Miniature High Pressure Air Compressor for Tank Refills??

**Ratzo** · 10-17-2009, 10:06 PM

I'd definitely be interested if it would fill to 4500psi.
For once I'd like to take full advantage of my 4500 tanks.
I'd use it to top up my tanks from the 3000psi that my scuba tank leaves them at and what I'd be leaving the field with.

**the123** · 10-17-2009, 11:22 PM

I'm all in. Sounds like a great backyard baller solution for fills. This will/would be even better when/if .50 cal paintballs come to market.

**paintball72** · 10-18-2009, 12:59 AM

you can count me in

**JKR** · 10-18-2009, 04:38 AM

I would also be very interested in something like this. I am 45 min from getting a HPA fill (which costs me $6 BTW) and play a great deal of renegade ball so this would be perfect. I know several of the guys I play with would also be interested in this idea.

**luke** · 10-18-2009, 11:23 AM

Tom,

What could you build for $1000 retail (Or there about)?

Any team and many players would be interested in such a compressor. When I was playing all the time I would have jumped on the opportunity to get one at that price and would still purchase one even though I don’t really play anymore.

Having air handy would likely get me back in the game. For many players "air" has always been a huge problem. It’s currently a 250 mile round trip to fill SKUBA tanks here in Cottonwood, CO2 sucks and compressed air in "shop" bottles suck and is expensive in the long run.

It’s a product that could be marketed to all players and quite frankly should have been done 10 years ago at least. It’s definitely not too late for such a product. I just don’t think a “personal” compressor is correct the route. It should be able to fill a SKUBA tank in a reasonable amount of time.

I'll gladly prepay to get on board.

**snoopay700** · 10-18-2009, 01:20 PM

Talk about an awesome birthday gift! (this was posted on my birthday) I haven't read the thread due to lack of time but i'd buy one if it could be adjusted for 3000 as well.

**kwood** · 10-18-2009, 03:40 PM

i would be interested
even if the price was in the 100-250 range
i think people would still buy it since that is still cheaper, than buying scubas tanks, having them tested regularly, buying the fill yolk for paintball tanks, driving out to the shop to have it filled, and paying the cash
a personal compressor that could fill a 68/45 in a couple hours is a great idea and i think people would be all over it

**ElPanda** · 10-18-2009, 04:01 PM

I would buy one in a heartbeat

I have an air rifle pump that can do up to 3k but that thing is a pain to use after about 10 minutes, plus it doesnt have a water trap so I dont really use it

**Dewok82** · 10-18-2009, 06:03 PM

I would definitely be interested in something like this. Not everyone lives within a reasonable driving distance of a location that can fill paintball tanks.

**AGDRetro** · 10-18-2009, 08:16 PM

I'd love to have one at my workbench!

**tribalman** · 10-18-2009, 08:41 PM

i'd be up for one of these ! especially the 4500 model. i hate leaving the fields with only 3k to tinker with. i'd be up for one of these, especially the 4500 model, as long as the operating cost isn't that high and the noise isn't that high.

**JKR** · 10-18-2009, 10:05 PM

I was talking with a friend tonight about this and he was interested too. I think this would probably get more than a few CO2 users to convert the HPA since fills in rural America can be hard to come by.

Brilliant idea TK! Can I pre-order?!

**kenjay** · 10-18-2009, 10:46 PM

I assume such a product would be at least months and months away from production. But oh yeah, I'm in depending on price. If it's ~$100, i feel a lot of people would be getting in on this. I'd have to assume you're looking at maybe 50cents MAX per fill instead of $4. Plus the savings on gas for traveling to and from the shop/field. Well worth it.

**AGD** · 10-19-2009, 12:43 AM

Given the overwhelming support for this idea I am looking at it seriously. I have been running the numbers and it looks possible. I estimate a 4500 psi fill in 30 hours run time but this doesn't take into effect heating losses etc at the moment.

I can estimate the size motor that it would need and while its fairly small, its expensive at about 80 bucks. This means there is no way this would come in around 100 bucks. I think realistically we are in the 200-275 range.

It would be fairly quiet since the motor only rotates at 60 rpm in my current design. It would be designed so it CAN'T pump any more than 4500 psi so you would just turn it off.

Let me know if the price point sinks the ship.

AGD

**JKR** · 10-19-2009, 04:16 AM

Originally Posted by AGD

Given the overwhelming support for this idea I am looking at it seriously. I have been running the numbers and it looks possible. I estimate a 4500 psi fill in 30 hours run time but this doesn't take into effect heating losses etc at the moment.

I can estimate the size motor that it would need and while its fairly small, its expensive at about 80 bucks. This means there is no way this would come in around 100 bucks. I think realistically we are in the 200-275 range.

It would be fairly quiet since the motor only rotates at 60 rpm in my current design. It would be designed so it CAN'T pump any more than 4500 psi so you would just turn it off.

Let me know if the price point sinks the ship.

AGD

Although I was hoping for the $100-$150 range, I wouldn't be opposed to the price point you have mentioned given that the unit would have a long life span and at least some of the wear parts would be replaceable. If I am going to drop $200-$275, I want the unit to be durable and reliable (not that AGD ever makes anything that isn't durable and reliable!).

Still interested here...

**Lohman446** · 10-19-2009, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by AGD

Given the overwhelming support for this idea I am looking at it seriously. I have been running the numbers and it looks possible. I estimate a 4500 psi fill in 30 hours run time but this doesn't take into effect heating losses etc at the moment.

