concrete pad for 60 gallon air compressor? (1 Viewer)

[swelltimes]

I'm installing a 60 gallon air compressor in my shop, but the best spot for power and keeping it out of the way is on a small spot of dirt. I'd like to pour a concrete pad to place the compressor on top of, with some threaded bolts sticking out that I can use to mount the compressor on some rubber pads.

I know I have to wait until temps are consistently above freezing here in MA. Outside of that, anybody have any experience with a similar project? I'm thinking a 4 inch thick pad would do the trick, with ~4" of concrete outboard of the bolts.

Thoughts?

 

[rusty_tlc]

Not an expert by any means but here are a couple of things I've picked up over the years;
You will want the perimeter about 6 - 8 " deep. 4" in the center is plenty.
For a small slab you can use the glass fiber reinforced concrete and skip re-bar.
You can pour in cold weather if you have an insulation blanket, I think you can rent them. It's common practice here in Reno for winter construction.

I'd skip the bolts and mark and drill for molly bolts after the slab was poured. If you do it while the concrete is new drilling is easy and it will be a lot less hassle than trying to keep bolts in the correct locations while you pour.

 

[swelltimes]

Cool, thanks @rusty_tlc. I'm booked for this weekend, but will keep the thread posted as I progress. Seems to me that if I'm going to dig out a section to fill in with concrete, I'll probably make it at a uniform ~ 6 inches or so. Great advice to drill bolts, rather than deal with setting them in. Thanks for the input!

 

[rusty_tlc]

Cool, thanks @rusty_tlc. I'm booked for this weekend, but will keep the thread posted as I progress. Seems to me that if I'm going to dig out a section to fill in with concrete, I'll probably make it at a uniform ~ 6 inches or so. Great advice to drill bolts, rather than deal with setting them in. Thanks for the input!

Depending on the size of the slab an extra 2" of dirt to move out and 2" of concrete to move in can turn into a lot of work.

 

[swelltimes]

Depending on the size of the slab an extra 2" of dirt to move out and 2" of concrete to move in can turn into a lot of work.

Yeah, seems like I could be digging and mixing a bunch of concrete pretty quickly. I emailed a local company today to see about a pre-fab pad. It'd mean the same digging / leveling, but not having to worry about framing / pouring / screeding the whole thing.

Thanks for the input!!

 

[D'Animal]

I either leave my air compressors bolted to the pallet or I set them on a thick rubber mat.

The thick rubber mat, like the ones you get at the feed store for use in horse stalls.
It makes them a lot more quiet and the bolted down legs do not break after years of vibration.

 

[swelltimes]

@D'Animal, yeah, that could work to. Maybe I'm overthinking it?

 

[canman]

A pic of mine. No issues in over 10 years, but I'm sure I have less than 100 hrs on it in that time.

 

[shelfboy1]

have been to many farm auctions and it seems the skid it came on is the most popular mount then concrete ,mine sets on the floor and uses 3 fj40 engine dougnuts to set on .

 

[D'Animal]

Here are mine.

Quincey 80 gallon vertical still on the pallet

Cambell Hausfield 80 gallon sitting on section/priced of horse stall matt.

 

[scrapdaddy]

Would there be any concern of heaving with the freezing and thawing of the dirt? Mine is the same, sitting on the pallet it came with. I thought I was just lazy, by not mounting it on something good.

 

[D'Animal]

You biggest concern is condensation or moisture getting into the tank.

Drain it often.

 

[swelltimes]

Thanks, all. There's been no heaving on that spot of dirt since I did some regrading for proper drainage in front of the shop, and poured some new thresholds for the garage doors. That's not to say it couldn't happen, though.

Sounds like I can get a 42" square pad, ~ 5" thick, for $100. That'd be a great platform for the compressor, and provide a good footer for the leg of a new work bench. I've got the needed equipment to bring it home and pull it out of my truck, and place it, some I'm leaning that way.

I've got the parts to make an easily accessible drain for the tank, as I know condensation / oxidation is a big concern.

Hope to have photos as I get to the project, and will keep you all posted. Thanks again!

 

[splitshot]

Here are mine.

Quincey 80 gallon vertical still on the pallet
View attachment 1056703

Exactly what I installed at work, but the pallet is screwed into the 1" plywood floor of a shipping container.

 

[swelltimes]

@splitshot, @canman, @D'Animal, @shelfboy1 : appreciate the advice. If I was mounting on to a solid concrete, your approach(es) would be great. But, since I'm dealing with a dirt floor, I think I need to be a bit more deliberate with the foundational support for the compressor. Will keep posting to this thread as thing progress. Thanks again, all!

 

[Weber Sarge]

I always recommend using a flex line between the compressor and the wall piping for the air system - this prevents vibration from damaging pipe fittings or the bungs on the tank . For the drains , I replace the cheap butterfly cock valve with a pipe , extension and ball valve . Helps keep the crap from building up and plugging the valve off .
Mine sits on Chrysler front suspension bump stops .
Sarge

 

[swelltimes]

Sarge, that's my plan: I have a 6' 1/2" hose to go from the tank to a regulator and drier for now. Once I get some more capital, I'll run line hard lines from that hose, and move the regulator closer to my work space. I've got a set-up to replace the standard drain cock with the set-up you're recommending. Thanks!

 

[rusty_tlc]

As long as your replacing stuff; add an extension nipple and 90° to the oil drain, makes oil changes a lot cleaner chore.

 

[swelltimes]

@rusty_tlc sounds like a good idea. You have a pic of yours set up like that?

 

[rusty_tlc]

@rusty_tlc sounds like a good idea. You have a pic of yours set up like that?

No it's the system I set up at work when I install a new compressor.

FWIW
Most of the compressors I've installed came with rubber isolators and something like fender washers.