compressor for plasma cutting

[iNf]

Machine Mart have a belt driven 14cfm 50l on offer at the moment
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/airmaster-1450p-ol-14cfm-50litre-3hp-belt-driv/

 

[Gareth J]

some useful answers here.
Screw compressors look way over budget.
I reckon around the £400 mark. My ancient SIP thing keeps up with the plasma ok and I do a skip load of it.
Main thing it must be getting tired and if the job comes off it will pay well and I figure pension the old one off and keep it as a back up.
Noise is an issue the old thing sounds like a bomber taking off.
im in work Monday and will get photos of the old thing and check how much air the plasma needs.
the little ones with a built in compressor sound like great fun, great for security vans and shipping containers

You could get a medium sized quieter compressor for classes and day to day, and keep your old one for times like this where you need more flow rate and run them together.

 

[Turbo]

I've used a Draper plasma with a built in pump & it was a pita! If you stopped cutting you couldn't start again until the pump built up to full pressure again, this could take up to 30 seconds.

 

[indy4x]

Machine Mart have a belt driven 14cfm 50l on offer at the moment
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/airmaster-1450p-ol-14cfm-50litre-3hp-belt-driv/

Bugger, that's temptation I don't need

 

[chunkolini]

That one looks interesting.
This is my old one, does the job but getting on a bit and Hellishly noisy.
I wonder if machine mart would fire one up for me.

 

[8ob]

Bob, how did that casting project work out?

I keep hoping for an update!

Those ABAC compressors are a good bit of kit, the one in the yard has done some work. It wasn’t new when I bought it about fifteen years ago.

Bob

 

[chunkolini]

compressor update
I started the job today. my old SIP is still going but trips its overheat thingy.
off to Machine mart tomorrow for a belt drive either Clarke Boxer or airmaster 150L 3hp jobbie they look identical to me.
Any thoughts regards quality/warranty etc.
id rather buy new than second hand

 

[brightspark]

get a belt drive one direct are krap and noisy . if they go wrong its throw away

 

[julianthegypsy]

get a belt drive one direct are krap and noisy . if they go wrong its throw away

This.

 

[chunkolini]

I will report back tomorrow.
Picking one up in the morning

 

[chris pruteanu]

get a belt drive one direct are krap and noisy . if they go wrong its throw away

I have an abac direct drive I use for 10 years, it’s a twin 11 litre tank with a massive twin piston vee pump and massive 3 Hp electric motor- direct drive ! It’s the business, real 14cfm, fills the bottles really quick and has done me really well over the years !
I lately bought a scruffy Balma compresor made in the same factory, it uses same identical motor/pumps and works just as well ! This is fitted with a 24 litre bottle and it gets full in under 15 sec from start ! They both run air hungry Chicago pneumatic die grinder and air impacts without bother ! These in the pictures are slightly different but they use the same motor/pump combo !

 

[addjunkie]

compressor update
I started the job today. my old SIP is still going but trips its overheat thingy.
off to Machine mart tomorrow for a belt drive either Clarke Boxer or airmaster 150L 3hp jobbie they look identical to me.
Any thoughts regards quality/warranty etc.
id rather buy new than second hand

The difference is the dearer ones have cast iron cylinders therefore should be better quality!

 

[brightspark]

I have an abac direct drive I use for 10 years, it’s a twin 11 litre tank with a massive twin piston vee pump and massive 3 Hp electric motor- direct drive ! It’s the business, real 14cfm, fills the bottles really quick and has done me really well over the years !
I lately bought a scruffy Balma compresor made in the same factory, it uses same identical motor/pumps and works just as well ! This is fitted with a 24 litre bottle and it gets full in under 15 sec from start ! They both run air hungry Chicago pneumatic die grinder and air impacts without bother ! These in the pictures are slightly different but they use the same motor/pump combo !

View attachment 456518 View attachment 456519

ok for that stuff but run it continuous on a blast cabinet and it overheat cook and will kill it. i saw a 3 week old one wrecked

 

[chunkolini]

I picked up the new compressor today.
Looks the biz. Much quieter than the old thing. Old thing suddenly looks very sad.
My mechanic looked at it, stroked it and said aaaawww blessssss.
I did not have the right connector, that goes on tomorrow.
Thanks all for advice.

 

[chunkolini]

airmate thing has done near twenty years and struggles a bit now.
I think it can retire to the naughty corner

 

[Erie Fred]

airmate thing has done near twenty years and struggles a bit now.
I think it can retire to the naughty corner

Strip the compressor off the old tank, and mount it vertical up the wall in the corner for extra air storage.

if you plumb the new compressors air intake outside, it will get even quieter.

 

[addjunkie]

Get rubber anti vibration feet for the new one!

 

[timgunn1962]

While it is still new, I'd check the size of the pastel in the Non-Return-Valve with a decent caliper and mark it on the receiver. You need to be able to measure to .1mm. If you wait until it fails,it mat have squidged a bit and measuring the old on will not necessarily get an accurate measurement. If yo fit a pastel that's fractionally too big, it can stick. It's worth getting a spare now, to save hassle in the future. It's also worth getting a spare inlet air filter element for the box-type inlet filter. I don't know whether that pump will accept Solberg-type inlet filters. If it will, they'll reduce inlet noise. Even the cheap Solberg-a-like ones work well. It's never a big difference, but it is often noticeable.

The best A/V mounts I have found for noise reduction are Paulstradyn. The movement on start-up can be a bit of a shock the first time you see it. Probably not worth it on a concrete floor, but we have compressors on wooden floors in shipping containers and it can make a lot of difference over "normal" rubber mounts.

 

[chunkolini]

what do you mean by the Pastel?
is that the round thingy in the tap?

 

[brightspark]

wouldnt wurry about spares its new they last donkeys years and all parts available