Not A Bomb

[Flying10uk]

While looking for videos about something else I noticed this one.

It reminds me of the time when I first purchased an air compressor of a similar size but a different make., about 35 years ago. I was about to respray a panel on my car and I had been very careful to get everything just right, thinning and mixing the paint correctly, as well as carefully setting the air pressure. I had just started to spray the actual panel, a door or wing, when there was a loud bang, the spray gun was violently ripped out of my hand and the entire air regulator had blasted off the top off the compressor, taking the air pipe that had been feeding the spray gun with it.

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[Surpmil]

That's why horizontal air tanks are inherently unsafe: people neglect to drain them and they rust out. On a vertical tank the moisture collects in a pressing that forms the lower end cap. The end caps are much stronger than the side walls by virtue of their shape and often thickness, and therefore far less likely to rupture. If an end cap does rupture the tank tries to become a rocket rather than potentially turning into shrapnel.

[Flying10uk]

What would be interesting to know and what the video didn't say is what pressure the compressor was being run at when it exploded. I've not heard of a complete failure of the cylinder before but I have heard of the ancillary parts failing, such as I experienced with the air regulator parting company with the rest of the compressor.

---------- Post added at 01:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 AM ----------

That's why horizontal air tanks are inherently unsafe: people neglect to drain them and they rust out.

I've not thought of that before.

[Sapper740]

I guess it's time I retired my near 30 year old horizontal tank compressor.

[browningautorifle]

30 year old horizontal tank

I've got one at least that old. No problems either. I do drain it after every use though...

[fjruple]

I have one just as old. I religiously drain the tank after each use.

[Low & Slow]

Mine's vertical, but probably even older. Same deal, drain regularly, and keep an eye (and ear) on pressure regulation. Most likely outlast me.

[Flying10uk]

I religiously drain the tank after each use.

Unfortunately, some of us would forget our heads if they weren't screwed on.

[Flying10uk]

I am NOT suggesting that anyone tries any of the following for obvious safety reasons. It was just something that was sometimes done years ago that we wouldn't do today.

In the "olden days", years ago, it was relatively common for people to "make their own compressors" using the compressor out of a refrigeration unit connected to a gas cylinder as an air receiver. It was possible because refrigeration unit compressors, such as in a fridge, didn't use to be sealed units like they are today. I well remember a local, old timer, spray painter using such a set up well into the 1980's, right up until he retired. He did show me "his compressor" before he retired pointing out the large gas cylinder that he had "converted" into an air receiver. I remember that he had a lot of confidence in the compressor that he had made himself and when he wanted to "get more pressure out of it" it didn't sound at all good, on safety grounds, on how he achieved it. I don't wish to say how he got more pressure out of his compressor, only that it didn't sound at all good on safety grounds.

[CINDERS]

The other thing is cleaning dust from oneself with a compressor yep seen it done heaps of times even I have done it when young & unknowing.
Why not do it!

Simple it takes about 10 psi roughly to send the air into your body get some of that air in your bloodstream and presto air embolism and a pine box for you.
So if you see someone doing that stop them before they light switch themselves out of this life!