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fw: the 'east texas special' air compressor

updated thu 7 dec 00

 

vince pitelka on wed 6 dec 00


David -
I love it. I had exactly such a compressor. Around 1969 just after I met
my wife we were her folks just north of Ukiah, CA. The neighbers were all
old Italian grape farmers, and up behind one of the vinyards I found a nice
farm dump, and at the bottom of the hill was the base of an old
refrigerator - a cast iron stand with compressor, condenser, and a small
pressure tank. The damn thing weighed about 100 lbs, but I dragged it up
out of the dump and down the road to my inlaw's place, and I'm sure they
thought the worst of my junk-gathering inclinations. When I got it back
home I eliminated the condenser, and did just like you did with a pressure
switch from a well-pump. The tank was very small, but it worked fine for my
needs, because it cycled to full pressure so quickly. I used it primarily
for small spraying jobs and for blowing off parts, etc.

Later, when I wanted to operate air tools I bought a Campbell Hausfield 2 HP
cast iron compressor at Montgomery Wards. That was around 1974, and I think
it cost me about $175. Since then, I have changed the compressor oil a few
times, cleaned the air filter, and bled off the condensation frequently. As
far as I can see, it's performance has not diminished one bit in 26 years of
pretty heavy use. That's quite a bargain.
Best wishes -
- Vince

Vince Pitelka
Home - vpitelka@dekalb.net
615/597-5376
Work - wpitelka@tntech.edu
615/597-6801 ext. 111, fax 615/597-6803
Appalachian Center for Crafts
Tennessee Technological University
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville TN 37166
http://www.craftcenter.tntech.edu/