1927 Champion Air Compressor Refurb

It's in progress now and I'll add more as it happens.












Century motor done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn36koc09dU&t

progress,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPr5MtG83e8&t

Original pressure switch redone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEHetijhup8

Pumping air, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAr5HN3h0LI

wrenchguy said:

It's in progress now and I'll add more as it happens.












Century motor done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn36koc09dU&t

progress,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPr5MtG83e8&t

Original pressure switch redone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEHetijhup8

Pumping air, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAr5HN3h0LI

Click to expand...

You are crazy to use that old tank, if that thing has a flaw it could blow up and kill you.

moonlight machine said:

You are crazy to use that old tank, if that thing has a flaw it could blow up and kill you.

Click to expand...

^

Generous corrosion allowance or not, a 100 year old tank like that is bound to have thin spots. Mine had a whole line of brazed-shut pinholes along the bottom that I didn't discover until I was loading it up to go to the scrap yard. It was a bomb just waiting for a good excuse to go off. Big heavy tank too just like yours with 1/8" walls. Probably about 20 or so years older judging by that later 'R 10L' frame Century motor on your compressor.

It's worth the money to contract a replacement ASME tank from a fabricator. Or hollow it out and use it as a dummy tank with a real one hidden inside of it. Refurbishing old machinery is all fun and games until it comes to pressure vessels. Stored energy gets real in a hurry. Pressure vessels are always the wrong place to pinch pennies or play mental gymnastics.

That, or put a 30 to 40 pound relief valve on it and only use it for airing up tires.

Other than concerns for your well-being over that tank, that's a pretty cool looking project so far.

Those little 'R', 'M' and 'RM' frame Centuries sure are a lot quieter than the big 'RS' frames or the massive 'P' frames. Any plans to switch to a glued or laced joint to quiet down the ticking or are you fine with the noise of the hinged joint?

Its a Morrison bros 3/16" riveted and factory brazed receiver. It was originally tested at 300psi twice. The original pressure switch indicates the unit operating at 175psi. It originally had 2 275psi popoffs which I'm replacing with 2 110psi popoffs. I removed 99.9% air from it and hydro pressure tested for leaks at 250psi. No drop in pressure noted, if it leaked I'd have a tank made for the ID of this one. I'm gonna run it at 100 psi with a keyed power switch. It'll never be left powered on and unattended. I might use it once/twice a week. I have seen numerous catastrophic steam and pressure receiver explosion videos and know the consequence's. Thanks for your concern.
Hinged joint fine for now.

Nice looking compressor. I have a similar US Air Co two stage. Very similar pump casting and intercooler.