A COMPRESSOR

[firebird]

Hi

A compressor in the workshop is a very handy thing to have. It can be used to test run engines, power a small air brush and of course blow the car tyres up. Not wanting anything big and noisy I made my own. Basically it's a pump from an old fridge and a fire extinguisher as a tank. Most of the parts needed to connect it all together came from the useful bits and pieces box. The gauge and the standard air line connector I bought from a local stockist (MACHINE MART). I made a simple one way valve and a pressure relief valve that blows off at 50 psi. Maximum pressure is reached in under a minute and extremely quietly. Julian has also built one, slightly different to mine, I'll get him to post some pics of his. Any questions just ask.

Cheers

 

[Tin Falcon]

Fire bird Interesting Idea I think I happen to have that stuff in the garage taking up space something to consider. Now that the pics came in I took a closer look I like it !! compact quiet the price is right (For me the stuff is on hand)I do have a couple of questions do you have a auto pressure control on it ? An what kind of volume does it give out.? What does it weigh? Do you need to lube it ? IIMU that freon is self lubing. Did you use the original fitting on the fire extinguisher or is it something that you threaded in. Can you tell us how you made the mounts?? I could probably figure it out but would like to here you take. Looks like 2 x 4 feet (Or the metric equivalent) and 1/8 x 1 1/2 steel strapping.

It looks like the ideal compressor for a portable display engine show at a venue without air lines.

Maybe I can get my son to make me one for Christmas.
Tin

 

[Powder keg]

Nice job there!!! I built my first compressor from a 5 hp Briggs and Stratton Engine. It was ugly as sin:O) I left it outside next to the street and no one walked off with it? but it worked great! I just removed all the stuff that I didn't need for the compressor and hooked a motor to the crank via a belt and pulley. I made a new head that was drilled and tapped for two one way check valves. I installed one of them upside down. That way there was compression on every stroke.

 

[skoot]

i once made on from an old ford a/c compressor (mid 70's) and a 1/3 horse 110 motor out of home a/c furnace. i bolted it all to a board and ran rite off the pump no tank. it was great for airing up tires and didnt cost hardly anything. nice job it looks much nicer than mine did. heheehee

 

[John]

A really neat compressor!
Do you have a pressure switch on it that cuts power to the motor when the desired pressure is reached?

John

 

[Tin Falcon]

Yesterday I dug upa coupleof old fire extinguisher and removedthe compressor for anold fridge that was just sitting around now I need to figuure out how to put them together.
Tin

 

[firebird]

Hi everybody
Glad you like my little comp. At the moment there is no pressure regulator fitted but Julian fitted one to his using a gas valve. I'll get him to post some details. As I don't run the comp all the time, only when needed there is no automatic shut off, it just reaches 50 psi and the relief valve gently hisses away. There is not a great volume of air as the tank is only 2 litres but if I plug in a blow gun it will give a good blast of air for a few seconds. As I understand it model engines will run on less than 10psi ( although I haven't completed an engine yet to try it ) so it should give enough for test purposes. A bigger tank may be an advantage but will obviously take longer to fill from start up and of course will take up more room. I used the original fitting from the neck of the fire extinguisher having stripped out all the trigger parts and dip tube etc. Conveniently it is threaded 14 bsp so standard gas 'T' and straight connectors fitted straight in. As for lub I don't know. If it eventually burns I'll fit another pump. The world is full of old fridges. It weighs about 25 pounds according to our bathroom scales but my wife says they are wrong! Who am I to argue. Size is about 12 inch (300mm) square. The steel rules in the photo are 12 inch. The pressure relief valve is made from a plumbing fitting, a couple of simple brass turnings and an 'O' ring. The brackets were made on a simple jig made from the off cuts of the tank saddles. I've posted a few more photos that should explain most things I think.

Cheers

Relief valve

Base board

Bending the clamps

The finished clamps

With pump brackets welded on

 

[Tin Falcon]

Firebird :
Thanks for the pics. After I asked for all the details I realized the mounting base on mine is totally different. There is a U shaped tube that comes out of the side of the base. I have a choice of tanks one is about 12" it would fit above the loop next to the compressor or the 16" would fit under the whole thing or I could do both hmm decisions.
Tin

 

[Tin Falcon]

Well pushed forward with my copy of your compressor. After a busy day of running looking for last minute gifts I got the compressor painted and found the material for the mounts and base board also went to the hardware store and picked up the stuff to hook the compressor to the tank .
12/23 Well made more progress. The local supplier of fittings was closed today but still managed to hook things up with a trip to the local hardware store and with what was on hand . there are still some things I want to add like an auto switch and the thermal protector came off so want to reinstall that. but the basic build is done and I powered it up and it will fill the tank to 100 PSI in 40 seconds. will probably add a blow off valve and a check valve at some point. like many project I kept changing things as I went along.
well here are the pics

Tin