Got my ShoeBox today
WOOHOOO, i’m so excited to finally be able to fill my tanks on my own and not having to rely on scuba shops anymore. They never seem to fill my tanks all the way to full pressure. My first fill should be next week sometime. I also have one more piece to the puzzle which is coming in next week also.
Thanx goodness for Harbor Freight……lol! (seriously)
Here is what i have for now:
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I got the big yellow monster desiccant filter and no more water when bleeding off the hpa. About 1 and a half of the boxes fill it that they sell at harbor freight. Before my JobB fill gauge bleed valve would expel water but that’s gone. However I do recommend putting a filter after the desiccant to keep particles from getting through. I’m setup like so, shop compressor –> 50 ft hose –> desiccant filter –> filter/separator –> 25 ft hose(May shorten this but it’s what I had) –> shoebox. Utilize gravity also.
WARNING…WARNING…WARNING ❗
HF HAD THE DISSICANT DRYER/FILTER ON CLEARANCE FOR $3.77, BUT…LOOK CLOSE ❗ 😯 SOME ARE ALREADY TURNING PINK ❗ ❗ ❗
I took 2 back and got a refund and other goodies.
there is no getting around creating moisture with the compression of air, i personally would have a water trap after the compressor, then a dryer, or rechargeable dryer, like you guys are running, for the less expensive side.
I would stay on top of the tank draining also. depending on the temperature and humidity of where you are at depends on how much of a problem you will have. you can just crack the drain valve enough to barely allow the water/air to drip out while your running the compressor, with a container under it to catch the water, when it quits dripping turn the valve off.
when i am working in the shop for extended periods i just open the valve on the drain of my big shop compressor and let it barely leak , and the water will all come out and dry the tank in the process while i am working.
when i get a shoebox i will use my shop compressor and run a series of air drying filters after my big water trap at the compressor tank, i do mechanic work and auto body at the house so don’t run in line oilers for shop air mechanic air tools like big shops do , i oil tools daily or at first use , because i need dry air for auto painting , so a nice drained tank and system with water trap at the tank, and a dryer at the gun for auto painting is how i make things work.
The bigger the compressor or the most down time in between running the compressor means it gives the air longer to cool, hence dissipating the moisture from the air,so bigger reservoir more down time in between running , more cool time for the air.
but the main thing is keeping the air cool to condense from its hotter evaporated state. so the closer to the compressor the hotter the air still is.
In hot climates where the air cooling is the most problem you can make a air drying system on the cheap with coiled copper tube in water or fan blowing over it, or use a automotive ac evaporator condenser in water with ice in it or fan blowing over it, when the temp is 102 + degrees here in Texas and you need dry air for extended painting periods.
You might be better off with copper tubing that you could bend around a pipe or bucket that would end up in a coil small enough to put into a 5 gal bucket full of water and ice if its really hot . then run out with another water trap at the end of your hose .then add the dryer, and see how long it takes for the crystals to turn colors.
basically duplicating a high dollar air drying system on the cheap.
Just some ideas for you guys if your having moisture problems, i will most likely have do this here, because of the heat.
What makes no sense, is to make HPA that contains moisture that will degrade expensive PCP airguns. The shoebox is a great step forward for us and many have reported “no problems” with the air it produces. So, only time will tell. We are probably one or two years from a long term answer to the question of which type of filter is best for our airguns.
I would like to see the inside of a cylinder that has beeen repeatedly refilled with the shoebox after a year or so. There shouldn’t be any water at the bottom. Also a disassembly of the air resivior and valve from an airgun that has been fed exclusively from a shoebox would be interesting too.
I am very pleased with Tom’s compressor and I don’t in any way mean to disrespect it or him. I am just concerned with the physics of highly compressed air and the moisture that is squeezed out in the process. Again, time will tell.
dollarhunt, i was thinking the same thing….keep it cheap. that is what this thing is supposed to be. I’m about outta money for airguns and airgun related items…lol.
And yes, my moisture filter is upside down. I will change it around before i do my first fill this week.
