✅ Building a Better Air Compressor for My Garage for DIRT CHEAP !
My old air compressor has finally died, so I decided to build a new one from scratch without any shortcomings of the old compressor. New compressor had to be quieter, build air pressure much faster and to have a much drier air output. I had to Hydro test the tank along the way as well as building a water aftercooler to drastically lower the charge air temperature. Final result is a much a better compressor that builds crazy fast air pressure, puts out bone dry air and way quieter.
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Lots of people suggested that I should use the second tank that I got as an expansion tank to double the amount of air being stored. That idea did cross my mind, but in my situation I just did not see the need for that. The new air pump easily out pumps the amount of air being used even if I am continuously painting. Just wanted to put it out there 😊
Good reasoning.
I have the same compressor head and it's been good to me for sure! It's sitting on a 100lb propane tank and I believe we figured out it was only about 25ish gallons of air. I always thought someday I'd add a second tank for storage. I mainly use the compressor for painting and media blasting. After using it for two or three years now, I just don't see the need. The compressor keeps up with painting and blasting with no issues and cycles adequately. I think if you were using multiple air tools at once or even using a larger DA that it may be worth looking into, but for what I do, it's fine. Nice build and clear video style BTW.
I must agree with the second tank,,, volume of air is the key for painting and sandblasting…
I don't do much of sand blasting, but I've done quite a bit of painting over the period of time that I've had my new compressor and I haven't felt the need for expansion just yet, but if at any point the need will arise then I can always easily add another tank
I was going to suggest adding the 2nd tank to double your air capacity. While you might not need it, it wouldn't hurt, and would make use of something you already have.
That tank rotisserie was GENIUS!
Lol, I'm glad you liked it 😁
I like how you performed the pressure test behind the tree, far from your house, and closer to the neighbor's house. 🙂 Thanks for the video. I plan to build something similar.
That's right, safety first 😁 I figured it was far enough away from my house to where it's not going to cause any damage in the case of catastrophic failure and even though from that point to the neighbors house wasn't all that far I figured that the chain-link fence would slow the tank down enough to where it won't make it all the way to their house either 🤣
Since water does not compress, very little energy if it had ruptured, that amount of air pressure would have been a catostrophic failure, with water it would have just been a loud pop and little explosive power.. I saw someone do the same except without filling the tank with water, found pieces 600 feet away and steel imbeded several inches into a tree. Luckily they were Intending on exploding the tank so it was done remotely in a large empty area, from behind a large tree, with water however we used to pressure test high pressure gas tanks to several thousand psi in a simple thin metal tank in a factory, occassional pops were loud but created no damage.
@@kevinfloyd808 hydrostatic testing
And that's why I went with water, I figured the worst thing that would happen is the tank would pop and at most would just fall over.
That pressure test means nothing. Air tanks are usually tested to 2-3 their max rating.
I actually loved this video. You showed the tank rehabilitation, testing, new pump system, pully calculations, pump sizing, and other considerations. This was equivalent to real mechanical engineering. Good work.
Thanks man! I usually try to address all of the steps of the build process so that if others would try to replicate it they could easily follow along
mech eng here. it was legit engineering. the only thing missing really is fab drawings. actually more engineering than i ever do lol. kudo to the creator
@@kikoiekiko7440 yes, the drawings and specifications too. Generally, drawings/specs are for contractors to build from. The planning, analysis, and execution were all there.
Whenever you want to build one and sell it let me know.
love the pressure test, for safety reasons he moved the compressor next to his neighbors house lol
Awesome job man! Only thing I would have added, while you were in the early stages and had the dollies hook together to make a rotisserie, I would have dried that tank out and poured in a quart or 2 of bare metal primer. You could have spun it around and flipped it up and down, coating the entire tank, and then opened up the bung on the bottom and collected the excess primer. This would have insured the tank would be rust free for many years!
To be honest I didn't even think about that at first, and in hindsight it would definitely have been a good idea if I wasn't running an after cooler. With a standard set up of a compressor I would see this being almost a must to keep that rust down. But now with air inside of the tank being as dry as it is, think I should be OK for a while :-)
@@fix206 Yes, you should be! Air is gonna be fairly dry now. I wonder if you used one of your extra tanks inline with your current one, would that help even more with air volume for spraying or sandblasting?
I haven't done too much of sandblasting but I have painted quite a bit in the last year while using the new compressor with the new pump easily out pumps the rate at which I am using up the air even if I am continuously painting. Expansion tank would probably make more sense if the compressor was set up in a shop environment with multiple people running air tools at the same time?
@@fix206 very true! I guess with just you, it should be OK. Just thought the expansion tank might keep the pump from working so hard to recoup the air consumption when spraying. Keep up the vids! Always enjoy watching them!
Thanks bro, got more in the works...
I work on compressors for a living and I was really impressed! I wish all of our customers were as knowledgeable as you but then again I’d be out of work lol
Haha... Thanks Zac !!
zac its complicated air compressor stuff bro. No one needs to learn our trade secrets!!!!! But good vid. You just didn't tell all the people about all the other stuff involved. Thanks for skipping all that!!!!
@@benshort4157 I know well about compressors, but working on them is really difficult and exhausting.
