Making a compression from an old refrigerator?

I've heard of people making a compressor from an old refrigerator but never seen such a beast. Anyone know of any plans on the web?

-- 73 Brian, G8OSN

Brian I have made several. One was based on a pump from a very old belt driven fridge, I never did see the appliance it cam from. That was fairly useful for small air tools and blow guns. I built it onto an old Artic trailer airbrake receiver. Long gone now!

I have also built some airbrush compressors based on more modern fully enclosed compressors. Although these days releasing the old Freon would be very much frowned up upon ;-) I used spent camping gaz cylinders and mappgas cylinders for the receivers on these.

I wouldn't bother myself anymore, as I have all the compressors I need.

Wayne...

Do understand that a refrigerator based air compressor is capable of low volume but inordinately high pressure. A pressure relief valve is an absolute necessity.

----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Reay"

Pop around to one of the larger sheds and pay a whole £50 for one, it'll be better than anything you could make from an old fridge and the main thing is it will be safe, playing around with high pressure compressors and home made reservoirs is a recipe for serious injury.

You don't say what you want it for, but bear in mind that if you want to power most air tools you will find you need a larger compressor than you ever imagined. About the only things you can power with such small compressors are light brad nail guns, light staplers, tyre inflators, air dusters, air brushes and some very low volume spray guns.

Greg

The application is spraying and maybe some air tools. Someone asked me about the idea of making one as they know I tend to tinker with things mechanical and electrical / electronic. I didn't know how / what to suggest so I thought I'd ask here.

Thank you to all who responded, despite the typo in the first post!

Brian

RDS tools were doing airbrush compressors at such a price its hardly worth the effort now of a DIY approach. I've not seen this, but posts over the years say that the motors are unstoppable - if the output is blocked you have the equivalent of a fragmentation grenade.

A more interesting re-use is probably as a vacuum pump, I can't find those cheap, I guess no mass use.

Steve

So who/where are RDS tools? a quick Google did not seem to find any likely suspects.

Pete Harrison

IMHO - would not recommend using an old 'fridge compressor for spaying. Apart from the previous posters' sensible warnings, the compressor will still (must !) contain a special lubricant. Often this is ICI's Emkarox (q.v.) and any carry over to the spray head will ruin your paint surface.

i think this is the link he mean

-- blueswar

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Spray guns take plenty of air, even the high pressure low volume ones, and the low pressure ones take huge amounts as do most air tools. At the Duncombe Park rally this weekend there were stalls selling impact drivers for =A320 and die grindiers for =A312 but what they don't tell you is that you're talking hundreds for a new compressor big enough to drive them. I use a 3HP twin cylinder compressor with 150L reservoir and it's only adequate, no more.

Greg

They have an eBay shop

Steve