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SurfLung
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Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
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Compressor Stand

Wed Aug 11, 2021 9:29 am

Compressor Stand
- Ever since I got it, my little RIX SA-3E has sat either directly on the floor or down close to the floor on a dolly. And that means whenever I perform maintenance, modifications, or repairs... I have to get down on the floor to do it. And then I'm up and down constantly to get tools or parts, etc.
- So I've been thinking about building a stand for it... More like procrastinating about building a stand. Then a few weeks ago I saw a couple of machinery stands you can buy from Harbor freight for $34.95 and $39.95... Capacity 300 lbs and 500 lbs. Son of a gun!
- So I bought the 500 lb capacity stand (the RIX weighs about 120 lbs) and put it together last weekend. The photo below is right after my wife and I hoisted the RIX up onto the stand and before I hooked it up and plugged it in. But WOW... First thing I did was pull the cowl and perform regular maintenance... Grease the turn buckles and bearing races. It was SO easy and quick to do standing up.
- Then, I filled some tanks... I really like having the compressor up on this stand.
Image
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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captain
Plank Owner
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:32 am
Location: LaPlace, LA

Re: Compressor Stand

Wed Aug 11, 2021 12:08 pm

Be careful it doesn't vibrate itself off the stand.
Captain

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antique diver
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First Name: Bill
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Re: Compressor Stand

Wed Aug 11, 2021 2:27 pm

I keep my small compressor on a stand too, and it's much more convenient to operate than sitting on the floor.
If you find yours tends to migrate a bit you can put on some rubber pad feet and use a holesaw to cut part way into the plywood base for each pad, making sockets to keep everything in place

BTW... I like your separator/filter array!
The older I get the better I was.

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SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Re: Compressor Stand

Wed Jul 06, 2022 12:49 pm

captain wrote:
Wed Aug 11, 2021 12:08 pm
Be careful it doesn't vibrate itself off the stand.
Funny you should mention vibration...

I've been noticing more and more vibration with the RIX but not knowing where it was coming from. I figured it was finally getting old and bearings were loose or wearing out. It was overdue for a piston ring and head re-build and I'd been putting it off... kind of not wanting to know what I might find.

Well anyway, I finally did get into it and when I took the belt off, I expected to find a bunch of wiggle and play in the pulley (sheave) on the compressor shaft. But it was solid and smooth spinning. Son of a gun... Nothing wrong with the compressor bearings. Then I gave the sheave on the motor a spin and it actually wobbled. Sure enough all of the looseness and wobble was coming off the motor. So I thought maybe the motor was shot. BUt then I replaced the sheave on the motor and THAT took away all of the wobble, rattle, and looseness. SO... It turns out I was using an adjustable sheave to tune the RPMS as close as possible to 2300 RPM. The locking screws on the adjustable sheave ad worked themselves loose... And that was the entire source of the vibration issue I was experiencing.

Okay so once I got a good solid new sheave/pulley installed on the motor, all that was left was to do a normal re-build. This is just taking each of the heads apart. You clean off any carbon and then replace the O-rings with Viton dura 70 and 90. Re-assemble but don't re-install yet... The 3rd stage piston is a floater and you'll need to push it out from the piston head side. Re-building the pistons is the only expensive part of this. I spent $270 for new teflon piston rings, O-Ring backers, and teflon riders. Put it all together and wow... It's now running smooth and filling fast... On my compressor stand and it's not vibrating off! :)
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

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captain
Plank Owner
Posts: 1440
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:32 am
Location: LaPlace, LA

Re: Compressor Stand

Mon Jul 11, 2022 11:00 am

Electric driven compressors don't seem to vibrate as much as gas driven ones do. Seems the reciprocating mass in each amplify each other. My gas driven one will walk itself across the driveway if not restrained.
Captain

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