Since you are an expert, what is your opinion of Speedair compressors? Also, how often should I change the oil? I don't want to tell you how often I've been doing it. Thank you!
Zac, I have an older 60 gallon compressor tank with an Emglo motor on it. What if anything can you do to tell if there is rust in the tank? How long do the tanks last?
Awesome, i agree with a lot of what you did. The 2 things id change is after cleaning the tank, throw a gallon or 2 of phosphoric acid to convert any rust, basically stopping it dead in its tracks. Drain and let it dry and coat the inside of the tank with an epoxy paint. Thing will last forever
lemon or any kind of orange or citrus juice works also
I've done a compressor tank using 'red kote' gas tank sealer. It works excellent. The longer it gets used, the more it becomes like 'ceracoat'.
@@spanishtreasure9551does lemon juice really convert rust?
@@OtherDalfite no it doesn't convert it, it "eats" it as does hydrochloric acid still need to rinse out well and coat with something like epoxy. Phosporic acid converts the rust but i still think it should be coated
I just can't get enough of your channel! So many ideas to make equipment and repairs better than anything consumer-grade, but for less money. Thank you for taking the time to document what you do; it really inspires us!
Thanks for watching, I got a lot more material in the works, stay tuned
Just as an added explanation about the oil. The reason you have to use non-detergent oil is because detergents are designed to keep contaminants suspended in the oil so they can get filtered out. In an engine without filtration you want the contaminants to fall to the bottom and stay there.
Thx. Good to know!
Thanks, it’s been so many years, since I originally heard that I had completely forgotten the reasoning.
I hear you, but I'm sold on synthetic oil due to the heat compressors make. A particular shop I worked at went through 2 Ingersoll 80 gallon 5 horse compressors in about 10 years, the third one we drained and filled with 5W30 Mobil1 before we ever fired it up, it was still going 9 years later when I moved on.
Another thing to keep in mind is, foaming. Non-detergents do not foam.
@@rwcraver I switched to synthetic 5W-30 or 0W-40 in my cheap air compressor as well. Even with synthetic 30 it wouldn't start in the winter worth crap, now it runs great. My cheap Harbor Freight compressor has made it like 10 years hahaha.
Something to add is on the intake side. Get a car muffler and a polaris sportsman air filter(or similar style). Plumb the muffler between the intake and filter. Most of the noise from a closed crankcase compressor is from the intake valves. The muffler will remove most of it.
Great idea
Okay, spinning the tank on two dolly’s strapped together is next level.
😎
Great job! The only suggestions I could come up with is a safety cage around the moving pulleys as well as bolting the tank down to something so that vibrations don't send it off kilter. You might also want to secure your electrical connections a bit better. But, really cool solution.
My day job is designing air compressors. I expected this to be hilariously bad, but I was pleasantly surprised. A few basics were skipped over, but this isn't exactly a how to video. The water cooled aftercooler is definitely a unique idea. There should be a plate welded to the tank that says the actual rated pressure of the tank, which is usually 150-200 psi.
Thanks Nick, actually means a lot coming from someone with your background !
Hi ,what basics were skipped over? I wanting to up grade my system.It is a cast air bought in 1994.Have replaced twin pump and motor but needs up grrade for sand blasting.Thanks.
Why don’t manufacturers insulate tanks to help prevent condensation of moisture in the tank?
@@juxinmarrrunning any compressor long enough will result in the hot air heating the tank, especially on 2 stage compressors that reach higher pressures. Insulating the tank will hold that heat in, but it will only delay condensation. Eventually everything will cool after the compressor stops running and the moisture will drop out of the air. Most manufacturers offer some sort of aftercooler option to cool the air more before it enters the tank, resulting in water buildup in the tank. This is because it is easy to drain that liquid out of the tank with an automatic drain like the one he used in the bucket or just a timer valve on the bottom of the tank. Otherwise the air will eventually cool and condensate downstream in your airlines to tools, where it is less convenient to deal with capturing and draining it. Most air tools specifically want the dryest air possible, so it is preferred to eliminate as much moisture as possible at the compressor and then only require minor filtration closer to the tool if necessary. If the moisture didn't drop out of the air at the tank, much more filtration and drying efforts would be necessary near the tool..
@@stevenjordan6389 if you're operating a commercial business you are best off selling your current model and purchasing a new one with the CFM requirements of your sandblaster in mind. I see people hang on to their old undersize units and then blow them up when they are overworked with new tools they didn't have before. The same applies if you are working on your personal stuff, but then I recommend looking at the used market. Some areas have lots of good used compressors available due to people upgrading as their needs have changed over time. Make sure you see it run. Check the oil level and color (just like an engine you don't want it to be black or have metal in it). If you can get the model ahead of time call the manufacturer and ask how long it should take to reach pressure. They'll usually be able to tell you from x psi to xx psi should take this long. You'll need the exact model though since they will need to know the exact configuration of the compressor to give an accurate time. The only thing you can easily do with your current setup is plumb another tank as more storage. You can then sandblast longer without the compressor running, but you'll have to stop for a longer time to let the compressor reach pressure again. Reducing the number of times the compressor stops and starts in an hour helps with longevity of the motor, pressure switch, and starter (if equipped). Depending on the model, you may be able to upgrade to a larger motor and then use a larger pulley to spin the pump faster. This would likely require a different overload or fuses in the starter to handle the higher amps the larger motor would draw. If the pump is already operating at it's max speed then there's no way to upgrade it. Another thing to look for is installing a regulator at your sand blaster. If you can regulate the pressure lower and still achieve satisfactory blasting results, the sandblaster will be using less air at the lower pressure.
