Found the air compressor running, fixed it better than new!

[cwsmith]

Carl,

Taking another look at your photos and paying closer attention (on my tablet this time) I just noticed that the label is the motor data, not the compressor! You should have a similar label, most likely metal that is on the compressor frame (crankcase); usually attached with drive screws. The label should provide the date of manufacture, country of origin, manufacturing plant, model number, serial number, and maximum pressure output in scfm @ psi. Not sure if back then they gave scfm @ both 40 and 90 psi as they do now.

Also, there should be a metal label on the tank showing the ASME mark and giving the date, MAWP, and rating data.

CWS

[cwsmith]

Just catching up on a few-days-old E-mails and I found this article from Woodworkers Journal. I thought you might find it interesting:

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/whats-the-lifespan-of-an-air-compressor/

CWS

[tfischer]

Was using a compressor from the 70s or maybe even earlier that was my wife's dad's. Finally decided to replace it with a new vertical one (oilless, unfortunately, so it's much louder). I knew the old one didn't old pressure long but didn't realize it had a pinhole leak in it until I was prepping to sell it. It may have been that way for a long time as it never held air for more than a few hours so I always just plugged it in when I needed it. My new one seems to hold air indefinitely.

I need to be much better about draining the tank though... and if that's going to happen I either need to install an auto drain valve or at least a ball valve because I'm certainly not going to crawl on my belly with a wrench every time. Depressurizing it after each use seems way overkill and a waste, though... Mine takes maybe 5 minutes to recharge from empty.

[cwsmith]

I pulled the little twist valve from underneath my tank and installed an elbow, long nipple, and and a new ball-valve on my 33-gal tank. Now it's just a matter of reaching down and turning the valve to drain the tank. So much easier as I don't have to get down on these old knees and reach under the tank.

Got all the needed parts at the (then local) TSC (tractor supply store). They have a regular "compressor" display of parts and accessories.

CWS