Compressors for multiple machines

[Hutchcox]

Good afternoon,

We are looking for an all-in-one solution for our compressor. Right now we just have each machine hooked up to a Bambi PT50 and it isn't sustainable, especially not in this muggy heat.

3 underpinners in constant all-day use with another 3 connected but minimal usage.

2 saws (939 and 999) which will require air.

1 Axio GUNNAR

I'd like each station to have it's own air gun as well.

Where's best to start with something like this? Ideally, I'd like one that I can keep outside the unit and it must have some sort of air dryer.

Thanks!

[vintage frames]

You are best off with a Hydrovane compressor.
These are built to be left running continuously and will feed all your machines going at the same time.
You should expect to pay around £1700 new but I'd be looking for a second-hand model at half that price.

You can buy a cheaper piston compressor that will do the same but will soon wear out if you try running all your machines together.

[Fruitini]

I second the shout for a hydrovane. We run an HV02 with a 75litre receiver capacity which is plenty enough for our requirements. We run a Valiani, underpinner, various air tools and more recently a paint spray booth addition. I’d say before the spray booth addition it probably was a little over spec and we had issues in the early days where the HV wasn’t running regularly hot enough and water was getting into the oil causing breakdown. This was fixed with a weekly run out for a solid hour, but now the spraying is calling for more than enough air to get the machine hot on a regular basis burning off any water that forms in the workings. Not really sure of the science behind it mind…

The HV has an autodrain attached which saves having to drain the tank manually. We also have a Tundra 22 dryer alongside which keeps the machines and blowers happy, and a separator so we are only disposing of water down the drain. Very happy with the setup. As with most important machines regular maintenance and servicing saves most nightmare scenarios!

[Hutchcox]

You are best off with a Hydrovane compressor.
These are built to be left running continuously and will feed all your machines going at the same time.
You should expect to pay around £1700 new but I'd be looking for a second-hand model at half that price.

You can buy a cheaper piston compressor that will do the same but will soon wear out if you try running all your machines together.

Thanks for the recommendation, is it noisy? I'm finding conflicting DB readings online.

[JFeig]

You can always place a 4 sided insulated box around the compressor with a gap between it and the wall. I made my industrial piston compressor quiet enough for years such that you could hear others easily in the same room.

[Hutchcox]

I second the shout for a hydrovane. We run an HV02 with a 75litre receiver capacity which is plenty enough for our requirements. We run a Valiani, underpinner, various air tools and more recently a paint spray booth addition. I’d say before the spray booth addition it probably was a little over spec and we had issues in the early days where the HV wasn’t running regularly hot enough and water was getting into the oil causing breakdown. This was fixed with a weekly run out for a solid hour, but now the spraying is calling for more than enough air to get the machine hot on a regular basis burning off any water that forms in the workings. Not really sure of the science behind it mind…

The HV has an autodrain attached which saves having to drain the tank manually. We also have a Tundra 22 dryer alongside which keeps the machines and blowers happy, and a separator so we are only disposing of water down the drain. Very happy with the setup. As with most important machines regular maintenance and servicing saves most nightmare scenarios!

Thanks for getting back to me. I think the Hydrovane is the way forward. Might be a stupid question but do you have the Tundra before or after the tank?

[Fruitini]

Way quieter than my old ‘mouthy’ piston compressor! It’s in a side room to the workshop, if the door is open when it goes off the door gets closed more often than not so I guess that suggests it’s still pretty noisy! A great suggestion by Jerome, might look into that.

Tundra goes after the tank.

[vintage frames]

If you have your saws running, then you won't hear the Hydrovane.
They are however pre-programed to kick in during your favourite music tracks.