I have so much respect for him testing this thing for a year before posting it, it shows he cares
Thanks man ! Yeah I didn't want to make a video on something that didn't get thoroughly tested first... And I'm happy to report that 2 years later compressor is still running like a champ 👍
Fix206 I think you did a great job, and you are more skilled than the average DIY person. That being said I believe you can rebuild the old / used compressor pump you purchased, I believe it is a two piston design and if you take it apart, check the bore sleeve wall for scratches and rust, the rings, gaskets and the spring valves you will find the problem and be able to fix it without a kit. You can get spring steel from a 10 inch putty knife, a float for making smooth plaster on walls and can cut it to make flapper valves , you can make gaskets out of saturated leather, O rings and washers can be purchased at Harbor Fright as well as any more specialized tools you might need and you can have a second compressor for a back up or just sell it to pay for all your purchases on the two projects combined. Good luck.
This has got to be one of the best videos I’ve ever watched. Explanation for everything was easy to understand. Not long winded but long enough to get his point across without any confusion. Great vid!
Thanks man! I appreciate it !
I love air compressors that run at a lower RPM like the 1050 rpm one you purchased. It's not only the noise level that matters but also the type of sound they emit. It's a lower, punchier sound that's more pleasant to listen to. They can also last longer because they spin slower.
You are absolutely correct, main thing about the low rpm is these compressors don't annoy you. While the old one annoyed the $hìt out of me... and probably my neighbors 🤣🤣🤣
@@fix206 yeah, my grandpa owned a oil les craftsman, back when craftsman wasnt a shill company, the thing ran fast as hell and was annoyingly loud, like, permenant hearing loss levels of loud, and it wasnt no low thud, it was an annoying buzz from what i remember once that thing eventually broke he got a kobolt 2 stage unit, oiled unit, goes to higher working pressure AND is way, WAY quieter, and by way quieter it was mind blowing, i'd never heard a compressor that wasnt loud enough to need ear protection then my dad bought the same compressor a year or so later, im happy with it so far, though it does run out of air some what quickly imo, considering i was runin a sander to sand down my first project truck (yes, i have one, no it aint done, not even close, kinda thinkin bout sellin it too) and the compressor aint keepin up extremely well. so i might be looking at the harbor freight 2 stage, might be a good option dependin on how fast things are goin as it thats if its a nessesary upgrade. but what was 100% a nessesary upgrade was the lack of air linage the way the place is set up is that theres the actual garage which is not really large enough to fit anything and have any space and the other side which was originally a house extension, well the space wasnt being used so i claimed it and started buying tools and whatnot and now its my shop, and its got enough space to fit a rather large mower AND a ford bronco (and yes the bronco is my project truck) its a bit toight but it fits, anyways, theres a bit of space between the 2 main areas where the compressor resides and it also happens to be a convient walk way between the washer and dryer, because the washer isnt in the designated washer room, its out in my shop where if it decides to take a piss its not gonna cause extremely major damage to the already janky floorboards of the house ofc, having air line on the ground was dangerous, mom tripped on it more than once and so my dad decided to have metal line in the celing, and so far its only plummed to my side of the place because iron pipe is heccin expensive and then theres a soft line running from the pipe to the obligatory reel of soft line, and a bit of a water seperator just to try to remove the water might see if its possible to rig a similar water cooler into it too thats a fantastic idea
I think you did a very good job. The only recommendations that I would make are more a personal thing. I like to mount my motor and compressor on its own platform. That way, I can more easily just connect an airline to any size tank I want. I usually mount the motor and compressor outside in some kind of shed or something. Then I run a line to the radiator and then to the tank farm. This keeps the noise level away from my work space. You had a second tank I would have plumbed it up to the first tank for more volume of storage. But that's more of a personal thing based on my set up in which I have a smaller compressor. So I rely on a larger storage volume to get through large jobs. While the pump is running, we'll take a break every now and then to let the tanks fill back up. People always throw out tanks when their compressors go out. So as long as the tank itself is good, we just have to Hook up an airline and start the compressor early. Usually, with the capacity of the tank farm, we can keep up with the workflow even with a lower output compressor. It's not ideal but with free tanks readily available. For us, it just makes sense to use a tank farm and the single, smaller, more efficient compressor.
Great job! For a "long" video you were able to keep my focus without adding anything unnecessary or leaving out any important details which is a seemingly difficult balance to achieve 🙂
Thanks man !
The aftercooler is an extremely clever design. I see a lot of industrial compressed air/inline dessicant units and the same principles are used. I was going to leave a comment about the position of your dessicant unit, pointing out that it should always be downstream from any aftercooling, until I got to the end and saw that you'd done exactly that. Great design and great execution.
