The Mysterious Frankenstien Compressor
Hey all, I guess I’ve been holding out on you guys for awhile. I got a “new” tool. I recently became owner of a cobbled mess of cast iron and steel tied together with some rubber air hose. The posting in the Detroit CL said “DeVilbiss air compressor, 40 gallon, 5hp, 1ph”. It was such a sad looking pile of parts that I felt obligated to buy it.
Here’s what I really got:
Century 5hp, 1ph, 230V, 20A beast of a motor (weighs about 130lbs) spins good, clean armature, working.
DeVilbiss 40 gallon air tank, date of manufacture:1957, good condition, no leaks.
Mystery “DeVilbiss-like” two-stage pump, with what appears to be a ‘centrifugal pressure release assembly’ but could also be a ‘positive pressure lubrication system’ I have had differing opinions from two separate experts. Besides that, what makes this pump unique is the valve caps in the heads. Similar to say a 445 DeVilbiss, the valve caps are large nuts that have central valve lashing bolts capped with acorn nuts.
BTW, there are no plates, stamps, or maker’s marks on it inside or out. One expert thinks it could be a prototype or just a one off build. I have done alot of searching but with no results and await reply from a DeVair (the maker of old DeVilbiss compressors) techie who already told me he didn’t think it a DeVilbiss based just on the mounting hole spread. So, I sent him pictures so he could get a better idea of what we are dealing with. Now I wait.
In the meantime, I thought I’d post here and see what kind of air compressor “experts” come out of the woodwork. Gotta be someone here who used to build or re-build pumps for a living. Maybe an AC collector or simply a pumpophyle. Tell me what you think I have and win a bone….maybe I’ll send you the 30lbs of unused bolts, pipe, and hose that comprised the previous cobble-job.
Anyway, I have been working to put it all together (I though I was putting it BACK together but soon found out that I needed all new mounting holes). Still need to reattach the motor and tank plates and will paint the old-school DeVilbiss logo on the tank but will soon going to fire it up again. In fact, I’m going to pick up the new belts today.
I am attaching photos of the pump in original condion, and restored condition. Let me know what you think or if you need better photos.
Gk
Replies
That's great! You need to find the online community of guys that restore old air compressors.
There's got to be one.
Forrest
I also asked over at the OWWM forum. Let's see who has the better experts!gk
OWWM?
Old Wasted White Men?
Forrest
http://www.OWWM.orgOld Wood Working Machinerylots of fun to see the old iron heaps that guys bring back from the brink.check it out!gk
ROAR
"Coming to recognize you are wrong is like coming to recognize you are sick. You feel bad long before you admit you have any of the symptoms and certianly long efore you are willing to take your medicine." -Charlton Heston.
nice renovation job -
any chance the compressor could be an old ammonia refridgeration unit, or something like that? -
Wow !!
Politics: the blind insulting the blind.
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Didn't you have a thread about rebuilding an old compressor?
It wasn't anything like this beauty !
Politics: the blind insulting the blind.
Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern
The one I rebuilt before, takes a long time to fill a 30 gallon tank.
Like, over an hour.
This will be my next rebuild.
Who knows when. ;o)
It's entirely frozen. Doesn't turn at all. It was on it's side, half buried in the dirt, when I found it.
Going to have to completely dismantle it just to find out if it is worth rebuilding.
The CFM is 6.3 at max rpm.
It's an old Quincy head. Model 210.
View Image
I am hoping to find a manual for it. Parts diagram is even better.
Also going to have to find a 2hp motor.
Here is one that is very close to it. A model 240, I believe.
View Image
Politics: the blind insulting the blind.
Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern
would like to know what steps u took to get the paint to stick to that rusted tank? also what type of paint?
"would like to know what steps u took to get the paint to stick to that rusted tank? also what type of paint?"Mike,The tank's original color was dark/rusty brown so it really wasn't that bad. But my painting method is as follows:
First clean every thing using air, then Crud Cutter, then denatured alcohol then wire wheel all flakey rust spots. Then sand the spot a bit (120 grit) to feather out the old paint. Then more air/crudcutter/alcohol. Then rust blocking spot primer on the old rust spots. Then 2 coats standard grey primer on the whole tank, heaver werever I see rust pits or imperfections. Sand with 220 grit dry. Clean with alcohol. 3 coats orange paint using 0000 buffing pads between coats. Wet sand 400 grit. 4 coats laquer, 0000 buffing pads between coats. Wet sand 600 grit. Final wipe down with wd-40.I am for sure no painter, all the painting is done using cans of spray paint (having an air compressor will change that). My painting method is a mixture of reading the cans, reading posts online, and just guessing/making it up. It seems to give good results.
