Quick air compressor ?

I just found one of these on CL

http://www.airtechniques.com/products/airstar-50.html#prettyPhoto

with a bad cylinder for $300. Specs say 10 CFM at 80 psi. Is this a good deal? I know I've seen on here before that dental compressors are pretty good, but would it hold up for air tools and inflating tires. Thanks!

EDIT: Found working ones used on eBay for $1800+. I wonder how much a new cylinder and piston costs? Is this compressor worth it?

CFM's are CFM's doesn't matter how their made. It would be that the repair to a machine like that is pricey for parts & labor. If you can do the work your self and the parts to fix it can be gotten at a reasonable price it could be a good deal.

So I think I scored a bargain tonight. I picked up a 60 gallon Speedaire with a 2 cyl. Mongomery Ward pump on it. Not sure if it is stock or not. The pump and motor were red and someone painted it black at some point. The date stamp on the tank certification is 1990, but i tapped all around it an it sounds solid and it holds pressure. It was advertised wrong. The guy said it was a 40 gal, 110V. However, it's a 60 gal. and 115/230V. I just need to change the hookup on the motor! All this for $140! Funny thing was, I wasn't planning on driving my truck to work today. But a project on my RX-8 took longer than expected last night. Then I found this advertised this morning. I was the first one to bring the money.

Nice score!

Bump from the dead! I finally got this wired up to 220V tonight. It works much better now. On 110V it would get up to 70 psi before stalling out. Now it gets all the way up to 100 psi. It does tend to slow down a bit as the pressure builds. Is this normal? I'm wondering if I can disassemble the motor and clean it out a bit. When I turn the compressor on, there is a large spark that can be seen inside the motor. I don't think this is normal. I'm wondering if whoever painted it didn't mask off the motor well enough and some paint got inside.

The motor is a GE. Do you think this is a rebuildable motor? I'm hoping I can just pop a couple covers off and clean the contacts.

EDIT: It is a 3hp motor, btw.

Thanks!

we've been using that air compressor in the service shop at my ski shop for a good 15 years or so now. It's had a couple electrical issues over the years but still keeps cranking away (and it's switched on about 12 hours per day. Every day of the week). We have a new replacement one sitting in the stockroom for when this one dies, but it just never seems to die, lol...

(and when it does, I have dibs on it to bring home and try to revive it)

I think the 3 HP motor is the issue. I would think that you would need a 5 HP motor to spin that compressor to 130 PSI. That's what most air compressors should and do go up to.

Montgomery Ward used to carry some good tools...

There really shouldn't be much to clean inside the motor. You could try blowing a little air through it with it turned off but I would probably just leave it alone especially if it has been unused for some time. It is likely just some dust and will clean little debris out by itself with time. Depending what the spark is coming from it may not be an issue and the motor could run for years more. Is the spark shooting out of the motor? Or does it make a snapping noise? Does it do it every time it kicks on or just when it first starts? If it is making noise there is a chance something is failing. If the spark does not leave the motor enclosure and makes no noise, run it until it doesn't work anymore. For small motors it is generally cheaper to just replace as opposed to rebuilding. For replacement it will help if you have all the nameplate information as you will need HP rating, Frame size and RPM. That said does it stall at 100PSI now or just shut off? If it shuts off you just need to adjust your pressure switch (gray box with handle on it) there is a nut inside that will adjust up and down and that will increase/decrease the pressure at which the motor shuts off. The parts inside this box will be live when unit is turned on so it is best to unplug or turn the breaker off before adjusting nut. If the motor is stalling. Where are you getting power from? Is your garage 200' from your house and you have an extension cord feeding it or do you have a outlet it is plugged into with a panel 50' away. If you are very far away from your panel you may have enough voltage drop that the motor is struggling due to low voltage. Generally a motor wired at 220V should have no problem running fast enough to drive the compressor. What size wire do you have running to the unit? Do you have it fed from just a circuit breaker or is there a contactor as well? In theory you should gave at least a #10 wire on a 30A 2 pole breaker. In looking at the pictures it looks as though the motor was likely part of the compressor package and should be sized correctly for the compressor but someone may have changed it before you got it. Does the motor housing get really hot (you can't leave your hand on it) or just warm? Hope this helps.