It’s Just A Pickup

[Bruce88]

A warm day, a cold beer, and watching paint dry
Time to take time and smell the roses, or is that paint and the feeling of the accomplishment even if it’s only a small step.

I dabbled in painting a whole car at home and prefer not to do that now, but that still leaves me with all the small parts that need painting. I’ve seen some outstanding paint jobs done in one car garages and even outside and then seen some paint jobs done in paint shops that are not even worth the cost of the material. Some would blame the paint or how it was applied, as far as I’m concerned the majority of many of the problems are in the prep before the painting. The best paint can not overcome a poor prep.

Some of the most caw man problems with rattle can painting I’ve seen are, after the parts are clean, handling the parts and getting body oil on them, not mixing the paint enough, and cramping of fingers and hand when spraying. The first two are easy to handle always wear latex gloves during cleaning and handling before painting and when you think that you’ve shaken the can long enough shake it some more (you can’t over mix it).

The finger and hand cramps have been hard to overcome in the past (something you just had to live with) until now. I’ve tried other spray can handles in the past and found that they didn’t hold the can good and was awkward to hold and use. The Comfort Grip by Rust-Oleum is a definite improvement and actually works pretty good. Of course there is always room for improvement like I would like to see a professional spray can handle made out of metal but that probably expecting to much, until that day this handle will do.

I always like to gather enough small parts together to use one or two complete cans of spray paint. Just a pet peeve not wanting any leftover small quantities of paint in the can.



Two empty spray cans, two empty beers, and another small step forward in the build. It’s always nice to not rush things like paint and enjoy the breaks.

[VA72C10]

Once again, thanks for the detailed writeup. I have learned from this post and I'm sure many others have and will. I would also be interested in the compressor writeup to be a guide when I go about installing a setup in my garage to (hopefully depending on budget) include piping in vacuum lines and air lines.

[Bruce88]

Well the work on the truck has stopped until I install my new air compressor

So where is this post going, it’s not to recommend one air compressor over another. As far as I’m concerned you can get a good or bad (lemmon) air compressor from any manufacturer. The only thing I would say is get the largest one you can to meet your requirements plus additional expansion, within your budget.

After searching the web and talking to a few to solve some problems that I’ve had with my old compressor installation the next three posts will deal with Home/small shop setup. Divided into piping, electrical, and installation of the compressor to prevent old problems and possible new ones as well as giving the compressor the best chance to have a long life.

The first post of three air compressor piping

One problem I had with my old compressor installation is when I used a lot of air during a day the air hose would start spitting water out of it. I had a water separator placed close to the compressor outlet but it didn’t work good because when the air got hot enough to keep the water as a vapor it would pass right through the separator (not a good or desired thing for the tools, sandblasting or painting).

The one advantage of putting piping in a small shop even if you don’t need it to distribute the air around the shop is to give the air a chance to cool to separate the water out of it. The general agreement is that a minimum 25 feet or more of ½ to ¾ inch black steel pipe is enough to cool the air before getting to the water separator in most environments (may not work as good in high temp with high humidity areas).

You could run the pipe along the wall and back agene sloping the pipe away from the compressor. Or you could run the pipe back and forth a few times as I am when dealing with a small area. Put a drain pipe and valve at the end of the run to collect the majority of the water and be able to drain it, then on to your water separator to remove any that’s left. No one recommends plastic pipe its dangers to use and will not dissipate the heat and an air hose will not dissipate the heat either.

This setup should collect the majority of the water in the air before it reaches the tools and adding a drop or two of oil in your tools once a day before using them will make your tools last a long time. If you’re planning on painting with the air you might want to use an additional filter in the line to remove any oil or water that might be left.

I went a little overboard on the size of pipe I’m using 1 inch to give max pipe area for cooling, you can see what I will be installing in the picture below.

Another area water likes to collect is in the bottom of the air compressor tank and reaching under it to open the petcock drain is a pain. Probably one of the reasons it isn’t drained as often as it should be. I’m installing a 90 degree fitting and some pipe with a ball valve to make it easer for me. Maybe it will drained more often now.



For those that might want to install some black steel pipe in there shop I generated a little how to put NPT pipe and fittings together with the novice in mind (I’m a novice at this task myself) to minimize if not eliminate leaking. I think we all want leak proof pipes and fallowing the steps should help in achieving that goal.



