homemade air compressor (work in progress, nearly finished)

[taterjim]

the air condition or fridge compressors do work quite well. I have used them back in my poooorer days.

[Mike32]

hmm a 1hp motor most likely wont be powerful enough to get 100psi. You need atleast like 2.5hp, I would suggest another lawn mower engines with the shafts connected to eachother. I hope to build one of these soon to replace my current sears craftsman 100psi portable compressor.

[boilingleadbath]

With a system like this, mike, the torque limmets the pressure you can pump to... or in this specific case, most likely the compression ratio on the engein.

The point being that while torque tends to correlate with power, they are not synomous. Furthermore, a gear system can boost the torque of even the weakest motor to the levels needed here.

[Mike32]

eh i can guarentee you another lawnmower engine of 2-3hp will work better then a 1hp little electric motor, i have a friend thats made one.
The very best motors are 2hp induction motors, they last long and are very efficient.

[longshot1068]

I would be inclined to think that an old 4 stroke 8hp briggs would make a much better compressor head than a 2 stroke. But if it works, more power to ya! just put a check valve in the ehaust port and run to a tank with a safety bleed valve and voila.

I say 8 horse Briggs 'cuz I have one on the porch waiting for something to do. HMMMMM. Never mind , I don't need to give my wife any MORE to b!tch about.

[spudshot]

i've pretty much scrapped this, i need the motor for my lathe, and my grandfather made one out of a 4 stroke with only a 1/2 HP pumping it that reaches 85psi (as far as he tested it i bet it will hit 100psi)

[pyrogeek]

How do you lubricate the engine? Eventually the rings will wear on the cylinder and you won't get good compression anymore if they don't stay lubed well. Also, I have taken 2 strokes apart before, and the connecting rods aren't that strong looking.

A 4 stroke wouldn't work too well, the cam shaft turns 1 time for every two of the crank, so there is an entire revolution just wasted.

The pumps from fridges don't put out a lot of air, and it's against the law to release the refridgerant from them into the atmosphere.

[SpudStuff]

You oil a 2 stroke by adding a few drops into the intake every 2 hours or run time or so.