Topic: OK, my compressor leaks, now what?

[Don R]

 I procured a used Quincy air compressor that was made for a pneumatic heating control system from a school. It's a two cylinder compound pump, I got it a bigger motor and pulley.

[HondaMan]

I had one recently that a friend used for air storage with a tiny compressor. He had robbed the pump off of it when new. I used it for auxiliary air too but eventually the system falls behind anyway, I also see them on marketplace on occasion with just the tank.
 A friend had one under a workbench that had been re-called but he didn't know. When it let go it didn't escape the confines of the bench but did knock the back wall of the shop off of its foundation a couple inches. An erupting water heater can even leave the building but that's steam not air.

A friend had an old water well non bladder expansion tank he used for an air compressor tank in his barn. The pressure valve failed and it kept running until the tank let go. That tank had a domed top and a welded in bottom so that bottom blew out. It blew the siding off the barn and launched itself through the ceiling and up into the hay loft. He found all this stuff when he went out there one day, luckily nobody was around.

Another group of smart fellas made their own tank out of schedule 80 pipe with ends welded in by a "good" welder, one end blew out and did a bunch of damage and nearly severed the legs of a kid that was in the building when it blew out. All that jazz makes the new air compressors at Menards look pretty "cheap" really ;-).

Cool!
Maybe I need to 'repurpose' my tank. I could get the hole welded shut, fill it with the leftover gunpowder I get in the buckets of brass at the range, make a rope fuse, and see if I can beat NASA to Mars.
Hmm...I don't want to damage Earth's orbit, though...

[RAFster122s]

Quincy makes very good compressors

[grcamna2]

Quincy makes very good compressors

Yes they do.

[grcamna2]

I had one recently that a friend used for air storage with a tiny compressor. He had robbed the pump off of it when new. I used it for auxiliary air too but eventually the system falls behind anyway, I also see them on marketplace on occasion with just the tank.
 A friend had one under a workbench that had been re-called but he didn't know. When it let go it didn't escape the confines of the bench but did knock the back wall of the shop off of its foundation a couple inches. An erupting water heater can even leave the building but that's steam not air.

A friend had an old water well non bladder expansion tank he used for an air compressor tank in his barn. The pressure valve failed and it kept running until the tank let go. That tank had a domed top and a welded in bottom so that bottom blew out. It blew the siding off the barn and launched itself through the ceiling and up into the hay loft. He found all this stuff when he went out there one day, luckily nobody was around.

Another group of smart fellas made their own tank out of schedule 80 pipe with ends welded in by a "good" welder, one end blew out and did a bunch of damage and nearly severed the legs of a kid that was in the building when it blew out. All that jazz makes the new air compressors at Menards look pretty "cheap" really ;-).

Cool!
Maybe I need to 'repurpose' my tank. I could get the hole welded shut, fill it with the leftover gunpowder I get in the buckets of brass at the range, make a rope fuse, and see if I can beat NASA to Mars.
Hmm...I don't want to damage Earth's orbit, though...

Mark,have you been playing out in traffic for too long ?
   Have you got life insurance to help take care of your loved ones when you're gone ? 

All kidding aside;a quality air tank is what you need.

[Tracksnblades1]

Quincy makes very good compressors

Yep, used to be made in Quincy Illinois since 1920…
Headquartered elsewhere and manufactured in China..
Building stood empty for years… Some type of warehouse now. Perhaps for Knapheide not sure…

[HondaMan]

My welder looked at it (just as sideways as I have) and couldn't figure out why it would crack there. Me, neither. So, he's gonna dig into it to see if he can fix it -or not. The crack is so small that the tank actually pumps up to 87 PSI and stays there, with the pump never shutting off. The crack is NEXT to the weld that holds the big plug (4" diameter) in the bottom of the tank, in which is the tank drain valve. It's about 3mm away from the weld for the plug itself. It also appears to be above the level of any water that would collect, since I always drain the tank and leave the little valve open. I/we suspect a flaw in the tank's metal in the area, not a bad weld job.

