My First Compressor - Help with Vintage and General Advice

[not done it yet]

Motor is less than a hundred years old!

Possibly worth filling the receiver completely full of water and hydraulically testing it at 50% above the working pressure. A grease gun can raise the pressure as long as there is no air space. Some use a pressure washer to carefully raise the pressure to the test value.

It is a pulley, not a flywheel (which would be a dangerous repair). I would think (a guess) it’s likely no later than 1950s.

If the 1, on the motor plate, indicates 1 HP, it won’t provide so much free air, but should be easily sufficient for a small spray gun (possibly not an external fan(?) type sprayer). likely 2 or 3 cfm at most.

 

[zzr1200]

1(British) HP Electric motor, 5cfm or 6cfm, maybe on a good day????

 

[brightspark]

on the output from tank you will need a water seperator pressure regulator for spraying. most air tools run at about 90 psi, the tank pressure will be a fair bit more some at 120 psi some higher

 

[jo1010]

Check out the water drain plug too - should be free to turn - but they can also gum/rust up with tank sludge. Drain regularly after using for any amount of time.
Try your old jga gun and see - but it will probably need more pressure than modern guns - if problematic you could look at lvlp guns (better than hvlp where compressor outputs are minimal)

 

[dave h 2]

Should run a shutz gun for stone chip.

 

[TheMG]

More info, many thanks everyone!

 

[TheMG]

If you can find a Ridgid plumber's test pump, or similar, you can do it yourself.

VEVOR Hydrostatic Pressure Test Pump Hydraulic Manual 25bar/362PSI Single Valve | eBay

Whether you're testing water or oil pressure in industrial containers, pipelines, or valves, our pump is up to the task. Our hydraulic pressure test pump maximizes leverage, allowing you to generate higher pressure with less effort.

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Many thanks! I’ll look into this.

 

[TheMG]

on the output from tank you will need a water seperator pressure regulator for spraying. most air tools run at about 90 psi, the tank pressure will be a fair bit more some at 120 psi some higher

Right, I see. I was looking at one of these, I think, in order to remove moisture. Is it something like this, that would go after the pressure gauge on the tank? Double or single better?! Ah, I see, one side is for lubricating a wrench etc.? Many thanks!

 

[TheMG]

Check out the water drain plug too - should be free to turn - but they can also gum/rust up with tank sludge. Drain regularly after using for any amount of time.
Try your old jga gun and see - but it will probably need more pressure than modern guns - if problematic you could look at lvlp guns (better than hvlp where compressor outputs are minimal)

Hmmm, bit concerned on the lack previous drainage…I’ll give my gun a try, as I’ve found a decent priced air inlet bit and also look into an lvlp, as I had not come across those. Many thanks!

 

[Seadog]

Look at the gunge that came out of mine. Clearly it had not been drained in years.

Thread 'Ingersoll Rand compressor resurrection' https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/ingersoll-rand-compressor-resurrection.99662/

 

[GRW]

There was quite a lot if water & rusty flakes in mine when I got it home& cleared it out (my reciever tank had the larger bungs on so I got one loose & peered about with a torch & could get a hand inside.
These old tanks are so thick and solid that I think one going bang like a burst balloon is highly improbable. More likely a pinhole leak would occur around the underside - but even that would take a huge amount of corrosion on a cylinder built to the way more pressure than the pump & blow-off valve would ever be able to get to.
Once I'd ran mine up to pressure a few times I simply stopped thinking about it (beyond regular opening of the bottom drain to keep water build-up down).

 

[jo1010]

Hmmm, bit concerned on the lack previous drainage…I’ll give my gun a try....

....and if nothing comes out of the tank when the drain is open use a piece of welding wire or similar to poke inside - commonly gunge and rust can block things up - sometimes I've even had to run the motor to build a little pressure while poking around....
And get an on the gun pressure guage - that tells you exactly the pressure being delivered....

 

[TheMG]

There was quite a lot if water & rusty flakes in mine when I got it home& cleared it out (my reciever tank had the larger bungs on so I got one loose & peered about with a torch & could get a hand inside.
These old tanks are so thick and solid that I think one going bang like a burst balloon is highly improbable. More likely a pinhole leak would occur around the underside - but even that would take a huge amount of corrosion on a cylinder built to the way more pressure than the pump & blow-off valve would ever be able to get to.
Once I'd ran mine up to pressure a few times I simply stopped thinking about it (beyond regular opening of the bottom drain to keep water build-up down).

I hope so and it should be given the unbelievable weight of the thing! That’s reassuring, thanks

 

[TheMG]

Look at the gunge that came out of mine. Clearly it had not been drained in years.

Thread 'Ingersoll Rand compressor resurrection' https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/ingersoll-rand-compressor-resurrection.99662/

But still ok to use, I assume. Also reassuring. I shall have good look through that. Hope those weren’t the Boss’s best pans

 

[Seadog]

Once I'd cleaned it out I looked inside with a borescope. The lower part looked like the surface of the moon. However, it's still a sound receiver.
No boss to worry about

 

[TheMG]

Once I'd cleaned it out I looked inside with a borescope. The lower part looked like the surface of the moon. However, it's still a sound receiver.
No boss to worry about

Thanks…and no need to rub it in

 

[not done it yet]

1(British) HP Electric motor, 5cfm or 6cfm, maybe on a good day????

Not the remotest chance, with only one horse power. I reckon my 3HP produces about ten cfm on a good day - but it is @ 150psi.

 

[TheMG]

Is there any value in using a rust convertor in the tank, or am I overthinking?

 

[not done it yet]

Drain regularly after using for any amount of time.

Every day is best. I always leave mine open after use.

 

[not done it yet]

Is there any value in using a rust convertor in the tank, or am I overthinking?

No point if the receiver metal is already dangerously thin.

Pitted metal surfaces will soon rust again, so only useful if tank is a) serviceable and b) it is surface protected afterwards.