Budget compressors

If you buy a POS Husky or Sears (or Campbell-Hausfeld, or Coleman, or Tinkertoy for that matter) you will feel like your own nickname. And not even any K-Y. These little consumer-grade air compressors are ALL loud, run hot, vibrate, don't live up to their specs, and are short-lived. In the last 3 months I've seen 2 dead Craftsman "5 hp" air compressors at yard sales people were trying to give away. Both still shiny.

Forget ebay. Look in your local classifieds. I see old industrial compressors

*all* *the* *time* for $500 or less, real workhorses. I picked one up a few years ago, an old Quincy 2-stage unit I paid $100 for, and I put a few bucks into it and it's run perfectly ever since. It replaced a 1.5hp Sanborn contractor's 2-wheel type, and the Quincy is MUCH quieter than the little Sanborn was. I run it off of 240 single phase, by the way (that was what the bucks were for, I swapped it from 440 3 phase to 240 single phase).

My advice is guaranteed. To be worth exactly what you paid for it. Referring once again to your "peevee" nickname, opinions are like a**holes. Everybody has one. You just read mine.

GWE

Proctologically Violated©® wrote:

Appreciate the info. Even the Sears et al *oil* compressors are crappy and unreliable?? I know the oil-less ones are miserable, but I was hoping the oil would be at least passable.

Will check out the classifieds. "Pennysaver" over here.

Don't need KY. I'm all calloused-up. And numb.

Pretty much what Grant said. Good compressors run slowly, which is one of the reasons they don't make a ton of noise. I, too, own a Quincy, and have had it for roughly 35 years. 5 horse, 3 phase, 80 gallon tank. I've had to replace one seal and a gasket in those years. They just don't make things like they used to! :-)

Harold

These might still be worth grabbing if they're cheap and 30-60 gallon capacity, just look for the ASME tag on the tank. A U.S. manufactured 150 maximum-psi rated tank is good to have if you're not planning to plumb it to a 175 psi unit/system, or if you've got parts to build a second compressor. You're probably better of throwing away the failed direct drive motor and pump, but the pressure switch, gage, check valve and pop-off may still be in good condition.

WB ...................

Grant,

I been using a campbell cast iron compressor for about 5 years in a commercial shop, likely my service duty is at least twice double the design rating, if not 3 X.........this meaning that it ran pretty much constantly all the time, 40 hours/week--feeding air to 3 cnc machines same basic make / model as the OP proposes feeding to a single machine......

I finally replaced the head unit just a few months ago, 99 bucks offa ebay.

So now you go ahead and do the math........

Only caveat is any of them will eventually foul the air valves with oil and trash from the crank case--once the air seal is clogged on any high speed spindle, the coolant will wash in there and and it will rapidly destroy your spindle bearing$.......

So when his compressor starts to 'consume oil', he simply needs to get a new head unit or at least replace the rings....

Ayup..I run into all manner of commercial air compressors here in California darned cheap. My old DeVilbis twin single stage was made around 1963 and is just now starting to clank ever so softly. 60 gallon tank. Ill be bringing home a I-R this weekend. 2 stage, 7 hp 3ph motor which will be replaced by a 5hp 240 single phase. It cost me a 6 pack of Heinikans----------------------------

Rule #35 "That which does not kill you, has made a huge tactical error"

Our local IR dealer sets up the IR T30 5 hp with a 3 hp motor on a different pulley, slowing down the pump speed which should reduce oil carry-over. They use this setup for compressors supplying pneumatic control systems, accompanied by appropriate filters and a refrigerated dryer. It's a more rugged setup than the Speedaire climate control air compressors.

Why not run it on a VFD?

What Grant says. I use a two cylinder Speedair. I don't know who makes the pumps for Dayton but they make good ones. Small, but plenty for my shop. The first pump died after twenty years of almost daily use, It failed because I didn't break in the new rings correctly. It was still pumping when I replaced the rings, but a little oil was being used and I don't like oil in my air. ERS

How much does a 7hp VFD cost? If its more than pocket change....it aint in the cards.

Gunner

Rule #35 "That which does not kill you, has made a huge tactical error"

Look at:

I obtained one of these over a year ago and have been exceptionally pleased. I already had a

120 gallon tank. Bought the compressor and a 7.5 Leeson Industrial motor at a very, very reasonable price from Rex at North Central Air in Downs, Kansas.

North Central Air

619 Morgan Downs, KS 67437 785-454-3409

This is a hoss of a dual stage compressor complete with head pressure relief. Runs slow and quiet but with high CFM. sdh.

Proctologically Violated©® wrote:

I couldn't find a 5 HP single phase motor cheap, either. If I had one that's what I would have done.

So long as it has a pressurized lube system I spose that should be okay

But I'm pretty sure doing that to a machine having a slinger or dippers would probly be ill advised.

They claim it's what IR does when they build climate control compressors.

Yup, that's the truth. I picked up a badly beaten Quincy 2-cyl 2-3 Hp single-stage compressor at a scrap yard. It had pneumatic unloader controls, and the

1 Hp motor ran continuously. I rigged up electronic dual-mode controls for it, and upped the motor to 2 Hp, and changed the pulley. Amazingly, it ran QUIETER! (Turning at 450 RPM, the intake valves were bouncing, when I upped the speed to 910 RPM the valves operated cleanly.) Even though it had been beaten up a bit, I just put on a new safety relief, new inlet filter and tightened the fittings for the unloaders, and it has run fine for a couple of years. I think it was made about 1968, and used by the phone company to run wire wrap tools or something like that. The thing probably has 10,000 to 25,000 hours of rotation on it, and probably has never been rebuilt!

Jon

I can get 5hp single phase motors for pocket change

Gunner

Rule #35 "That which does not kill you, has made a huge tactical error"

I think they still make Quincys...I hope to buy a new one when one of my three are irreparable in 2145.

That's good. Single phase is hard to come by for me in that size. I also figured the VFD's ramped start might be better WRT dimming the lights.