I agree great design. Btw, I wondered about evaporation and whether the auto-moisture bleed kept the bucket topped off?
In addition to all the suggestions of using a bare-metal primer on the inside of the tank, I'd have also gotten a bunch of ceramic aggregate stones like for a part-shaker, loaded them into the tank through the bottom bung with a gallon of Evaporust, and tumbled them for a while to scour the tank and break down the rust coating before doing a metal primer sealkote.
That may sound good. im not saying it is a bad idea to use some media to help remove the scale inside the tank. but as for as putting a coating on the inside of the tank. That's where your idea Fails and is more trouble then its worth you will actually weaken the tank by doing this . unless you have a way to coat the inside of the tank with a uniform coating. I don't mean rolling the tank around and hoping you get a good coating. you would need to be able to use a Mil Gauge and measure the thickness of the coating that you apply. The inside of the tank will actually deteriorate faster with no real way to know what coating you have applied there will be spots where you may have 3 mils or 7 or 10 and wherever you have a thin mil thickness that is where the pressurized air and any moisture will attack first and worse then a bare steel tank MUCH WORSE. have you ever seen the inside of a high pleasured say oxygen bottle argon bottle? that have far more pressure from 2000 or above 6000psi. inside the tank no coating. i have Ceramic coated the inside of water towers before using what's called a Plural pump and the coating is an Epoxy that is applied hot at about 145 Degree F. and it is applied at 30 Mils!!! the cost for that coating for 5.5 gallons is $2200 for 6 Gallons of ceramic coating. your better with a bare unpainted tank unless you plan on running tests for mil thickness. the tank will degrade faster if painted. do what you like but what i am saying is correct. not a know it all just a Certified Coatings Expert.
@@timmyl2005 High pressure vessels generally house pure gasses and next to no impurities like moisture (poorly maintained aside). Compressor tank has just normal dirty air and moisture so there is the difference. Thing most people dont realize is yes getting even coating on the inside well as coating that can flex a little since even oxygen bottle will expand up a little with pressures involved, not much but a little. Even compressor tank will expand so biggest mistake is to use rigid coating. Second is to go weld pressure vessel with out training to do it properly as you create weak point if not perfect weld and heat management, I'm not coating expert so cant say much about that, but evapo rust combined with say ball bearings to break off any millscape and remove the rust it self should bring good results on old tank. Is it worth to do for old tank is different topic entirely. Personally i would do it and plan on doing it for my large compressor maybe next summer since those tanks are really expensive. Only coating i will do is to clean it properly and put coat of heavy oil on the surfaces and then just run the air trough filters. Gives good protection against water contaminants and seals most of the oxygen out from the metal.
Good idea, but I don't think it would be necessary or even productive with how he's condensing the water out of the air. I'd also imagine just pouring linseed oil into the tank, sloshing it around and running the compressor with the tank unpressurized to dry out the oil would be an easier and longer-lasting option.
Use muriatic acid to dissolve the rust inside the tank. It acts very quickly so it doesn't take very long (try it on a piece of rusty metal first to get an idea of time) and it cleans right down to base metal. Then either use phosphoric acid to convert the flash rust left over (iron oxide) to iron phosphate - a black non-rustable coating. Or coat the inside of the tank with a tank coating of which there are several different types.
Great job. FYI, water is 23.5 times more efficient in transferring heat than air. So your setup is dang near perfect!
It's been great running for over 2 years... I wouldn't change a thing :-)
Thank you. I’m researching compressors and want one that will allow me to paint and run all of my air tools without constantly running the compressor. The solution to not spending more than I am willing to is to invest the time to DIY…. This video helped me identify areas I needed to think more on…. Particularly love the water cooling loop….
I did the same thing a couple years ago, using same pump . I also took the old tanks, cleaned them and added another 160 gallons of storage to the system. Pump runs a little longer to charge the entire system, but it also will run a paint gun for 10 minutes before the compressor turns on. The other tanks are valved so you can cut them out if not needed.
I personally never really felt a need for air expansion.. I think something like that would be better suited for a shop environment where few people may use the air at the same time, not continuously of course... But at the same time since I never used expansion tanks, maybe I don't know what I'm missing... 🙂
You have to be careful with tank sizing and expansion volume. Most reciprocating compressors run best at 60% duty cycle or less and if you have too much expansion volume, you could end up making the compressor run for far too much longer than it needs to.
So glad I watched this, honestly thought once the motor quits it’s time for a new compressor but you showed a way to not only repair but make awesome, smart improvements 👏👏👏
Glad my video was helpful !! I love reusing just about anything instead of buying new, I'm not a tree hugger or anything like that, just like giving things a second chance at life and save a bunch of money at the same time :)
Not that I've watched a ton of air compressor videos but I have watched several and this is by far the best one for anyone who is looking to build or fix a current issue. This is my first opportunity to watch your videos but after I hit the Subscribe button I know for sure I will watch them anymore. Thank you in advance for the great content that I'm sure I will continue to use
Very impressive video. You really put a lot of work and research into it. I appreciate how you showed and analyzed the different reviews on the pump and zeroed in on how some of the bad ones were due to user error. Love your water cooling system. I basically want to replicate exactly what you did. Thanks for linking to the pulley.
