Making An Air Compressor

[marpat]

i decided to make my own air compressor the other day to use to pressurize my pnuematic spud guns
i started with a world war two surplus westinghouse T-1 air brake pump that is made to bolt into a jeep but im going to bolt it into a 2 x 8
i also got a westinghouse electric motor style #410653, serial # 523345
now im stuck on the fittings and resivor
i got a a few quick connects and a regulator
my plan was to was female quick connects on the rsivor so i could disconnect it and move it while still holding pressure
as for the regulator i got a 1/4 husky mini regulator

if there are any suggestions as to how to do this better comments or ideas they all are welcome

[SEAKING9006]

Ummm...... How are you connecting the motor to the pump?

[marpat]

a 42 in kevlar lawn mower deck belt

[SEAKING9006]

That doesn't tell me anything. Is the pump an impeller pump?

[marpat]

it an air brake pump meant to continually pump air into the air brakes
both the pump and motor have pulleys on their shafts, the pump even has a clutch on its pulley

[SEAKING9006]

If that's the case you really don't need any further help. Just build a tank capable of taking the pressures the pump can go to and attach it, simple as that. Don't forget to add a regulator, and to put a gauge directly on the tank.

[potatoflinger]

Depending on how fast the pump is, you may not even need a tank (unless you are using a bbmg ).

Do you have any idea what pressure the pump can make?

[jr]

I would put a test on the pump before you go through the trouble of building a resivor. no sence in building a resivor if the pump and/or motor are bad or dont put out enough psi.

do you have the rpm specs for the pump/motor. The pulleys may not equate out...pump rpm=motor rpm?

[marpat]

1750 rpm for the motor

[SEAKING9006]

What about the pump?

[marpat]

i bolted it together today
stupid motor is too weak i looked on the plate and it only 1/4 hp
if i put my finger over the fitting where the air comes out the whole assembly stalls out
my figuring is that the motor does not have enough torque
and jr you were right the pulleys on the pump and the motor doe not equal out the pulley on the pump is 3 times the size of the one on the motor
so to crate more torque and RPMs my figuring is too gear it up
ill let yall know how that goes

[jr]

so smaller on the motor and/or bigger on the pump.

[starman]

Sounds like a whole lot of effort for something that can be obtained well <$100....I don't usually recommend people invest in those but would more than likely still be better than anything you could build up from scratch....and safer...

IMO of course.

[magnum9987]

I second starman. From family experience, i know it is safer to spend money than go the cheapass way

[ammosmoke]

Still though, that sounds like it would be a killer compressor if he got a bigger motor. Look into craigslist, ebay, and military/government surplus...