modifying my air compressor

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FORE!!!!
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 2:25 am

well i was wondering to myself if there is a way of modifying my air compressor so it fills above a missely 100psi which is pethetic considering the size of the tank and motor???

any ideas?

Topic title edit by MrC: TITLES IN ALL CAPS ARE VERY ANNOYING NOT TO MENTION AGAINST THE RULES.
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al-xg wrote:
I've used various things like cutting oil, silicone lubricant, even butter

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...but hey, lube shows you care;)
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jackssmirkingrevenge
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 2:35 am

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FORE!!!!
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 3:02 am

jack ur a fucking legend i now know what it feels like to shoot at 150psi,i want moar

all i had to do was turn the pressure screw about 10 turns for a 50% incresse in pressure
al-xg wrote:
I've used various things like cutting oil, silicone lubricant, even butter

jsr wrote:
This collection of containers on your bedside table must look very intimidating to any visiting young ladies

...but hey, lube shows you care;)
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POLAND_SPUD
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 3:34 am

if you plan to pump a PVC gun with it you don't really need more than 150 psi and you shouldn;t try to get more with your compressor...
if you plan to build launchers out of metal it might be a better idea to build a simple AC or fridge compressor

the biggest problem with modifying an air compressors is not the compressor pump itself but the tank which is rated to normal compressor pressures (that is 8 - 12bar max)...
mind you that when you exceed pressure rating you risk your life (but so is exceeding the pressure raitng of the pump itself)

also your air compressor is used which might mean that there is rust inside the tank which makes everything even more dangerous
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FORE!!!!
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 3:40 am

but with the pop off valve in place (it starts to hisss at 150psi),dont u think it would still be safe????
al-xg wrote:
I've used various things like cutting oil, silicone lubricant, even butter

jsr wrote:
This collection of containers on your bedside table must look very intimidating to any visiting young ladies

...but hey, lube shows you care;)
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MrCrowley
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:15 am

FORE!!!! wrote:but with the pop off valve in place (it starts to hisss at 150psi),dont u think it would still be safe????
The tank itself is the dangerous part. That's why i've never done this. The inside of my tank is rusted to bits because I keep forgetting to let the air pressure out and sometimes leave it compressed at 80PSI over a week or two, all the moisture inside the tank ends up rusting the inside. I've seen tanks that have rusted straight through.

To be honest, in case the pressure was too much, if you're lucky it might just break a small hole in the rust and release all the pressure, there goes your tank but at least your safe.
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:22 am

MrCrowley wrote:To be honest, in case the pressure was too much, if you're lucky it might just break a small hole in the rust and release all the pressure, there goes your tank but at least your safe.
That's what I was thinking, while I don't advocate "overclocking" I think the chances of catastrophic failure with shrapnel all over the place are extremely tiny, it would most likely fail as you described.
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MrCrowley
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:37 am

That's how i've seen two air tanks rendered useless anyway. Regardless I still would like to keep my tank and not risk (albeit small) shrapnel possibly doing harm to me.
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:47 am

MrCrowley wrote:...and not risk (albeit small) shrapnel possibly doing harm to me.
Have a look through this extremely detailed study of wound ballistics, it's incredible what energy even tiny fragments will have given the right velocity, though admittedly such speeds would not be reached by shrapnel resulting from a relatively low pressure tank like one on a compressor.
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MrCrowley
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 4:52 am

Yeah, I think the eye would be the main concern. Solved by wearing safety glasses of course.

I wonder just how high these compressors will go.
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:38 am

@mrCrowley
I suppose that you could get even 300 psi if you could gear it to deliver more torque at less RPM... but I wouldn't consider that as the safest thing one can do...

AFAIK some compressors on trucks or farming equipment run on a slightly higher pressures, like 150-200 psi... my guess is that they'll be safer but still you'd need parts and an air tank that can handle high pressures, like a SCUBA tank...

most stuff you can get at shops is rated to normal compressor pressures, that is ~10 bar usually...
parts rated to, let say 20-30 bar, are really rare... of course there are high pressure parts as well but they are normally rated to 50-300 bar...
so you see, it seems that there is a some kind of a gap in 150 - 600 psi range

since you would have to spend some serious cash on all the parts and tank to safely mod a standard compressor I think that you'd be better off with an AC or fridge compressor... hell you can even hook two or three together if you can't find an AC compressor but you need higher flow
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MrCrowley
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:41 am

POLAND_SPUD wrote: since you would have to spend some serious cash on all the parts and tank to safely mod a standard compressor I think that you'd be better off with an AC or fridge compressor... hell you can even hook two or three together if you can't find an AC compressor but you need higher flow
In-organics is coming up soon here. It's when people chuck their junk on the footpaths and 2 weeks later the council picks it up. I'll grab a few fridge compressors, how easy are they to remove and what tools do you need?

If I find an old air compressor, I might push it to its limit haha.
Last edited by MrCrowley on Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 5:42 am

I think as a general courtesy thing if there are any other people using the compressor, it should be completely safe. Your family should not have to fear to use a compressor to pump up tires etc.

So either stay within the limits of the compressor, or use suitable safety measuers (eg. shrapnel guard)
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 6:50 am

@MrCrowley
at first I used hedge shears to cut it out :wink: and it worked like charm
of course I used it as a substitute of a bolt cutter not becasue I am totally retarded
you might need to use a metal saw later at home because shears/bolt cutters will crimp the tubes... well you can use a metal saw from the very beginning as well

and take a set of wrenches and screw drivers with you becasue the compressor is normally attached via bolts or screws... find the cable that's connected to the thermostat and cut it as close to it as possible (later you can put a switch there)

ohh and don't forget to take the cord with you... if you are lucky you might even find a nice electric box somewhere inside, which might prove to be useful for wiring...


and as a final note... if you can get more than just one compressor do so

@inonickname
the metal casing on fridge compressors is rather thick and heavy but it increases safety.... in case the 'proper; compressor that's housed inside it ruptures the casing should stop fragments and vent pressure through air-intake tube...
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Wed Aug 19, 2009 7:07 am

inonickname wrote:Your family should not have to fear to use a compressor to pump up tyres etc
I think you'll find that if my family uses my compressor for anything, an exploding tank would be the least of their fears :x
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