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1946 air compressor rebuild

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Andrew Wildman:
Unfortunately my Grandad passed away a few months ago. I guess I am a bit a chip of the old block as I shared his interest in making things.  He left a number of tools including an air compressor which was handed down to me.  I cleaned it up and read the data plate which stated date of manufacture Oct 1946!

I checked that it worked (as he had not run it for a while) and then stripped it down, cleaned the paint from vulnerable areas of the tank and pressure tested the tank.  I did this by filling it with water and pumping it up to pressure with a grease gun.  The max working pressure is 150psi so I pumped it up to 230 psi (~1.5 X) as is typical to pressure equipment directive for this sort of thing.  Original test pressure was 300psi but I did not dare go this high.

The legs in the picture are of my son running away when I told him he was too close!



After a bit of paint.  notice the Aldi special in the background that it will be replacing  :D

Manxmodder:
Is that a vintage Atlas Copco by any chance? I had an old Atlas for about 10 years. It looked very similar to yours but it had to go when I last moved workshop as it was 3 phase.....OZ.

Biggles:
I wouldn’t dare test something like that Andrew. I understand they make a loud noise when they pop!  :bugeye:

John Rudd:

--- Quote from: Biggles on December 21, 2016, 02:17:44 PM ---I wouldn’t dare test something like that Andrew. I understand they make a loud noise when they pop!  :bugeye:

--- End quote ---

Which is why you do a hydrostatic test.....

Andrew Wildman:
It's badged Dunlop but the pump is by Levis (nothing to do with jeans) and the tank by CEG.

When I realised how old it was I was not letting it get up to pressure until I had hydro tested it. Worst case if it fails hydro, you get wet. Worst case if it fails with air, you get disemboweled.

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