Compressor Advice Required

[Norris]

I recently acquired a vintage compressor. As far I can work out it probably dates to the mid-60s. It came with a few spray guns - all bottom tank ones. I'm looking to use it for some spraying in future, but also as a general purpose workshop compressor e.g. inflating tyres, etc.

As you can see it has a huge electric motor (the green bit), a large compressor and what seems to be a small air reservoir on top (it has a broken guage on the end of the tank). The air from the tank is fed directly into the handle

... and then there are air connectors on the handle...

... and what appear to be water drain taps at the bottom of the handle (both sides)

Now I'm pretty much a novice when it comes to compressors, especially an old one like this.

 

What am I likely to need to do some spraying?

I assume I will need a water trap, and a pressure regulator. This looks to be a regulator (Binks Burrows brand, but no model number as far as I can see) - although I can only see one air connector on it, on the right-hand side below the chrome adjuster knob thing..

Is it also a water trap? Where would I attach the other (input?) hose

Also the scanty information I could find online suggests this might be a "constant delivery" compressor i.e. the air needs to flow constantly. Do I need some additional bleeding equipment to do that?

I believe that the "9" in the model number could mean that it delivers 9 cfm (cubic feet per minute?) - is that enough for spraying?

 

Any advice would be most welcome

 

Link to "scanty information": http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/20th-april-1962/67/improved-compressor

[Prostheta]

Constant delivery means that it is not pressurising a reservoir tank, then kicking off the compressor when its done. At least in that respect, it means you don't have to worry about a rusty wet tank. Nonetheless, an oil filter and preferably a water trap are the minimum. There needs to be a light oil mist in the air to keep it running smoothly, and that needs to be scrubbed before it goes to paint. Same for water.

I'd try and get an engineer to have a look at the very least. It's safer than one with a tank (or a "bomb waiting to happen") but there might be something that needs attending to. Always better having a machine running well than one that coughs along and then farts more oil into your line than the filter is paid to work with.

That's the most I know anyway. Nothing more than basic common sense.

[Jdogg]

I used to work at a hydraulics / pneumatics shop.  we used to get units like that in for repair fairly regular under the "GAST" brand name.

What I think you've got is an old commercial setup for spraying ceiling stipple.

It's going to be a rotary vane compressor with no tank (or in this case a tiny tank?  or perhaps that's for the stipple juice to go in?).  that style of compressor is high flow / lower pressure so be aware it may not be able to power a gun that requires high pressure.

The compressors we sold, some were oiless and some were not, so you'll wanna check that...  I don't see an oil reservoir so that's a good sign...

Either way, a good filter / regulator combo would be ideal. 

 

[Prostheta]

I saw a guy on YouTube using an electrical extractor as a constant delivery air source. It was the first time I'd seen a gun that flows air through constantly. Makes sense though on some level since the motor would be damaged by back pressure if flow was not there. I hope this pans out!

[Norris]

Thanks for the replies. A friend of mine recently lost her grandad and this was one of the many tools in his shed. I'll try to find out where it may have come from and what he used to do for a living. Maybe that might shed some light on what the compressor was originally used for. As there were also three spray guns in his shed I assume they went together. There were no air hoses, so I assume it must have sat in his shed for some time waiting to be set up

There is definitely some oil in there, as the "Hydrovane" system used it as part of the compression process from what I have read.

I don't think that anything but air was in the small tank, as it all feeds through the handle tube and would be a nightmare to flush out after use

If I can't work it out I'll probably just get a new small compressor - they are not that expensive compared to a lot of machine tools. However I think it looks pretty cool and would love to use it if I can

Edited March 7, 2017 by Norris