The new compressor has been delivered and is sitting in the garage on a pallet. Now I just need to find three or four strong friends to come over and help me move this top heavy 300 pound item to the back of the house and down some stares. I think this is going to take more than a six pack of beer more like a half a case and a piazza to gather the help (HA HA)

[PanelDeland]

Rep points to ya Bruce.You have detailed some great things for the members here.I don't look thru this thread as often as I should but really like the way you have documented your build.

[Bruce88]

The second post of three, air compressor electrical

Upgrading/adding electrical in a garage is just a requirement to turn it into a shop for working on your project. Most garages when the houses were built had minimal electrical, one or two outlets and a light or two all on one 15 AMP circuit breaker. Yes there might be a washer/dryer, freezer, or house furnace in there and they would have their own electrical circuits. So adding a air compressor to your shop will need additional wiring for a dedicated circuit, even if your putting a 110 VAC air compressor in the shop I would recommend adding a dedicated circuit for this compressor also, because all compressors draw a lot of power and could easily ask more from a outlet than you might find in your garage.

If you’re planning to wire the garage yourself be safe, never work on house electrical with power on the circuit or the electrical panel. Safety when working around house electrical can take pages of information, more than what is enclosed hear. Find out all the safety procedures/steps and don’t take any short cuts your safety and the house safety could be at risk. You could run all the wires, outlets, and switches and leave the final connection to a certified electrician that could also look over your installation and make sure it is a safe installation.

Onto what I’m doing to wire my 5 HP, 230 VAC, 30 AMP Air Compressor in my shop.

(1) Went out to the electrical panel to see that I had room to add a dual circuit breaker to the panel and what type circuit breakers the panel is using. The circuit breaker my panel uses is a Square D (There are many different electrical panels out there and they all take their own style of circuit breaker, it should be listed on the panel as to what type) (If there was no room to add the circuit breakers I would be calling a electrician to add a power distribution panel/box, definitely above my installation comfort level).

(2) Took my tape measure to figure out how much wire is going to be required to go between the panel and compressor and added a few extra feet to the total just to make sure I had enough (Don’t want to have any unwanted splices). A simple hand drawing of the wire run can help in figuring out how much wire will be required and also how much conduit will be required if your using conduit (I have finished walls and will be using conduit instead of trying to fish the wire thru the walls) My complete wire and conduit run will be 46 feet.

(3) Sat down and figured out what optional things I wanted in the circuit, like a switch in the garage to turn the compressor off when not in use (because the compressor will be under the house and using a circuit breaker as a switch is not recommended, circuit breakers are not generally made to be used as a switch). And a outlet & plug to make wiring the air compressor pressure switch easer.

(4) I have all the information now to figure what size wire and circuit breaker will be required. If I just use the basic information the wire size would be 10 gauge and the circuit breaker 30 AMP. But there are other factors that need to be input, after reading the owner’s manual and finding information on the web the 5 HP motor can exceed 30 AMP draw on startup and it’s recommended to use a 30 AMP time-delay circuit breaker as a minimum. Also single phase motors do not like low voltage and can wear out faster when subjected to it. Not being one to just build to the minimum requirements I upgraded the wire to 8 gauge and the circuit breaker to a 40 AMP. This should salve all the additional factors and give the motor a chance to live a long life.

(5) In some states the electrical code requires you to run 4 wires between the electrical panel and the pressure switch, the 4th wire would be white and called a Neutral/Common wire and is not shown in the picture below. This requirement would also require a 4 prong Outlet & Plug but at the compressor pressure switch the white wire would be capped and stowed there’s no place to hook it up. Since I’m using conduit I will be using individual strand wires not romex type, if your running it thru the wall you would be using romex type wire.

Wiring a 240 VAC single phase circuit is fairly simple it’s kind of like wiring two 120 VAC circuits to a single item like the compressor. You probably already have some 240 VAC circuits in your house like a dryer, stove, or air-conditioning, there easy to identify at the electrical panel there the circuit breakers that have a bar tying two CB’s switches together.



Even if you’re having an electrician install your compressor wiring at least you will know what’s involved in doing it.

Had two friends over this weekend to help move the compressor under the house. I think I pulled some mussels doing it will need some extra days for recovery. Be careful moving one these awkward heavy item especially down stairs if you have to.

[rob32472]

Looks like you have a good handle on this and have done your homework. There are a couple things you need to consider when doing your install. I am a master electrician so I am not just giving advice for the sake of it. When installing your breaker in the panel be sure not to put it on the same bar as another twopole breaker so that the bus will remain as cool as possible. When installing conduit be sure on the motor end that the connection is flexible ( install last few feet in flex conduit). Check with the manufacture recomendations on the breaker 40amp may be too big, in any case bigger wire is better and depening on the full load amps of the compressor( you must be at least 125% larger than the fla of the compressor) Be sure to buy the right color for your wire (red , blk, green, and white if needed) all of these will make sure you are in the NEC and provide long life. If you have any other questions PM me and I will help you any way I can.

