What to do with a big, old compressor

[RLGL]

Looks beloved patriot a homemade antique, take it to the scrap yard and get what you can. It is not worth messing with.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Woah that is a serious looking compressor. But looks super old. I don't know if I'd actually USE it, but it could make a nice historical piece for someone into that. That's one hell of a motor too.

 

[PottedMeat]

whoa flat belt pulley lol

even the tank looks homemade

i'd sell the whole thing as is on craigslist

the motor and compressor (if it actually compresses, you'd probably have to make parts for that thing if anythings broken) are definitely usable though

 

[lxskllr]

Woah that is a serious looking compressor. But looks super old. I don't know if I'd actually USE it, but it could make a nice historical piece for someone into that. That's one hell of a motor too.

If /I/ had that in my garage, I'd love to see it work. If I could get it working for not much money, I'd try to do it. Hell, I might even use it. In any case, it's an interesting piece of equipment. I might just keep it as a garage decoration :^D

 

[Muse]

I just added a 5th picture after the sun got low enough to not shine on it, it's a real good side view. It's the last show here:

http://imgur.com/a/nEBWc

 

[Muse]

Looks beloved patriot a homemade antique, take it to the scrap yard and get what you can. It is not worth messing with.

I don't know how I'd get it to the scrap yard. It's hell of heavy! Way too big for my sedan! Don't even know how someone would get it on a pickup without a forklift!

 

[NoTine42]

I don't know how I'd get it to the scrap yard. It's hell of heavy! Way too big for my sedan! Don't even know how someone would get it on a pickup without a forklift!

I'd imagine any decent scrap guy would love to take it for free. (But finding a scrap guy that isn't too sketchy can be difficult)

It would kinda be too bad to have it scrapped. I'm sure most of it was from the days when stuff could be rebuilt instead of just component replacement.

But for the average guy, you could buy a new $300-$500 compressor and mostly match its ability, and new would be more user friendly.

 

[PottedMeat]

It would kinda be too bad to have it scrapped. I'm sure most of it was from the days when stuff could be rebuilt instead of just component replacement.

But for the average guy, you could buy a new $300-$500 compressor and mostly match its ability, and new would be more user friendly.

old school stuff is nice, but $120 at harbor freight would probably beat that old one

i wonder what that smaller cylinder next to the tank is - dessicant maybe?

 

[Darwin333]

Oh dang, I wouldn't trust that rust bucket enough to turn it on. Give it to the roofers, they will take it.

 

[Darwin333]

I don't know how I'd get it to the scrap yard. It's hell of heavy! Way too big for my sedan! Don't even know how someone would get it on a pickup without a forklift!

Put it on Craigslist, even if you just get a few bucks at least they haul it off for you.

 

[Howard]

That thing is a piece of junk. Ooohhhh man do not get suckered into trying to restore or salvage it.

 

[Muse]

Oh dang, I wouldn't trust that rust bucket enough to turn it on. Give it to the roofers, they will take it.

I just talked to the roofer, he had an opening for today... I called too late, was gone last night when he left the message. We'll schedule soon when they have another opening. I mentioned the "big, old compressor." He said they use smaller portable ones, they wouldn't have a use for it. I asked about them doing something with it for me and he said he'd look at it, maybe they'd "dump it" for a fee.

I'm wondering if I can get someone to take it for free.

Is it worth money in "scrap?"

 

[deadlyapp]

Put it on craigslist for free and it will be gone in a day.

Nail guns require high pressure but low flow, so having a small tank and decent motor is enough for nearly continuous duty - a big tank is only useful for high flow applications (think paint sprayers).

I would never try to use or turn that thing on. About the only thing it's useful for is looking cool if you want some sort of interesting outdoor decor.

 

[Mandres]

Wow! Flat belt and all. I wonder how old it is? Maybe 1940s? I wouldn't try to use it without a pressure test on the tank. The motor and pump might be worth something if they still work

 

[sm625]

I have a compressor that is about 4 gallons in size. It is 20 years old. But I wouldnt call it "old". Looks perfectly new. And it isnt heavy at all. I carry it around all the time, dont even bother using the wheels. I just make sure it is empty before moving it.

Edit: imgur finally loaded. WOW that thing looks positively ancient. lol. What makes you think it is 20 years old?

 

[Muse]

WOW that thing looks positively ancient. lol. What makes you think it is 20 years old?

I think I said "at least" 20 years old. I said that because that's around when the owner of the house died, i.e. when ownership passed to his niece. It's conceivable that he put it in the garage 20 years ago, but chances are he stashed it in there many years before. It could indeed be WW II vintage! I don't know when he bought the house, I forget, but the house itself was built in 1910!

