Anchoring a 60 gallon air compressor

[Boondox]

Guys -- During the redesign of my shop I moved my big 60 gallon compressor into the garage...temporarily. Only now that it's out there I've decided to keep it there for use on the tractor and trucks.

The problem is the garage slab is badly cracked, and in some areas heaved up a couple of inches, by the pine trees planted too close 40 years ago that have now grown up big time! The corner where I want to mount the compressor isn't too bad, and since the backhoe made short work of the root cause (pun intended) last year I don't think it will get much worse, but I'm just not sure of the wisdom of bolting the unit down to a slab on an angle.

So a couple of questions: (1) What's the harm in drilling into the cracked slab and anchoring the compressor at a gentle angle? (2) Or should I play it safe by removing a damaged section, digging down a bit, and pouring a new 2x2 footer with built in anchor bolts?

Or is there a better way?

Pete

 

[Egon]

Pete:

You coulds always use some grout to level out the compressor.

In many industrial applications equipment is leveled with bolts in place but not torqued down. A gap is left between the equipment base and floor pad that is filled with an epoxy type grout.

Egon

 

[Bird]

I don't understand why you want to anchor it to concrete. I left mine on the pallet it come on, set it where I wanted it and it never moved at all. However, had I wanted to move it, it would not have been a problem. And the pallet prevented any chance of it turning over or getting knocked over.

 

[accordionman]

SIR,
you do not say if this compressor is a vertical, or horizontal.
if it is a vertical, what you said about digging out a section,
and pouring in new concrete, in my opinion would be the best
way to do this. you could wait until it has cured, and then drill
holes, and use anchor bolts, or put "J" bolts in when it has been
poured. if the compressor is heavy, i would dig down deep enough
to give it something stable to sit on.
accordionman
wbrown
wright city, mo.

 

[dltimmons]

An alternative would be to form up a new pad on top of the existing floor. This of coarse would raise the compressor above the surrounding floor, and keep any water/runoff from pooling around the feet. I would try to mount it as level as you can. I assume that this compressor has oil in the crank case and running it off level can affect its' service life.
Also, depending on the tank drain location, you may not be able to drain condensate out of the tank effectively if the unit is angled the wrong way.
You can drill dowels into the existing slab to anchor the machine pad in place and set your mounting bolts in the new slab.
If you have other equipment or tool boxes etc. that you need a level area for, you can extend the new pad as large as you want.
I would keep the step up close to the equipment to prevent a tripping hazard.
Just another idea for you to consider.
Good luck,

DT

 

[have_blue]

Pete,

You didn't really say why you want to anchor the compressor. Does it walk? If it walks because of the floor being unlevel, simply pouring a little grout to level a little pad would be best.

I cringe at bolting a compressor to the floor. I would lean toward attaching a pair of 10" balloon tires instead, and simply chocking the wheels.

A thought just occurred to me. Are afraid it will walk away after midnight? If that's the case, maybe an an eyelet in the floor and a strong cable and lock would be a deterrent.

 

[TheKid]

Another way is to level it using the mounting bolts. The attachment shows it better than I can describe it. Use the lower nuts to level the compressor and the top ones to hold it it place.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm with Byrd on this.

I'd build a solid base using wood. Adjust for the angle of the floor and maybe anchor the wood to the concrete with bolts.

Cutting out a section of concrete isn't all that hard if you have the blade, and they are really reasonably priced, but do you want to go through all that work just to mount a compressor?

 

[Boondox]

Hmmm, a couple of responses asking why it has to be anchored. I never challenged the part of the installation instructions that stated it had to be permanently mounted to the floor. Figured it was to prevent flexing and failure of the cast iron pipes that distributed the air throughout the shop. My little twin tank compressor wanders a bit when in use and I assumed the big 60 gallon vertical tank would as well...

Another concern when anchoring is the slab was a really thin (3 inch) layer and I see no rebar in the exposed portions. So I don't have a really good feeling about drilling into it for anchor bolts. Lastly, as one respondent mentioned, raising it up a bit would keep it out of any water that might pool in the area...and on occasion we have standing water there in early spring after heavy snow years.

