Old AC Condenser Makes A Powerful Air Compressor

2013 - Volume #37, Issue #1, Page #36

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“I’ve probably got the only one-ton dump truck with an air hose hanging out of the grill and an air compressor mounted under the hood,” says retired but still active handyman August Stark of Merrill, Wis. Stark built his engine-mounted compressor using parts from an air conditioning system that he pulled from a 1968 Chrysler car.
  “I got the idea one day and decided to just give it a try,” says Stark, who used to work part time in an auto salvage yard and saw all sorts of unusual work done to old pickups and cars. He pulled the condenser from the Chrysler’s AC system, built a couple brackets, and mounted it on the 350 V-8 engine of his GMC truck. A belt off the fan pulley drives it.
  Stark says the compressor is a V twin cylinder model that can pump 100 lbs. of pressure in less than a minute. He ran an air line from the compressor in the engine compartment to a 4-gal. pressure tank that’s mounted under the cab of his truck. He fills the compressor crankcase with transmission fluid for lubrication.
  To start and stop the compressor Stark installed an electric clutch that’s powered by his truck’s 12-volt electrical system. When he needs air, he flips a master switch on his dashboard and the compressor starts. It stops automatically when the tank pressure reaches a pre-set level, then starts again when pressure falls below 65 lbs.
  “It’s just a darn simple idea that works really well,” Stark says. “I know this pumps faster than a compressor on a semi-tractor because I’ve had a lot of experience with those.”
  Stark built the compressor to have mobile air for pumping up tires and cleaning off equipment. He says it also does a nice job running a paint sprayer, a nail gun and even a 1/2-in. impact wrench. “It will probably run any type of air tool that a stationary or portable compressor would operate,” Stark says.
  If someone is interested in building a unit like his, Stark says that any piston-driven air conditioning condenser would probably work. He says the setup would probably cost less than $50.
“My truck doesn’t have air conditioning, so I was able to mount the compressor where the condenser would normally be,” Stark says. “Plumbing the lines was easy.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, August Stark, N4459 Mary Todd Ct., Merrill, Wis. 54452 (ph 715 536-8486).

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Old AC Condenser Makes A Powerful Air Compressor FARM SHOP Miscellaneous “I’ve probably got the only one-ton dump truck with an air hose hanging out of the grill and an air compressor mounted under the hood ” says retired but still active handyman August Stark of Merrill Wis Stark built his engine-mounted compressor using parts from an air conditioning system that he pulled from a 1968 Chrysler car “I got the idea one day and decided to just give it a try ” says Stark who used to work part time in an auto salvage yard and saw all sorts of unusual work done to old pickups and cars He pulled the condenser from the Chrysler’s AC system built a couple brackets and mounted it on the 350 V-8 engine of his GMC truck A belt off the fan pulley drives it Stark says the compressor is a V twin cylinder model that can pump 100 lbs of pressure in less than a minute He ran an air line from the compressor in the engine compartment to a 4-gal pressure tank that’s mounted under the cab of his truck He fills the compressor crankcase with transmission fluid for lubrication To start and stop the compressor Stark installed an electric clutch that’s powered by his truck’s 12-volt electrical system When he needs air he flips a master switch on his dashboard and the compressor starts It stops automatically when the tank pressure reaches a pre-set level then starts again when pressure falls below 65 lbs “It’s just a darn simple idea that works really well ” Stark says “I know this pumps faster than a compressor on a semi-tractor because I’ve had a lot of experience with those ” Stark built the compressor to have mobile air for pumping up tires and cleaning off equipment He says it also does a nice job running a paint sprayer a nail gun and even a 1/2-in impact wrench “It will probably run any type of air tool that a stationary or portable compressor would operate ” Stark says If someone is interested in building a unit like his Stark says that any piston-driven air conditioning condenser would probably work He says the setup would probably cost less than $50 “My truck doesn’t have air conditioning so I was able to mount the compressor where the condenser would normally be ” Stark says “Plumbing the lines was easy ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup August Stark N4459 Mary Todd Ct Merrill Wis 54452 ph 715 536-8486

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