On my various sites in the winter we leave the compressors in the van to keep them semi warm. So I buy those 10 gallon air tanks for pumping up tires to use as an "air pig".
I get 6 3/8 females welded to nuts on the front side of the tank. Then I get 2 males welded into the ends.
That turns my 5.5 hp 8-9 cfm(@ 90 pounds) into monsters. I adjust the bypass valves to start pumping air into the tank at 110psi instead of the stock 90 psi.
What that does is reduces volume loss to the guns.
When the compressors are stock they can run 2 spikers and a stapler. Well because we machine gun the staplers they use an incredible volume of air. Once that compressors hits 90psi the pump starts filling the tanks again but it too late. Because the guys aren't stopping to allow the volume to increase again it eventually gets low enough that the nails won't sink then the guys have to pound in the heads. Huge time waster m
So what I did was make the compressors pump air into the tanks when pressure gets below 110,instead of 90. That then gives the stapler enough air to nail off the walls without reducing the pressure to the point that the spikers don't sink the nails.
The air pig gives the pump more volume. More volume,especially with an impact or sprayer is vital,so adding the tank equates to less pressure loss while using it,and no waiting for it to pump up.
When I was 21 and framing condos I had to buy this pump that cost 3500 bucks. It had a 20 horse motor and an inline pump with Pistons the size of coffee cans.
It was the only way I knew how to keep enough air for 20 guns. Otherwise I woud have had to buy 5 or 6 of the standard framing compressors to run all the guns.
Then I went off on my own. Money got tighter. I always paid my men first,,then I take what's left and pay myself,service equipment etc.
I landed a 12 plex,and it was 60 days before I got my first cheque. So I couldn't afford a huge compressor because I had just enough to cover 2 months payroll.
So I looked at my eagle compressor and wrote down why it coukdnt keep up.
First was tank volume,second was flow volume. I couldn't do anything about flow volume without buying a bigger pump and that wasn't an option so I. Identified that our air issues only presented themselves when we were stapling,because we are shooting 10 staples a second.
So pressure maintenance needed to be adjusted. I figured out that the nipple you lift to bypass the tanks and flow the air to the atmosphere has 2 bolts threaded into each other with the nipple on top.
If you adjust those 2 nuts it changes at what pressure the nipple pops,which stops air pumping into the tanks and vents it and it changes what pressure that nipple drops,which pumps the air into the tanks.
So I played around all night with that thing. I had it adjusted so high the bleeder valve blew cause there was 200psi in the tanks,and so on. Trial and error taught me that the height of that nipple has to remain consistent so tank max pressure isn't exceeded however how you achieve that height can be modified.
Anyways once guys saw what I was doing they all had the same problems and after try themselves brought their pumps to me for tuning.
So I charged every crew 50 bucks. That 50 bucks made them thousands since there was no lost time pounding nail heads,and no need to spend huge dollars on bigger compressors.
Well I didn't budget enough for payroll. I was short 1000 bucks on the last payroll prior to my draw,however the 50 I charged every crew,in every subdivision in our suburb covered my a$$.
Necessity is the mother of all invention. As a kid I took everything apart to see how it worked. As an adult that compulsion I had as a kid was the foundation for me.
What I learned as a child I applied to my equipment as an adult. Saving myself money,and making it too.
2 simple little bolts were the difference on whether I would get the job done,or fall flat on my face.
Funny when you consider it. That job paved the way with that particular builder and I vontracted from him for 6 years after that. It was my first project after leaving my dads company,and umbrella. Which meant no more parent company coveting my nails,tools,payroll,fuel.
I had to do it myself. Had I not figured out how to make what I had work I wouldn't have gotten that job done,and I'd likely have had to work hourly for someone else.
2 bolts adjusted started my career,my company.
Another novel.
Twice tonight I've gotten sidetracked.
Gotta stay away from that wacky those guys are smoking outside I guess.
Happy new year
