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View Full Version : Wish me luck with my FOURTH air compressor !



arose62
14th August 2006, 10:49 AM
Number 1 was an Arlec upright from Kmart. For $150 (last one, special price), I thought it'd be a cheap way to find out how much use I'd get from a compressor.

5 months of weekend use later, the regulator hemorrhaged, and I decided that I'd get a semi-serious replacement compressor.

Number 2 was a SuperCheap belt-driven 50l, which pumped up in just over 1 minute, compared to the 5 mins for the Arlec. At least the first time. The 2nd through 4 times I turned it on, the safety pressure valve blew in synch with the motor cutoff, and did not pop back in, so the compressor sat there valiantly attempting to pump up, with the safety valve wide open.

Number 3 was the exchange unit. No problems, at least until I took the 2nd bit of foam packaging off, and found the regulator had suffered a direct hit from "something", and was doing more to expose its innards than Paris Hilton does getting out of a limo.

Number 4 is sitting in Supercheap, in its box, waiting to be opened, inspected, and run in by me...

Number 5 (fingers crossed it doesn't happen!!) will be either big enough to warrant it's own shed and mortgage, or small enough to clip to a bicycle frame.

Let the commiseration flow :(

Cheers,
Andrew

meerkat
14th August 2006, 11:27 AM
That blows ;):)

Groggy
14th August 2006, 12:34 PM
Arlec, SuperCheap, SuperCheap, SuperCheap, ????????

I think you need to move on, these are Mission Impossible tools. Not only is it impossible to achieve the mission, they self destruct until you get the message.

I've had a second hand unit for ten years which I bought from a builder who bought it new in 1976. I rebuilt it last year mainly because the spares (gaskets) I bought in America were starting to show signs of deterioration, not because it really needed it.

Cry once, compressors get heaps of use when you grow to like them, and it sounds like you use yours.

Termite
14th August 2006, 04:07 PM
My compressor is 22 years old, bought it new for $700.00, Crompton Parkinson don't make crap. :D

Skew ChiDAMN!!
14th August 2006, 04:17 PM
McMillan 3000, proudly Aussie (Oi! Oi! Oi!), cost about $500 some 20 odd year ago. The only problem it's ever had was operator error... someone didn't check the oil level for about 4 years. :o The beast has proven to be worth every cent.

Give away the budget comps, Andrew, they're false economy. Start looking at a decent belt driven job that can be repaired, at need, with off-the-shelf parts. They don't necessarily have a larger footprint than the... bic disposables.

Chris Parks
15th August 2006, 02:03 AM
I bought my compressor about 25 years ago for $110. It is a single cylinder Pulford and has never failed to work. I was at Pulfords one day getting a new air filter element and saw the same model being renovated for their museum! I was asking a few questions about mine and the bloke told me it had a Ford Model A piston in it. I wasn't game to ask him how old it was.

HiString
16th August 2006, 12:28 PM
Arose,

Don't know if you'd be interested, but I have a 10cfm McMillan that I will be disposing of. It belonged to my late father and as I already have a similar comp, I don't need two sitting in my workshop here in N'cle.

I've been using mine for close to 15 years without problems and dad purchased his about 12 years ago. Runs fine but due to having lived near the coast (at Tuncurry) in an enclosure outside his workshop, it shows the effects of a salt air environment.

Cheers. :cool:

Exador
17th August 2006, 07:34 AM
Let the commiseration flow :(

Cheers,
Andrew
Sad story. You should have donne what I did: paid $500 for a filthy big old 3kW 3 phase thing, with a tank of at least 200l and a virtually unused twin-cylinder compressor head. Pumps up in about 2 minutes and there is enough air to run the T-nailer for about 30 shots before it starts chugging again :D.

LOL, havng read the thread, it looks like I'm singing with the choir.

arose62
17th August 2006, 12:37 PM
Well, number 4 was run in and started this morning.

It's seems a bit quieter than the one it replaced (how come? they all look the same).

I thought they'd forgotten the screws-n-bits to hold the belt guard together, then discovered that they've switched to plastic twist-clips. (No doubt as part of a policy of continual improvement).

HOWEVER, I'm on the cusp of returning this one too, as the on/off switch is more sensitive than .... dunno, Zed??

Previous compressors all had a very positive "pull it up to start, whack it down to stop" action to the switch, but this one feels like it's so eager to please that you could tickle it on with a feather.

On a completely unrelated note :D , anyone have comments on Pulford (Newcastle), or Peerless (BJ Howes) compressors?:o


Kudos to Damien at Lakehaven SuperCheap, though. He's given me an excellent level of service.

Cheers,
Andrew

HiString
17th August 2006, 01:42 PM
Andrew,

I haven't had direct experience but I've always associated Pulford with the larger, industrial level comps such as you would find in panel beaters, etc.

In searching for current info, I'm becoming a bit cynical about the specs of some of the current crop of comps I see advertised, it makes me wonder under what conditions the advertised CFM figures are being calculated, anyways, as I said earlier, should you be interested, I have a 10 cfm McMillan which I need to sell. It is "similar" to the McMillan AF12 here.... http://www.lachlansteel.com.au/page23.htm (http://www.lachlansteel.com.au/page23.htm) ....or the Peerless P14 here..... http://www.lachlansteel.com.au/page28.htm (http://www.lachlansteel.com.au/page28.htm) .


Cheers,


Chris :cool:

arose62
17th August 2006, 02:09 PM
HiString,

how about posting some pics and your price here (or in the buy/sell forum).

That'd give you a wider potential for selling you comp.

Cheers,
Andrew

HiString
17th August 2006, 03:01 PM
I stumbled across your post before I'd really had time to consider such details, anyways, I've taken "onboard" your PM comments and will reply ASAP.

Chris :cool:

arose62
18th August 2006, 11:12 AM
Actually, Number 4 is a goer! Thank goodness!:D

The switch problem was just a bit a stiffness, resolved by a firm yank (no USA allusions intended).

I've even used the latest compressor to pump up its own tyres :D


Cheers,
Andrew

Studley 2436
18th August 2006, 12:24 PM
My compressor is a cheapie I got for $200 four years ago now. Almost straight away it blew it's head gasket. SO I went and got some gasket material and made a new one and it has been fine ever since.

Studley