Air compressor question

On Tue, 16 Sep 2003 19:17:35 -0400, "Morgans"
wrote:


"Rich S." wrote in message
...
"Frederick Wilson" wrote in message
news:FmC9b.365132$Oz4.142857@rwcrnsc54...
I am still working on home remodel so it will be some time before the
airplane gets started. I am pretty darn convinced that I am going to do
an
all wood and fabric airplane. More than likely, the Fisher Tiger Moth.

Anyway, I have come to the point in my home remodel that I am going to
need
an air compressor. But instead of just getting one that will do the job
here, what might I need one for when it is airplane time?

What size and compressor (one or two cylinder) should I look at?

Any name brand preference?

Whichever model you choose, be SURE to listen to it run before you plunk
down your money. Some of the new compressors are loud enough to shred your
neighbor's panties.

Rich S.

Part of the things to consider is if you will use a lot of air tools, or go
electric. For a wood airplane, I could see a bit of sanding, and spraying
finish. A small 30 gal 3 HP compressor would not keep up with a air sander,
or spray gun very well. I like air tools cause they are usually cheaper,
lighter, and don't get hot under heavy usage.

If you can swing it, get a big upright 5 HP , NOT oilless unit, and put it
outside if you can. It saves the ears and the space in the shop. All it
needs is a small lean-to roof.

I have one of the big 80 gallon units set at 175 psi tank pressure. I
get very little tank condensation, but it is going outside into a
small shed/leanto. If you are doing some fine work and that sucker
kicks on you will have to go hunting to find where the work landed.
It's not terribly noisy, but enough that when it comes on unexpectedly
it will startle you.

However, if I keep it outside I need to figure out how to get the
condensation out without if freezing in the tank.

OTOH it'd be wayyy to big for home construction. Yet when doing metal
work such as grinding and cutting with the pneumatic tools it kicks on
quite often. I have a smaller one like the ones used on construction
sites for nailers and other portable pneumatic tools that works fine
for that. It's just a bit heavy for hauling around, but still not
bad.


Roger Halstead (K8RI EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
www.rogerhalstead.com
N833R World's oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)

!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"
html
I've got air piped with pvc and it's been there over 25 years. Never read
anywhere it wasn't supposed to be used for that. Of course never read that
it was intended to be used for that. Guess it's kinda like an apple, I
never read it was intended to be eaten, we just do it. I've seen pvc used
for air supply pipe in many places and been there many years and never
heard anything dangerous about using it. Send me some documentation of
it failing and hurting or killing someone. Not just one incident but a
pattern. People get killed by slipping getting out of the shower but not
enough to get people upset every time they shower.
pRoger Halstead wrote:
blockquote TYPE=CITEOn Tue, 16 Sep 2003 19:17:35 -0400, "Morgans"
brwrote:
p
br"Rich S." wrote in message
bra /a...
br "Frederick Wilson" wrote in message
br a href="news:FmC9b.365132$Oz4.142857@rwcrnsc54"news :FmC9b.365132$Oz4.142857@rwcrnsc54/a...
br I am still working on home remodel so it will be some time before
the
br airplane gets started. I am pretty darn convinced that I am going
to do
bran
br all wood and fabric airplane. More than likely, the Fisher Tiger
Moth.
br
br Anyway, I have come to the point in my home remodel that I am
going to
br need
br an air compressor. But instead of just getting one that will do
the job
br here, what might I need one for when it is airplane time?
br
br What size and compressor (one or two cylinder) should I look at?
br
br Any name brand preference?
br
br Whichever model you choose, be SURE to listen to it run before you
plunk
br down your money. Some of the new compressors are loud enough to
shred your
br neighbor's panties.
br
br Rich S.
br
brPart of the things to consider is if you will use a lot of air tools,
or go
brelectric.  For a wood airplane, I could see a bit of sanding,
and spraying
brfinish.  A small 30 gal 3 HP compressor would not keep up with
a air sander,
bror spray gun very well.  I like air tools cause they are usually
cheaper,
brlighter, and don't get hot under heavy usage.
br
brIf you can swing it, get a big upright 5 HP , NOT oilless unit, and
put it
broutside if you can.  It saves the ears and the space in the shop. 
All it
brneeds is a small lean-to roof.
pI have one of the big 80 gallon units set at 175 psi tank pressure. 
I
brget very little tank condensation, but it is going outside into a
brsmall shed/leanto.  If you are doing some fine work and that sucker
brkicks on you will have to go hunting to find where the work landed.
brIt's not terribly noisy, but enough that when it comes on unexpectedly
brit will startle you.
pHowever, if I keep it outside I need to figure out how to get the
brcondensation out without if freezing in the tank.
pOTOH it'd be wayyy to big for home construction. Yet when doing metal
brwork such as grinding and cutting with the pneumatic tools it kicks
on
brquite often.  I have a smaller one like the ones used on construction
brsites for nailers and other portable pneumatic tools that works fine
brfor that.  It's just a bit heavy for hauling around, but still
not
brbad.
pRoger Halstead (K8RI EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
brwww.rogerhalstead.com
brN833R World's oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)/blockquote
/html

PVC makes great potato guns. Note the one in BWB's grasp at
http://www.jouster.0catch.com/jean-02/p2190041.jpg.

