How I ended up with an awesome air compressor.

[Don M]

When I met my wife, my late father-in-law was a self employed cement mason. He had his own business as a contractor, building basement walls for new construction, block walls, brick work and a host of other things. One of his strengths was that he NEVER bought cheap tools. Everything he bought was high quality and able to withstand literally years of hard use in his "hard on tools and people" work.

When he finally retired, he gifted me with his "portable" air compressor. I use the term 'portable' loosely, because while it does have a built in handle for carrying, this sucker IS NOT light! Moving this thing from place to place is a workout all its own. It is a 'Rol-Air' 1.5 hp (I believe 'pancake' compressor), a brand I was not familiar with, but like I said, my father-in-law DID NOT buy cheap, and I was about to get proof.

It's been at least ten years since he gave it to me, and it did work at that time. But at the time, I didn't have a use for is so it sat in the garage, neglected. Then about 2 years ago, I had need of a compressor, so I plugged it in and it fired right up. It just wouldn't build pressure. I know less than nothing about compressors, so I put it away again until last month, when it FINALLY dawned on me that I did have a few things I could use a compressor for. Things like blowing out the filter on my shop vac (which gets CAKED in fine dust that doesn't just shake out of the filter's folds) and of course for after the car I'm detailing and has been towel dried to blow the water out of the cracks and crevices, so it doesn't run out at its own good time and leave streaks and water spots.

So I took a closer look at the compressor, and immediately saw a HUGE sticker that said: "Open drain valve after each use to drain condensation out of the tank." Talk about getting hit by a cosmic face-palm, slap upside the head. The last time my FIL used it, he left the drain/pressure relief valve OPEN, so no wonder it wouldn't build pressure!

This changed things. Knowing that ALL equipment needs regular maintenance, and since the compressor hadn't been used (or serviced) in at least ten years, I took it to a local tool repair shop for a once-over and "tune up." Unfortunately, they were clear in telling me they DID NOT service that brand, and there was really nothing they could do with it other than checking the drain valve to see if it was indeed open, but they DID recommend a shop about 30 minutes away that COULD do the work on it, so I loaded it back into the wife's car and off I went.

I arrived in the area of the shop at about 4:57 pm (after going to the wrong place at first), they closed at 5 pm, but the shop I had arrived at gave me the phone number to the correct shop, so I called and told them I was about 3 minutes away from them, could someone hold over a few minutes, so I could drop it off. When I arrived, the store front was dark, so I figured they didn't want to wait any longer, but I drove around to the side of the building and saw a guy hanging around the back door. He sees me coming and calls out: "You have an air compressor?" I told him that was me and he motioned for me to bring it in the back door. Not only did the guy stack around long enough for me to drop it off, he went ahead and got all my information and listened to my story about what I believed to be the issue and that I wanted the whole thing checked and serviced and that I would also need a new hose (the 15' hose that I had was severely dry-rotted and cracked) and a few blower nozzles. He listened as I told him I thought all I would need was a 25' hose, but said he didn't carry 25 footers, and recommended a 50' hose also telling me that with THIS compressor, loss of air pressure with the longer hose would be a non issue (my first clue that I was right about the quality of my FIL's tools).

He then went on to tell me that Rol-Air compressors were pretty much ALL he sold and serviced and that the model I had was AT LEAST 20 years old and that they still make that model (with a few improvements). But he also said that my compressor was such a good model, that the improvements on the newer version were moot and made no real difference in the machine - I'd never notice the difference. He told me that he had ALL the parts in stock for that compressor, IF any were needed. He said I made the right choice in getting this one serviced, instead of buying a new compressor, because I would end up spending WELL OVER $400 easily for a new one, and that it wouldn't even come close to the quality of this machine (the final proof that my FIL didn't buy crap tools).

We briefly talked about the cost of a full diagnostic and service and he honestly had a hard time coming close to reaching $100. So I asked if the repairs, plus the 50' hose (about $30 for an OE hose) and the nozzle would run about $150. He said he was comfortable with that being a ball-park figure.

Now for the "bad" news. He said he is really busy, so the turn around time to get my compressor back and repaired will likely be about 2 weeks, was I OK with that? Hmm, let's see - get a high quality air compressor for well UNDER $200, but with a (maybe) 2 week wait? Doesn't seem like an issue to me at all.

[Paul A.]

Dang! Now THAT'S a win. Plus knowing it's in knowledgeable hands sounds like it'll feel almost brand new again.

Great story, Don.

[Don M]

Dang! Now THAT'S a win. Plus knowing it's in knowledgeable hands sounds like it'll feel almost brand new again.

Great story, Don.

I feel exactly that way. Going on what the guy told me yesterday after JUST looking at it and a few of the numbers on the tags, then telling me what a high-end compressor it is, I have no doubt that I'll be getting a (practically) new compressor back when they're done. I'm kind of thinking that my FIL BOUGHT this compressor from that shop as well, since I had never heard of the brand before, but he seemed intimately knowledgeable about it.

[bill walsh]

My Father never brought cheap tools or things for the house when he was alive also

[Don M]

Dang! Now THAT'S a win. Plus knowing it's in knowledgeable hands sounds like it'll feel almost brand new again.

Great story, Don.

I AM a bit embarrassed though ... after ten years in my garage, sitting in the corner, let's say it is a might bit GRUNGY. Definitely NOT how you would expect to see a DETAILER'S tools looking. I really wish I would have cleaned it up FIRST. But the NEED to take it in and have it restored was greater than my need to clean it up, but not by much, LOL.

[Paul A.]

Ahhh, you'll take care of that when you get it back!

[PaulMys]

Don, do you have any pics of this unit?

[TTQ B4U]

That essay of text needs balanced out with some pics for those of us that are picture book people

[Don M]

That essay of text needs balanced out with some pics for those of us that are picture book people

I took it in BEFORE I got pics of it

But I will take a few pics of it after I pick it up (which SHOULD be some time THIS week) and CLEAN it.

[DUBL0WS6]

It's a good thing the drain valve was open as that prevented the tank from possible rust.