Once you build yours, let me know how it turns out !!
Your new compressor worked out really well and cost you very little. That's not a surprise with your talent and doing things like this. It's great to see another video and I hope you can keep the videos coming regularly, They are always interesting and informative. All the best from Queensland Australia.
Thank you Bruce! Aways happy to hear from you! I'm committed to keep going... Got the next one in the works !
I agree with Bruce ! Well explained, well planned, well constructed and finally, well done !!!! Cheers from Perth, Western Australia !
@@fix206 👍 💚 🇦🇺 💛
Awesome build! Being I live in the midwest, I would fill the bucket with rv antifreeze instead of water. Rv antifreeze is also non toxic. I use it for winterizing plumbing for in ground pools. One thing I noticed is dissimilar metals connected to each other. Some connections look like they are rusting from that. If that's the case, fix it sooner than later, might be impossible later. Put some dielectric unions in.
A problem with this cooling system is that after running the compressor for awhile, the water in the bucket will warm up, and less moisture will be removed from the compressed air. A counter-flow system connected to the water supply could be designed to eliminate this problem.
@@bobskier4274 Or instal a larger cooling bucket in an old, but functioning repurposed fridge. Particularly if using the power supply is preferable to using a continuous flow of water. {Reply to "A counter-flow system connected to the water supply could be designed to eliminate this problem ..." (of) ... "the water in the bucket will warm up, and less moisture will be removed from the compressed air."}
If you need more volume, add a blower to the compressor inlets. This can be a shop vac discharge or a dedicated electric centrifugal blower. I think you can get a 10-25% increase in cfm at all pressures. It literally supercharges the compressor.
Sounds interesting
it will take more hp there is no free lunch
@@ronblack7870 "Shop vac discharge" "dedicated electric centrifugal blower" - the blower is running on a separate motor.
There is not any kinetic energy in a water tank test it will not explode, just leak water, there is huge energy store with compressed air and that is dangerous. When the tank is dried out completely put two pack paint mix of old colour from the left overs in the cupboard, role the paint around and especially the base. Let it cure and the water will nor rust it as fast as bare metal. Drain the water condensate every time, release the air gently or the water will stay in there rusting away, as the air forces the water to the side.😊
Good job. I like your solution to rotating the tank. Clever and effective. I also think your cooling coil in water is better than air. I think most of us DIY'er think that air cooling is just simpler, however, your cooling bucket proves that it can be simple and effective. There we go again. Simple and effective.
Thanks man !
Pretty safe of you to test it with water pressure. Since it's not compressible the rupture of the tank is way less dangerous
That's right, I did my research and that's precisely why I went with a water for pressure testing purposes 👍
@@fix206 air compressor tanks are tested under water at the tank manufacturers usually to double the stamped working pressure
Nice work! Your DIY unit is probably aligned and tested better than many compressors out for retail sale.
You are probably right about that :))) So far going on 2 yeas and still going strong !! 👍👍
I'm really impressed with your water-cooled air cooler/dryer with the auto-drain device. Brilliant idea. 👍 Not only simple & effective, but it's also very portable.
Thanks man! The drier system really does work!
@@fix206Can you please do a full video on dryer build? I’d like to build one!
Such a good video. Not just the idea, but the editing and presentation. So clear and easy to follow. And love the water cooling. Great job !
Wow, thank you Mark! Appreciate a great comment!
@@fix206 very welcome. So much junk on here masquerading as instructional videos. Your's actually is, ; )
I got more good stuff in the works! Thanks for watching!
I like your cooler design, it is something I wouldn't have thought to add. I always see desiccant air dryers after the tank but that doesn't minimize the moisture in the tank like a condensing cooler does.
I mainly wanted to ensure that from now on that the inside of the tank would stay nice and dry to prolong its life. It actually worked out better than I expected :)
@@fix206 Have you considered linking the tanks to add capacity? That is something I have always wanted to do.
@@fix206 I wonder what a bag of ice would do to the temperature when it is running for a long time.
To be honest I never had the need for a larger volume of air, especially now, new compressor out pumps the rate at which I'm using the air even if I'm continuously painting. I was going to mention that in the video, but the video was getting a bit too long :) I actually sold the second tank for the same amount that I paid for both tanks, so in the end the thank that I ended up keeping was free to me 😃 I'm sure you can feed the bucket some ice especially if you're doing a lot of work in the dead of summer when it's scorching hot. Wonder if you would end up with condensation on the outside of the tank since the air going in would probably be cooler than a tank itself ?
@Fix206 or use with a heat-pump enabled water heater. Free hot water!
Nice Build! I like how you explained the process to go about getting the process completed
Thanks man, appreciate the comment!
I use a transmission fluid cooler with a fan to cool the compressed air. That feeds a small tank to catch the condensed water, from there it goes to the wain tank. The whole thing sits in an airconditioned area. Works really well.
I am so glad the algorithm recommended this video to me, I haven't really found any really satisfying compressor builds, especially using the harbor freight pump. You are the only one I've seen that went into detail about pulley size, too. Very nice
Glad I was able to cover most of the questions that you may have had! That's what I'm here for 😎👍
Oh Lordy. With the “very nice” and his accent, my mind went straight to Borat. lol.
