Old air compressor Reed valve restoring

[Jonny Rotten]

I have an old Ingersoll Rand air compressor that all parts are discontinued. Can I use gasket maker on this gasket if so which one. I made a different one that was sandwiched between the Reed valve plates but this one seems like it will be impossible to make work being the lines are so thin. I tried smearing some RTV sealant on The ripped parts but I'm thinking that won't work. I cleaned the reeds and flipped them over along with cleaning the plates. Any other tips are welcome. Would be awesome if I can get this going again for the price of a sheet of gasket material and sealant

 

[buridan]

I cut a couple of very simple gaskets from gasket material with a tiny pair of scissors. I discovered recently the local library has a Cricut machine that would likely be able to do intricate cutting, but I haven't tried it. Here's a brief description: "The Library's Cricut Explore Air 2 is ready to cut cardstock, vinyl, iron-ons, glitter paper, cork, bonded fabric, and more. The only limitation on your creation is your imagination."

 

[The Cobbler]

taking your time & careful use of an exacto knife can do a lot too . use a straight edge . even if the gasket is a bit wider, it probably won't matter

 

[flyingblind]

I think what you want is Compressed non-asbestos gasket material. It will hold its shape in the narrow areas of that gasket and take whatever that compressor can throw at it. It compresses well, cuts with a sharp razor, just make sure the mating surfaces are flat and true to each other. Eta I would photocopy that gasket before you start, just in case it crumbles. Eta I have rebuilt 4 compressors to date, and one of those was a complete basket case and had to make new reeds as well. What a pita.

 

[seber]

I've tried reusing old reeds in the past. It never worked. These days I make new ones. Pretty easy to do . Paint proper thickness shim stock with a quality spray paint. I use .010" and Rustoleum. Use a scratch awl to trace the old valve and stick it in muriatic acid until the pattern breaks free.

 

[flyingblind]

I've tried reusing old reeds in the past. It never worked. These days I make new ones. Pretty easy to do . Paint proper thickness shim stock with a quality spray paint. I use .010" and Rustoleum. Use a scratch awl to trace the old valve and stick it in muriatic acid until the pattern breaks free.

You ****. Never thought of that. Dremel and a set of jewelers files is what I did. Took forever. Eta and I have access to 93% sulfuric and 99% hcl at work.