Of course, we just switched the weather to 'Late Fall' today, so I may not get a good painting day again until March.

[grcamna2]

My welder looked at it (just as sideways as I have) and couldn't figure out why it would crack there. Me, neither. So, he's gonna dig into it to see if he can fix it -or not. The crack is so small that the tank actually pumps up to 87 PSI and stays there, with the pump never shutting off. The crack is NEXT to the weld that holds the big plug (4" diameter) in the bottom of the tank, in which is the tank drain valve. It's about 3mm away from the weld for the plug itself. It also appears to be above the level of any water that would collect, since I always drain the tank and leave the little valve open. I/we suspect a flaw in the tank's metal in the area, not a bad weld job.

Of course, we just switched the weather to 'Late Fall' today, so I may not get a good painting day again until March.

Do you have life insurance Mark?

[HondaMan]

My welder looked at it (just as sideways as I have) and couldn't figure out why it would crack there. Me, neither. So, he's gonna dig into it to see if he can fix it -or not. The crack is so small that the tank actually pumps up to 87 PSI and stays there, with the pump never shutting off. The crack is NEXT to the weld that holds the big plug (4" diameter) in the bottom of the tank, in which is the tank drain valve. It's about 3mm away from the weld for the plug itself. It also appears to be above the level of any water that would collect, since I always drain the tank and leave the little valve open. I/we suspect a flaw in the tank's metal in the area, not a bad weld job.

Of course, we just switched the weather to 'Late Fall' today, so I may not get a good painting day again until March.

Do you have life insurance Mark?

Not anymore! Did you know that if you've had cancer and worked in plants that make explosives that you can't get a life insurance policy?
I didn't, until both happened.

[grcamna2]

I see.

[HondaMan]

Well, the welder repaired it: he started by welding what I had marked, then he fired it up. At 100 PSI it started leaking again! That time it made a wider crack. So, he welded out past that one, too, and fired it back up: it held air for the last 3 days, so it's maybe OK?

[grcamna2]

Well, the welder repaired it: he started by welding what I had marked, then he fired it up. At 100 PSI it started leaking again! That time it made a wider crack. So, he welded out past that one, too, and fired it back up: it held air for the last 3 days, so it's maybe OK?

You may consider building a concrete block enclosure w/ a steel door for your compressor Mark. 

[HondaMan]

Well, the welder repaired it: he started by welding what I had marked, then he fired it up. At 100 PSI it started leaking again! That time it made a wider crack. So, he welded out past that one, too, and fired it back up: it held air for the last 3 days, so it's maybe OK?

You may consider building a concrete block enclosure w/ a steel door for your compressor Mark. 

I think I'm just going to chain it down so it can't fly very far.

[Don R]

 I welded an air compressor in a factory once, I had to remove the wiring, and the electrician fire watched while I welded. I got it welded and suggested he replace it because my weld was temporary. The owner complained about the two hour charge with an hour for the electrician/fire watch guy.
 Later they wanted it welded again but would only pay for one guy because the owner said he would fire watch, he was spying on employees and grinning so I let some grease catch on fire and he nearly ripped his finger off trying to get the pin out of the extinguisher while squeezing the handle. I fixed it again and he bought a new compressor then.
 I probably would have welded all the way around that bung and a couple passes Mark but I'm a chronic overachiever.
 Oh yeah L0L!

[grcamna2]

SPEND THE $ ON A NEW TANK:no more worries.

[CycleRanger]

Well, the welder repaired it: he started by welding what I had marked, then he fired it up. At 100 PSI it started leaking again! That time it made a wider crack. So, he welded out past that one, too, and fired it back up: it held air for the last 3 days, so it's maybe OK?

You may consider building a concrete block enclosure w/ a steel door for your compressor Mark. 

That or at least relocate it outside your shop.

[willbird]

 I probably would have welded all the way around that bung and a couple passes Mark but I'm a chronic overachiever.
 Oh yeah L0L!

