home built air compressor
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From: Phoenix, AZ USA
home built air compressor First, little back story:
I started out with a Home Depot, 220Volt unit that was "rated" at 5HP/11CFM@90PSI (though there is NO WAY it came close to that) and used a 60gal tank. After a solid 10 years of working, the pump died (just wouldn't build air pressure anymore) so the "hot rodder" in me came out yet again. Honestly, WHY go BUY a whole new unit when you can piece together something BETTER?
So went and bought a heavy duty (100% duty cycle) 2 stage compressor pump (rated at 35CFM @ 145PSI) and a BIG 220Volt TRUE 7.5HP motor (the motor alone weighs over 75lbs and is rated at 35AMPs run current), both from Granger. Built a little "sled" stand to mount them on. Piped them into the old 60gal tank. And there it is...super compressor. The compressor has a dedicated 50AMP, 220Volt line and when it flips on, lights dim in the garage (its AWSOME!!! ).
Ok...so yes I'm showing off a bit but you have to admit...it's a wonderful example of the pure EXCESS we here all love
note: I stood an LS1 valve cover up against the compressor to give some kind of size comparison...
I started out with a Home Depot, 220Volt unit that was "rated" at 5HP/11CFM@90PSI (though there is NO WAY it came close to that) and used a 60gal tank. After a solid 10 years of working, the pump died (just wouldn't build air pressure anymore) so the "hot rodder" in me came out yet again. Honestly, WHY go BUY a whole new unit when you can piece together something BETTER?
So went and bought a heavy duty (100% duty cycle) 2 stage compressor pump (rated at 35CFM @ 145PSI) and a BIG 220Volt TRUE 7.5HP motor (the motor alone weighs over 75lbs and is rated at 35AMPs run current), both from Granger. Built a little "sled" stand to mount them on. Piped them into the old 60gal tank. And there it is...super compressor. The compressor has a dedicated 50AMP, 220Volt line and when it flips on, lights dim in the garage (its AWSOME!!!
).Ok...so yes I'm showing off a bit but you have to admit...it's a wonderful example of the pure EXCESS we here all love
note: I stood an LS1 valve cover up against the compressor to give some kind of size comparison...
Last edited by 2001CamaroGuy; Aug 9, 2008 at 11:03 PM.
Awesome! Must have been A LOT cheaper piecing together your own motor and pump rather buying a whole new unit. Single phase 220V motor Im assuming? Too bad you couldnt run a three phase motor.
Dang, that's a head unit there! Serious CFM, and that motor's a monster. 
Though from Grainger, unless you caught it on sale, I'm sure it wasn't cheap.
But even then, you'll have to spend $$$$ to get that level of compressor anywhere else.
Though from Grainger, unless you caught it on sale, I'm sure it wasn't cheap.
But even then, you'll have to spend $$$$ to get that level of compressor anywhere else. Thread Starter
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From: Phoenix, AZ USA
In the end it really wasn't expensive at all (considering what it is). Looking at the cost to replace the old HomeDepot unit with the same thing was nearly $800.
From Grainger the new pump and motor were only about $1000-$1100 (which to buy a whole setup of equal size would have been around $2000+). Now there were other little pieces (controller, hoses, etc. which added $200 or so) but still overall dirt cheep for an industrial level compressor setup.
Yes, 220Volt 1-phase... I wish the power companies would run 3-phase in residential areas as well.....
Before I built this setup I came across a "used" horizontal tank, 3-phase compressor (HUGE!!! had 2 15HP motors running 2 different 4-piston/compound pumps... in other words 4 of my compressors, but larger) for about a $1000 (shop went out of business).....though how I would have moved it, much less where to PUT IT... still makes a nice day dream
From Grainger the new pump and motor were only about $1000-$1100 (which to buy a whole setup of equal size would have been around $2000+). Now there were other little pieces (controller, hoses, etc. which added $200 or so) but still overall dirt cheep for an industrial level compressor setup.
Yes, 220Volt 1-phase... I wish the power companies would run 3-phase in residential areas as well.....
Before I built this setup I came across a "used" horizontal tank, 3-phase compressor (HUGE!!! had 2 15HP motors running 2 different 4-piston/compound pumps... in other words 4 of my compressors, but larger) for about a $1000 (shop went out of business).....though how I would have moved it, much less where to PUT IT... still makes a nice day dream
nice, although i wouldnt want to go broke running my compressor lol. i was looking at speedaire parts when my pump died, way to expensive, then i found the cheap pump on it on ebay for about 100 bucks. it sucks, and i wish it was 60 gallon, but i need to stop spending so much money on tools and more on car parts 
