# Low-Profile Air Tank



## DRU (Nov 16, 2017)

I am looking for a source for a low-profile air tank that would bolt to the underside of a 1x6 framed platform while not exceeding the height of the framing. It's job would be to actuate some pancake cylinders to lift the platform onto casters. Normally, we use a bigger tank that we would mount on top, but I want to be able to make as low a profile platform as I can. I know Automation FX has some, but I'd like to find a different supplier. My Google-fu has failed me. Does anyone have any leads?


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## RonHebbard (Nov 16, 2017)

DRU said:


> I am looking for a source for a low-profile air tank that would bolt to the underside of a 1x6 framed platform while not exceeding the height of the framing. It's job would be to actuate some pancake cylinders to lift the platform onto casters. Normally, we use a bigger tank that we would mount on top, but I want to be able to make as low a profile platform as I can. I know Automation FX has some, but I'd like to find a different supplier. My Google-fu has failed me. Does anyone have any leads?


 @DRU Since no one else has rushed to your aid, have you tried contacting: http://www.wstanks.com/permatank/about-us.html They have factories in the U.S. and Stratford, Ontario, Canada and I believe are who the Stratford Shakespearean Festival uses for their air tank needs. If they don't have a standard product, they could possibly whip something up to spec' for you and add it to their list of products.
*EDIT:* @DRU Have you considered any of the companies that manufacture custom metal tanks for U-Control and R/C model air planes? They normally have three pipes, inlet, outlet and vent but you could always solder air tight caps on two of the three pipes. Granted, most of their tanks are fairly small but some of their tanks for four and six engine planes are larger. If you get really stuck, it shouldn't be too large a project for a local, tame, tinsmith with a 'box and pan' brake. Even if your tinsmith bent up the parts for you and left the airtight soldering to you.
*EDIT #2: * To add additional options.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.


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## Amiers (Nov 16, 2017)

Paintball tanks would work for this if you wanted a premade solution. Depending on how much pressure you wanted you could run a few tanks in series. Maybe something like this below. 

https://www.ansgear.com/Guerrilla_A...3_Regulator_p/ysnguerrilla133000p3tanktri.htm

If your welding skills are up to par you could make one to fit but don’t make it square or you will be in for a world of fun lol.


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## RonHebbard (Nov 16, 2017)

Amiers said:


> Paintball tanks would work for this if you wanted a premade solution. Depending on how much pressure you wanted you could run a few tanks in series. Maybe something like this below.
> 
> https://www.ansgear.com/Guerrilla_A...3_Regulator_p/ysnguerrilla133000p3tanktri.htm
> 
> If your welding skills are up to par you could make one to fit but don’t make it square or you will be in for a world of fun lol.


 @DRU @Amiers Perhaps a small engines shop could be a source. The sort of shop that repairs lawnmowers and chain saws. They may have a tank capable of handling the pressure. I trust you're not looking for anything too highly rated. It's not like your housing compressed gases for underwater diving. 
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.


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## porkchop (Nov 16, 2017)

I've used Bimba air tanks before. They sell a large variety including long small diameter cylinders that fit well in this kind of application. I know I've received Bimba parts from McMaster-Carr, but I can't find them on their website. It also appears that Bimba's website is not currently working....


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## venuetech (Nov 16, 2017)

Try a search for "pancake air tank"


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## kicknargel (Nov 17, 2017)

Airpux makes pretty low-profile tanks, for exactly this purpose. 

http://www.afx.bz/AirTanks.htm

I've also know people to make their own with pipe and end caps. 

Paintball tanks are great for small spaces. They run very high pressure, which is good for packing more power in a small tank, but you need a special regulator to get them to our types of pressure. I recall a conversion kit intending to allow you to use paintball tanks on pneumatic tools, to make them jobsite portable.


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## bobgaggle (Nov 17, 2017)

So I've had this problem before and have used the solutions already mentioned. But I've got this idea in my head and have never had the chance to try it out. Get some 2" black pipe and two end caps. drill a whole in one, tap it for a fitting. Viola! low pro file air tank. It'll be more than safe for the 120psi your compressor can put out (Table I attached has sch 40 2" pipe rated at 1500psi). Obviously you'd have to do your math to figure out volume needed, but you'd do that anyway for any tank.

Pros:
-Low Profile
-Size is fully customize able 
-Dirt Cheap

Cons:
-you have to built it (but even then, not much $ in labor)

Has anyone done this? Did it work for you?