 

[deadlyapp]

If I was going to put an age on it I'd say 1920's - 1940's. There should be a nameplate on the motor although it may have washed out by now. ASME code has been in place since then (I think) in which case the pressure vessel should have some sort of nameplate as well.

We had some flat belt pulley air compressors at a hydroelectric plant I worked at for a while and they were from the 1940s.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Alright, my interest has been piqued. From what I can find, it would appear to be from the 1920's. This ad for Quincy Compressor's V-Belt is from Jan 1930, and your compressor does not have a V-belt. It looks a lot like the Model B with it's upright tank, but I can't find any examples online to compare with, so I'm guessing it's an earlier model before the introduction of the V-belt. One thing I can't figure out is what that second tank is for (filter or lubricator?).

Here's a couple of compressors with similar belts on YouTube:

1920's

Description of this one is 1930's, but I don't think the owner knows for sure:

I don't know that you'd get any money for it, but if it were restored it would probably run another hundred years. That flat belt could be problematic, though.

 

[rchunter]

It's really old, tank looks small. I'd probably take it to the dump, or put up a sign somewhere "for free" so somebody would come haul it off. Scrap prices suck around here at a penny a pound so not even really worth hauling it down to the scrap yard.

 

[Mandres]

I would definitely scrap the tank, and whatever that smaller secondary tank is, and at least try to test the motor and pump to see if they work. A cast iron pump that size is sweet - they don't make them like that anymore unless you're spending thousand$.
Can you see if there's a plate on the motor with any info? Does it have a cord attached?

 

[Muse]

I would definitely scrap the tank, and whatever that smaller secondary tank is, and at least try to test the motor and pump to see if they work. A cast iron pump that size is sweet - they don't make them like that anymore unless you're spending thousand$.
Can you see if there's a plate on the motor with any info? Does it have a cord attached?

Yes, there's a plate on top of the motor and I've added a photo of it here of the more-or-less cleaned plate. The attached cord is intact but totally dry/brittle/dessicated. I wouldn't dream of plugging it into a power source. Of course, the plug is not polarized and is two conductor wire.

The secondary tank, well, I think it's got to do with the pressure switch that sits on top of the manually thrown switch which completes the circuit through the two fuses. I guess the pressure switch will shut off the motor if the pressure gets too high, is my guess.

I haven't spotted any other plates, just 2 -- the plate I describe in an earlier post in this thread on top of what is evidently a pressure switch, and the plate on the motor.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yep put it on the front lawn with a sign that says "free". It will be gone in 15 minutes. I've done this for large items I did not want to be bothered with trying to get rid of, but that I also did not really want to go to waste.

Or in my city you just need to leave the garage door unlocked and it should be gone within a few days and so will everything else.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

As for what to do with an old compressor if you have no use for it I'm sure it's something someone would buy. I have a small 1.5gal one I use to clean out computers. I find it's too small even for that though, as you have to always wait for it to refill. If ever I decide to install an inground lawn sprinkler system I'd probably incorporate that one as part of the system. If temp drops below 5 degrees it would start up and open/close the required valves so that it supplies air to all the sprinkler heads to flush out the system.

Those are a PITA to use for cleaning 'puters (got tired of waiting for the recharge)
This is MUCH better

 

[bigboxes]

I don't care what anybody here says. That thing is hella cool. Got to be ~100 years old. If you can't restore it you should consider selling it.

 

[Mandres]

Yes, there's a plate on top of the motor and I've added a photo of it here of the more-or-less cleaned plate. The attached cord is intact but totally dry/brittle/dessicated. I wouldn't dream of plugging it into a power source. Of course, the plug is not polarized and is two conductor wire.

The secondary tank, well, I think it's got to do with the pressure switch that sits on top of the manually thrown switch which completes the circuit through the two fuses. I guess the pressure switch will shut off the motor if the pressure gets too high, is my guess.

I haven't spotted any other plates, just 2 -- the plate I describe in an earlier post in this thread on top of what is evidently a pressure switch, and the plate on the motor.

On many Century motors the manufacture year is the last two digits of the serial#, but this one might be too early. This patent from 1914 looks related, and might also point to a 1920's-1940's d.o.m. http://www.datamp.org/patents/displayPatent.php?id=37579 Good news is it's single-phase, 60hz. I would unhook the motor from the pressure switch and belt, throw a new cord on it, plug it in, and see what happens. Motors are always handy, even if only 1/4hp, and someone restoring a period machine might pay good money for it if it works. The pump is the real prize if it turns freely and the valves work.