I am planing to build an air bearing tone arm by using 1/2" New Way Air Bushing. New Way air bushing requires 60 psi air pressure. In my case, I will put air compressor in the room next to my listening room. I guess 50 db noise should be ok. So far, I find two air compressors which may work with New Way air bushing.
First one is expensive. It is Silentaire Super Silent 20-A. It costs about $500 and its noise rating is 30 db. It can do 85 psi. Unless I have no choice, I would not like to use this one due to the cost, maintenance and size.
Another one is California Air Tools Portable Air Compressor CAT-1650. This compressor costs $179. Its noise rating is 56 db. It can reach up to 120 psi. Although CAT-1650 is noisier but it is oil free with smaller size. I am thinking of putting it in the cabinet to further reduce the noise level.
If anyone knows any other good and quieter air compressor, please let me know.
Any inputs are appreciated.
First one is expensive. It is Silentaire Super Silent 20-A. It costs about $500 and its noise rating is 30 db. It can do 85 psi. Unless I have no choice, I would not like to use this one due to the cost, maintenance and size.
Another one is California Air Tools Portable Air Compressor CAT-1650. This compressor costs $179. Its noise rating is 56 db. It can reach up to 120 psi. Although CAT-1650 is noisier but it is oil free with smaller size. I am thinking of putting it in the cabinet to further reduce the noise level.
If anyone knows any other good and quieter air compressor, please let me know.
Any inputs are appreciated.
Check out this page:
Airbrush Compressors and Accessories - BLICK art materials
for example this one:
SilentAire Scorpion II Heavy-Duty Airbrush Compressor - BLICK art materials
For a tone arm you are down in the air brush compressor category, for which there are lots of choices.
I picked up one at a yard sale 30 years ago. it was a bit slow for inflating car tires, but hey, for $25 - .
Airbrush Compressors and Accessories - BLICK art materials
for example this one:
SilentAire Scorpion II Heavy-Duty Airbrush Compressor - BLICK art materials
For a tone arm you are down in the air brush compressor category, for which there are lots of choices.
I picked up one at a yard sale 30 years ago. it was a bit slow for inflating car tires, but hey, for $25 - .
Rather than a goofy compressor needing to be remoted/buried in sound isolations.
Hows about a small air cylinder? Fitted with a genuine quality pressure regulator .
As for Welding or Scuba uses. Far more precise than the Junk quality ones fitted to a cheap (and not so cheap) compressor.
If your 'air bearing' tolerances are decent, with small leakages, then a small cyl will give usable life between refills.. from your Cheap Compressor.. in the Garage
Hows about a small air cylinder? Fitted with a genuine quality pressure regulator .
As for Welding or Scuba uses. Far more precise than the Junk quality ones fitted to a cheap (and not so cheap) compressor.
If your 'air bearing' tolerances are decent, with small leakages, then a small cyl will give usable life between refills.. from your Cheap Compressor.. in the Garage
Hi indianajo!
Most of airbrush compressors are rated at 55 psi. So, it is too low for New Way air bushing.
Hi Bare,
It is not bad idea. However, I need to do some math to see how long a air tank can hold enough pressure up to 60 psi. I am not sure the tolerance of New Way air bushing and will contact New Way to find it out. My concern is that the air pressure may reduce too fast even for a large air tank. If it is feasible to use a 8 gallon tank, I can simply buy a 8 gallon compressor from Home Depot for $99 to fill up its tank. Then, I can cut off its power to avoid the compressor to turn on by itself. Once I finish one tank, I can start the compressor to fill the tank again. But it depends on how long a 8 gallon tank can hold 60 psi.
Thanks guys!
Most of airbrush compressors are rated at 55 psi. So, it is too low for New Way air bushing.
Hi Bare,
It is not bad idea. However, I need to do some math to see how long a air tank can hold enough pressure up to 60 psi. I am not sure the tolerance of New Way air bushing and will contact New Way to find it out. My concern is that the air pressure may reduce too fast even for a large air tank. If it is feasible to use a 8 gallon tank, I can simply buy a 8 gallon compressor from Home Depot for $99 to fill up its tank. Then, I can cut off its power to avoid the compressor to turn on by itself. Once I finish one tank, I can start the compressor to fill the tank again. But it depends on how long a 8 gallon tank can hold 60 psi.
Thanks guys!
You would need a massive air tank to maintain a good pressure over a long time.
Thinking like 150-200 L.
Don't forget to also plug those many various leaks. Even a tiny one can bleed the system overnight.
It all depends upon what your rate in L/per minute the air bearings are using air.
But what you don't want is the compressor turning on every 5 minutes or so. That not only uses a massive amount of energy (1500w+) but it can also introduce vibrations in the floorboards or cement slab of your house which will make your tonearm air bearings jump like crazy. They produce massive amounts of vibration.
Air compressors run hot too so keep it cool with a fan if you're going to be using it often. Which is important to the lifetime of the compressor, you don't want it running for 30mins so you would need at least a belt-driven twin cylinder air compressor with a high air flow rate of 200L or more.
Again it all depends on how much your tonearm uses. If it uses a small amount then as the previous poster said it will do with just a small tank located inside the listening room with occasional refills.
Oh yeah and don't forget about the moisture/oil filter, you don't want your records covered in oil!
Thinking like 150-200 L.
Don't forget to also plug those many various leaks. Even a tiny one can bleed the system overnight.
