My Brand New 80 year old Compressor......

[reggie_obe]

True, very true. As I said in my post, "similar". I think I've seen that style tank with pumps from others makers. My intent was to provide an image where the pump size and output capacity is more in line with the size of the tank. Not shown is the spring tensioned idler for the flat belt, which sits behind the pressure control.

[NewMexicoairman]

Originally Posted by reggie_obe

True, very true. As I said in my post, "similar". I think I've seen that style tank with pumps from others makers. My intent was to provide an image where the pump size and output capacity is more in line with the size of the tank. Not shown is the spring tensioned idler for the flat belt, which sits behind the pressure control.

I comfermed with factory (Champion) this tank had the small pump.
Thay used pumps up to 3 hp with this same size tank.
I have someplace a catalog that shows the unit I am working on. It is from 1930
Andrew

[RobMoore]

Here is my old compressor that I picked up for $125.00 on Saturday

Tank was manufactured in 1946 by Curtis MFG, St. Louis, MO. The sucker is HEAVY.. I am fairly strong and have trouble picking up one end..

Pump is probably 1950's or 1960's, its a Worthington.

I will start cleaning and de-rusting the thing today.. It passed the soapy bubble test twice under 100psi

Yes, its plumbed completely wrong.. working on it.

[RobMoore]

ooops, I thought this was a more of post your old tank/compressor type thing...

Sorry

[NewMexicoairman]

Originally Posted by RobMoore

Here is my old compressor that I picked up for $125.00 on Saturday

Tank was manufactured in 1946 by Curtis MFG, St. Louis, MO. The sucker is HEAVY.. I am fairly strong and have trouble picking up one end..

Pump is probably 1950's or 1960's, its a Worthington.

I will start cleaning and de-rusting the thing today.. It passed the soapy bubble test twice under 100psi

Yes, its plumbed completely wrong.. working on it.

Nice compressor
First make sure you have a safety valve on it.
The tube that come off the left side is the constant run, when the valve gets to pressure it send air pressure up to the inlet valve and holds them open, so the compressor runs but does not pump air, when the pressure drops the valve closes and it starts pumping.
With it set up like this it run all the time.
To make it run start stop you will need a pressure switch wire into the motor.
On the right you might need a check valve in the dischrge tube from the compressor pump.
List the model of the pump and I will see if we still can get parts.

If you need any more help just ask
Andrew

[RobMoore]

Andrew,

Very nice of you to offer...

I do have a new check valve, pop off or safety valve and a filter/regulator on the way...

I do have some questions about the correct way to plumb this, but here is what I am going to do....

Remove the valve and all the piping up to the T of the big cylinder.. plug the hole like the one on the right...

At the top of the tank on the right, install check valve, then a cross connection with the line heading in from the pump on the top, safety valve on one side of the cross and the pressure switch on the otherside (sounds wrong now that I type that....)

at the far right where the pressure switch is currently, will run the filter/regulator and then normal plumbing...

I think that is the right direction, but not sure to be honest.. Right now I am drying out the inside of the tank, fixing the motor bearings, will wire brush the rust and loose paint and spray with an oil based enamel paint to protect the outside....

[NewMexicoairman]

Remove the valve and all the piping up to the T of the big cylinder.. plug the hole like the one on the right...
Yes this will work. as you don't need it for start /stop.

At the top of the tank on the right, install check valve, then a cross connection with the line heading in from the pump on the top, safety valve on one side of the cross and the pressure switch on the otherside (sounds wrong now that I type that....)

I would put the check straight into the tank, the port on the top right, and move the safety valve and gauge down by the pressure. This is because the air at the check valve will be hot and could damage the safety valve and gauge.
Or you could put the check valve in the port on the left front and your PS, safety valve. gauge on the top right, and take your air from the right end of tank.

If the tank only has a small petcock in the bottom to drain moisture, this would be the time to change to a elbow. and nipple with a ball vale as this will make it eazy to drain it as you don't have to get on your knee's to drain it and you will do it mor often.

Andrew

[JST]

hah, I wouldn't trust the tank further than I could throw it.

I just scrapped the most beautiful Dayton tank you ever saw.... perfect paint, not a scratch on it, you'd swear it was new.

I drilled a big ol hole in it.

Why?

Because as nice as it LOOKED, it had pinhole leaks along the seam at the low end... It was a two wheel tank with handle, and the handle end sat a half inch lower than the otehr end.... And the other end had the drain.

Life's too short to have tanks failing..... I did cut the platform off it, I may use the pump separately. I was going to replace the tank, but new tanks like it are $300 and going up. ugh.

[NewMexicoairman]

Originally Posted by JST

hah, I wouldn't trust the tank further than I could throw it.

I just scrapped the most beautiful Dayton tank you ever saw.... perfect paint, not a scratch on it, you'd swear it was new.

I drilled a big ol hole in it.

Why?

