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We finally got this old air compressor running and man does it pump some air. It looks like it came over on the Santa Maria and then went through WWII but it runs so SAWEEET.
This thing puts out 150 CFM and has a 1'' outlet pipe so, I'm wondering if any of you guys who have one of these rigs can tell me what size airhose I need. Some of the fittings I have are 1'' and some are 3/4''. Is 3/4'' sufficient or do I need to go with 1'' hose?
Also, I need to order some sandblast hose. Do I need 1'' ID or something bigger?
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Wayne, I'm not an expert on this and someone may well refute me, but to the best of my knowledge, you will NEVER find a 1" "Air Hose", at least not for a compressor like you describe. Standard air hoses are 1/4" to 3/8" id (inner diameter) and are made to hold 150 psi easily. Most are rated to 300 psi+. So you will need some "reducing" fittings is all. However....
Compressors are LOUD! You DO NOT want that sucker in your shop! Trust me on this! Plant it outside and build a roof of some type over it to keep the rain and snow off of it. I built a "sound-proof" little shed for mine! You can then "plumb" it into your shop with 1" PVC pipe if necessary, up until you want your air hose to hook up to the PVC pipe and be stationed at. 25' or 50' air hose doesn't matter, you'll need a reel for that anyway.
Do what I did. Take the hook-up fittings off of your compressor. Go to your local hardware store and find some help. Tell him what you're trying to do, and he'll hook you up for air in your shop. As far as a sandblast hose, I have no idea. I don't blast. Hope this helps.
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Hi Mark, This a rotary/screw compressor with a 4 cyl. gasoline engine. It puts out 150 CFM(volume in cubic feet per minute)....but only 125 psi(pressure). Whereas our 7.5 hp shop compressor puts out only 27 CFM but can do 175 PSI.
For most small electric shop compressors, a smaller hose is sufficient because the volume of air is much lower which is fine for most shop tasks. We're going to use the rotary for sandblasting. The higher volume will allow me to use a much larger nozzle which will blast a much wider swath on each pass PLUS, hopefully, it will keep the pressure up enough to cut the HDU instead of just bouncing off.
I've got four 3x8 subdivision signs which will be ready to blast in a few days and I don't relish the thought of having to blast them with the shop compressor.(shudder)
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Wayne, Don't know what you found out from Ken, but you're probably going to have to go to an industrial supply outfit to get the larger hoses you will need....someone who supplies commercial sandblast operations. You will not find what you need at Home Depot or a hardware store. You should be able to blast ANYTHING with that rig.
-------------------- Dale Feicke Grafix 714 East St. Mendenhall, MS 39114
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Posts: 2963 | From: Mendenhall, MS | Registered: Apr 1999
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Thanks guys! I found some Goodyear 1''ID 300psi airhose and some 1''ID Goodyear sandblast hose on Ebay. 50' of the airhose with connectors 25' sandblast hose with connectors for $185 delivered
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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A long time ago I heard about plans to use a volkswagen bug engine to power a compressor. You modify it to run on two cylinders and the other two pump air.
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Dusty, it's a kit you buy, probably still available. I found it doing a google search or maybe talikng about it on Anvilfire ( a blacksmith's site). I have it written down somewhere if you're interested.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Yeah, I'm interested. I haven't turned up anything with google. I've somehow ended up with 7 VW blocks and would love to turn one into a high volume compressor. I was afraid it was just myth. I heard it was used to sandblast bridges.
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I use to work for a sign company that specialized in sandblasted HDU and redwood/cedar, and they sold a LOT of that stuff! When it came time for the weekly blasting, "boss man" would rent a tow-behind diesel powered compressor that could skin a man alive just from the back-blast. Helmets, special gloves and heavy-duty clothing was a must if you were the blaster, which I was...just once...on a hot July afternoon with the humidity about 90% and the sun beaming down on my wittle head. After about 6 hours of that, and ready to pass out from heat stroke, I stripped down to my snaps, strolled into "boss man's" air conditioned office and told him where to stick it, soaking wet as I was. I must have been a sight.
