Advise on buying a road compressor for workshop use

[gasket999]

Hi folks,

need some advice here. I've just secured a new workshop, in an isolated building on a farm and need some help with a compressor.

My interests lie in restoring old land rovers (plural) and will be using compressed air to (hopefully) drive air tools, power a small blasting cabinet, spray paint, spray Waxoyl and power a pressurized sandblaster like this one.

We have a small 14CFM 50L compressor for the small jobs and will have it charged all day for as and when its needed.

But for the demanding jobs (blasting and painting) the little compressor just won't cut the mustard. I'll be blasting large areas/multiple chassis, etc. so will be spending hours at a time at it and thought that in the absence of 3-phase, a used road compressor may well be up to the job.

However, aside from the massive CFM (120+), I have no idea how you'd go about running one at home - do you need a receiver or regulators or adapters?

Are there any downsides to using the big compressor - what sort of thing do people use them for? Any safety concerns?

Many thanks for your help.

 

[madkayaker]

when they work there great but i would watch out for totaly nacked ex hire stuff as its probily nackered. you might want to consider a hyprovane comp they can be engine run and feed a tank as well as they have built in bypass

 

[Shox Dr]

Good Idea MK.

 

[sean-1]

If you have three phase there go electric not deisel. Running costs on site compressors can be ruddy expensive with fuel costs what they are at the mo.

If you do have to go down the deisel route you will want a two tool compressor, you shouldnt need to bother with an air receiver but you will need breathing air filters for your helmet when you are blasting. Also I have a water spinner fitted to my mobile blasting set up to get rid of the worst of the moisture in the air.

When ever I have bought used compressors I always test them first. Simplest way is to attach a 6mm nozzle to the air end and turn it on. If the pressure gauge reads about 90psi + you will have plenty enough air for blasting

 

[stormin]

Most road compressors don't run a reciever as such as they are blowing plenty of air all the time, the engine is always running.
Thing to watch for is how often you will be using it. If it's only being used every month or two you may well have trouble with flat batteries and it being more trouble than it's worth.
They're a bit overkill for spray painting unless there's several of you going to be using guns at once. The air will take a fair bit of cleaning, maybe more than a normal piston comp due to the amount of oil they run round the compressor gear.
Other than that get a low hours well serviced one, they're expensive to buy and expensive if they go wrong.

 

[gasket999]

No 3 phase I'm afraid and the workshop is in a farm outbuilding with a single double-plug. Don't know a lot about hydrovane compressors I've googled them and get everything from 3-phase things on trolleys to, what look like normal compressors.

Sean - how much do you recon you can pick up a diesel comp for? People have talked about £300 for old but usable ones, does this sound about right?

 

[dai]

No 3 phase I'm afraid and the workshop is in a farm outbuilding with a single double-plug. Don't know a lot about hydrovane compressors I've googled them and get everything from 3-phase things on trolleys to, what look like normal compressors.

Sean - how much do you recon you can pick up a diesel comp for? People have talked about £300 for old but usable ones, does this sound about right?

bought my hydrovane 120cfm for 200 notes
it dont look pretty but does the job

 

[sean-1]

You can usually pick them up for about 300 - 500 depending on age. Have a look to see what local auctioneers do plant sales in your area, Thats where I get all my plant from

 

[madkayaker]

got mine for £200 it has a 3ph motor on but you would need to change to an engine

 

[gasket999]

right that's now two votes for a hydrovane - but i'm not sure what we mean, i've looked online and they seem to make all manner of compressors but you seem to be referring to a specific type. could anyone point me towards a suitable one online so i know what i'm looking for?

Really appreciate it

 

[dai]

right that's now two votes for a hydrovane - but i'm not sure what we mean, i've looked online and they seem to make all manner of compressors but you seem to be referring to a specific type. could anyone point me towards a suitable one online so i know what i'm looking for?

Really appreciate it

similar to mine

 

[madkayaker]

ebay 270785247276 something like this then an engine

 

[brightspark]

right that's now two votes for a hydrovane - but i'm not sure what we mean, i've looked online and they seem to make all manner of compressors but you seem to be referring to a specific type. could anyone point me towards a suitable one online so i know what i'm looking for?

Really appreciate it

a mobile diesel screw compressor is as good as any hydrovane. i picked mine up for 140 quid and engine and pump are mint . just make sure if u get one that it starts easy
cold and hot and run it at full bore for 20 mins and shut it down a few times to make sure theres no oil passing the airfilters and it regulates on the governor ok

 

[stormin]

ebay 270785247276 something like this then an engine

4 cfm??? Surely it's got more than that. You might as well blow down a bit of tube to get that amount of air, hardly worth putting an engine on and not exactly road compressor output.
You need more than just an engine to convert an electric compressor, there's also the throttling mechanism to consider. Better just to buy one that's already working in my opinion. I did consider all sorts of routes to cheap and easy large amounts of air then ended up buying a working Compair Holman two tool road compressor for £350. Spent nearly as much again to service it completely.

 

[madkayaker]

that was the first one i found i have the 15

 

[Engineer]

Hydrovane make electric powered screw compressors for workshop use, as well as towable diesel compressors of the type used by road menders. If you can find a reasonable road mender type compressor and dont have a problem with the running costs, that may be the easiest way to be able to cope with blast cleaning.

 

[brightspark]

Hydrovane make electric powered screw compressors for workshop use, as well as towable diesel compressors of the type used by road menders. If you can find a reasonable road mender type compressor and dont have a problem with the running costs, that may be the easiest way to be able to cope with blast cleaning.

a hydrovane is as it says vanes plates / a screw compressor is entirely diffrent and compresses air between 2 screws

 

[gasket999]

Ahhh, OK thanks folks. It'll only be used one day a week max so I can't imagine running costs will be too high. I really like the look of the one posted by Dai - that would fit nicely.

My budget is up to £400 so I'll start trying to find one. Diesel definately seems like the way to go - for those who may be wondering I'm looking for a compressor that'll continuously run a DIY pressurised sandblasting setup - almost exactly like the one in the DIY sandblasting tutorial on this website here: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/sandblasting.htm so somewhere north of 17CFM, more the better.

 

[dai]

Ahhh, OK thanks folks. It'll only be used one day a week max so I can't imagine running costs will be too high. I really like the look of the one posted by Dai - that would fit nicely.

My budget is up to £400 so I'll start trying to find one. Diesel definately seems like the way to go - for those who may be wondering I'm looking for a compressor that'll continuously run a DIY pressurised sandblasting setup - almost exactly like the one in the DIY sandblasting tutorial on this website here: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/sandblasting.htm so somewhere north of 17CFM, more the better.

they are about,just gotta look in the right place
hire centers,road works contractors yards,ebay