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Where To Get Sets and Parts For discussions about swapmeets, rallies, NVCF and BVWS, car boot sales, antique and charity shops, dealers, newspaper adverts, the local tip and just about any other source of equipment (other than eBay).

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Old 13th May 2020, 2:23 pm   #1
Pamphonica
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Default Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

I always fancied a small air compressor for blowing out dust on old radio chassis, car tyre inflation, spray painting and even running a grown-up Metcal desoldering station.
However, I really don't have space for a grown-up compressor, and am not going to be vehicle-mending. And it needed to be quiet in case it was used indoors.
Then I spotted this, at an amazing £67 plus £12 shipping (prices keep shifting slightly!).
I ordered one on Sunday and it turned up today by courier (Weds), all the way from the Netherlands.
https://www.wish.com/search/compress...on=3&share=web
It's very neat - about 320mm end-to-end and 300mm high. So it can live indoors under my testbench. Also, it's pretty quiet when it re-charges the 3L tank.
For my purposes, just what I needed, and well within budget.. I think others are selling this device at £100+
A good first experience buying through Wish, which is a bit like AliExpress but not just for Chinese vendors.
Worth a look if you've always promised yourself one.
-Jeremy
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Old 13th May 2020, 3:03 pm   #2
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

Jeremy,

That link needs one to sign in/up to see it properly which I won't. I have much the same compressor, very good value for money, came with a kit of extra parts (tyre inflator, spray gun etc.) for about £100 from B&Q a few years ago. They have enough capacity to do a couple of tyres unplugged, well for my motorcycle anyway! I have a couple of air tools, windy spanner and nibbler, they don't last long on the receivers volume of air, that doesn't matter much for a hobby.
 
Old 13th May 2020, 3:11 pm   #3
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

Sorry about the link. I had not realised that sign-up was a prerequisite. Reviews of Wish seem to indicate that it's a proper operation. I'm awaiting the basic tools (an extra £14 from a well known auction site)!

By the way, as Wish sells direct from manufacturers worldwide, as usual, do your own due dilligence before buying and satisfy yourself that the discount is worth any associated risks. Wish does seem to have refund and complaint mechanisms, but these may not offer the same protection as other sites including auction sites.
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Last edited by Pamphonica; 13th May 2020 at 3:21 pm.
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Old 13th May 2020, 5:40 pm   #4
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

Jeremy

Thanks, I had been wondering about how to get general dust and crud out of a chassis

I'd be interested in the "other tools"?

Thanks

Fred
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Old 13th May 2020, 5:54 pm   #5
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

For cleaning use, you use a lot of air. With a small compressor it all comes down to having a big enough receiver to give a good blast, and then you can wait for the small pump to get it back to pressure.

Compared to those tinned air cans, a compressor is a lot more powerful, in bursts. AND it avoids cfcs, hydro-carbons etc. Also it's not inflammable.

Sort of thing you wonder how you survived without... and then you find out what you can do with a little airbrush (model shops are a good place to find these). 'Badger' is a good make.

I'm a bit more heavily equipped in the air department so I have big grinders, small pencil-sized burr/stone drivers that make dremels look like complete junk, air powered hacksaw and a plasma cutter. Oh, yes, degreaser gun and bead-blaster.

Once you start, where do you stop?

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Old 13th May 2020, 5:57 pm   #6
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

Hi Fred,
I just put "air tools" into Ebay and chose the first cheap set I saw. the picture said 12 piece but it's actually 20 pieces in the description.

The compressor is called a Fengda FD-186 and is available from Amazon and others as well.

-Jeremy
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Old 13th May 2020, 6:29 pm   #7
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

Thanks for the link, I might get one! I’ve been after one for a while, but hadn’t found one that was small and quiet. My neighbour has a large compressor of some sort that is almost as loud as his tractor when it starts up! I don’t want anything that loud! Also, spacen in the workshop is very tight, so a small unit like this will be great.

Regards
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Old 13th May 2020, 7:20 pm   #8
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

I sold my big compressor and bought a Clarke Bandit 8 litre from Machine Mart when they had a 20% off sale on, brought it down to around £80

Peter
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Old 13th May 2020, 8:09 pm   #9
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

My Wife uses Wish, It's OK as far as we can see.
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Old 13th May 2020, 8:32 pm   #10
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

Quote:
My neighbour has a large compressor of some sort
Just give him the end of a bit of pipe!
 