[Bruce88]

The third post of three, air compressor installation

I installed a new pressure regulator and water separator at the end of all the piping. On my previous installation there was 10 feet of pipe I installed in the wall up to the hose reel. The yellow hose coming down from the water separator is a automatic drain option, whenever you use a air tool this will causes a small pressure drop across the inlet and outlet and will actuate a valve inside the separator causing a short shot of air to empty any water in the separator down to the catch container. This should keep the water drained from the separator.



Installed a flexible hose between the compressor and the piping to isolate any compressor vibration from the piping. Also added a ball valve to be able to empty air pressure from the tank or piping line if needed down at the compressor.

I live in an area that can have earthquakes, even if this was not the case I would still anchor the compressor to the floor. The compressor is extremely top heavy and could be tipped over by accident very easily and with the vibration that is common with compressors it could move around on the floor. I did add some rubber mounting blocks to dampen/reduce the vibration.



I’m lucky when coming up with a place to install a large air compressor with out taking up my small shop space. The area under my house I primarily use for storage, very rarely if ever drops below freezing and is the coolest place on the hottest days, always dry and away from all the dirt/mess generated in the shop. The biggest problem was getting it thru the 3 foot wide x 4 foot high door down some stairs into this area, but I think it will be worth it.



Larger compressors are becoming more common place in small shops and I can say that I’ve joined that club now. All I really want is to be able to plug in my air tools and have enough air to run them without a delay and a long lasting system with minimized maintenance or problems. This is just my attempt at reaching that goal.

Most of the piping and electrical came from a local hardware store but some of the specialty items I obtained thru TP Tools & Equipment. They have a lot of good information on their web site on setting up an air compressor.

Now back to working on the truck. The best shop in the world is worth nothing if no work is done in it. So I will be out there to extract every penny’s worth invested in it.

[my67chevytruck]

great writeup as always Bruce!

[Tx Firefighter]

You did a good write up on the compressor install.

I will tell you the truth, I have the exact same compressor and the exact same blasting cabinet. The compressor is too small for me. Granted I use mine a whole lot though. You likely won't be blasting 2 hours a day like I do.

Over time, my compressor blew it's head gasket. I called the 1-800 number on the unit and they got me the needed parts real quick. A compressor guy I know told me to always run the compressor good and steady till it's fully warmed up and then put a wrench on the head bolts and cinch them down. Do this every few months until they remain tight.

I also have a dedicated box fan on mine to augment the cooling and keep the temps reasonable.

[Bruce88]

Your definitely right about the amount of time I’m going to spend blasting, it will be more like 4 hours a month for me. Where it’s a luxury for me to have a sandblasting cabinet at hand for a lot of small parts cleanup, it falls into the category that it’s a have to have tool for me. Must be addicted to blasting as to be the simplest and fasted way to cleanup parts. Blasting sure eats up a lot of air as do some other tools

Thanks for the heads up info about checking the head bolt torque a few times after using the compressor. This would probably be a good thing to check on any compressor regardless of the manufacture.

Compressors are definitely a heat generating item and keeping them cool with plenty of air circulation is important. A box fan may just be the item needing to be added to a compressor installation to aid in giving the compressor a chance for a long life.

[Bruce88]

Why is the build delayed again?
Unexpected things in life happen, time to put things in order and continue the build

Bizarre things happen some times in life, things in no way related to a build but have an impact on it. Earthquakes, fires, accidents, deaths in the family, more than could be listed hear and affect each individual differently.

Over a week ago at 7 AM as I was having my second cup of coffee and watching the news, a 19 year old young man broke and came thru the window next to the front door. He had a knife and informed me that god had told him that I needed to die. After I disarming him neither I or him were seriously hurt, just some cuts, scrapes and bruises. I’m thankful that the police where there within a very short period of time and the young man is in jail now and being evaluated. I new very little about this young man other than that he lived in the neighborhood.

This has been upsetting to me and the neighborhood, so a short period of time will be needed to bring things back to normal and cleanup/repair.

Why am I posting this incident hear in my build thread?

For those that are fallowing this build thread that there will be a short delay and why.

I’ve enjoyed working on cars and trucks for many years and recently creating this build thread to share how I’m building this truck. This bizarre incident will not stop me from continuing this build or posts and prevent me from doing something that I enjoy.

