Converted old air compressor tank to storage and got 20X more air storage for my garage.

[wwillson]

I've had this small Rolair compressor for about 15 years. It's an oil bath compressor and is as good as the day it was new. I use it for all compressed air needs and believe me I can find lots of uses for compressed air. One very annoying thing about a 2.5 gallon tank, is you end up waiting a lot for the compressor to catch up.

The last time I was back home in Iowa, their air compressor had died. The input shaft broke off the compressor! My brother said the pulley flew about 20' and left a dent in the wall when it broke. I removed the compressor and motor from the tank and brought the tank home.

Harbor Freight had a sale on hose reels, so I picked up a 50' reel for $65, got new quick-connect ends (mine all leaked), and a couple shutoff ball valves. I put a shutoff into and out of the tank, so no drain-down.

It's nice not having to wait for my little compressor to have to catch up!

 

[walterjay]

I hope the tank is more sound than that compressor shaft.

 

[wwillson]

I hope the tank is more sound than that compressor shaft.

The tank is very heavy construction and the label says max pressure is 175 psi. My compressor is only 120 psi. I think it will be fine.

The compressor shaft had at least 30 years of use and a lot of it.

 

[Nick1994]

I am amazed that little thing can fill that big tank, does it run a long time?

 

[wwillson]

I am amazed that little thing can fill that big tank, does it run a long time?

From empty to full, about 20 minutes.

 

[JimPghPA]

I could not manage to link the youtube video about the exploded air tank. Look for air tank failure on YouTube.

If it is more than 10 years old treat it like it might exploded and locate it someplace where if it did explode no one would be hurt. Power it up with some means of turning on and off the power from a distance, and discharge the pressure from a distance when your done using it.

I you can't do all of that then get rid of it.

 

[ripcord]

I ran a setup like that years ago when I was a kid. The little air compressor eventually seized up on a hot summer night while I was trying to help a buddy port some 460 heads. We could run the die grinder for several minutes and then we would have to stop and let the compressor catch up. After about an hour the compressor seized up for good.

 

[JHZR2]

From empty to full, about 20 minutes.

Check the duty cycle on that compressor then. You may be taking it to an early grave.

That aside, a spare tank is a great idea!