I can estimate the size motor that it would need and while its fairly small, its expensive at about 80 bucks. This means there is no way this would come in around 100 bucks. I think realistically we are in the 200-275 range.

It would be fairly quiet since the motor only rotates at 60 rpm in my current design. It would be designed so it CAN'T pump any more than 4500 psi so you would just turn it off.

Let me know if the price point sinks the ship.

AGD

Stupid question. At 30 hour run time portability means less - I mean its not something you are going to take with you to fill at the field. The people using it are ballers at home who plan ahead - does sacrificing size allow a better price point?

**Raven001** · 10-19-2009, 07:22 AM

For me, the $250 ish price point is ok but the 30 hr fill time is not that attractive. Overnight would certainly be better. How much electricity would this use up per hour?

The other point is what are the legal liabilities for the producer of the product if some agghole tries to fill a tank that is defective or banged up and hurts themselves?

**kwood** · 10-19-2009, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by Raven001

The other point is what are the legal liabilities for the producer of the product if some agghole tries to fill a tank that is defective or banged up and hurts themselves?

i thought this too
30 hours seems a little much but if you could fill multiple tanks (2-3) in that time, i would consider that more reasonable

**AGD** · 10-19-2009, 09:30 AM

I might be able to cut it down to 24 hours but probably not to 12 hours for an 80 cu inch tank. Each piston has a LOT of pressure on it during the compression stroke so the motor gets bigger quickly and things like heat build up come into play. Faster will always mean more expensive.

The other option is that I sell just the compressor without the motor. You hook up your own via a pulley and fan belt.

The components would have to be rebuildable with average hand tools. One of the big problems with high pressure compressors is the wear and tear.

The electrical consumption will be minimal. Something like a 100 watt light bulb.

AGD

**ElPanda** · 10-19-2009, 09:39 AM

I think that your price point is fine considering the only other options players have is investing hundreds in scuba equipment, or thousands in a full fledged multi staged compressor

at that price I would deffinetly purchase one just because of the convenience

**Wicked-Vengence** · 10-19-2009, 10:03 AM

Still think it's great. Would definitely pick some up.

**warpfeedmod** · 10-19-2009, 10:14 AM

Tom have you looked (or maybe that's what your looking at) the motors used in Nitro RC cars? They get some pretty decent compression and for the price might be able to be modified (or a bigger version) to do what you need.

**DevilMan** · 10-19-2009, 10:14 AM

I would say something in the lunch box sized area would be ideal. I think the electricity part isn't bad either. Sounds like it'd be no worse in that aspect than leaving a light on when you went on vacation.

The price point will make it a bit less appealing to me, but more than likely I would still get one just to have.

I know it's not your responsibility and I DO NOT want to poo poo this idea, but I also would not like to see you get into this deep only to get crucified later. Having this would allow those folks who have tanks out of hydro as well as damaged ones to pose a serious risk to their family, friends, neighbors, etc. Now I'm all for they need to know what they are doing and still follow the rules, but you and I both know that will only last so long. Would hate for some kid to be filling his "friends" bottle in his room or something just to have something pop, go through the wall at 3 AM and injure or kill another man/woman/child/etc in the next room.

I would love to see this product Tom. But would hate to see you be at the receiving end of a witch hunt.

DM

**Smoothice** · 10-19-2009, 10:34 AM

I'm sure a simple disclaimer on the device somewhere would protect Tom legally. Wouldn't protect some idiot from blowing himself up though...

to Survival of the fittest

**Smoothice** · 10-19-2009, 10:40 AM

1 time per year I have to pay for a visual inspection on my scuba tank = $45 or so

Each fill = $4.50 (if I buy the 10 fill card which is $45.00)

I don't use that much air to tinker lately as I am getting better at it. But I will easily spend $200 in the next 3 years just having my tank inspected and hydro'ed again... Not even considering air.

Tom- I realize you are building these for actual tanks. And if a 80ci tank takes 30 hours to fill.

Could this product be used to fill a scuba tank? Would any damage occur to the product if this product ran for 3 or 4 days straight filling a scuba? Will this product have a 3000 psi option for those filling both 4500 psi and 3000 psi tanks?

**Wrathbringer** · 10-19-2009, 10:41 AM

30 hours isn't really that bad especially if you're only tinkering. Besides, let's say you set it right before you go to bed (~11, for example), you probably won't be using that tank until you get back from work or school, which will be about 6 the next day. That's 19 hours of charging that will probably be enough for plenty of tinkering and, depending on the size of the tank, possibly even a half day of game time. It's really not as bad as everyone thinks...

BTW Tom if you can set it to 3k fills that would be great, but if it could fill two or more tanks that would be amazing!

**k0m0d067** · 10-19-2009, 02:10 PM

I'd definately be interested

**MANN** · 10-19-2009, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Smoothice

1 time per year I have to pay for a visual inspection on my scuba tank = $45 or so

WOW that is high. vis inspections are 15.00 here (just had 2 of my tanks done 2 weeks ago)

a scuba fill option would be nice. I have 6 tanks and it sucks paying for hydros and VIs.

**BrewNinja** · 10-19-2009, 02:57 PM

Id be down for this if you went the supply your own motor route. That way depending on what motor you buy, the faster it would be. You could also offer a motor along with it for people who dont want it. The scuba shop by me charges $6 for a 3500psi fill on my 68/45 tank. The paintball store 30min away charges $4.50 for a 4500 fill, but they are idiots and it never ends up higher than 3500psi.

I think this could be a great idea!

**Tesko** · 10-19-2009, 03:00 PM

Hell yes, I'd be all over one.

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