Old 13th May 2020, 8:35 pm   #11
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

One thing about these compressors (and others without auto drain) do drain the tank every now and again, a lot of water collects during the compression and with a steel tank...
There is a valve on the underside for this. I use mine infrequently and when I have finished I drain it, leave the valve open and run for a minute or so to drive the water out.
 
Old 13th May 2020, 9:25 pm   #12
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

Anyone new to blowing stuff out with proper compressed air, please wear safety googles, and perhaps a dust mask..

T
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Old 13th May 2020, 10:19 pm   #13
David G4EBT
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

£55.99 on Amazon post free.

Gets good reviews. Nice and quiet on YouTube demos:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mini-airbru...TC65REA211EJXW
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Old 14th May 2020, 12:53 pm   #14
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

Quote:
Originally Posted by David G4EBT View Post
£55.99 on Amazon post free.
That appears to be a version without a reservoir David, Jeremy's one is this I think. There's also a "souped up" version with a slightly bigger reservoir and 2 cylinders for £129.99 as well as the same things but with an airbrush kit as well.

I must admit I'm tempted (my requirements are similar to Jeremy's) but I'd like to hear how it gets on with tasks other than air brushing.

Hugh
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Old 14th May 2020, 1:36 pm   #15
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

Note that it's only a 3-4 bar machine. Cuts out at 4 bar, restarts at 3 bar.

Normal large compressors run ten bar at the restart point, and there are small machines which run similar pressures and differ only in volumetric capacity.

These low pressure machines are made principally to power air brushes. Better than a tin of air duster, but not really the full power even for a small chuff.

David
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Old 14th May 2020, 4:47 pm   #16
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

A good point David, though that may not be an issue for my level of use. That said I see that a Clarke Bandit like Peter's is actually cheaper than the "souped up" airbrush compressor that I mentioned earlier.

Hugh
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Old 14th May 2020, 7:28 pm   #17
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

In fairness I should add that there are no outlet filters/ water traps on the bandit, I fitted a cheap one that added about £10 to the cost.

Peter
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Old 14th May 2020, 11:26 pm   #18
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

I've got a 300 bar 10L air tank with a pipe on that I've used to blow stuff out when I can't be bothered getting my compressors out, have to be careful though.

As for wish its a buyer beware site they sell some out and out fakes, and for some stuff I wanted I looked on eBay and bought it cheaper.
"100.000 lumen torch" yea sure

Last edited by defender; 14th May 2020 at 11:32 pm.
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Old 15th May 2020, 9:10 am   #19
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

Can I point out that compressors can be very good buys on the second-hand market - as long as they are not too old in which case there may be serious corrosion in the tank. In fact both my units were "give-away" jobs by owners who didn't know how, or couldn't be bothered, repairing them.....a "please take" sign in in front of their houses.

As my "go-to" compressor for general workshop jobs I run a small GMC (remember them?) with a 24 Litre tank, which is almost a direct clone of a dozen other Chinese made brands. These can be wheeled about, but really are small enough to lift (on a good day...) and as it is so easily moved about I use this in preference to a much larger industrial sized job that just sits in the corner mostly unused. Tyres, air dusting and general air-tool use - more than adequate.

These have a quite narrow head gasket flange and when, after a few years of life, and the head gasket becomes impregnated with oil develop slow leaks and fail to attain their normal pressure and are often given away or sold cheaply on ebay or gumtree etc..... Cutting out a new gasket from a bit of suitable gasket material is a matter of minutes...... Bearing failure is another easy repair - which is how I obtained my larger unit from a tradie who couldn't be bothered paying someone to repair it.....

The money saved with the second-hand buy or free unit can be then spent on decent quality hoses and air tools - at the bottom of the market the "kits" included with compressors are pretty poor, particularly the hoses. ( I've been very impressed with Aldi air tools - metal shears, air wrench, die grinders -- perhaps a bit light for professional use, but for general home use a very good buy ......and of course the Aldi warranty makes them a no-risk buy ).Aldi hoses also seem ok, although they are a bit lighter and are less flexible than serious professional quality hoses.

Bruce
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Old 15th May 2020, 11:01 am   #20
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Default Re: Small Workshop Air Compressor £67

I was recently given a small damaged compressor ( the pressure gauge assembly and pressure gauge was broken) I bought replacement for £10 and away we go. The air receiver was about 300 x 150mm tiny. I had a pub gas bottle (Argon) so using those push on air line connectors via ebay and a flex hose connected the compressor air receiver and bottle together. Down side is the noise, can't win them all. Ted
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