Dang! Whatever brand it is.... you did a phenomenal job bringing it back to life! Oh man that looks nice! Great work. I wish I had your patience (and knowledge for that matter!)View Image
Does it work?
Haa haa, just kidding. That's a really nice job you done to it. Have no idea what kind of compressor it is, but I have the feeling you're mostly just showing off. And... I don't blame ya. :D
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Cheap Tools at MyToolbox.net
See some of my work at TedsCarpentry.com
"Does it work?"not without the V-belts - I agree, sure is purty - "there's enough for everyone"
Ted,"Does it work?"truthfully, the only time I saw it work was just before I bought it and the guy plugged it into a 110 outlet (the old cord was a standard straight blade two prong 110v plug end) so it pumped for about 5 seconds before it blew the circuit. It actually made alot of air in 5 seconds though. I've dismantled, cleaned up, and reassembled both the pump and the motor. The motor is like brand new; brushed armature, new bearings, new sheave, 1 new capacitor, new paint inside and out. The pump just got cleaned up inside and out because I can't get parts without knowing the make/model. It could use a new brass bushing but the local pump rebuilder told me I would most likely have to have one custom machined. He said he wouldn't worry about it and to "run it till it pukes". So that's what I'm gonna do. I took my time/made this look nice because 1.) it's my first stationary compressor 2.) i only want to deal with it once 3.) i want to rebuild some other equipment and thought the equipment providing the paint job should have a nice paint job 4.) my wife doesn't know i own it yet but i figured the news would go over better if it looked good and ran. that's the truth.gk
I saw a mobile truck tire guy using a gas powered pump very similar to yours the other day. His was made by Ingersoll-Rand. Just a guess.
Great resto job on whatever it is. It probably didn't look that good new. Sweet!
Great now when I take my 5 hp gas & 1 hp electric & combine them into one 5 hp 220v unit I gues I have to actually clean the stuff up------ gee thanks.
But, damn that's one fine lookin job you did there.
You sure dressed that thing up.
Who says you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear?
"Coming to recognize you are wrong is like coming to recognize you are sick. You feel bad long before you admit you have any of the symptoms and certianly long efore you are willing to take your medicine." -Charlton Heston.
WOW!!!!
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
That is awesome!
You're not the only air compressor restorer. http://home.gwi.net/~dclough/sullivan.html
Mark,I checked out the site....OMG, quite the harem he has. He seems to have much bigger budget and much,much more time than I do.I wonder how good they look up close...always gives me a chuckle to see the way that heavy equipment is painted; i.e. all in one shot. That guy's work looks pretty good; obviously better than most used equipment dealer jobs.I've met tractor collectors before. They are all weird dudes. But none that I know actually USE their old tractors! I use every tool and machine I own...nothing is sacred.gk
thanks for that link, Mark - I really enjoy old equipment - "there's enough for everyone"
looking like you all gave up guessing?update:
Well I got a belt and got it going. Man is it ever quiet. At least half as loud as my old Hitachi 2hp/4gal. but not quite as silent as my Senco 1hp baby compressor.Makes air quick, shuts off at 155psi back on at 135psi. about 30 seconds to recharge with very little heat or moisture. I am very happy with it...$150 well spent. Would still like to know what brand though.thanksgk
I think it is a "DREAMCATCHER" special!
Model number is DC2008TFB (Bill)
Ingersoll-Rand
2nd guess, same as the first.
Mr. J,Sorry I didn't post back to you on that, I looked at a load of IRs and while they are quite similar none were an exact match. They do have a bell and tube off the dead end of the shaft...probably a CPR system also. The heads of IRs are quite different though, that's why I painted them orange. Still, so far the only manufacturer that I have seen use that same looking valve screw system is DeVilbiss. I guess it is also possible that it's just some Harborfreight knock off or otherwise knockoff from a different era.Thanks for the helpgk
Finding good photos of older compressors on the WWW is not easy. And getting a good view of the head on what you do find is even harder. I’ll be paying even more attention to the ones I happen to come across in the field since I have seen yours.<!----><!----><!---->
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I have a collection of older Porter Cable saws. I buy them and recon them, polish them up, display them in my shop storeroom on a shelf. For a while it seemed I had the fever. <!----><!---->
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Did that one give you the fever? (Old Compressor Collector’s Fever) I understand if it did.<!----><!---->
Edited 6/20/2008 11:26 am ET by MrJalapeno
Is it possible that at some point in it's former life, someone didn't want anyone to know the serial/model/etc... and 'erased' them, with a grinder ???
Politics: the blind insulting the blind.
Click here for access to the Woodshed Tavern
Also possible that it was a refrigeration compressor in it's past life.
Different set of manufacturers. My dad converted several used refrigeration compressors into air compressors that I remember.
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.