I have a 33 gallon Sears oil less air compressor.
Something like this
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00916763000P
but a few years older. Not the greatest piece of equipment, but it works for what I need it to do right now.
Anyhow, I'm setting up a small basic workshop in the garage, and I'd like to modify it to better suit my needs.
Firstly, I'd like to fasten it down onto a base as it will vibrate itself in circles if I let it. I thought I'd put sand or sand bags in the base to weight it down and absorb vibration.
Secondly, I'd like to make it a bit quieter. I took off the plastic cover (I bought a Harbor Freight auto-drain to put on) and the only thing muffling the intake is a plastic horn with a little piece of foam screen. The plastic horn looks like its pressed in. Anyone get one of these off without busting it into pieces? I'd like to thread that port so I could attach standard iron pipe and build a muffler of some sort. Its been out of warranty for years, so worse case I could epoxy a fitting on there.
Lastly, the unit is a bit tall to get under a bench. Was wondering if it is practical to essentially separate the compressor part from the tank and mount them side-by-side - pretty much putting the motor and compressor where the handle is. The lines look a lot like brake line - can I use that to extend them or are there special fittings/line/flanging I need to use? Or, even better, can I use flexible line between the tank and the compressor - essentially making a remote tank - and then just worry about isolating the noise and vibration of the compressor itself?
It all seems straightforward, but I don't know what I don't know. I've figured out that I have to keep the tank horizontal, as there are no drains on the ends.
Something like this
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00916763000P
but a few years older. Not the greatest piece of equipment, but it works for what I need it to do right now.
Anyhow, I'm setting up a small basic workshop in the garage, and I'd like to modify it to better suit my needs.
Firstly, I'd like to fasten it down onto a base as it will vibrate itself in circles if I let it. I thought I'd put sand or sand bags in the base to weight it down and absorb vibration.
Secondly, I'd like to make it a bit quieter. I took off the plastic cover (I bought a Harbor Freight auto-drain to put on) and the only thing muffling the intake is a plastic horn with a little piece of foam screen. The plastic horn looks like its pressed in. Anyone get one of these off without busting it into pieces? I'd like to thread that port so I could attach standard iron pipe and build a muffler of some sort. Its been out of warranty for years, so worse case I could epoxy a fitting on there.
Lastly, the unit is a bit tall to get under a bench. Was wondering if it is practical to essentially separate the compressor part from the tank and mount them side-by-side - pretty much putting the motor and compressor where the handle is. The lines look a lot like brake line - can I use that to extend them or are there special fittings/line/flanging I need to use? Or, even better, can I use flexible line between the tank and the compressor - essentially making a remote tank - and then just worry about isolating the noise and vibration of the compressor itself?
It all seems straightforward, but I don't know what I don't know. I've figured out that I have to keep the tank horizontal, as there are no drains on the ends.