I’ve recently moved into an apartment building and would like to get my workbench back up and running. The biggest problem seems to be the compressor for my airbrush. My old Walmart garage compressor is incredible loud and would never fly in my quiet building.
Does anyone have any recomendations for a super quiet compressor?
Remove motor, leave tank gauges and pressure switch
Get little refrigrator compresser . Maybe off ebay craiglist . Or a little refrigrator from walmart . Then have hvac tech remove freon …
Luckly i work as a hvac tech .
Installed on off switch . Finished product . Only issue I had was the one way check valve . I had to take out , remove couple spring loops . The compressor was strong enough for that spring . After that works great . Super queite
Quietest options are either to fill a portable air tank in garage and use the tank in your workshop, or go CO2. I have a Iwata Silver Jet, pretty quiet and not too expensive, that I got just because my previous general purpose pancake compressor was so loud.
I have also built my first compressor this way - 20 years ago I couldn’t afford any real compressor - and it still works for me to this day! I’ve actually built like three more since (for my pops and so on), and I say it’s probably the best value for money! Very quiet too - if you take it outside, the wind is louder that that compressor - just as loud as a working refrigerator!
Thats awesome . Same here on the compressor job . If this one goes down , I will go to the supply house buy a new 1/3 hp compressor and build something more like yours.
My ebay cheap compressor went down . I wanted a silnet compressor with tank . I almost bought one for $ 550 . I thought about it . So I built a basic one . I had it almost year now . My pressure switch is going bad . I will order a new one . 9 dollar switch
Rick - thanks a lot! The one I posted pictures of was designed to be used modular - with or without tank (like for tire pumping), or for the tank to be taken away if you needed a small amount of compressed air without the need to tug the compressor with you.
GreenThumb - while I agree that quality has to cost, I believe in making quality myself. Making a “fridge” compressor has the potential to save you some money at the same time giving you a tool tailored to your specific needs.
I also use a fridge compressor, a super old one from the 70s works like a champ.
i just turn it on when I need to fill my large air tank and then unplug it, no fancy switches or anything, just the wall plug and an air line with a quick disconnect
It is some kind of a factor, but not the most important, I’d say. Stiffness of all structural components and routing of the air canals, and also drive motor noise levels are more important here.
When I was looking for a quiet compressor about a year ago, I went to the mfg’s web page for each compressor I was interested in. Most gave the decibel rating of the compressor. If the mfgr did not post that figure I immediately ruled it out.