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## porkchop (Nov 17, 2017)

bobgaggle said:


> So I've had this problem before and have used the solutions already mentioned. But I've got this idea in my head and have never had the chance to try it out. Get some 2" black pipe and two end caps. drill a whole in one, tap it for a fitting. Viola! low pro file air tank. It'll be more than safe for the 120psi your compressor can put out (Table I attached has sch 40 2" pipe rated at 1500psi). Obviously you'd have to do your math to figure out volume needed, but you'd do that anyway for any tank.
> 
> Pros:
> -Low Profile
> ...



I've done this with PVC it worked well for about 9 months, but the particular application had large swings in pressure that happened rapidly. This flexing of the accumulator walls eventually caused the end cap to fail dramatically. If you do this, over-spec and then over-spec again. 

SIDE NOTE: Bimba website is up again. We used this air reservoir.


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## RonHebbard (Nov 17, 2017)

porkchop said:


> I've done this with PVC it worked well for about 9 months, but the particular application had large swings in pressure that happened rapidly. This flexing of the accumulator walls eventually caused the end cap to fail dramatically. If you do this, over-spec and then over-spec again.
> 
> SIDE NOTE: Bimba website is up again. We used this air reservoir.


@porkchop Brett; within the past year the owners of the home I'm in had our four story building retrofitted with a water filled sprinkler system. The fitters doing the installation were installing bright yellow PVC pipe, mostly about 1.5" I.D. with a wall thickness similar to schedule 40 iron. Me being me, I took interest in the install and struck up a conversation with the senior fitter at all opportunities. I've been involved with the construction of at least 10 commercial buildings but had NEVER seen plastic fire protection water pipe before. 
I learned five things of interest: 
1; The manufacturer's name and info' as printed repeatedly along the pipe: "Harvel (Reg’d) Blazemaster (Trade Mark) Sprinkler"
2; There was also a full range of fittings from 22.5 to 90's along with T's, X's, Y's and reducers.
3; The manufacturer's website was VERY specific about how they wanted the pipe cut, chamfered and glued. The chamfering was important to the manufacturer from the POV of increasing the contact area of the adhesive at ALL joints.
4; The manufacturer specified pressure testing with air for a minimum period of time while monitoring the pressure prior to pressure testing with water.
5; From the manufacturer's POV, if there was a leak and loss of pressure with water, the system could be drained, corrected or added to and re-certified for re-use. If there was a sudden catastrophic release of air pressure during testing, the manufacturer WOULD *NO LONGER* warranty their product. From the manufacturer's perspective: Water could only evacuate the pipe so fast. In their opinion, air could evacuate the pipe much quicker than water leading to infinitesimal cracking and fragmentation not visible to the naked eye. Being a simple construction and maintenance electrician and NEVER a licensed fitter, that's something that had NEVER crossed my mind. Your comments about your PVC's glue failing brought this back to mind.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.


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## techieman33 (Nov 18, 2017)

If only every glue could work as well for its designed purpose as wood glue does on wood.


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## porkchop (Nov 18, 2017)

techieman33 said:


> If only every glue could work as well for its designed purpose as wood glue does on wood.



PVC glue is pretty darn effective. The failure we had was in the PVC itself, probably for the reasons @RonHebbard described. Apparently this is a known thing among potato gun enthusiasts. Sch 80 PVC has been working effectively for a few years now. It flexes much less than sch 40.


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## Les (Nov 18, 2017)

I've used these 5lb Co2 tanks for small confetti cannon projects in the past. The threads on top are a little unusual, but I remember finding a particular JIC fitting that would work. Apparently they're straight-cut and not tapered. But we were removing the valves, which might not be needed in your case. 

They did work well for our uses though, and have a service pressure of well over 1000psi.


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## RonHebbard (Nov 18, 2017)

porkchop said:


> PVC glue is pretty darn effective. The failure we had was in the PVC itself, probably for the reasons @RonHebbard described. Apparently this is a known thing among potato gun enthusiasts. Sch 80 PVC has been working effectively for a few years now. It flexes much less than sch 40.


 @porkchop Brett, the sprinkler pipe fitters had no approved methodology for separating joints and / or re-gluing them. If they glued up an assembly incorrectly, their only recourse was to cut it out and glue in new fittings and pipe. They didn't think of their PVC glue as glue but more like welding as it melted all the contact areas essentially fusing them as one piece. 
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.


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## Zebulon1880 (Nov 24, 2017)

venuetech said:


> Try a search for "pancake air tank"





My pancake air compressor Tommy!


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## venuetech (Nov 25, 2017)

Zebulon1880 said:


> My pancake air compressor Tommy!


Tastefully displayed with the nutcracker Knick nacks!


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