Building a compressor?

[agnieska]

I live in a remote beach town with 2 dive "shops" that won't sell air, only their "fun dive" packages. The idea of having to build my own compressor is much more acceptable than never being able to dive again. Has anyone here done this? Importing a personal one is not possible because of the weight ($6/kg for packages and also up to 49% tax from customs). Any ideas and advice welcome! Thank you!

 

[ergo46]

Building your own compressor is not possible without a CNC Shop that you could spend hundreds of hours in working on it and the experience and skills of working with HP. Talk to the fire station in your town to ask about getting air filled their.

 

[pisoiu]

Oh man, you'll need some serious engineering knowledge, access to industrial tools and materials. I never heard on anyone building a 200 bar compressor in his/her garage. How will you test if the resulting air is breathable, in normal parameters? But maybe I'm wrong..

 

[grf88]

I don't think that building your own compressor would be very practical however it may be possible to improvise a two stage booster. Get a copy of Airspeed Press's Improvised Low Cost HP Gas Boosters and think along the lines of building a two stage device.
IMPROVISED AND LOW COST HP GAS BOOSTERS a new book from Airspeed Press

 

[agnieska]

---------- Post added October 29th, 2013 at 11:07 AM ----------

I don't think that building your own compressor would be very practical however it may be possible to improvise a two stage booster. Get a copy of Airspeed Press's Improvised Low Cost HP Gas Boosters and think along the lines of building a two stage device.
IMPROVISED AND LOW COST HP GAS BOOSTERS a new book from Airspeed Press

Thank you for the link!

Most things I have come across so far look pretty iffy. No luck yet, but going to check this out.

---------- Post added October 29th, 2013 at 11:09 AM ----------

Building your own compressor is not possible without a CNC Shop that you could spend hundreds of hours in working on it and the experience and skills of working with HP. Talk to the fire station in your town to ask about getting air filled their.

No fire station... sorry I replied to this incorrectly. Nearest one is over an hour away.

 

[Diver0001]

I live in a remote beach town with 2 dive "shops" that won't sell air, only their "fun dive" packages. The idea of having to build my own compressor is much more acceptable than never being able to dive again. Has anyone here done this? Importing a personal one is not possible because of the weight ($6/kg for packages and also up to 49% tax from customs). Any ideas and advice welcome! Thank you!

What about just using a gasoline driven compressor with a personal filter and no buffer? A guy I know used one of those when he was diving in remote locations. Filling takes a while but at least it gets the job done.

If you do decide to build your own improvised filling station then I would recommend turning it on and the running as far away from it as you can get until the tanks are full.

And buy a helmet.

R..

 

[JohnN]

I live in a remote beach town with 2 dive "shops" that won't sell air, only their "fun dive" packages.

Maybe a few well placed beer's would improve their disposition?

Seems like a very unfriendly policy, since the marginal cost of doing a fill is almost $0. Do they give a reason when you asked for a fill? I would think getting a current hydro/VIP would be more difficult if you're that remote

Have you considered offering to purchase a tank from them? Whole lot less cash out than your own compressor. . .

 

[agnieska]

What about just using a gasoline driven compressor with a personal filter and no buffer? A guy I know used one of those when he was diving in remote locations. Filling takes a while but at least it gets the job done.

If you do decide to build your own improvised filling station then I would recommend turning it on and the running as far away from it as you can get until the tanks are full.

And buy a helmet.

R..

Yes, I am slightly concerned about accidentally making a... shrapnel exploding mechanism as opposed to a booster or compressor.

gasoline-driven seems fine. i think i should find someone to build it for me though- I have never been very good at (ok, i'm horrible at) following directions.

 

[Damselfish]

I would work again on the angle of convincing one of the shops to sell you air. As said, the incremental cost to them is basically $0. If you can convince them there's no way you're interested in their dive packages, so they will make some money from you they wouldn't otherwise that is pure profit, maybe you will get one of them to give in. Or maybe a compromise and offer to do one of their trips once a month or something if that works for you, if they will fill your tanks the rest of the time.

If the fire station will fill tanks, and you can get your hands on more tanks so you don't have to drive the hour as often, maybe that would be a cheaper and more viable solution.