I am a "newbie" DIYer, considering building my own hookah rig. However, I am in the Philippines, where most of the products that folks would normally use are not available. Here, most commercial divers are using a Tu Flow 500 compressor made by the Air Brake Division of the Bendix-Westinghouse Corporation. It kicks out 12 CFM 1250 rpms and has three holes in the top. I have included a photo of the compressor, which is also available online in the Bendix Company's catalogue.
My questions then are as follows: Will this compressor, which is apparently made to assist the braking power on large diesel trucks, be safe to use as a compressor for a hookah rig. Local spear fisherman use it almost exclusively, but that does not mean ... etc. Also, is this an "oil less" compressor?
Furthermore, apparently, the three holes in the top are for three hookah lines which can be used to accommodate three divers. If I am going to use it for only one diver, I assume that I would plug the other two holes, but I am wondering what that would do to the pressure coming out the other end and how that would affect the regulator I plan to adapt for this purpose.
Lastly, would I need a holding tank for the air, or could I rig an air line directly to my regulator? Will be using a vintage, US Diver's Aquarius regulator which I plan to adjust to accommodate the difference in pressure coming from the compressor v. a normal, scuba tank. Will that work?
I know, lots of questions for a single post, but hopefully some folks out there can help.
Regards,
G2L