take the entire plate with everything on it and transfer it over to the red tank as follows.

Note: I'm going to go the cautious route here and suggest not welding on a pressure vessel. Yes it can be done, and many here will say to go ahead and do it, but like I said, the conservative approach is not to do so.

With that said, it looks like it would be easy to tip the red tank over on its side, even reusing the existing wheels (or installing slightly larger-diameter ones if needed). You will have to modify the bracket at the other end of the tank in order for it to sit level.

EDIT: Downside with this idea is there may not be a low point for a drain - if there is a side exit on the tank, then use that for the drain, but this may not work with the orientation of the existing wheels . . .

Then take the green compressor mounting plate and strap it onto the red tank. There are several ways to do this but I'd use steel straps with a means to tension them on one end. You can even get really long screw-type stainless steel hose clamps (or connect several long ones end-to-end) and then run them through slits cut in the side of the green mounting plate.

Then do the necessary plumbing, making sure to transfer over the check valve to the new tank (or reuse the existing check valve). You can even reuse the chrome handle from the green compressor!

You could transfer the plate over to the top of the red tank and keep the tank upright, but that would be very top-heavy and would probably not be stable unless you widened the base of the unit. A lot depends upon your need for portability - you can do this much easier if you don't need to move it around.

^^^^ This. Only issue would be the drain. This would be simple and quick.

Now, if I were to do this, I would turn the red tank horizontal, cut the whole plate off, then weld it on the new tank. In addition, I would buy a weld on bung.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#weld-on-tank-fittings/=11gglv0

And slap it on a low point.

Personally, I have no issue with welding on a tank.

But, if you dont have the means, or dont feel comfortable, I would go with what redmond said above.