It all depends upon what your rate in L/per minute the air bearings are using air.
But what you don't want is the compressor turning on every 5 minutes or so. That not only uses a massive amount of energy (1500w+) but it can also introduce vibrations in the floorboards or cement slab of your house which will make your tonearm air bearings jump like crazy. They produce massive amounts of vibration.
Air compressors run hot too so keep it cool with a fan if you're going to be using it often. Which is important to the lifetime of the compressor, you don't want it running for 30mins so you would need at least a belt-driven twin cylinder air compressor with a high air flow rate of 200L or more.
Again it all depends on how much your tonearm uses. If it uses a small amount then as the previous poster said it will do with just a small tank located inside the listening room with occasional refills.
Oh yeah and don't forget about the moisture/oil filter, you don't want your records covered in oil!
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Hi,
why not going the DIY way here also and salvaging an old Fridge?
They are certainly quite quiet
jauu
Calvin
This, I'm also working on a air bearing tonearm and the fridge compressor can get to 500 PSI no problem. Use a 2L receiver or paintball bottle (or bigger), oil filter and air drier. My design uses 0.8 SLPM. A 2L receiver is enough to last 1 3/4 hrs.
Up the receiver to last longer.
Fridge compressor is very quiet though, stick a box around it, leave the bottom open with a small fan to circulate air and you probably won't even hear it top up the receiver, every hour or so for about 10 min.
I called New Way today. They told me that the psi for air bushing depends on the load. User needs to experiment to determine the psi feeding to the air bushing. In the case of tonearm, 10-20 psi should be way enough. So, there are a lot of possible options to use different kind of air compressors. They also recommended Junair Quiet Air compressor but it is not cheap. If air pressure doesn't need to be 60 psi, I think I should have no problem to find good solution for air compressor. I can put the compressor in next room or a closet.
Calvin, 2wice
I watched a couple of videos on youtube about diy fridge air compressor. It is very intriguing.But I have no idea how to build one. If you know any instructions on the internet, please let me know.
Calvin, 2wice
I watched a couple of videos on youtube about diy fridge air compressor. It is very intriguing.But I have no idea how to build one. If you know any instructions on the internet, please let me know.
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Hi Calvin,
I don't know which Junair you're considering, but make sure it's oil-less. This rules out the SilentAire A-20, as I believe that takes oil.
I have a Junair in my garage. It's an outstanding compressor, very quiet as garage compressors go, but I wouldn't use it for my linear air bearing tonearm because it's not oil-less.
I have a Terminator tonearm, and it only requires a couple of PSI to work, enabling one to use a very quiet, oil-free aquarium air pump like a Whisper or a Rena. Will be interesting to see exactly how much pressure is required for the NewWay air bushing
Good luck,
B B
What kind of flexible air tubing will you be using for this kind of pressure?
I once considered the New Way, but gave up on it based on the air line and if it would affect horizontal movement. ( seems the challenge)
It's been done like in the Kuzma (80 grams wow!)
I have stint material that looks interesting but never went there with it.
BTW Gast has quite pumps, but not 60 psi
Regards
David
I once considered the New Way, but gave up on it based on the air line and if it would affect horizontal movement. ( seems the challenge)
It's been done like in the Kuzma (80 grams wow!)
I have stint material that looks interesting but never went there with it.
BTW Gast has quite pumps, but not 60 psi
Regards
David
To David,
I bought two feet of latex tubing from a store here in New York City for $.50/foot. The ID of tubing is 1/16". It is very flexible and soft. I plan to let it suspend above the air bushing.
I am debating with myself which size of air bushing I should use for a while. Kuzma uses 20 mm(almost same as 3/4"). The moving mass for air bushing alone will be about 50 g. From the picture, Rockport Technology seems to use 3/4" as well. So does Versa Dynamic. Walker Audio looks like to use 1/2" air bushing, but their air bushing is stationary.
I trend to use 1/2" due to consideration of moving mass. However, there must be some reasons that these commercial tonearms use 3/4" without concerning moving mass. I can't figure out the reasons behind it so far.
For air compressor, I made my mind already. I have an old air brush compressor and want to use it. It is kind of noisy and can reach 30 psi only. New Way air bushing doesn't require 60 psi if it is under maximum load. So, I think the air brush compressor should work fine. I will build an cabinet for the compressor and put the compressor in the closet. I also bought a 5 gallon air tank and air regulator to use with the compressor.
I bought two feet of latex tubing from a store here in New York City for $.50/foot. The ID of tubing is 1/16". It is very flexible and soft. I plan to let it suspend above the air bushing.
I am debating with myself which size of air bushing I should use for a while. Kuzma uses 20 mm(almost same as 3/4"). The moving mass for air bushing alone will be about 50 g. From the picture, Rockport Technology seems to use 3/4" as well. So does Versa Dynamic. Walker Audio looks like to use 1/2" air bushing, but their air bushing is stationary.
I trend to use 1/2" due to consideration of moving mass. However, there must be some reasons that these commercial tonearms use 3/4" without concerning moving mass. I can't figure out the reasons behind it so far.
For air compressor, I made my mind already. I have an old air brush compressor and want to use it. It is kind of noisy and can reach 30 psi only. New Way air bushing doesn't require 60 psi if it is under maximum load. So, I think the air brush compressor should work fine. I will build an cabinet for the compressor and put the compressor in the closet. I also bought a 5 gallon air tank and air regulator to use with the compressor.
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