So Bird, tell me more about this pallet idea. Does your compressor wander at all? Pete

 

[Bird]

Pete, when I had little portable horizontal compressors with wheels on one end, they sometimes walked around a bit, but the 60 gallon vertical never moved at all. The salesman told me it wouldn't and he was right. The compressor came bolted to what I assume was an oak pallet and the salesman was also the one who told me to leave it on there. I mounted my filter/separater/regulator directly to the compressor, then did use a length of 1/2" air hose to connect from that to the rigid piping system; don't know that even that was necessary, but made me feel better anyway.

 

[mbrule]

I would build up a wood base and anchor it to that. I have a 60 gallon horizontal unit that has been mounted in this manner for about 10 years with no problem. My brother has an 80 gallon vertical unit, lag bolted to two pieces of 6x6 with vibration pads, works great.
Just my 2 cents.
Matt

 

[walletsworld]

How about adjustable leveling, vibration dampener mounts? Similar to the ones on Mcmaster Carr catalog page 1216. Should just bolt onto the compressor feet.

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue">I mounted my filter/separater/regulator directly to the compressor, then did use a length of 1/2" air hose to connect from that to the rigid piping system; don't know that even that was necessary, but made me feel better anyway. </font>

I used a piece of 1/2 inch hydraulic hose that I bought at TSC. Came complete with NPT threaded ends that will screw right into black iron pipe fittings...or in my case copper fittings that transition from thread to sweat... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Like Bird, it just makes me feel better to have some flex between what vibrates and what doesn't, even if the vibration is minimal.

 

[Currmudgeon]

Double nutting, like you show, is the standard way of levelling and anchoring heavy equipment. Then, if you want real security, you pour non-shrink grout inder the base to provide a solid base.

A bit of overkill for a small compressor, though.

 

[jimgerken]

For my vertical 60 gallon unit, I poured a slab 6 inches thick, and about 2.5 feet square, with a plywood square form, and poured the concrete on top of a sheet of plastic, so it would not bond to the floor below. I set anchor bolts into it while wet, located for the four feet of the compressor. After it cured, I removed the forms, slid it to where I wanted it located in the shop, pryed beneath it with a flat bar and then a big wrecking bar to get it off the floor a couple inches, then slid in four hockey pucks, one under each corner. After lowering it down onto the pucks, I mounted the compressor on top of it using the four anchor bolts, with a pc of rubber belting above and below each foot, and a fender washer on top of the rubber above the foot, then a nylock nut lightly. The features of this work gave me a base that wouldn't tip over, a compressor that could not be stolen easily, the base could be moved if desired, no vibration is conducted into the floor for greatly reduced amplification inside and outside the building, a compressor that is raised up a good 8 inches for easier access to the water drain.

 

[em14]

Boondox,
I have a vertical 80 gal 5 hp and I anchored it to the floor. It is anchored so that there is a 3/8 inch thick piece of belting between the compressor leg and the concrete. I use a 3/4 inch flexible line to go from the compressor to the distribution system. I recently moved into a new shop and have not installed the new distribution system but what I described is the way I had it in the old shop and is the way that I will have it in this one. There is a lot of mass moving around on top of the tank when the compressor is running and I don’t want that rig moving on it’s on. I would not mount it without some way of absorbing the vibrations. I would level it and anchor it.
Leo

 

[Soundguy]

I'd probably drill holes and install bolts.. then pour another inch or so of cement in that area after forming up..

At work we did what bird said.. left our bolted to a pallet.. it can't tip without help If you felt like it, you could lag the pallet to the floor if it is a 'walker'

Soundguy

 

[BIGUN]

My 60 gallon vertical compressor is still on the shipping pallet like Bird said. I use it all the time, it works great, and does not move at all. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Slamfire]

That must be a new storage shed there bird, you ain't had time to fill it up yet. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Bird]

Stan, if you look at the left edge of that picture, you'll see part of the front end loader. I had to leave a path through there to get the tractor to it. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif