A Small Air Compressor for the Reloading Area

[seagiant]

Hi,
I've been thinking of getting some kind of air set up for the reloading area of my shop to keep my progressive reloaders happy! I thought of an air tank because of the noise of a compressor running. I have a 60 gal. vertical for bead blasting and painting and a small horizontal for mainly keeping car tires inflated.

I stopped by yesterday at my favorite Yankee used tool dealer and he had a 1950/60 small air compressor that was covered in grease and dirt but seemed to run good and had a 25' hose included. It was mounted on a little home made roll around and had a NOT original old motor on it only held on by two screws as the previous owner was to lazy to make a mounting plate!

I spent the afternoon tearing it down and just cleaning it. It was really bad but looks better now and I have a space to sit it at the end of my bench. It is an older pump and is really quite compared to my other ones. Just wondering if anyone else use air for keeping their reloaders clean while they reload?

[Tonto]

Yes, a dedicated small harbor freight compressor that cost about $30. Once I had it in the reloading room, I wondered why I had waited so long, critically important to keep things clean and especially useful for the spilled powder on a shell plate on the Piggyback. Keep another in the garage so I don't have to carry them back and forth.

[joesig]

Check the tank for rust inside. That is the last kind of kaboom you want!

Compressed air does sound like just the ticket for cleaning a progressive.

[mikeym1a]

A friend of mine has a gun supply business, components, accessories, custom ammo workup, etc. He rigged a pneumatic system to his reloader. He still has a manual press, as well, though.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Greg: yes I use air frequently. I personally don't see how anyone can live without it.

Like when I push the charge bar when there is no hull under that station and dump powder everywhere.

Air fixes the problem in seconds. It also cleans out Dillon Primer mechanisms, shell plates, and any other place where dirt and grit accumulate.

HOT TIP: On your little compressor. Use Amsoil 20-50 "Racing Oil" in it. This all I use in my compressors for the last 25 years. What it does is coats the inside of the tank and prevents rust from forming. Even if the tank already has some rust in it, and they all do, it will cover it up and you won't see rusty water coming out after a while when you drain the tank.

This will be more of a problem for you since you live in the most humid place on earth. Water in the tank is a fact of life. Rust in that tank can be controlled and removed with the Amsoil.

It also makes the machine run smoother because it is really good oil!

This is the only oil I have ever seen that works in this capacity. The water that comes out of my compressor looks like white soapy water with some reddish oil, (not rust red, but the color of the oil), in it.

Been doing this for 25 years, and it works great.

Incidentally the older cast iron pumps are much quieter than the new style aluminum pumps on most compressors today. That little guy will serve you well and if you need to rebuild the pump it will cost you all of $10.

I expect to see a nice paint job on it, and if you need that can of Hammertone sky blue I've got , it's yours!

Hammertone Gray would look nice as well.

Randy

[LynC2]

Compressed air works well, but be sure to use eye protection from all the flying debris!

[Any Cal.]

Neat old tool.

[seagiant]

Hi,
Thanks gentlemen! Yes,I think its a neat little piece of machinery! Once again made to last unlike what you get today. It came badged as a Montgomery Ward brand. Don't know who actually made it? No other name on it I can see? I have model # and everything on it but nothing about it on the NET! I'm trying to get it back to square one and make a plate for the motor to sit on!

Thanks for the oil trick Randy,as I have no info on the crompressor was just going to go with non- detergent 30 wt! I like your idea better! The tank appears to be in good shape and the oil that was in it was clean, so it appears although dirty outside was in pretty good shape!

[cheese1566]

I have a small compressor and tank dedicated under my reloading bench. It keeps the powder cleaned out of my progressives and feeds air to my Star sizer.

[bangerjim]

If you REALLY want quite and not tons of CFM, use an old freon pump out of a refrigerator or deep freeze. They are dead quite and will pump up quite nicely. All self contained. A buddy of mine uses one to pump up his m-cycle tires.

I sell something similar to one of those to go with the water quality lab equipment we provide. You don't want a "screeeemer" from Harbor Freight or others in a chem lab!!!!

I have a double lung 150# 100gal 30CFM central compressor for my air, but you sure do not want that around where you work.

bangerjim

[seagiant]

Hi BJ,
I was waiting for the reefer compressor trick to come around because they are quite! I like this little compressor the pump is quite and I went through all my old single PH motors to see if I had anything better to use than what came with it. Of course I wanted one that was dead quite and finally decided to stay with the one that came with it. I prepped and painted it,it has SKF bearings and is dead quite!

The motor had a wobbly zinc cast pully on it. That went in the trash and I found a cast iron one to use as it does make a difference! I used flat black header temp paint that seems to work pretty good for me!

[texassako]

Nice little compressor, is there any old tools you don't like?

[thebigmac]

I've been using a compressor for more years than I can remember. It's only a one gallon; 125 Lbs. but it really

does a great job at my workbench. With dust and spilled powder,etc..I found that if you prop up an old large, wet,

bath towel(or something) on the back side of your liter and blow towards it,you'll find out just how good it is...

The wet towel catches 99% of the liter, then go outside & shake it..... VERY GOOD SAFETY PRACTICE.


Good luck, and safe reloading. thebigmac

[seagiant]

Nice little compressor, is there any old tools you don't like?

Hi,
Well...do I want to buy a new over priced piece of junk or something that has already worked almost three decades and with a little TLC ready to do three more??? Also there is the "soul" factor!:smile:

[W.R.Buchanan]

Greg: so you don't want my can of paint? OK!

IF your compressor was marked M Wards it probably was a Dayton Brand from WW Grainger.

Randy

[seagiant]

Greg: so you don't want my can of paint? OK!

IF your compressor was marked M Wards it probably was a Dayton Brand from WW Grainger.

Randy

Hi Randy,
I've Googled everything to find this compressor! Hec,I've even got the model and ser. # and can't find anything!

I had a little adventure today looking for Amsol 20-50 Racing Oil! The only people to carry "Racing Oil" in my county was an independent Mom and Pop Auto Supply where these guys actually drag race locally! I got quite the education in oil today when I told them I wanted it for my little vintage AIR COMPRESSOR!:mrgreen:

They looked at me like I had three heads of course! I was cool and just looked at them like I knew something they didn't! However they were quite impressed with the oil being used in it regular role in racing and said it had saved more than one engine during oil pump failures! At $12 a quart it better be good I guess!

I have to go back to work Mon. so trying to get this project done as last minute "Honey-Do's" get in the way! Painting everything now!

Oh yea, no 20-50 only 15-50 I called it good enough! This IS Florida!

[skeettx]

Try Vintage DeVilbiss compessor or antique DeVilbiss compressor

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Devilbiss-air-compressor-1967-full-working-order-airbrush-/171100529689?pt=UK_Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item27d662e419#ht_178wt_1154

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-history/old-fridgidaire-compressor-226731/index2.html

see mtm's pictures :)

[W.R.Buchanan]

Greg: it usually takes a while to get the inside of the tank coated and this is accomplished by oil blowing by the rings in the compressor. Some obviously makes it's way into the air that is compressed and that oil mist does find it's way to the inner walls of the tank.

Also you will never have to change the oil in that compressor again, I have to add some to mine every year or so and mine runs a lot more in one month than yours ever will.

Also I doubt that little machine is even well broken in. small compressors, unless they are an integral part of a larger machine, seldom get used enough to wear out.

I have a small Thomas 2.2 cfm compressor on my Jeep. I ended up having the cylinder nickel plated because when the Jeep sat the inside of that cylinder would rust and as soon as I fired it up it would take out the plastic piston rings. It has sat for 6 years now and is about to get transferred to the new Jeep. I know it will run just fine. but all tolled in the 20 years I've had that compressor I doubt is has any more than maybe 2 hours of actual run time on it.

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi skeetx,
Thanks for the links not my compressor but interesting!

Hi Randy,
The dino oil in my little compressor was like new? Maybe it was just changed out but I drained it and will put in the Amsol. I painted it the Hammertone light blue and it looks pretty good! I spent almost a day scrubing the old dirt and grease off of it so I could sand it. I've got to put on the plate for the motor and get a new v-belt, wire it back up with better wire and hopefully it will run! I thought the motor came out pretty good with the new paint job. You can't even hear it while it's running! It came with a new looking 25' hose so I should be set! Pics when I finish!

[44Vaquero]

Seagiant,

yet another lesson in the fine art of recycling! I loved this comment " I like this little compressor the pump is quite and I went through all my old single PH motors to see if I had anything better to use than what came with it." I have taught my son to never ever pass up a discarded electric motor.

Had a good laugh at his expense when our garage compressor quit and he wanted to buy a new one because mine is "OLD" turns out inline fuses are cheap. Maybe I should have waited to fix the fuse until after he purchased a new compressor at his expense!

At any rate it's a great build/rebuild project.

[seagiant]

Seagiant,

yet another lesson in the fine art of recycling! I loved this comment " I like this little compressor the pump is quite and I went through all my old single PH motors to see if I had anything better to use than what came with it." I have taught my son to never ever pass up a discarded electric motor.

Had a good laugh at his expense when our garage compressor quit and he wanted to buy a new one because mine is "OLD" turns out inline fuses are cheap. Maybe I should have waited to fix the fuse until after he purchased a new compressor at his expense!

At any rate it's a great build/rebuild project.

Hi 44,
I was on a ship one time working as an engineer and we had a Oiler that was Philipino and this guy was a magician with a brazing torch! I noticed how good he was and was just learning at the time so got him to teach me how he did things. I asked him how he got so good and he said in his village no one had any money so when something broke,instead of buying a new part they HAD to fix it!!! Good lesson!

[seagiant]

Hi,
Well,I'm done and this little compressor purr's like a kitten. I painted everything, flushed out the old oil, put in the Buchanan Racing Oil,made a tensioned mount plate for the motor,new v belt, and new power wires! The power switch is on the motor. The pump fills the tank up really fast and from what I can see has mucho compression for its size!!! The motor looks big but is only a 1/3 HP motor! Here's some pics!

[skeettx]

Looks Great!
Thanks for sharing
Mike

[jmorris]

A friend gave me a few small compressors that came from a dentist office. They are super quiet, have dryers, cooling fans, auto tank drains, pressure regulators and gauges all built in an insulated enclosure. It sits in the bottom corner of my reloading bench.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o213/jmorrismetal/reloading/IMAG1210.jpg

[W.R.Buchanan]

OK you nailed that one! looks very nice! I would suggest getting into the McMaster-Carr catalog and find some nice rubber machine feet.

Also a radiator drain cock for the tank so you can drain it more conveniently. You can pipe the drain up on a air tank because as long as the water is above the drain in the tank the air pressure in the tank will blow it out.

Another addition is a water separator on the out flow. There is always moisture entrained in the air. Some of it condenses on the inside of the tank walls, and some of it gets blow out with the air usage. A water separator is a good thing to have on the discharge.

Randy

[seagiant]

OK you nailed that one! looks very nice! I would suggest getting into the McMaster-Carr catalog and find some nice rubber machine feet.

Also a radiator drain cock for the tank so you can drain it more conveniently. You can pipe the drain up on a air tank because as long as the water is above the drain in the tank the air pressure in the tank will blow it out.

Another addition is a water separator on the out flow. There is always moisture entrained in the air. Some of it condenses on the inside of the tank walls, and some of it gets blow out with the air usage. A water separator is a good thing to have on the discharge.

Randy

Hi,
Thanks Randy,good ideas,all! I think I'm going to weld a stand to put it about two feet high, and then bolt the stand to the deck. A water separator and a petcock for the drain will happen also! At this time just details as I wanted to get it put together and running before I went back to work.

I think for $50 the compressor was well worth it as it came with a brand new 25' hose and new airgun. Hose attachment quick connect and the air pressure gauge was all new also. If you look at the motor mounting plate that is a cast iron SAECO lead pot base from a basket case that I had laying around for years waiting for a place to go and it was just right!

[TXGunNut]

I've got a 30 yr old Monkey Wards compressor, looks like it will outlast me but I don't like moving it around so many chores get done with a pancake (disposeable) compressor. Thanks for the synthetic oil tip, Randy, it needs an oil change. I'm building a shop and am planning on hooking this old warhose up to PVC pipe over the work areas and to an outside wall of the shop for airing up tires with a hose. I don't want hoses on the floor of my shop and an overhead plastic hose coil would be handy for many uses.

[Petrol & Powder]

Hi,
Well,I'm done and this little compressor purr's like a kitten. I painted everything, flushed out the old oil, put in the Buchanan Racing Oil,made a tensioned mount plate for the motor,new v belt, and new power wires! The power switch is on the motor. The pump fills the tank up really fast and from what I can see has mucho compression for its size!!! The motor looks big but is only a 1/3 HP motor! Here's some pics!

Bravo !

[W.R.Buchanan]

TX; the hot tip on air lines now is 1/2" plastic air line with compression fittings on the ends. IF you look at Summit Racings catalog, or Eastwoods, they list kits to do it.

It is cheaper than PVC.

My first shop had 1/2" Copper pipe, but nobody can afford that now.

Randy