Toilet Paper Filter for an Air Compressor....?

Stuart Ablett

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Tokyo Japan
This >> little air compressor << that I just got, it needs an air filter, I can imagine getting hold of the stock on, may be a problem, so I was thinking of making one myself, and thought of the "Toilet Paper" filters I've heard about before.

Does anyone have one?

If you do, could you give me an idea of how it works? and how it is built?

Cheers!
 
Stu,

I've seen the toilet paper roll type filters to catch junk and water in the system (after the compressor), but not one to filter the incoming air. It looks like the original filter was a foam filter similar to those on lawn mowers etc. You might check that avenue for one even if you need to cut it to fit.

Just a thought.

Wes

PS Here's a link to a filter: http://www.motorguard.com/air_2_2.html and another: http://www.tptools.com/p/74,110_1and2-Coalescing-Air-Filter.html
http://www.tptools.com/p/102,110_Coalescing-Element.html
 
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I have heard of doing this but can't remember where I saw the information. At my work they have large rolls of filter material that they cut and put in the doors of the blast booth and paint booth. It is a spun something or other that looks like fiberglass without the itch. Non-commpresed it is about 2" thick. Is it possible to get that over there? If not I could stuff a big chunk in large envelope and mail it to you. Would only weight a few ounces so postage shouldn't be too bad.
 
Thanks for the info Wes!

Dale, I know that an Oil filter version of these used to be real popular on trucks etc....:dunno: Thanks for the offer of filter material too, I might take you up on that :D

I do understand that for drying the air, this set up would work well, but I doubt I can easily built that, as it has to be a pressure vessel, but for an intake filter, I was thinking something like this...........

tp_filter.jpg
......... All I'm doing is using the toilet Paper as a filtering material.....

The air filters on my large cyclone are a real joke, they are just some little donuts of foam in a plastic thing, I doubt they stop any dust for getting into the pump......... :doh:

Cheers!
 
Unless you use John Wayne toilet paper, you may be sucking fibers in to the compressor pump from the toilet paper. Just something else to think about. I'll ask about the filter material when I get to work this afternoon.
 
They don't really use TP for a filter.

I have one on my plasma cutter. But obviously its after the compressor. My dad made a filter holder for his old compressor by cutting a couple plywood discs the diameter of a car air filter (from back in the old days where they were donut-shaped). It attached right to the top of the compressor. I tried something similar for my I-R, but I used PVC fittings and the couldn't take the heat. I never remade it with metal fittings.
 
Why not just adapt your air intake to use a readily available automotive air filter cartridge? A simple rectangular box, to fit a filter from a Toyota, etc. would work just fine.

My old compressor uses a 'donut' filter that was intended as an aftermarket 'performance' filter for an old Stromberg carb. It's been working just great for about 25 years, although the filter cartridges are getting harder to find now. I may have to fab up a box for a more readily available filter when it next needs changed.
 
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