I recently purchased an older Sanborn commercial air compressor at auction sight unseen and after watching this video I decided to dig a little deeper into the specs of the machine. I found that the CFM was NOT what I had hoped, and it is also very noisy. I have been doing a lot of DIY projects but until I watched your video, I had never considered an air compressor project before, mainly because of fear of tank rupture. But, now because of your concise and common sensical approach, I am confident i can safely address that concern and also get the kind of machine I need. Thank you for the video!! OH!!....and the water-cooling system.... brilliant! That will DEFINITELY be a part of my system!
WOW & HOLY SMOKES!!! This is one of the most thorough videos I've ever seen!! You've helped me with my compressor for my shop! THANKS!!!
Glad I could help!
I use to sell refrigerant air dryers and saw some interesting problems & solutions over the years. Small panel shops would leave a copper coil inside the shop fridge & just poke the lines out the back to the compressor. 1 pharmaceutical co. complained of excess water and I found they had the compressor in a closed room beside a steam boiler - sheesh. Also the drain valve is often forgotten on a Tank, so for convenience put a fitting in place of the std drain cock and run a line to a ball valve or an automatic drain valve at a location that is easier to access. Rule of thumb for compressors is running at 50% of capacity - any more generates more heat, thus retaining more moisture - that's why it can be beneficial to have a 2nd tank storing air that has been filtered and dried for higher quality air use applications like spray painting.
Those are good points! I may add another tank to run in line sometime down the road. But that is yet to be determined 😉
Excellent video, Hydrostatic testing is the way to go, and using a pressure washer was clever. I think popping a balloon would be more dangerous.
Most definitely!
So he filled it with water so if it did explode it wouldn't be as violent?
@@kanehoward7050 Yes, water does not compress like air does. The tank would simply rupture and spray out water, versus exploding and sending shrapnel everywhere lol.
Such a great video that I had to subscribe! I'm about to tackle this project this week. Thanks for such a well-documented process!
I'd been looking for a quality video on this subject for a while, and found it here! I really appreciate the thought put into the design, the work, the production and explanation of your work. I subscribed to your channel because of this video and gave it a thumbs up... thank you for putting quality videos out there.. I look forward to seeing your other productions.
Thank you very much, I appreciate it !!
A most excellent presentation. Very well laid out and presented. Looking forward to more great content from you.
Thank you kindly!
I have an old Campbell 5 gallon compressor. It's an absolute beast for the size. Its the only small compressor I found that can continuously power an air grinder, or a 1/2" impact gun.
Brilliant. I love the rotisserie idea with two sack barrows. Some really good information in this video about calculating the output.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!!
Great video and fantastic job on your compressor build. Blown away how well the cooling coil works.
Appreciate it !!
That is awesome….you sir are a genius and very creative…..as a plumber for over 20+ years i love how you incorperated everyday fittings into this build…..i can see myself building a system like this once i get a shop built instead of working out of my garage
Thanks Trent, I am far from a genius, but creativity is something I have plenty of LOL... I do some of the work in the garage but most of it in the driveway because there is just not enough room in my garage. Looking for a new place, hopefully with a shop building so I can take my game up a notch or two
Been around commercial and industrial grade shops most of my life and for a DIYer well thought out!! Air tanks to be certified and UL approved are tested at three times there rating.
Thanks Frederick ! I think UL approvals and certifications mainly apply to commercial equipment. 99.99% of the home grade air compressors never get tested. They just slowly die in someone's garage over the years. And once they're dead they get replaced with a new one
Awesome work. Really like that setup. I am glad you went all brass/copper for the fittings. Stay much cleaner that way.
Thanks, appreciate it 👍
Wow! What a great solution. I would like to recreate your process. Thank you for the video. Well done.
If I was doing this for me, I'd be using all three of those tanks after removing the motors and things from the other two, to give myself a total of 180 gal of air storage. For the simple fact that I use a lot of heavy air tools. Fantastic build.
I'd add a tube to the output side of the auto drain so that it doesn't vent underwater. some water could get back in while it cycles. Also, the aluminum cage on the copper tube , all submerged in water will cause galvanic corrosion (the water becomes an electrolyte, and you get a tiny battery) and the aluminum will corrode. Same goes with the steel/copper connections, but in this case, the copper will corrode and get weaker. IIRC, there is a steel spring inside the auto-drain, so keeping that submerged in water will definitely shorten its life- or maybe just make it stop working.
You know, you could add some antifreeze to the bucket to prevent corrosion and it would eliminate any mosquitos from breeding and would protect the lines and bucket should it freeze.
I liked the detail and the thought put into the compressor project. Well done.
Thank you very much!
This things is awesome, great job! I love the water cooling setup
I needed this video. I am currently out of a compressor for my air powered hammer and this is exactly what I need. Thank you.
Glad I was able to help, thanks for watching!
I sure do agree with the “coil cooler” That might be something that a person could use to hide their coil from the revenuers. Seriously you do do some great work. I’d like to see you do a section on some of these tools that are advertising on these channels. Edge sharpening. Work lighting. How to make a good one or make it better. Thanks a lot.
