O/T - Air compressor mounting

[AV8 Dave]

Finally thinking about setting up the new 60 gal. vertical tank style air compressor I bought last year and was wondering how you guys with similar setups did yours as far as nailing them to the floor: rubber pads on the feet and bolted to threaded inserts in the floor or ??? Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Regards, Dave.

[slammed]

Hilti bolted w/ rubber under the pedestal's, sound's like you've got the plan well in hand. If you haven't one: a threaded pipe w/ the petcock out from under the tank for easy draining.

[Chopped50Ford]

Mine is on a rubber mat not bolted to the floor. I ran my airlines in the garage. an old painter told me to run the PVC piping as high as you can go in the garage then gradually slope down to each termination point. At each termination point, extend it to the floor w/ a small shutoff valve for water drainage. With the sharp turn the air does in the pipe, it drops the water droplets like a Dauntless dive bomber dropping a load off on top of a Jap Carrier. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[AV8 Dave]

Hey, good idea getting the drain petcock out in the open slammed! Will do that one for sure - Thanks! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Regards, Dave.

[AV8 Dave]

Chopped50: A mat eh? Sounds cool! I have a good article on setting up an air system but it doesn't have the drains going to the floor. Makes good sense and I'll be sure to do it. Gotta get those "water bombs" on target! - Many thanks! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Regards, Dave.

[C9]

Is anyone running these compressors outside the garage?

I have a one and a half car wide carport the length of the garage in back of the garage.
Strikes me that setting the compressor out there would be a good idea.

Was wondering about the dust bit, it would be protected from rain and sunlight.

[Killer]

Jay.

My compressor has been outside the garage for a few years now. No cover, nuttin. Been fine. I turn the power off to it when it rains... throw a tarp over it when it pours... that's not too often round here.

Gonna put it in a hot water heater shed after the addition is done.

[Levis Classic]

I didnt think it rained in SoCal.

[Byron Crump]

I left mine on the wood crate bolted to the floor mounts it came in and set it on a rubber mat and it has never moved or anything. Very stable.

[Digger_Dave]

This just came up at the right time!

I'm in the process of piping in my new 60 gal. vertical and air dryer. The old one (smaller horizontal) was inside the shop, but there isn't any place to put the new one. So the new one now resides upstairs above the shop.

To start, I mounted each of the mounting feet (3) on Hockey Pucks! attached to a piece of plywood. I had scoured all the surplus hardware outlets for the old type vibration isolators, (they used them for mounting military electronics) but couldn't find any.

The hockey pucks help, but I still know when the compressor starts up. It vibrates the light fixtures.

So for those who used "rubber matting" what kind did you use? I could "jack up" the plywood (leaving the pucks alone) and put the matting underneath the plywood.

Because the compressor is "upstairs" now, and I'm kind of a lazy SOB; I hooked a 1/4 inch airline to the tank drain which runs downstairs to a ball valve so I can drain the tank from the shop.

[Byron Crump]

My dad at his lot had some kind of big rubber bed mat from a pick that got wrecked that I used.

[Brad54]

I was going to do hockey pucks, too. Drill through the buck and bolt it to the floor with big Lag bolts.

Now that I've thought about it again, how about the rubber biscuits from a '55-'57 Chevy front engine mount? Any thoughts on that from anyone?

You are running a flexible line from the compressor to the hard lines, right? If not, it'll crack.

I've also heard it's a good idea to put a ball valve just ahead of all your quick disconnects, so that when one breaks or wears out, you can kill the air to just that one. More expensive to outfit all the extra valves, but a good idea.

-Brad

[Digger_Dave]

[ QUOTE ]
You are running a flexible line from the compressor to the hard lines, right? If not, it'll crack.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually went a little "over kill" with flexible lines from the compressor to the piping. One of shops here will crimp the fittings (pipe) on single braid hose for free when you buy the hose and fittings from them. My flex lines are rated at 1500 lbs.

[ QUOTE ]
I've also heard it's a good idea to put a ball valve just ahead of all your quick disconnects, so that when one breaks or wears out, you can kill the air to just that one. More expensive to outfit all the extra valves, but a good idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

My shop is small enough that I have a "Master cutoff valve" near the work bench.

