Source for Aluminum Compressor Tank

i don't think aluminum would make too good a pressure vessel. 30 years welding for the military, never saw a one. google air compressor service and see what you find.
Dale, I was thinking about the same thing, then I realized there are plenty of aluminum scuba tanks, and they're made to carry 3000 psi. So it seems it could be done. Can't say I've ever heard of them being used for a shop air compressor. Wonder why they're not more common?
 
..............Wonder why they're not more common?

Simple cost, the steel ones, if drained regular, last a LONG time, and the cost of making an aluminum one is just not worth it. Scuba tanks are a different breed of tank, and I think that a good steel tank is actually lighter than an aluminum tank. The steel tank is also more expensive, but has a significantly longer usable life (15 for aluminum, 40 for steel?).
Seems to me, a steel compressor tank can be welded up and checked by fairly simple tools, while welding the aluminum tank and checking it would be more specialized and thus cost more. If they were cheaper and lasted longer, then we would see them around commonly, but as Dale has said, I've never seen one either.

Cheers!
 
I brought this up after seeing the little 'Hot Dog' compressors for sale with aluminum tanks. The selling point is the light weight and portability.

It is possible that vibration and metal fatigue over time would threaten the strength of aluminum tanks in larger sizes. It is just that I have a newly bit shop and my old pig of a compressor looks so trashy.

Gary Curtis
 
have you looked at an internal chemical cleaning and coating like they do to gas tanks? the outside could be glass bead blasted and painted. the glass bead will get rid of the rust but won't erode the good steel like grit or steel shot.
 
Hey, why not use a Scuba tank??

I also don't think there are any aluminum compressor tanks out there, but why not use one, or five for that matter Scuba tanks piped together in series? Seems like a straightforward plumbing project.

I'm also tired of the rust in my tank. I know of several finish carpenters on jobs in the past who used Scuba tanks to power nail guns. Worked fine and held a LOT of air.

JH
 
I also don't think there are any aluminum compressor tanks out there, but why not use one, or five for that matter Scuba tanks piped together in series? Seems like a straightforward plumbing project.

I'm also tired of the rust in my tank. I know of several finish carpenters on jobs in the past who used Scuba tanks to power nail guns. Worked fine and held a LOT of air.

JH
Get yourself an Automatic Drain Valve. My last compressor was a rusty mess and then it died... I installed an ADV on its replacement and two years later the water is still clear.
 
You can build a air compressor tank out of aluminum, but I would buy one and not try to make one yourself.

I make tanks all the time for boats...out of steel, aluminum and even plastic, but I never test them to more than 5 psi. That is a huge amount of pressure once you do the math. These tanks expand more than you can imagine, often busting the plastic tanks and getting pin hole leaks in the aluminum ones. Now can you imagine building something to withstand 120 si. Please let the experts do it on account of safety.
 
Get yourself an Automatic Drain Valve. My last compressor was a rusty mess and then it died... I installed an ADV on its replacement and two years later the water is still clear.

I've heard about these, but never seen one, got a link? :D

One thing that I did was to replace the standard little drain valve with a much larger ball valve, pipe too, so it does not blow straight down under the compressor, but to where I want it to go. I also put a piece of pipe straight down from the drain fitting on the tank, the pipe is about 3" long, so I have that little area to store water in, until I open the ball valve about once a month. The 3" piece of pipe keeps the water from sitting in the bottom of the compressor.

Cheers!
 
Here's a pic of my setup. It's an IR ADV bought off the bay for $63 delivered. The ADV plugged directly into the 110 outlet so I wired an on/off switch. I turn it and the compressor on when I’m going to be using it. The ADV is slicker than steamed oysters.
 

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