Awesome setup, I have a pump and motor similar to yours, I just need a new tank, now when I get it I’ll add the same mods you did! Strong 💪 work!
Duty cycle for a piston type compressor is max 70% run time to 30% rest time. To help achieve this, you increase your storage. Optimum storage is 10 gallons per cfm. Minimum is about 4
Wow! Way more to this build than I thought there would be. I have the crummy Home Depot compressor for 25+ years and it’s served me well, but not enough pressure to inflate my RV tires to 110. Have to settle for 90 PSI. One day, I’d like to copy this project!
You better copy it quick before I get it patented LOL 🤣
Hope that thinwall copper holds up and no one gets hurt when not if it lets go
Real hydro test, nicely done.
I have that same pump on my 60 gal. tank. It's been working for me for the past 5 years without a hitch. I like the idea about using a foam collar around the air filter. I plan to use that idea! :) Other than that, I'm happy with how everything works.
So far it's been a great pump ! I'm glad that I went that route!! And yeah that foam surround is basically a pre filter that also helps a little with sound deadening
You can also add some plumbing to the air filter intakes on the pump and run the filter pipes through the wall to the outside, that will keep the air cooler and make it quieter too...a friend of mine owns a body repair shop and that's what he did...and it also keeps your filters clean also !!
Looks good. Only thing I would do differently is to have it inside where air temps and humidity are more consistent. I use to put my compressors in the basement of houses I owned, never had problems with condensation buildup. Needed air in the basements for the sprinkler system blowout every year anyway. Was also good for home repair. I been thinking of building one with a radiator setup, but that water cooler outside might be a better solution.
My garage isn't that big plus I got a bunch of other crap in there, that's the main reason I keep the compressor outside on the backside of the garage.
This is the best, most informative how to video i have ever watched. Excellent job. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.
Wow, thank you!!!
Perfect job. I am learning something new . Thanks for the tutoring.
Excellent video. From what I've read, adding an bigger air filter will decrease run time. You can get an excellent filter from a home HEPA air cleaner.
Great video , you really put a lot of thought into this build !
Thanks man, I really did! Some of my projects I plan out for months and only once I iron out most of the details that I start to put the build together and film it
Wow that's awesome , great job on the compressor and the video . Thanks for your time and effort .
Thanks for watching!
Great video! Terrific explanation. Really easy to follow the walk through of your process. Love the cost effective way in which you navigate a potentially cost prohibitive job. Overall two thumbs up but only because that’s all I’ve got, I guess I can give you two toes up as well!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Because you have oil in the air compressor you may have wanted to put a oil remover with a clear bell jar to see if there was any oil getting into the air. I like how you included a moisture removal and cooler. Here in the southwest the cooler would have to be in a air-conditioned area because the air temperature gets to be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.
Apply the solder on the opposite of the heat source and apply the heat at the point where you want the solder to flow
Hence the term "Sweating" joints.
Genius use of the hand trucks to make the rotisserie!!
A really excellent guide for assembling an upgraded air compressor. I have an 80 gallon ingersole rand tank I bought for 20$ and will also buy the compressor pump from harbor freight and then I only need the motor and electric pressure switch and hardware to plumb it all together. This video motivated me to now actually build a good compressor. Thank you.
Great to hear! Good luck with the build 👍
I would do the same thing except not as surely and quickly and less of a fine finish in the end.. Excellent science in the air cooler. Outstanding appreciation of value in restoring and repurposing (sp) available components. I have thought of recovering a tank and feeding it from multiple sources. Also, selectable multiple tanks. Always using the top of the tank. Just clicked subscribe, btw.
I used an old fridge evaporator to help cool the air. What I have found is doubling up on air filters has removed basically all water from the air lines. The 1st filter strips a lot of water. The 2nd strips very little. In addition to this I use a coalescing filter to strip any remaining oil/water. However even after spray painting for hours, this filter is basically empty.
Hello itsthemetho - any chance you have a photo you can share? (I am a bit of a novice and a pic would be helpful)
This was a wonderful video. I'm so pumped (pun intended) to make my own now. I've needed a compressor for a long time now and have always worried about the noise. I don't think I can run one outside my garage, so if it pumps up quickly, I don't have to deal with the noise for too long. Thank you for a great video.
This is like a complete course in backyard mechanics - very well done at every step.
I try 😉
This is such a good video, absolutely love it. This will be the blueprint for my next compressor. Thank you!
Awesome build! I would still be paranoid about using that tank as all that rust means the last owner never properly drained it after every use most likely. Also I know somewhere out there is an engineer which would chime in on percentile ratings for safety. There is a bunch of math into what happens to a tank depending on how high above its rated pressure you take it. The only time you would expect critical failure on the spot is at burst pressure. That pressure rating is usually I think at least 300% over working pressure.
An ultrasonic tester can tell the remaing Wall Thickness. If multiple readings give consistent T, you likeley dont have excessive loss due to corrosion. Calculating the Hoop stress will give the MAWP (Max allowable working pressure ) Divide that by a safety factor of 4, and set your Pressure safety valve accordingly. Of course there are statutory regulations to consider.
