I Adopted A Stray Compressor Today
While walking around in one of the most famous second hand goods markets in Hong Kong, Ap Liu Street, I spotted a small air compressor sitting alone in the middle of the road. At first, I ignored it because it looked like it was someone else's and wasn't going to be there for long - but when I circled back to the same place thirty minutes later, I realized that nobody was interested in this little guy.
So I made an offer - a ridiculously low offer. And got laughed at. I then pointed out that I was willing to take the unit immediately and nobody else had shown any interest. At that point, I got a bunch of insults thrown my way, all along the lines of "you no good cheap-o, cheapskate, skinflint, etc...). So I then pulled the money out of my wallet and offered up the cash. The insults instantly abated and the transaction was quickly consummated. God I love Hong Kong.
For obvious reasons, I christened this little compressor LIME. It arrived with a multitude of problems that seemed to need immediate attention (goody!).
The many problems afflicting LIME fell into two groups: Broken Parts & Missing Parts.
Broken Parts
Cowling:
The Cowling was badly cracked, making it ugly and probably a safety hazard:
My intention is to try to repair it with super glue, and then (maybe) paint it a different color.
Main Coupler
The Main Coupler was broken, making it impossible to plug in an air hose and therefore rendering this compressor useless. This may have been the primary reason why LIME was discarded:
Air Filter
By the look of it, Lime had an air filter at one time, and that filter had been snapped off, leaving only a stem remaining. To protect the unit, a new air filter would be needed.
Missing Parts
Crankcase Cap
LIME arrived without a crankcase cap. Instead a plastic cap that is popular in Hong Kong to help recycle used quart beer bottles as containers of popular solvents (alcohol, acetone, turpentine, etc...) had been jammed in the hole:
Compressor Oil
It appears that LIME is the kind of compressor that likes to have compressor oil in a sump at the bottom of the crancase. The oil lubricates its bottom end, where the crank, push rods and bottom of the pistons do their work. Lime has a sight glass, but that glass shows no sign of any oil:
Rubber Feet
Unlike most compressors, LIME has no rubber feet, which help to prevent the transmission of the vibrations of the compressor into the floor. At the moment, there are only four badly bent steel fittings into which rubber feet should have been attached:
Replacement Parts
Looking around online, I found the following repair, replacement and upgrade parts:
Help a Maker Out?
Did you see anything in this video you want for yourself? If the answer is yes, consider using one of the link(s) below to buy it directly from amazon.com. When you do, I get a small commission that keeps me going!
Bill of Materials
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