Dirty Harry said "A man has GOT to know his limitations" and while I can weld some stuff, I am not trained or certified to weld pressure vessels.

Bill

[grcamna2]

 I probably would have welded all the way around that bung and a couple passes Mark but I'm a chronic overachiever.
 Oh yeah L0L!

Dirty Harry said "A man has GOT to know his limitations" and while I can weld some stuff, I am not trained or certified to weld pressure vessels.

Bill

The best thing ^ to do.
The other choice seems to be: 'testing the limits'...  of that rusted-out tank,which is a ticking time bomb.     Something's Gotta Give !

I'll use another example(completely different)and let's consider a roadway with a bridge where large vehicles drive over it,at all hours of the day,for years:there are only Just So Many times the bridge will handle the stress of the weight/pressure,until.. it just can't take it anymore,then gravity takes over.
Consider(I'm orig. from Ct.)the Mianus River Bridge accident in Greenwich,Ct. in 1983'.
The point is:there were fatalities.. 

[willbird]

 I probably would have welded all the way around that bung and a couple passes Mark but I'm a chronic overachiever.
 Oh yeah L0L!

Dirty Harry said "A man has GOT to know his limitations" and while I can weld some stuff, I am not trained or certified to weld pressure vessels.

Bill

The best thing ^ to do.
The other choice seems to be: 'testing the limits'...  of that rusted-out tank,which is a ticking time bomb.     Something's Gotta Give !

One prior job we had two old double acting single cylinder air compressors, in the room with them was a massive old riveted air tank, 36" dia or so and maybe 12 feet tall, it was spooky even looking at that thing LOL. One compressor was used all the time and the other smaller one was backup, one day we were working and heard a bunch of racket in that plywood compressor room, pipes were dancing all over the place and dust being shook off everything. A guy had went in to shut down the main and fire up the spare and when he was turning 6" valves on and off he got the two single cylinder compressors coupled together so that they were fighting each other with each stroke. No harm came to him or anything but I think he had to change his underwear afterwards. The compressors were 18" bore or so and I'd guess 24"-36" stroke, double acting.


Bill

[Alan F.]

Mark how's the weather forecast looking, any good days to paint?

[BenelliSEI]

Congrats….. I bet it lasts forever (says the guy who has his compressor outside the shop). This got me thinking about the air pig we take to the race track. I probably bought it when I was 18 years old….. Mmmm. +40 years old. What could possibly go wrong?

[grcamna2]

Congrats….. I bet it lasts forever (says the guy who has his compressor outside the shop). This got me thinking about the air pig we take to the race track. I probably bought it when I was 18 years old….. Mmmm. +40 years old. What could possibly go wrong?

Lol 

[HondaMan]

Mark how's the weather forecast looking, any good days to paint?

I might get a window on Sunday-Monday this coming weekend. We've had a stretch of the [rare] Colorado Fall-like-Spring this year, which sometimes holds until mid-November (he said with his fingers crossed...). I'm trying to repaint the 550 for the cover of my next book. It has the typical disintegrated left-side cover, so it needed new covers anyway. Something about the left-side covers on CB750 and CB550...maybe their designer was right-handed? Dunno.

[Stev-o]

Mark how's the weather forecast looking, any good days to paint?

It has the typical disintegrated left-side cover, so it needed new covers anyway. Something about the left-side covers on CB750 and CB550...maybe their designer was right-handed? Dunno.

I always thought the left cover got damaged 'cause it was taken off to access the electrics [at least on the 750's], oil tank side didnt need to be removed.

I believe I have a set of new Franken 550 covers on the shelf that I could donate to the cause, if needed?

[Kelly E]

Congrats….. I bet it lasts forever (says the guy who has his compressor outside the shop). This got me thinking about the air pig we take to the race track. I probably bought it when I was 18 years old….. Mmmm. +40 years old. What could possibly go wrong?

I only fill my ol' air pig to about 85psi so it doesn't blow up in my face. Maybe I should get a new one but will it be as good?