Fix or replace: Air compressor edition

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher) 07/05/2016 at 10:31 • Filed to: Tool time

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I have this old Campbell Haisfield air compressor. It’s a 2 stage oiled belt driven beast that makes enough CFM to drive an impact wrench, but is small enough to move around. My dad bought it new about 30 years ago, and about 20 years ago he sold it to me for $90.

It’s been a very reliable tool that has moved all over Illinois with me, but now the pressure switch has gone bad. I can replace it for about $50, but maybe it’s time to send it down the road and save up for a new one? A mitigating factor is that I’ve been negligent in draining the moisture from the tank for the last few years. I’d hate to have the tank rupture in me, or even worse when my wife and/or kids are in the garage.

What say Oppo?

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > shop-teacher 07/05/2016 at 10:40

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I've always been a fan of fixing things. For the money, it's very hard to get anything that's the same quality as something that's already paid for, but needs a part replacing...

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > shop-teacher 07/05/2016 at 10:46

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Fix it. If it lasted 30 years with no maintenance, I don’t see how replacing the switch would be more expensive than buying a newer lower quality one that will need total replacement in 3.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 07/05/2016 at 10:48

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I’ve always been a fan of fixing things

crowmolly > shop-teacher 07/05/2016 at 10:53

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I’d fix it if you’d buy a new one that’s roughly the same capability-wise.

If you were to buy a new one, how big could you go? Would you use it for high consumption stuff or just impact guns and filling tires?

BigBlock440 > shop-teacher 07/05/2016 at 11:15

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Depends on what you’d replace it with. If you’re going with something the same size, fix it. If you’re looking for something smaller or bigger, now’s the time to do so.