Compressed Air

I run a 155 cu ft bottle of N2 gas which is super clean and dry for critical applications and to preserve bagged items moisture free. No condensation or oil contamination and best of all no compressor noise or maintenance. A bottle fill costs only 28 bucks and lasts me several months. If you need more capacity, you can always get a T size cylinder but those are heavy.
 
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You can always 3D print a mini compressor if you have the notion and the printer. I got the file.

I might use that idea, to run lines from outside. I'll just have to unhook them in cold winter months. So it has that limitation. At least that will be quieter. I'd probably need a 50 foot line.

If its running efficiently would there be any freeze up of line or the compressor itself?

That said colder air becomes dryer. But there's the sporadic mild days to also consider.
 
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Tennis ball repressuriser


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Subuckethead
An intake silencer on my compressor takes the noise down to 65dB@ 1m.. It lives in the garage, so very quiet in the house. Air is delivered oil-free with a dewpoint of < - 20 C, . Not nearly as good as the LN some are using, but that said, I don't have ready access to a bottle gas vendor / welding supply.
 
Tennis ball repressuriser
I worry about the home-made pressure vessel failing and propelling its clamps at high velocity. It you visualized the equivalent metal spring storing the same energy as the compressed air inside that lash-up you'd understand how dangerous it is. At the very least the clamps should be firmly bolted together so they cannot fly apart, and preferably both secured to a heavy frame so the only high velocity possible is in the soft parts.
 
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I worry about the home-made pressure vessel failing and propelling its clamps at high velocity.
I hope you aren't referring to the metal tank shown. That's a copy of the Cornelius keg system. The oblong lid fits inside the tank and gets sealed by the internal pressure pushing up on it. Those clamps just hold the lid in place while you begin to pressurize the tank. In fact it would be easy to do the same with a Corny keg.
That air bag also looks to be something available on the market for when only a few balls need pressurizing. Not sure either is practical though. In all my years on the court, the fuzz was always long gone before the pressure was a problem. Mind you we didn't store the balls on the shelf for a long time, we used them.
In fact, when I was a wee lad my father would come over to me on the court and ask if I had good fuzz on my balls. Always made me giggle.
 
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Most people don't seem to have a concept of how inefficient air tools are.

My portable is a 2HP 30 gal 6.5 CFM commercial unit good tor two nail guns and not much more.
A blow off gun, yes as long as you don fuss around too much. If you want to paint cars or run a 3/8" or larger air wrench, good luck

A paint gun / blow-off nozzle is going to want more than 10 SCFM and a sander or rattle gun closer to 20 SCFM.
That easily puts you in the 5HP, 80 gal receiver class at minimum.

That said an artists airbrush, brad-nail, or crown staple gun and hobby work is where the little pancake / hot-dog compressors are ideal Compressors that fit that need are in every home improvement store in North American for a modest amount of $. Just don't expect them to be part of your next marathon deck or fence building party. In the context of what they can do,, they are a joy to use and long lived.
 
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California Air Tools little portable puts out less than 60dB @ 1m; thats about as quiet as I have heard for a small oil less
I've looked at them a bit. Yeah possibly..

Once I run out of canned air again I'll make up my mind. Seems like there has to be a cheaper option than a compressor though.

Those little battery operated blowers look interesting but seem ungodly noisy.