Compressor Again - SWMBO steps in! (pics)

[Bill Grumbine]

Greetings all

If anyone has read my two compressor threads, both started yesterday, you will know that I was in a bit of a quandry. I have a Coleman that has been in the shop for the past seven years, and has done well until recently when it started blowing off the safety valve at odd times. I replaced it to no avail. The problem actually got worse. I was directed to check the check valve, which requires some time and disassembly. While discussing this with SWMBO, she said:

"You are using the compressor more and more, you have the money in the account, and your time could be better spent on things you have to do already. Go buy a new one!"

Out the door I went! Hey, I don't need to be told everything twice! :D

http://www.enter.net/~ultradad/ingersoll01.jpg

This is what followed me home. I was looking at two different models - well, three actually. She is also the keeper of the books for the business, and told me that if I thought I would really use the capacity, I could go for the two stage 80 gal model. But that was another $300 over what I spent, and since it is a one man shop, it is hard for me to see a need to run more than one tool at once, even with students. The 60 gal machine was briefly considered, but it has half the output of this one. This one also has a motor rated for continuous duty, and I could not find that rating on the 60 gal machine.


http://www.enter.net/~ultradad/ingersoll02.jpg

It is still going to cost me some time getting it plumbed and wired, but it should last me a good long time. Anyone need a project to tinker with? :D I have an old compressor that I can let go real cheap!

Bill

[Travis Hirst]

That's a good man there. You should never argue with swmbo. If she tells you to go get a new one, then that's what you should do. Can I have my wife call yours.:D :D Nice gloat.

Travis

[Pete Brown]

I'm jealous! Nice compressor :)

Where did you get it? I never see Ingersol Rand stuff around here.

Oh, and maybe I need to hook my wife up with yours for a little discussion about the usefulness and value of quality tools :p

Pete

[Wes Bischel]

Very nice machine Bill. And as your wife put it, your time is better spent on making wonderful wood.;) Hopefully this one will last a bit longer.

Wes

[Steven Wilson]

Good choice, not too big, can handle a fair number of different air tools, and should meet most spraying requirements

[Brad Schmid]

Congratulations Bill! I think you'll like it.
I have one exactly like it that I got from my local Tractor Supply early last year. It's the first compressor I've had that will actually shut off while i'm spraying with my HVLP gear. I also run air drills, sanders, 100 lb pressurized sand blaster, plasma cutter, etc. and I have nothing bad to say about it except that I wish it had a lift eye welded on somewhere which would have made it easier for me to move around when i brought it in. Oh yeah, and I did have to replace the factory pressure gauge. Somehow the needle jumped over the stop pin (likely when shipped from the factory).

One suggestion if you haven't already done it, before you put it in place, take the little factory drain screw out of the bottom and pipe it out the side with a valve. Once it's in place on the floor, there's not enough space under there to work on it, at least for my hands.

[Jerry Olexa]

You have a good partner....:)

[Rich Torino]

Good Compressor.......What I really want to know is "does she have a sister?????

[glenn bradley]

Does SWMBO have a sister? Great catch. Nice compressor too.

[Tyler Howell]

Looks like mine:cool: .
Love it
Congrats.

[Ken Garlock]

Bill, now that is a real mans compressor.:eek: :D If you didn't, get yourself an automatic drain valve for the bottom of the tank.

You know with your turning skill, you could build several bagpipes, and with that compressor have a one-man bagpipe band. How many pipes could you keep going at one time? Just like the guy spinning plates in the circus.

[Jim Becker]

Excellent choice, Bill...and keep checking EBAY...I found my auto-drain kit there for about $65 (also IR) and it just deals with things without having to bend over to do it manually. Regardless, I suggest you mount the thing on some two-by to make access to the port on the bottom manageable regardless of how you do it.

[Don Bullock]

Wow Bill and congratulations!!!!!! As one of those who told you to fiddle with the old one, I'm glad that SWMBO had an alternative idea.

[Larry Fox]

Congratulations Bill.

Please have your wife call my wife - immediately. :)

[lou sansone]

hi bill
congrats on the compressor. IR makes a great machine
lou

[Bill Grumbine]

Thanks for all the comments guys, although now I am in hot water with SWMBO. I explained all the requests for conversation, sisters, etc, and she said:

"Great! Now all the wives are going to hate me!"

But she took it in good fun. She is a very good SWMBO to me, and in fact, we just passed 23 years together a little over a week ago.

Brad, how does the noise of this compare to others? I realize this is a very subjective question, and I will find out shortly myself, but I have sworn in blood to get the dining room ceiling done before I finish wiring this thing in, so it may be towards the beginning of next week! I have students coming for two days, and they won't take kindly to it if I throw suggestions over my shoulder and I fiddle with wiring.

Jim, I will have to keep an eye out for an auto drain. IR wants $200 for one, so I elected to use my current manual drain from the old machine, which will fit. It is an extra piece of vacuum tubing with a stopcock on it. It sticks out from under the machine like a tail, and just requires a slight twist of the [wrench] since "someone" stepped on the handle for the stopcock. :eek:

It makes the inside of the shop a little bit smaller, and is kind of hard to move around right now. I wonder if maybe I filled it with helium, I could float it over to where it needs to be installed? :D

Bill

[Al Willits]

If it gets to noisy for ya, maybe pipe the intake outside and mount a filter there, that will reduce a lot of the noise these things make.
Hopefully ya don't have neighbors real close and work late at night though..:)
Congrats on a nice compressor and understanding wife.

IR makes some nice compressors I think, mine has had over 25 years of abuse and it will still keep up up my DA sander.
Al

[Jim Becker]

Bill, the noise is there, but "different" than the smaller units. You may also want to consider the filter/muffler mod that I believe Perry Holbrooks posted no long ago that he said noticably reduced the pitch and volume of his compressor.

[Brad Schmid]

Bill,
The noise is much less objectionable as compared to the oil-less compressor I had before that, however it is still a bit noisy. I plan to do a filter/muffler mod to see if I can quiet it down a bit more. On the good side, it runs less because the capacity is so good. When I first hooked it up, I timed the time it took to go from empty until shutoff at 135psi and if I remember correctly, it took about 3min 45sec or maybe a little less!