Air compressors (refers: Aldi)

Erm, I thought that's what I did? My Dad was (is?) a ships Captain
(Shell oil tankers) I got taught the right way to coil stuff from a
*very early* age. This now goes to the point when I see folk winding
stuff up round there hand and elbow (as my Dad would say "Like an old
woman winding up her washing line") and have to say "Gis it here" and
do the job 'properly' myself. ;-)

Ok. I like the idea of them anyway so might keep my eye out for a
bargain.

Cheers, T i m

 

I have loads. And so it seems do those who call me to sort it out!

You need a manifold of some sort I guess (which I think is what the
larger 'main' sorta becomes)? I first experimented with them when I
was 10 by soldering several tubes into the side of an old tin can to
act as a manifold for my various fish tank air devices. I seem to
remember it worked very well (even seeing the tin expand slightly
under the low pressure of my twin piston rotary induction pump).[1]

Yeahbut, can you give me some examples of HV kit please? Am I likely
to be using any ... like the Aldi spot blaster etc?

I think I should have said "they in turn had settled on them as being
the most reliable / hard wearing out of the others they have tried -
that could be bought easily ..."? The problem (or it could be seen as
a good thing) going with something different to everyone else is the
inter compatibility and availability of the stuff and it's add-ons.
ie, I could walk into several motor factors / plant suppliers (In MM)
and get any format of PCL fitting, inc swivels and Y pieces etc, not
sure you could do the same with VAL or many other, often better, makes
/ models?

They do sound like good gear that's for sure.

I have no issue with changing if a) my local place has them in stock
today (when I go for more PCL's for this new gear), b) they were not
disproportionately more expensive than PCL's and c) I could convince
all my mates to change to VAL. ;-)

Hmm, nearly all the items I've bought recently came with the same
short fitting (but generally not fitted), and certainly all the Aldi
ones did (Spot blaster (fitted), rattle gun, ratchet and die grinder).

On the one I just measured the actual connector part of the fitting
fitting is about 20mm long with about a 7mm i/d and certainly won't
fit into a PCL female.

Cheers, T i m

[1] That was a lovely bit of kit. Like sitting next to an old steam
engine on tickover ;-)

 

Trumped, Sim Air TC2000 (twin cylinder, bought from Glyn of this very
parish).

I'd have to say the Bambi / Wolf combo is as quiet as the SimAir (and
has a 25l reservoir). It doesn't even have a dump valve as most
compressors of that type do, so no 'tssshhhhh' as it cut's off.

T i m

 

I have a cracking little V-twin hand portable direct drive mains jobbie
that just chuffs along. I'm not 100% sure if it's actually an air comp
or a fluid pump but it does tyres excellently, although its max pressure
is around 60psi. Lifting the heads, I discovered rubber diaphragms
inside and simple one-way valves.
I picked it up at a boot sale for a tenner years ago and it's been
superb value for money.

 

I borrowed a mates 12V pump the other day to do Dads car tyres and
that went to something stupid like 150 PSI! It took enough time to go
from 26 to 32 PSI and was starting to smell a bit hot so I'm not sure
it would have got to 150 PSI anyway?

AND it was nearly as noisy as my workshop compressor!

T i m

 

That sounds like the ones I mentioned earlier - sorta stubby wider PCL
in appearance.

 

Yes, the ones you turn into tyre inflators. ;-)

http://preview.tinyurl.com/dxz48n

It would be 'better' if you saw the female part around but I don't
seem to.

These (PCL) are everywhere though ..

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/images/library/product/large/00/000229315.jpg

Cheers, T i m

p.s. I've just dug out a 9l piston compressor to give to the mate who
gave our daughter the MZ. I've found a length of airline with PCL ends
now just looking for a tyre inflator for him. I'll be sad to lose it
as I remember they were quite expensive when I got that one (maybe 15
years ago). And it's not too noisy.

 

I had a Hydrovane for donkeys years and it just "whirred", but a pal needed
a portable to use for blowing out the inside of computers in schools. It
needed to be quiet, so I let him have it with the condition that he kept it
upright at all times as having it lying down would **** it up and it was too
good to be fucked up.

I saw it about a fortnight later laying down in the back of his car. It's
now in need of resurrecting, coz it's not blowing anymore but he can ****
off if he thinks I'll do it. Some people you can't help, no matter what.
This was a fucking expensive compressor when I got it too. My studio
compressor was designed to be used in (mmmm) a studio so it makes no
noise at all and I've left it running for hours before I've noticed it do a
little "head nod".


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

If that's one of those things that come built into Boosters, the only thing
they're good for is blowing a tyre up in an emergency and starting an
argument.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

I know, I could've had it off him last year, but I didn't need it. Didn't
you get some airbrushes too?

None of that with mine either. My 3hp home compressor "tshh's though, but I
don't hear it.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Hehe.

