Want an air compressor

[kramdra]

My foot pump is on its last legs, so I need a new air pushing device. Last used to pop the bead and pump up my new rear tyre, and now my legs hurt Would be nice to have a proper compressor for mini-shot blasting small parts, air tools etc...

Looking at compressors, most seem to be noisy, expensive, with tiny 10cc sized pistons, and a massive air receiver to make up for a lack of flow. The reciever makes up 90% of the unit. Lots of space needed. I'd prefer the piston/barrel to make up 50% I realise to get more flow it either needs to be far more efficient, or have two 13A plugs for bigger motor

Remember reading about an aircooled VW engine conversion, where one cylinder can be used as a compressor with the other cylinder powering it. Expensive kit for camshafts though. https://www.dunnrightinc.com/

I can buy a used engine cheap from ebay, remove head, bolt a bit of plate on with two check valves. Used barrel/piston sets seem around 20 quid, and for this purpose it would not be difficult to make a crude air compressor crank.
Disconnect oilpump, clutch etc.. Moly disulphide grease on piston, and in crank ball bearings (common on 125cc singles, anything bigger?).attach motor with a pulley on oil pump splines. Piston probably best removed for a lump of nylon/teflon bar to reduce friction. Needs a receiver with vent valve and other stuff I could probably get from a broken compressor or ebay.

Anyone thought about this before, Id like to invest no more than 50 quid and maybe a few days of effort, with the intention of having something more useful and smaller than a cheap/used shop bought unit, but ideally beating an expensive unit

[BigDan1190]

Sounds like a lot of hassle to save £50-£100 quid though. It might help to base your costing on what a day of work would usually earn you - i.e if you're getting £60 a day, it might be theoretically better to just buy a £180 compressor.

Re: flow - do you really want the engine running constantly? might be better to buy a standard compressor head and buy a much bigger tank seperately.

[lihp]

[Wonko The Sane]

one of the reasons of a larger air receiver is to try and remove any pulses from the air delivery.

A friend of mine bought two broken compressors on e-bay and built a working one out of the pair.
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[fatjames]

How about 8 of these?

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=16836&ar=6

[davebike]

As said the bottle is very important part of a compressor smooths out pulses and maintains pressure when max work is being done
Most systems run the bottle at 120/150 psi and the lines to tools etc at 90/100psi
The pump cuts in at 110 and back out at max pressure so hopefully maintaining a smooth flow at 100 psi from the regulator

A bigger bottle is almost more important than a bigger pump
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[stinkwheel]

The compressor doesn't have to be at the same location you're using the air. It can be in a shed or back room somewhere and just run an airline to your work area. Removing the noise and bulk to somewhere else.

I've got a clarke ranger which is good for everything but painting. You CAN paint but it's a bit of a drawn out process.
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