Sanborn Air Compressor Advice Wanted! (PICS)

Beatles65 · Dec 16, 2011

A friend of mine is clearing out his shop and has this old Sanborn Air Compressor that he is looking to sell. I have been wanting to purchase an air compressor and am considering this one. He is asking $125. It works but he said that you manually have to shut off the compressor as it will not kick itself off.

What do you all think?

Is it worth the $125?

How can I figure out the CFMs for the Compressor?
I want to use air tools and maybe a sandblaster.

I know that the older air compressors are built better than the new ones are today, so that is why I am considering it, that and its cheap compared to a new one.

Thanks for the advice!
From Denton, Nebraska.
Andrew Kean

Anonymous-0 · Dec 16, 2011

sand blasting takes alot of air, that compressor is to small for any big air tools, you can change the pressure switch so it can shut off by itself.

NY 986 · Dec 16, 2011

Not the greatest capacity but a decent unit for the money. Check the oil in the compressor housing to see if there are a lot of metal flakes and general condition of the oil (dirty) if the seller will allow before you make the purchase. A replacement pressure switch will take care of the shutoff issue but be careful as there are different switches for different rated pressures.
Again if it checks out it is not a bad deal for the money.

gene bender · Dec 16, 2011

NO the old ones dont have the output the new ones do . If you are going to do sand blasting that one sure wont work you need at least 75lbs @6ocfm to do any sand blasting and thats on the low side. 90PSI @ 70 CFM is getting closer. That one mite run some air tools like an impact wrench but a die grinder it just aint big enough. You need to do some understanding about air compressures and sand blasting or you wouldnt be on here asking questions.

Ken-Pa · Dec 16, 2011

Is it worth 125.00 with problems & maybe more unknown ; NO ! I have a portable here with a 6 hp motor & 20 gal tank that was only a few years old . My brother in law gave it to me because he was tired of buying parts & it still won't work right . I've spent over 100.00 in parts with no luck . The compressor not shutting off automatically sounds like a faulty pressure relief switch - approximately 100.00 + . If he's not satisfied with it & wants rid of it , why would you want a money pit ? Offer him 50.00 max & hope its only the pressure switch . Then too , it could be just that the pressure switch needs adjusted . Don't fix it until after you bought it if you do want it that bad . I had a good friend pull a fast one on me years ago . He had something he was selling because it didn't work right , & I was planning on buying it . After I fixed the problem he was having with whatever it was (memory fart) , he decided to keep it & didn't pay me for the parts I bought & used to fix it . Those kind of friends aren't worth being called friends .HTH ! God bless, Ken

fixerupper · Dec 16, 2011

Just a shot in the dark, but does Model 112 mean 12 CFM? A true honest 3HP might pull a 12 CFM pump up to 120-150 PSI. The pump doesn't look that big but???? The motor should have a tag listing amperage draw, RPM, voltage, etc. If you can find the amperage, the sparkies on this site should be able to tell you what the real HP is. I've always had the idea in my head that if just HP is listed on a compressor the actual CFM's isn't all that much and they are merely listing a calculated HP.

We used to have a bunch of Sanborn compressors in my neck of the woods probably due to our closeness to the factory. Never heard of any complaints about them reliability-wise. Jim

Ray · Dec 16, 2011

That's to small to run much of a sand blaster,don't think it's that old.The new ones look just like it.

Paul from MI · Dec 16, 2011

Might want to take a real close look at the tank. If it hasn't been drained regularly it could be ready to start leaking, and there's no good fix for that.
Otherwise probably a pressure switch will fix it, but it most likely has one with a built in unloader valve. They are more expensive than just a plain switch. You know the model number, look up the cost of a switch on the internet.

Bob Huntress · Dec 16, 2011

"How can I figure out the CFMs for the Compressor?"

If the tank is 30 gallons, it would be 4.011 Cubic Feet. Drain the tank, get a stop watch and secure the tank drain. Start the compressor and stopwatch and when the pressure reaches the cut in pressure note the time and again when it reaches cut out pressure(the compressor will stop at cutout pressure.) If the compressor would start at 90 psig and stop at 125 psig, there is a difference of 30 which you divide by 14.7 (anywhere remotely close to sealevel, anyhow) abd multiply it by 4.01. The time it took to go from the cut in pressure to the cut out pressure would be is the speed that those cubic feet were pumped, so divide the cubic feet by the seconds it took to go between the two pressures and multiply by 60.

With a thirty gallon tank and a cut in cutout set at 90 and 125 and a standard AC three or four pole motor speed, you should be able to run most anything you want. You may have some issues running impacts 3/4 or higher for long periods of time, however.

huntingreen2day2 · Dec 16, 2011

Pass on it. Save your money and when you can buy you a big air compressor. One that will put out at least 18 CFM at 90 PSI if you want to do some home sandblasting. I have a Sanborne that puts out 15 CFM at 90 PSI and it has to run continuously to sandblast with my blasting cabinet or my blast pot. I am on my fourth air compressor and don't have as large a one as i would like to have. About like welders and plasma cutters. Go BIG FIRST.

fixerupper · Dec 16, 2011

Mentioning the tank, my neighbor had a three month old compressor blow up about twenty years ago and it happened to be a Sanborn horizontal about the size of the one you're looking at. The shop looked like a lazer guided missile went through the door after the explosion. They contacted Sanborn and Sanborn gave my neighbor any size compressor he wanted for free. I think there was a money offering for the damage almost instantly but it's been awhile ago and I don't remember the details. Right after that there was a recall on that particular model. It gave me a good feeling about Sanborn as a company because they were so willing to rectify the damage instead of beating around the bush about it. Jim

RandyB(MI) · Dec 16, 2011

Looks to me like an old "Tractor Supply" throw-away to me. Way too small and probably over worked because of it. Wasn't much good new , no telling now. Pass!

RodinNS · Dec 16, 2011

My opinion on Sanborn tools... the arrows point at the problem.
Leave it where it sits. It needs a new pressure switch... add that to what he wants and you're getting well on your way to what an equivelant new one is going to cost you. If I happened to have a pressue switch that would fit... or it was 50 bucks... that would be one thing, but not this deal.

Rod

greygoat · Dec 17, 2011

Sanborn, is, in my opinion, like Coleman and
Black & Decker, and DeWalt. Cheap stuff you buy
when you're starting out, and can't afford the good stuff!

Sanborn Air Compressor Advice Wanted! (PICS)

Beatles65

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Anonymous-0

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NY 986

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gene bender

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Ken-Pa

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fixerupper

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Ray

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Paul from MI

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Bob Huntress

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huntingreen2day2

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fixerupper

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RandyB(MI)

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RodinNS

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greygoat

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