It was *like* one of those but in it's own pouch etc. To be fair it
did the job but I would have been happier (and it would have been
quicker and quieter) with an old fashioned foot pump.

And yep, I had one of those as built into the back of yer boost
starters but I stuck it on the back of my mates starter and nicked his
blank back panel for mine!.

T i m

 

Indeed ..

Nope. I made the mistake of lending my band saw to a neighbour to cut
out some hardboard figures for a school fete (good cause n that). It
came back a few days later but with a broken blade. He offered to pay
for it but I suggested he might like to go and get it as well?

Another mate borrowed my pressure washer. It didn't come back for a
while and when I asked after it he admitted it was broken (and it was
an early Kew jobby with a stainless steel pump). The fact that it was
broken was one thing but then I found out it had got broken because he
was 'larking about' spraying his kids and one tripped over the cable
and ripped the case open ...

If I ever borrow something I try to treat it better than I would treat
it if it was my own (and I generally try to look after my own stuff as
well). I now try to work on two premise:

Never a lender or borrower be. Dad used to say about lending stuff
that "you have everything to lose and nothing to gain". Tis difficult
though and I will sway from that if:

1) I know they will do their utmost to look after it and

2) If it does get broken, repair as was as new or replaced if not.

And that brings me to another awkward thing re lending (or borrowing)
stuff. If it should just *happen* to go wrong then it can leave you in
an awkward situation. You feel crap because you never know if it was
something broken by negligence or it was going to happen anyway.

If you have borrowed and it just broke 'in-use' you never know if the
owner believes that it just happened. ;-(

How you feel about all the above is probably a function of how much
hip money you have and how hard you have had to work to get the things
in the first place.

The ones I don't help are those who repeatedly go round the
neighbourhood trying to borrow jump leads or a battery charger because
they can't be asked to get said themselves or just buy a new battery?

Cheers, T i m

 

I did, I got a whole load of stuff and we (Daughter) did try some of
it when it first arrived but didn't have time to get into it all then
and haven't since (which is a shame). I think we really needed some
practical guidance from someone who knows what hey are doing ...
either "who sold you that then" (unlikely) or "you don't do it like
that, you do it like this". ;-)

Are you 'hard of hearing', it's too far away or do you mean you just
don't hear it (like folk who like next to a railway track).

I think you would hear it on the Bambi pump as it's otherwise nearly
silent.

Did I hear that lorry air brakes have to be silenced these days?

Cheers, T i m

 

I know which ones she suggested so it's not going to be difficult to
fund out.

 

I've got access to cranes but the difficult part is persuading the
riggers and crane drivers to get involved.

 

Well you d do it properly then.

I was looking through Machine Mart's catalogue today and their prices range
from 35ish quid to 70 odd for recoil air lines.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

I've got a shit load of guitars and piano's though

That's what I need, a manifold.

VAL are compatible with all HVLP fittings.

If you know where to go you can. You can even order them online, but no,
they're not as readily available as PCL fittings.

And they're fucking plastic. They withstand constant heating and cooling in
the booth (up tp 80 centigrade and down below freezinf) too.

Actually, some of the Aldi stuff comes with HVLP fitting too. We ne4eded to
do some rivetting today and a local firm had borrowed our air riveter so
*we* had to borrow one, but our next door neighbour firm had a new (in box)
"Rolston" one sitting there which he let us have for 20 fucking quid (it'd
have been silly not to buy it at that price coz they're 58 quid at Machine
Mart). That one came with an HVLP connector. Fucker blathered us with oil
coz we stupidly overfilled the hydraulic chamber though, which wasn't nice.

Inside dia of a PCL is 3/16", inside dia of HVLP is 1/4". Doesn't sound like
much, but it is.




--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Yep, it's a standard HVLP fitting is that.

--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

You've no idea how much of a plonker he can be.

Wtf's he doing bringing it back *without* a blade?

Day ain't got no respek.

My pal who I gave the compressor to leant me a guitar DSP and he said "It'll
probably come back in better condition than it is now". I suggested that he
adopt that attitude too, given the number of things he's totalled by
neglect. I *daren't* list the things he's fucked up though because I'll just
be called a lying fucker he's *that* bad and the list is that long.

"If you break it, you've bought it" is my usual parting shot whnen I lend
stuff out.

Indeed. It's a problem sometimes.

It goes deeper than that. Money doesn't buy people's respect for your
equipment.

*ding*. A neighbour of mine asked me just before Christmas if I could get
her a Snap-On 3/8 drive socket set for her husband. I'd let him use mine
when he needed it, but I *knew* he wouldn't be happy borrowing it again and
would eventually get one of his own. (or have one bought for him. Other
neighbours? Well I wouldn't lend them the crap from under my fingernails.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Too far away. Tucked in a corner when it's not being used and rolled out the
back of the garage when it is.

Come to think of it, it's been a while since I heard the air brakes noise,
so maybe. Probably actually, given thatit's *bound* to annoy someone,
somewhere, someday.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19