FYI Air tank for your Star air cylinder setup

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Since I recently got a Star luber sizer and it came with an air cylinder, I was in need of an air source. Knowing an air tank would be perfectly suitable, I checked the Harbor Freight website and lo and behold, their 5 gallon tank and a nice coil air hose is on sale right now.

The 5 gallon tank is on sale for $24.99 and the coiled orange air hose is on sale for $4.00. All one needs to add is quick release air fittings. A HF package containing one of the quick release fitting and a couple of male/female nipples is $3.59. Two packages and some teflon tape is all you need to complete the setup for quick release to your Star air cylinder. Total cost of everything, including the two packages of quick release fittings and 7% sales tax was $38.70. Harbor Freight sells the teflon tape for less than buck a roll, but I had some at home.

I'm not sure you can supply air to the Star any less expensive than that.

Here's a pic of the tank I bought with the quick release fittings added. The hose has two female quick release fittings and the tank and the Star air cylinder both have male quick release fittings. Makes it easy to disconnect, run out to the garage to my 60 gallon compressor and fill up the tank, then bring it back for use. Can double with a blower attachment as a can of air (a nice big can):

[Rockchucker]

Dave, I'm also using an air tank that I already had, mine's a 10 gallon and takes up way to much room under my bench. I'm looking around here locally for a 5 gallon like yours with no luck, I may check Harbor Freight and order one also. /Ron

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Ron,

Like you, I had a ten gallon outside in the garage I use as a water trap for my sandblasting cabinet. I could have used it in this application, but I wanted a smaller tank. I just wish they had an even smaller tank, like a 2 gallon or so. But this one was cheap and will do the job nicely without taking up too much room.

I'm lucky they're nearby where I live.

[Frozone]

Aren't those small hand held propane cylinders refillable? One refilled with ~100psi of air would be all you need to run your star for days.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Dunno, this thing was cheap and available with all the other pneumatic parts needed at the same store.

[Rockchucker]

Dave, I found a 5 gallon air tank today at a local Advance Auto Parts store. With the added fittings for quick release so I can now get air from my 60 gallon compressor out back and hook it up to the star spiral air hose inside the house. I think the 5 gallon is a perfit size for my application, not to small nor big, shouldn't need refilling for awhile also.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I found a cheap 10 gallon tank and I bought it. It leaked. I glopped some thread sealant on the fittings and it still leaks........drat.

Harbour Freight here I come....

[scb]

I was thinking about trying to adapt one of these.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modper...D=GSHOP_415005
With the small volume required I'd think these would last quite a while.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I was thinking about trying to adapt one of these.
http://www.gandermountain.com/modper...D=GSHOP_415005
With the small volume required I'd think these would last quite a while.

It should, but you're at five bucks more than the HF tank and you're still going to need the adapters and gauge to adapt the tank fittings. I'm guessing you'll be around $10 to $20 or so more than the HF setup I posted above, depending on what's required.

The plus side is your tank will be smaller and take up more room. For me, the 5 gallon tank is small enough for my area, so at that point I'm looking at cost.

[VHoward]

I've heard of people using small scuba tanks for the air supply.

[Silver-Silver]

I've heard of people using small scuba tanks for the air supply.

I have heard of this also, but it seems more expensive than the 5 gallon tank that people in this thread are using.

Old Steel 72 CF Scuba tank.
Old Scuba 1st stage will reduce pressure from 2500 to 140 PSI
Hoses and adapters to connect to regulator to further reduce to 60 psi for cylinder.

Seems more expensive, and it was mentioned by someone else, just about when you need a refil, you will need to pay for a new hydro check, (about $50) around here. That is assuming you don't use the tank for its intended purpose.

Just to throw out more options, I use a 20 lb CO2 tank from a kegerator system. Not as simple as the 5 gallon air tank, but it is what I had around. This is about 140 Cubic feet of gas. That is a lot of star sizing. But I also use it to clean off spilled powder on the progressive press.
-Wildcat

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Not sure how much air the 5 gallon tank will hold, but with the quick release fittings I put on the hose, I should be able to run the Star and provide air for blowing off the presses and bench. So a nice double duty situation I'm thinking.

[MSGO-Hammer]

Check out the small one gallon compressor at the local auto supply or wall mart. Runs about 50 bucks, small, easily portable and one tank of air will run the star for a while.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Does it come with a hose and fittings? Adding those can run up some more cash.

[MSGO-Hammer]

It does come with a hose and some fittings, not sure which fittings. I didn't pay much attention since i can get what i need at work.