There’s plenty of things related to a build that could slow it or added together could become overwhelming to stop a build. The few complete rebuilds that I’ve been involved with have always taken longer than expected. One thing that has helped me is to break down the build into smaller packages of tasks and as I complete the tasks move them off the list of thing that need to be done. And some time even take the time to pat myself on the back for what’s been accomplished. The day will come when the to do list is smaller than the competed list and the end of the build will be coming in sight.

Hope your to do list is smaller than your completed list, enjoy your build and don’t let the delays get you down.

[northern 85]

Wow! Gald you and your family are ok. Your right sometimes life takes over.

[c10addict]

I am glad to hear that you and your family are ok... Your thread could not be named more appropriately.... Its just a pickup.... Life is much more important that a vehicle....

[VA72C10]

Glad you are okay and hope the kid gets real help and can turn around his life. Prayers with you, your family, and community as you try to heal the emotional scars tied to this.

[ERASER5]

Glad you and your family are OK. Real glad. And not just for the truck build either.

[my67chevytruck]

Bruce, glad to hear your ok!

[Frizzle Fry]

Good job protecting your family and home. Good thing YOU were there! Keep up the good work when you are good and ready. Remember a hobby is for joy, not stress.

[Bruce88]

A cup of coffee, the kitchen table and a shop towel laid down, the stage is set
I’ve rebuilt many small parts at the kitchen table it’s always benefited me in keeping track of all the small peaces.

The Windshield Wiper Motor was working OK before I started the rebuild so I just cleaned off the dirt and did a basic electrical check of the motor, switch and pump solenoid with a ohm meter. The star washer on the switch is very important, without it the switch case is not grounded and the system will not work (switch supply’s the ground to the motor and solenoid).

After many years in the truck the grease on the washer pump cam actuating arm was dirty and gummed up. The arm didn’t move freely and was probably the reason the washer pump was not working.



Disassembled the Washer Pump and found very little wear if any on the parts, just needed cleaning the old grease off. Since I had it apart any way ordered a Water Pump Repair Kit 36-4082 from LMC to have new seals and check valves (kit is on order and expected in a few days). Just a note to any one disassembling the pump piston, push the piston in approximately 1/8 inch and turn it 90 degrees and the piston will come off the slider.

Used a light grease similar to white lithium for slide, ratchet and cam arm pivot point (spent about 20 minuets working it into the pivot area). On the star cam on the motor will be using heaver grease and for installing the new seals on the pump a light coat of Vaseline.



Things have settled down around hear and I have time to dive into the rebuild again. Definitely a lot more enjoyable than doing other things for me, enjoy your build.

[VA72C10]

Glad to see you're back at it. Another EXCELLENT writeup. Your entire build should be in the FAQ when completed. I've tried to fill my build pages with info on the tools I use and details on how to do it but always realize how inadequate my posts are when I read yours and see the associated highly detailed pictures.

Keep up the good work

[Bruce88]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

Glad to see you're back at it. Another EXCELLENT writeup. Your entire build should be in the FAQ when completed. I've tried to fill my build pages with info on the tools I use and details on how to do it but always realize how inadequate my posts are when I read yours and see the associated highly detailed pictures.

Keep up the good work

Thanks VA72C10 for the encouragement and complements

Been over looking over your build thread and would defiantly not categorize it as inadequate there’s plenty of good information and your build is definitely moving along faster than mine

[Palf70Step]

Glad to see you back at work on her. I love to see the details you put into your writeups. Thanks for all the great info.

[1964C10]

Glad to see you working on your truck! Thank you for the write up and the instructions ON the pictures, I just saved them for future reference

[Bruce88]

Mistakes are made, time wasted, things that needed to be checked before starting.
A correction to my last post on the washer pump rebuild

After looking over all the pump parts I missed that the wear on the ratchet gear (see below picture) was to much and prevented it from locking the pump into what I would call the idle position. This would mean that the pump would be running all the time the wipers where running (no repair parts for this item available)



At least I will know to look for this in the future and all that I’m out is some time and the cost of the pump rebuild kit. A new pump will have to be ordered.

I’m glad that it was found before it was installed. Some times this kind of things happen in a rebuild. I would like to hold it to a minimum but some times it’s just the nature of a rebuild to jump up and bite you.

[vegaschevy]

great write ups!!!

[VA72C10]

Thanks for the info. I have had several of those....I tried to save a part and in the end it cost me more than buying new.... moments on my build too... but they are good learning experiences. Thank you for sharing yours as a thing to look out for others.