Rich s.
"L.D." wrote in message ...
I've got air piped with pvc and it's been there over 25 years. Never read anywhere it wasn't supposed to be used for that. Of course never read that it was intended to be used for that. Guess it's kinda like an apple, I never read it was intended to be eaten, we just do it. I've seen pvc used for air supply pipe in many places and been there many years and never heard anything dangerous about using it. Send me some documentation of it failing and hurting or killing someone. Not just one incident but a pattern. People get killed by slipping getting out of the shower but not enough to get people upset every time they shower.

We have PVC plumbing 140 psi all over our shop in San Diego. It
occasionally blows out at a joint and it really hurts people's ears. I
don't recommend it but you might get away with it.

"Frederick Wilson" wrote in message news:FmC9b.365132$Oz4.142857@rwcrnsc54...
What size and compressor (one or two cylinder) should I look at?

Any name brand preference?

Assuming that you will end up using it more than you think, shop
around for a two stage, 220VAC unit with at least a 60 gallon tank.
Stay away from the oilless units for noise reasons. The lower the rpm
of the compressor, the lower noise factor it will have. Keep an eye
out for Champion, IR, and any other big name vendor. Be aware that the
ratings on Crapsman units are very inflated. When you compare units,
use cfm @ pressure to make the comparisons meaningful.

Lots of people have built a/c using the litle hotdog tanked units and
the small household units, but if you have to spend much time waiting
on them to return to the required pressure to do the job, then they
are way too small if you have minimal time to devote to the projects.
For average usage, if the compressor has to cycle one more than once
every minute and a half or less, you need either a bigger unit or more
tankage.

What ever you do, DO NOT...I repeat DO NOT use PVC or CPVC for
pressure piping on your system. Many people use it, but do not
understand that it is not rated for or intended for use with
pressurized air. When it fails, and it will, it will almost always
fail explosively and send shrapnel all over the place. If you don't
belive me, I will show you the pressure rating for PVC with all the
derating factors applied....it's very scary.

More questions? ask away....

Craig C.

"Craig" wrote in message
om...
"Frederick Wilson" wrote in message
news:FmC9b.365132$Oz4.142857@rwcrnsc54...
What size and compressor (one or two cylinder) should I look at?

Any name brand preference?

Assuming that you will end up using it more than you think, shop
around for a two stage, 220VAC unit with at least a 60 gallon tank.
Stay away from the oilless units for noise reasons. The lower the rpm
of the compressor, the lower noise factor it will have. Keep an eye
out for Champion, IR, and any other big name vendor. Be aware that the
ratings on Crapsman units are very inflated. When you compare units,
use cfm @ pressure to make the comparisons meaningful.

Lots of people have built a/c using the litle hotdog tanked units and
the small household units, but if you have to spend much time waiting
on them to return to the required pressure to do the job, then they
are way too small if you have minimal time to devote to the projects.
For average usage, if the compressor has to cycle one more than once
every minute and a half or less, you need either a bigger unit or more
tankage.

What ever you do, DO NOT...I repeat DO NOT use PVC or CPVC for
pressure piping on your system. Many people use it, but do not
understand that it is not rated for or intended for use with
pressurized air. When it fails, and it will, it will almost always
fail explosively and send shrapnel all over the place. If you don't
belive me, I will show you the pressure rating for PVC with all the
derating factors applied....it's very scary.

More questions? ask away....

Craig C.


Good advice. I would go for the biggest 2-stage affordable. Two stage
because it runs cooler and makes less moisture in the lines when you're
painting.

(Craig) wrote in message . com...
"Frederick Wilson" wrote in message news:FmC9b.365132$Oz4.142857@rwcrnsc54...
What size and compressor (one or two cylinder) should I look at?

Any name brand preference?

Assuming that you will end up using it more than you think, shop
around for a two stage, 220VAC unit with at least a 60 gallon tank.
Stay away from the oilless units for noise reasons. The lower the rpm
of the compressor, the lower noise factor it will have. Keep an eye
out for Champion, IR, and any other big name vendor. Be aware that the
ratings on Crapsman units are very inflated. When you compare units,
use cfm @ pressure to make the comparisons meaningful.

Lots of people have built a/c using the litle hotdog tanked units and
the small household units, but if you have to spend much time waiting
on them to return to the required pressure to do the job, then they
are way too small if you have minimal time to devote to the projects.
For average usage, if the compressor has to cycle one more than once
every minute and a half or less, you need either a bigger unit or more
tankage.

What ever you do, DO NOT...I repeat DO NOT use PVC or CPVC for
pressure piping on your system. Many people use it, but do not
understand that it is not rated for or intended for use with
pressurized air. When it fails, and it will, it will almost always
fail explosively and send shrapnel all over the place. If you don't
belive me, I will show you the pressure rating for PVC with all the
derating factors applied....it's very scary.

More questions? ask away....

Craig C.


Always wondered why people use PVC/CPVC when copper is marginally more
expensive. Some places have large diameter plastic pipes to increase
their air storage "capacity". Kind of like sleeping with a rattle
snake-sooner or later.....