Let's see your air compressors

detmatt

Old Man with a Hat
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First off, Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American members!
My compressor is an oldie but a goody. It's a 1963 Quincy that I bought for 200 bucks off of Craigslist after I saw that the 5 horse electric motor ran great so I took a chance. I should add that I bought a car trailer full of woodworking equipment from this guy at the same time so the money was flowing. Anyways I got it to the shop and wired it up to find that it didn't build pressure over 20 PSI, for 200 bucks I wasn't surprised. So I called in an expert for an evaluation on it to see what it needed and how much it would cost. In the end I was very happy with what he had to say about it. In spite of needing a rebuild on the pump to the tune of $1,400 bucks he considered it to be the "Imperial" of air compressors of its day and to replace it with something comparable today I'd have to spend at least $2400. The tank is in great shape and it came with that blue muffler/silencer which he said was worth a couple of hundred bucks by itself. You can actually stand next to it while it's running and have a conversation quite easily.
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Not yet, 3 years later and it's still on my to do list. I have to plumb one up this winter.
 
We have an old one on the farm similar to the one you have and very quiet. It needs rebuilt, knowing your cost mentioned, I know why he hasn't done it yet. :) His will eventually build up the pressure.
 
Here's mine. I plumbed in a loop all around the shop in copper. That really helps the air flow especially when two people are using air at the same time . And of course a 3 stage desiccant dryer in the paint booth.
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I left mine in Michigan when we moved south(ONE OF THOSE "ITS ATTACHED THINGZ" IN THE SALE) AND I HAD NO PLACE TO HIDE IT ALONG WITH THE 60+ FEET OF GALVANIZED 1/2" AND THE CEILING MOUNTED HOSE COIL WHEN WE SHOWED THE PONDEROSA. I'll be shoppin' after the holidayz for all new stuff and goin' vertical this time. A 60 gallon horizontal tank just takez up too much room and the vertical even drainz better, WIN WIN, Jer
 
Here is my tire filler at home. This was my dad's, completely quiet, can fill my external tank to 150 psi in a leisurely 5 minute. I will never get rid of it.

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First off, Happy Thanksgiving to all of our American members!
My compressor is an oldie but a goody. It's a 1963 Quincy that I bought for 200 bucks off of Craigslist after I saw that the 5 horse electric motor ran great so I took a chance. I should add that I bought a car trailer full of woodworking equipment from this guy at the same time so the money was flowing. Anyways I got it to the shop and wired it up to find that it didn't build pressure over 20 PSI, for 200 bucks I wasn't surprised. So I called in an expert for an evaluation on it to see what it needed and how much it would cost. In the end I was very happy with what he had to say about it. In spite of needing a rebuild on the pump to the tune of $1,400 bucks he considered it to be the "Imperial" of air compressors of its day and to replace it with something comparable today I'd have to spend at least $2400. The tank is in great shape and it came with that blue muffler/silencer which he said was worth a couple of hundred bucks by itself. You can actually stand next to it while it's running and have a conversation quite easily.
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Nice unit, but as an electrician, I must say get that area cleaned up in front of the panels and disconnect :elmer:
 
Nice unit, but as an electrician, I must say get that area cleaned up in front of the panels and disconnect :elmer:
Yes I know. I have no shortage of things to do there.
 
Here's one of mine. It's a single cylinder Gardner Denver I picked up on craigslist recently for $250. It has a brand new 5hp motor and the tank dates from 1957.
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Nice unit, but as an electrician, I must say get that area cleaned up in front of the panels and disconnect :elmer:
You electricians are all the same, my step brother said the same thing to me about the box in my shop early this summer. :)
 
Time for the air compressor story...

I moved an air compressor for my buddy Dave. It was an old one, but it had been used in a body shop for many years and it worked well. It had been painted up so it looked great.

As we were loading it in my truck, I looked at the tank and thought it looked a little different, but as I said, it was an old compressor so I didn't think much about it.

Fast forward a couple years. The compressor had worked well in my friend's shop and all was right with the world.

He left the shop one day and when he got home (less than 2 mile drive) there were cops waiting for him. Seems there was an explosion at his shop just after he left.

The end of the air tank had blown off.

There was a 55 gallon drum of anti-freeze next to it. That drum was lifted over two cars and smashed against the far wall. Never touched either car. There was a bunch of crankshafts next to it. It broke several of them. My Lincoln "tombstone" arc welder (he had borrowed) was next to that. The welder was smashed to pieces.

Fortunately, no one was in the shop at the time, having just closed for the day.

Turned out the air tank was actually a water tank. It had worked for years without an issue, but it wasn't meant for use with compressed air.
 
Compressed air is nothing to screw with, I have plenty stories of guy's being killed by tires exploding usually old equipment wheels with split rims and the retaining ring got them.
 
Nothing fancy, just the biggest 2 stage Harbor Freight had at the time. Six years running and no problems.
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Alan
 
The husky my girlfriend bought me last xmas. I love it! Need to replace the harbor freight regulator/dryer as its leaking already... otherwise works great! Had an old sears 30 gallon "paint sprayer" before this one. Did the job until it burst into flames, and the motor gave out.

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