Add to that concern a non certified weld on a pressure vessel. On draining tanks the ones in our shops has the drain valve set to slightly weep. So moisture never builds up.
That is an awesome setup. Thanks for making and sharing that video!
Outstanding... Well Done Sir!!
Thank you! Cheers!
I like your idea of the water chiller for the air but you should have an expansion tank on the bottom of that to bleed off the water into so it doesn't continue to carry water vapor back up into your main tank. I suggest get a small air tank from a semi-trailer you can pick him up pretty easily and plum that into the bottom of your water coil so that the water has a place to drop out and it's not cross-contaminating your air going back to your tank as the air perk alates through the bottom of your water coil
But I do, I have a purge valve at the very bottom of the coil and there is a drop elbow that comes down off of the coil right before the valve so the water has somewhere to pool before it gets purged into the bucket. At the very end of the video where you see the bubbles coming out of the bucket that's the water being purged out of the automatic relief valve
I don't think you realize what I'm talking about. you only have about three or four inch of space at the bottom with that elbow and as a result the water builds up and your air flow travels through the water carrying with it water vapor like a cold vaporizer even though it might be very little it still pulling it through with the airinto you're main tank if you have an expansion tank at the end of or bottom of the coil that water can drop out into it will drain away from your air and thus won't be bubbling through that water continuously pulling water vapor with it as it continues to you're main tank. it doesn't even have to be a large tank you can even add a one or two inch diameter 12 inch long copper piece of tubing to allow the water to expand into with your release valve at the end
It's a good video and having repaired many compressors as well as installing a bunch as well I say good job. The only problems I have stem from the fact that there are a couple of issues on prominent display. The first being that the compressor is outside and being fed with flexible steel conduit. This should be fed via liquid tight with proper fittings. Second being that there is no strain relief on the SO cord coming out of the compressor motor entering the pressure switch. Third is that there is no service disconnect from which the compressor power can be interrupted. Another issue is that considering the service I would have silver brazed the copper fittings rather than soldering due to the vibrations.
i think it's outside just for filming it
I love your enthusiasm and your thought process. The rotisserie was awesome. However some concerns. 1) I would never use an old tank especially with any signs of corrosion, I would have bought new. Pressure test is good only for that moment in time but truly needs x-ray to see its true health for any long term use with any sign of corrosion damage. 2) Going by the specs, that new pump requires a minimum of 4.3hp for its rating 15.2cfm output rating at 90 psi. (using 3.5cfm per motor HP), so 5hp would be the correct motor. 3) The motor you are using is actually 2hp at 14A and 230V (using approx. 7amps for every HP at 230V single phase). I know you mentioned it has been running for a long time but I would place an amp probe on it to measure current draw at 90-100psi to be safe. You could also slow down the compressor (using pulley ratio) to use the smaller 2hp motor safely. Unless of course its a true 5hp motor rated at approx 28Amps at 230V, then your golden. Good video.
Super Gr8 DIY Project. GREAT VIDEO!
Water cooling was a good idea over an expensive refrigeration dryer. The only thing that could make this better is to replace the motor with a 3 phase, add a VFD that accepts a single phase input and control it to maintain a pressure setpoint using a pressure sensor. It would maintain pressure nicely that way, and also prevent electrical surges from motor hard starts.
Pump oiling system might not work correctly with lowered rpm
We used 3/4 inch baseboard fin-tube (for forced hot water baseboard heaters common in residential applications) to build an air-to-air condenser. Found several feet of it at the scrap yard, bought some fittings and sweat everything together. Hang a box fan on it when we’re painting vehicles or it’s extra humid. I also got around to installing an auto-drain. Our pump puts out something like 27CFM at 90PSI. It’s big and honkin. Nice work!
I appreciate the web site link you suggested for pulley sizing and your water cooling technique. I may try that on mine.
Do it and let me know how it turned out?
one thing I'd add is a pulley guard. The other, you might consider is to add a desiccant at the bottom of the tank.
No need for desiccant, the air that enters the tank is cool enough to where I no longer get any condensation at the bottom of the tank.
What is the valve at @23:07 called? You should do another video on the cooler setup and go through the details... 1.5M views! nice work!
I've been using that same harbor freight pump for about 5 years. I'm super impressed with it. With the cost and how well it has performed, I'd say I've more that got my money out of it.
Great cooling idea !
I’m impressed, good job Mr. Fix man. I appreciate the technical & detailed information in the video.
Thanks for watching!
Wow! Excellent video with impressive copper soldering - many people won't do that! Thank you for lots of good ideas
Glad you enjoyed it !! And thank you!!
Minor nit pick on the copper soldering is all I've got, rest of the video is really gold. Soldering copper you don't want to fan the solder with the flame, you want to heat the metal from behind or side until its hot enough to melt the solder and pull it in via capillary action.
Love your design. The one thing I would have done different was to coat the inside of the tank with a rust converter like Evapo-Rust to prevent the rust from growing or getting into your air.
Evapo-Rust is a chelating agent, not a converter. It doesn't leave any kind of protective coating.
@@bhartley1024 I wonder why I have a lot of people asking me that question. It doesn't claim to be a converter.