I went on to buy a CNC flat-bed router, started my own thing in an air conditioned shop, and never looked back. :-)
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Dusty, my compressor has a ford v-8 engine. It runs on 4 cylinders and the other four pump the air. A VW engine kit doesn't sound out of the question.
-------------------- Ken Holden 7 Oaks Signs 18457 Hwy 22 Ponchatoula, LA 70454 Posts: 144 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Apr 2005
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I did some more searching and finally found it. Thanks for the push James I really wouldn't have found it without the Anvilfire reference. It's VolksAir by Dunn-right. The name doesn't really inspire alot of confidence and their web presence it **** poor, but the picture of a completed one looks good.
They claim 58cfm @ 100psi. It looks like they have v6 and v8 kits also, but I've already got the VW blocks and it'll be air cooled.
Like you we have a 185 CFM twin screw. Out latest unit is electric which replaced out Ingersol diesel.
Here's a few suggestions.
Keep your eye out for a large holding tank. This will keep the air much cooler. An old LP tank should work. Look for a good inline water seperator. These are usually turbines and cost about $250. They keep water from collecting in the bottom of the sandblast pot.
Think about a Dead Man unit. This a hand grip on the hose which when released will shut the sand off instantly at the pot. There's no sand build up in the hose. This allow quick viewing of your work. If you don't have one of these they can be adapted. I made friends with my local sandblast supply company fast. They can really help.
I have a brand spanking new Bullock helmet air air-conditioner, never used, which I will sell cheap. This is a very small vortex tube belt unit. When we moved inside, it wasn't needed.
Don't you just hate it when people post about something they know little or nothing about.
-------------------- Joe Crumley Norman Sign Company 2200 Research Park Blvd. Norman, OK 73069 Posts: 1428 | From: 2200 Research Park Blvd. | Registered: Sep 2001
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I bought a 600lb sand pot, mounted on a trailer, for $200 from a guy just across the woods from here....about 2 miles as the crow flies. Found it on Ebay
Anyway, he threw in probably $1500 to $2000 worth of 316 stainless fittings, ball valves, chicago connectors, cam-locks and stuff....alot of it brand new. One of the contraptions is a "Thompson valve". It's supposed to shut off the air at the pot the instant the deadman closes. I thought I'd hook that up too.
My air-supplied hood and pump set-up is a Bullard. I asked them about buying the air conditioner to go with it but they told me it required at least a two-man air pump to operate. Mine is a one-man pump. If yours will work with a one-man pump, we could strike a deal. I've been coiling the excess hose, from my pump, in a #3 wash tub filled with water and ice. It does a fair job of cooling the air in the dead of summer. Mkaes it much more bearable anyway.
I appreciate the info. I will check into the water trap and the tank. I happen to have a big LP tank and a 100lb one as well.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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I'm not sure what a one man or two man pump is. Although we never used the cooler, I was instructed to hook it up directly to the compressor supply. I have to assume it would need some kind of purifying filter.
I allways amazed how fast sandblasting goes once all the unit is hooked up. Do you have a good cover for the pot? Even a canvas top will work to keep the moisture out.
J.
-------------------- Joe Crumley Norman Sign Company 2200 Research Park Blvd. Norman, OK 73069 Posts: 1428 | From: 2200 Research Park Blvd. | Registered: Sep 2001
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I don't have a cover for my pot yet but hope to get that all squared away the next week or so. I have a big wash tub we were using for a "wash-tub bass" but don't know if it's big enough. My son bought a standup bass so, I guess we don't need the tub. If it's not large enough, we'll have to build something. Someone had left about a half bag of black beauty or something in the thing and it had been in the weather for no telling how long. That stuff was tough to get out.
My pump is a Bullard "Free Air". Some of these units are capable of supplying multiple hoods/operators. The air conditioner they sold at the time I bought it was a small tube that mounted on your belt between hood and supply hose. If you want, email us the model number etc. for the air conditioner, along with the price, and I'll do a little research, see if we can use it.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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