Lurker, thanx a million for the explanation. Honestly i have done nothing more than take a pic of the fittings and shop compressor and shoebox. The parts are taped to the electrical chord and will be installed when i get my gauge and braided hose that goes from the shoebox to the CF tank. I will post up some “COMPLETELY” assembled pics when i get all the parts. Again, thanx man. And yes, i will thoroughly read the directions………….arrrrrgggghhhh! i’m a man, we don’t read directions nor ask for any…….lol
the problem you present is that a complex filter/water trap that you describe can quickly exceed the cost of a shoebox. if the idea behind a shoebox is a cheap. easily serviceable high pressure compressor, then it makes no sense to triple or quadruple the cost by adding on additional components( complex filters, pressure sensitive electric off swiitches, cooling fans, larger motors, different gear ratios to speed compression, piston shaft oilers and the myriad of other modifications people have conceived). might as well spend $3000 for a high speed version that produces breathable quality air and skip all the other bullshit.. my motto- KISS- as in”keep it simple, stupid”
My compressor has a water trap and a dessicant filled trap on the high pressure side. These gizmos are not cheap and therefore are quickly dismissed, BUT I think they are necessary for the production of dry air. The more that we compress air, the more moisture that comes out of that air. 😉
The “Shoebox air vent”, vent knob. It should be in the bag with fill nipple. See, Shoebox Manual page 3, Setup #3.
I don’t see it in the photo you posted.
I have a different oil and water separator the same shape of your filter and it mounts like you have yours because it has a drain on the bottom (narrow end). Unless I have it wrong but I can’t imagine how else mine would work. Maybe I need an extension hose. Mine doesn’t have an arrow on it. I may change to the kind you have as Roachcreek and Assman were talking about rust inside the tank on the valve spring.
if your separator doesn’t have an airflow direction indicator, i doubt it is a Harbor Freight dessicant filter- they are not made to separate anything- only to absorb moister in the air passing through them
Dollarhunt, you are correct, although mine is the same shape and size it is not a dessicant filter nor from HF. Mine is the sediment type with a vapor barrier. Mine is mounted just like Tofazfou’s picture. Thus there is confusion that needs sorted out. It’s a good thing to post pictures and get the benefit of many opinions.
I wonder how I can be sure if my separator is doing a good enough job. Right now I seriously doubt it is so I do plan another trip to HF.
you are right. it wouldn’t come on as often but when it did, it would run longer to fill the larger tank. i think it would be a wash- except you would have to buy another piece of equipment and have more crap to fool with. the 3 gallon pancake compressor only comes on about every 12 minutes and only runs for less than 2 minutes.
Wouldn’t it run longer?
The “Shoebox air vent”, vent knob. It should be in the bag with fill nipple. See, Shoebox Manual page 3, Setup #3.
I don’t see it in the photo you posted.
I have a different oil and water separator the same shape of your filter and it mounts like you have yours because it has a drain on the bottom (narrow end). Unless I have it wrong but I can’t imagine how else mine would work. Maybe I need an extension hose. Mine doesn’t have an arrow on it. I may change to the kind you have as Roachcreek and Assman were talking about rust inside the tank on the valve spring.
if your separator doesn’t have an airflow direction indicator, i doubt it is a Harbor Freight dessicant filter- they are not made to separate anything- only to absorb moister in the air passing through them
YOU guys ever think about using an extra tank in line before the shoebox for added air capacity, so the compressor would not come on as much.or as often
Tofazfou,
The “Shoebox air vent”, vent knob. It should be in the bag with fill nipple. See, Shoebox Manual page 3, Setup #3.
I don’t see it in the photo you posted.
I have a different oil and water separator the same shape of your filter and it mounts like you have yours because it has a drain on the bottom (narrow end). Unless I have it wrong but I can’t imagine how else mine would work. Maybe I need an extension hose. Mine doesn’t have an arrow on it. I may change to the kind you have as Roachcreek and Assman were talking about rust inside the tank on the valve spring.
Thanx Dollarhunt…..so far i’ve seen 2 that are setup different than mine….lol
Can you say………DUHHHHHHH??!. Thanx for the heads up, i will take a look and change it before i use it for the first time.
LURKER…sorry man, but i’m so late to this whole shoebox thing. What is a bleed off shaft and how do i install it?..lol
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If water got in the tank wouldn’t it shoot out?