Spring steel for compressor valves?

[Ton-up]

Hiya,
I need to replace the valves on a small compressor. Its too good to throw away as its perfect for running for my nail guns.
I believe its had a homemade valve already. So does anyone have any spring steel plate about 0.30 mm thick and 40 mm square (two would be good incase I make a boo boo!) they would be willing to sell or somewhere that would sell a small amount and doesn't come from China like all the stuff on Ebay!



Many thanks!

 

[frank horton]

Stainless steel sheet will work just fine......most new comp use that material for the valves now....
prob about the same thickness as a baking tray etc.......!!!!!!!!!

 

[mtt.tr]

Hmm if i can find my shim stock I'll send you a piece

 

[Ton-up]

Thank you but I have shim. I assumed that it needed to be spring steel, is that not the case?

 

[mtt.tr]

This is spring steel shin stock

 

[Ton-up]

Oh, thank you Mtt.tr

 

[Reman]

That looks all too familiar for my liking.

Is it out of a little "Bostitch" direct drive pump by any chance (Sold under many different brand names, But always with a little "PUMP OL195 OLD" sticker on the side of it's alloy pump chassis) ?
If so, The valve plate that came off was superseded many years ago. It was a sh**ty design originally, with read valves in the piston crown and head. The things were noisier than a drunk ex girlfriend and for some reason it was always the center valve plate finger that would snap off (I like to think it was designed that way as a Bostitch inside joke, Something about giving the customer the middle finger. ) The updated version used a "Crossflow" style head and a blanking plate that screwed onto the piston crown with a single bolt !!! The update made it more reliable, But it was still a seriously noisy and low powered compressor.

I've had a couple of cheap compressors with this pump on them, And I had to make a couple of reed valves for each of those. The one that lasted longest was made with slightly thinner spring steel (Sorry, I cant remember the exact thickness I used, Just that it was slightly thinner than the original) and I left a line of radiused webbing between the "Finger tip" discs. The originals only ever lasted for a hundred or so hours of heavy use (I think they work harden to be honest), But the webbed version probably went twice as long before it "Gave me the middle finger" again..... Actually, I still have one of the compressors somewhere with the center finger broken off. In a temper I just screwed a stub of loctited allthread into the center port and ran it as a tyre pump like that for a year or so until it finally went completely.

If your's really is an OL195 pump, I found an ebayer in Italy who still lists the original design valve plate (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272131075280). It's just over 25 quid and he should be able to get it to you in less than 2 weeks.

Reman.

 

[Ton-up]

Your right in every way, Reman! It is a terrible design. Works well but no longevity.

Thanks for the link.

 

[Reman]

As I said, The revised design worked OK, But it was still a noisy/low output little critter. We used to be able to buy the retrofit kit for about 20 quid, But I havent seen one for sale here in the UK for 4 or 5 years now.
Seems they're still avalible as NOS in some American and Australian shops, But with the shipping the total cost adds up to more than this cheapo compressor cost in the first place !!

 

[Ton-up]

Yeah, I saw the ones in USA.
It's getting on a bit though it's immaculate but it might be best to replace it.