[Tman]

Go to a farm and Rach store and buy a COW MAT. They come in 3x6 or 4x8 foot sizes and are tough thick rubber. They also make good floormats.

[Brad54]

Somebody once told me that compressors need to be mounted on something between the feet and the concrete because if it's just bolted to the concrete, it will break off the mounting ear on the compressor's base. I've seen several second-hand compressors with busted mounting feet, so that makes sense to me.
With a rubber mat/isolater under the compressor, but it still bolted to the floor, it seems to me like the bolt head/washer on top of the mount should have an isolater there, too.
Just random thoughts late at night, so take it for what it's worth.
-Brad

[JOECOOL]

Years ago I ran PVC lines and hated them . After useing something that comsumes a lot of air I would have the line break shortly thereafter. Finally determined (by chance ) that the lines got unbeleiveably hot where it turned corners, from the air movement I assume. After they heated up a couple of times they became real brittle and cracked . It was always at a corner.
One thing I did in my garage was as I put in the electrical outlets I installed electrical SO cord ( like extension cords) right into the electrical out let box. The extension cord can not be disconnected so it doesn't walk away when you need it.

[burger]

I don't know crap about mounting air compressors, but maybe you could use these vibration isolator mounts from McMaster-Carr (http://www.mcmaster.com/asp/DisplCtlgPage.asp?ReqTyp=CATALOG&CtlgPgNbr=1218&Ct lgEdition=&sesnextrep=313931973296956&ScreenWidth= 1600&McMMainWidth=823)? We use them to mount small 100HP diesel engine & pump units to trailer skids without breaking anything.


Ed

[Morrisman]

You're correct there Brad. They must be allowed to move else the vibration will turn on itself and wear shit out. Easiest way to mount a big shakin' compressor is to use a couple of skinny old motorcycle tyres, laid down flat with a sheet of heavy plywood bolted to the top, then bolt your compressor to that. Neatly done it will remove all vibration from being transferred to the shop floor.

Or you could look on the 'net for any one of a hundred industrial rubber mountings.

I work on industrial sized high pressure air compressors, 2000psi at 1600cfm, the first stage piston is 20 inches across, powered by a 1000hp electric motor. Believe me, these babies vibrate http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

If you want to run a dryer then try to fit it in the system as far away from the compressor as you can, or even connect it with a long copper coil of pipe, so the air has cooled down. This makes the condensate 'drop out' of the air better.

[Digger_Dave]

[ QUOTE ]
If you want to run a dryer then try to fit it in the system as far away from the compressor as you can, or even connect it with a long copper coil of pipe, so the air has cooled down. This makes the condensate 'drop out' of the air better.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm following your advise to the letter!
The air line to the dryer is a combination of flex and copper, all 60 feet of it. The compressor is in an unheated space (upstairs) and the lines run down into and across the shop to the dryer.

I just invested in the dryer after having a couple of my air tools sieze up from moisture. (yes, I was using an automatic oiler)

[Digger_Dave]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't know crap about mounting air compressors, but maybe you could use these vibration isolator mounts from McMaster-Carr (http://www.mcmaster.com/asp/DisplCtlgPage.asp?ReqTyp=CATALOG&CtlgPgNbr=1218&Ct lgEdition=&sesnextrep=313931973296956&ScreenWidth= 1600&McMMainWidth=823)? We use them to mount small 100HP diesel engine & pump units to trailer skids without breaking anything.


Ed


[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks Ed, have a McMaster-Carr outlet near by.

[OldsRanch]

I used some pieces of rubber cut out of the sidewall of an old tire. Works like a champ. Cost was $0.00 assuming my time is worth nothing...

When I got my first 6hp/60 gal, they said to run it 30 min no load to break it in. I didnt have feet under it. I turned it on and came back 5 min later to find it dancing around the garage in a semicircle at the extent of the power cord.

[Mutt]

Pads I got from Ingersol Rand.

Mutt

[atch]

my 60 gallon unit is still bolted to the original shipping pallet. been that way for years. works so far. i guess there's enough "give" in the wood structure to keep anything from stress cracking. it also seems to absorb the vibration. the pallet isn't bolted to the (concrete) floor but it's still sitting exactly where i put it years ago.

[AV8 Dave]

Thanks for all the great input guys! We're all learnin' from those who have been there - what this place is all about! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif Regards, Dave.