used qincy air compressor

Hi all,

I'm looking to pick up an air compressor and brad gun to help make assembly time go a little faster.

Thanks to this site I have a pretty good idea of what I would get buying new...but I recently found a used quincy 20 gal 1/2 hp. Owner estimates it's 10 years old and in pretty good condition with the exception of a small wobble on the "main pulley". I've requested some clarification on that point (motor or compressor pulley).

Should a slight wobble be a major cause for concern? Anything else in particular I should pay close attention to?

Thanks!

Chuck

Quincy has a reputation for making rock solid compressors. I'd want to know if the wobble is because the motor shaft is bent, the pulley not installed perfectly square to the shaft or the pulley itself is warped.

If the motor shaft is straight, it might not be too big a deal.

Assuming the motor shaft is straight and replacing the pulley fixes the problem - I'd replace the pulley.

I have an old Quincy that I love, but 1/2 horsepower is really small and I wouldn't pay much for it. If it is cheap and you are just running a brad gun, fine. If you want to run a spray gun you need quite a bit more horsepower.

I found it in a local CL add (York). I'm not sure if I can post the link or not but the guy said he would give me first dibs so I don't mind. $175

Ad says 20 gallons, 1/2 hp That does seam rather low... I only intend it for a brad nailer and tires, etc. Basic stuff.

Sounds like a pretty good deal if it is clean and the compressor shaft is not bent. You may be able to straighten a bent pulley in a press. :eek:;)

1/2 hp is on the small side but that is probably a USA Baldor motor with an honest hp rating - unlike those cheesy BORG compressors with 6.5 hp etc etc. I think the Quincy would have been equipped with a larger motor than 1/2 hp.

You can buy a new 20 gal Farm Hand cast iron compressor at Tractor Supply for about $340. I'm not sure about the motor but it should be about 2 hp based on the power requirements.

The basic Ingersol Rand 60 gal vertical 3 hp compressor is about $590, also at Tractor Supply.

Rob

$175 for a 1/2hp, that is a little steep. You can pick up a new Campbell Hausfield 6hp with a 60 gallon tank for around 400 new. (At least that is what I paid for one about 6 to 8 years ago) That would make a used price be around $200. A 1/2hp unit should be $100 or less.
I sold an old Quincy 5hp 3 phase 80 gallon tank 2 stage for $250 used, and that is all I could get for it, and it delivered 17.5psi at 175 pounds of resistance. I have the pump from another one, and the pump must weigh over 200 pounds.
For some reason, when I think of a 10 year old compressor at 1/2hp, $60 comes to mind. Just my take on it.

Charles,
My 1st good compressor was one that I built on a Worthington 50 gallon tank..The owner had left it on and something fell over and broke the oil drain pipe off so when the compressor started up it ran for a short while and threw a rod thru the crank case..
I bought the tank at a junk yard for $5 and at another JY I found a Quincy twin and mounted it up..Ran great but took forever to fill to 125 LB shut off...So back to the JY and found another Quincy twin.. I moved the motor to the center and mounted the 2nd Quinc on the other end..I used that compressor for 15-20 years til my 80 Gal Kellogg came along..I sold the Morphed Worth/Ency to a sign painter who used it for carving Red Wood signs and it's still running...

Anyway turn this unit on and look at the end of the compressor shaft..If it's turning nice and clean then it's the pulley that's bent! If the shaft is bent you'll see it won't appear to be moving in a concentric circle..
If it's bent and it has a cast iron pulley take a heavy hammer ,stand in front of the compressor and turn the pulley slowly so the wobble is away from you and mark that spot, give the pulley a fairly good whack on the outside toward you, turn the pulley while holding something against the head to see if the whack helped or not..You might have to whack it more than a few times til you get it straight..
You can do the same on an electric motor shaft also but doubt it will turn out to be the motor shaft..
I have straightened bent lawnmower shafts this way for the last 40-50 years and never had one break.
When you think it's good turn it on and see how it goes and I think you'll have a good un in the end! Good luck with it.
Gene
PS I wouldn't pay $175 for it though, especially with a wobbly pulley.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Charles Trout

Hi all,

I'm looking to pick up an air compressor and brad gun to help make assembly time go a little faster.

Thanks to this site I have a pretty good idea of what I would get buying new...but I recently found a used quincy 20 gal 1/2 hp. Owner estimates it's 10 years old and in pretty good condition with the exception of a small wobble on the "main pulley". I've requested some clarification on that point (motor or compressor pulley).

Should a slight wobble be a major cause for concern? Anything else in particular I should pay close attention to?

Thanks!

Chuck

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I am a huge fan of Quincy compressors, but if it's really only 1/2 HP, I would not pay $175, especially if it has a bent something. I just bought a fully functional 3HP Quincy for $300...joe