Because as nice as it LOOKED, it had pinhole leaks along the seam at the low end... It was a two wheel tank with handle, and the handle end sat a half inch lower than the otehr end.... And the other end had the drain.

Life's too short to have tanks failing..... I did cut the platform off it, I may use the pump separately. I was going to replace the tank, but new tanks like it are $300 and going up. ugh.

The tanks on portable compressor ore made from a thiner gauige of steel.
You are lucky to get 10 years out of one.

The replacement tanks are of a thicker materal than the ones you see at HD and other places.
If you wany a tank that will last Get one that is ASME rated as it will be of a heaver steel.

As for my 70 year old tank I am not going to pressurize it, and no way would I do a hydro test on it.
Here at work we don't offer hydro testing because of liability.
Andrew

[JST]

Yah, the bad tank was already a replacement, IIRC it was actually a "code tank", but in any case, it had a "pinhole", or more properly, a "knitting needle hole" in it.

I drilled the decommissioning hole on the pinhole, the biggest one.... A 9/64 went right through after a turn or three, and left rusty edges. The half inch found good metal all over, but I was not over-impressed with the thickness. might have been between 1/8 and 3/16 , possibly somewhat corroded down.

[handsome devil]

Thought I would share a picture of my Champion OE-42-80. It was sold/delivered to a company in Chicago in 1941. I put rings and valves in it a couple of years ago. Bearings were ok and I couldn't find any either. My tank is dated 1955 I think, obviously newer than the pump. Runs great, nice and slow, kind of a rhythmic kind of thing. So far my tank does not leak. I can attest to the weight, the tank is quite well build. The rust looks worse than it really is in order to lighten up the pics so you can see something. It takes a couple of minutes for my Champion to pump up the tank to the 90-120 lbs {working pressure} that I keep it at, but it gets the job done. Was using an IR air die grinder {large} and I was amazed at how much air it consumed. I have found HD air grinders and smaller rivet guns seem to use less air. Can see why body shops need so much air. Need to get out and do some playing around before it gets to cold here. Glad to see I am not the only one who likes these old recips.



For another project involving a rather old and heavy Curtis pump, I bought an old junk Gardner and Denver with an 80 gal tank. That thing is all I can do to lift one end and put it on a dolly. If I find any pin holes they will be junked and not repaired.



One needs to be careful about buying old compressors with the idea of restoring to use again. Even though many compressors last 30+ years, many are obsolete much earlier and parts can be a bugger to find. These old recips are getting harder and harder to find parts for. Usually rings and valves can be found, but when you start looking for rods and pistons it gets pricey. Below is a pic of a Leroi/Dressor that needs some hard parts to make whole again. Then after all the time and money you have to find someone who wants a 20 HP recip. I haven't found a good use for this Dressor 800 pump, but it should not blow away anytime soon.

Cheers, John.

[NewMexicoairman]

John

Nice looking compressors Yes i do like old piston air compressors.
As for parts, a lot of the normal wear parts we can still get but what i call hard parts are pricey if you can still get them .

I get people that buy old compressor at auctions and the bring them to me a wants them fixed. About 75% of them the are seized up from lack of oil of rusted up from setting outside with no air cleaners. Or the tank is rusted out.

Andrew

[TurningHead]

(Home & Hobby use)

[NewMexicoairman]

Originally Posted by TurningHead

(Home & Hobby use)

What name is on the end of the pump. Dayton did not make any compressor just sold someones with there name on it.
I stand corrested there was a co in Dayton OH that built some.

Andrew

[b sco]

I have one that looks like picture in ad. Quietest ac I've ever been around. Runs great and keeps up good enough for my small shop. $40.00 at garage sale!

[Dan Wyatt]

Thanks in advance for any information.

I recently picked up this little Worthington compressor pump and would like to know if anyone can tell me the approximate age of the pump / type of tank mount / electric motor utilized / etc. I thought that maybe someone had some old pictures from a Worthington catalog.

As you can see it is a very small single stage (2 1/16" x 1 1/16") and I placed my machinist rule on the manifold for scale purposes. Thanks ~ Dan

[NewMexicoairman]

Dan
Nice little compressor. Never seen one like thay neet little filter horns.
As to the age the AirMaze filters most manufactures stoped using them in the mid 70's. and thay go back to about WWll.

With the size you gave it would be in the 1/2hp-1 hp range on something like 30 gallon tank.
My books do not show ones like that.

Andrew the compressor guy

[Dan Wyatt]

Andrew,

Thanks for the thoughts.

I called Worthington again today and they could not find records of this exact model number, but they are going to look further. I am 61 and have been abound a kiggilion air compressor pumps, but I have not seen one like this either. I bought it on a whim because I really thought it had an unusual look to it. I don't need it, but will probably make it up as a small unit to roll around and was thinking about making it into a vertical tank setup. It more than likely came as a horizontal application, but I wanted to emphasize the looks of the pump and have it on top. I have a large brass air pressure gauge that might look cool on it also.

Dan