While the Brüder Kompressor has been designed specifically for use in header and equipment blow-down, the use doesn’t stop with the end of the harvest season. Below are 10 alternative uses for your compressor on the farm.
Tyre inflation – tractor and truck tyres are big and require a lot of air at a fairly high pressure. You could be there all day with a hand or a foot pump, or you could connect your Brüder compressor up to a tyre filler hose attachment and get the job done in minutes. Pro tip: Keep an eye on the pressure of the tyre as it will inflate very quickly; take into consideration the maximum rated tyre pressure on the sidewall of the tyre. A tyre filler with a gauge and trigger built-in will be invaluable for this.
Your compressor can be used on the off-season for any fencing jobs you have going – modern farms generally have many lineal kilometres (or tens of kilometres) of fencing. This can be anything from electric stock fencing to perimeter fencing or post-and-rail type fencing. A compressor with a decent pneumatic picket post driver will help you to get star-droppers, small fence posts etc into the ground with a minimum of fuss. Pro tip: keep your post driver well lubricated, consider using an inline air tool lubricator on the compressed air hose. Remember that often the tool end of the driver will need attention with an anti-seize grease as well.
Jack hammers and pavement breakers can be used for anything from busting up hard ground for a small excavation to chipping rocks and concrete for removal, or getting creative and carving from hard media. Some rock breakers are lighter in weight and can be purchased with an attachment that allows it to double as a post driver as well (see above). When you’re finished, swap the chipper for your blow gun and clean any dust off the area. Pro tip: Remember your PPE. No-one – not even a farmer – is immune from accidents and eyes seem to be particularly vulnerable, not to mention sensitive. Save yourself the pain and get protected.
Your dewatering and transfer of liquids or fine solids are taken care of with a range of water pumps available. Venturi effect dewatering pumps are great for small flooded areas and – at a stretch – could be used for fire protection or dust suppression. The venturi pumps have no moving parts and are very simple to use. Other air-operated pumps can be used for a variety of purposes, most pumps are multi-role and can be used all around the property. Consider using them to empty out tyres that have filled up over time, before you fit them. Pro tip: Hoses and ducting will decrease the efficiency and power of a venturi pump. Keep hose distances to a minimum.
With the right filtration equipment, any painting job becomes that much easier with compressed air. Whether it be a new shed, a steel fence, your old hay rake you’re trying to sell or pretty much anything that needs paint, you’ll find a spray application will generally go on a lot smoother and easier than brush or roller methods. Pressure pack (aerosol) paints are only economical for small projects; painting 15 square metres of building with a spray can will get old fast! Pro tip: Check the paint can for details. Some brands advise on pressure requirements for spraying. Get the thinning ratios right, and check the weather before you start.
Grit blasting (or, sand blasting) has become increasingly feasible to do in-house by yourself, with equipment ranging from several thousand to just a few hundred dollars. Soda blasting is gaining traction as one of the preferred medias in sensitive areas – both grit and soda blasting can be used dry or wet, depending on your preference and desired outcome. Grit blasting can be used for rust removal, paint removal, general clean up etc – it’s even been used to clean up barbecue grills! Pro tip: Choose your nozzle size and media wisely, and only use approved medias. Do your research and talk to someone in the industry if you’re not sure.
With a harvest trailer, the compressor can be used for refueling as well. A compressed air operated diaphragm pump is used to pump fuel from a tank into your machinery or vehicles. It’s like one of those 12v ute-mounted refueling caddies but faster. The team at Brüder Kompressor have experience in creating these harvest trailers to suit the needs of the user. Talk with us today to see how it works! Pro tip: Why stop at just diesel? Use the compressed air supply to run grease pumps, oil (drum) pumps and even waste oil pumps.
If you don’t have a smaller workshop air compressor, the Brüder Kompressor can double up for this and provide the needed power for any air tools, sanders, drills, grinders, nailers etc you may need to use. Compressed air tools often have a power advantage over their electric or battery powered contemporaries; in addition to this, air operated tools won’t burn out if you push them too hard. Pro tip: Check the air requirements for each tool – some will require a filtered and lubricated air supply, others will need pressure regulated supply. Consider a workshop compressed air storage vessel to save on diesel.
Equipment cleaning is easy with Brüder’s range of different blow guns and lances. From the Force 5 Megablaster which is suited ideally to harvest applications (but will work anywhere high volume air is needed), to the little workshop air wand to get the swarf off your drill press or lathe (with safety glasses, please), any amount of cleaning can be done using compressed air from your Brüder Kompressor. Pro tip: The Megablaster can be cut down and re-threaded at a shorter length, if it’s too long to get into tight little spaces. If you keep the off-cut, thread that as well (it’s a 1/2” BSPT for your information) and use it with a socket to get it back to full length later.
If you can’t shift something with air, try some waterblasting. Most small pressure washers are electric, some of the more industrial units are petrol or diesel powered, but some nozzles are available that allow you to waterblast using a high volume, high pressure air supply as well. These nozzles generally aren’t cheap, but they are highly effective! Pro tip: Using hot water can help get the extra stubborn debris to move, if it’s really stuck on! Use a hot water suction hose, a standard hose can become too flexible and may collapse with the negative pressure.
Or, if you’re not using it for any of the above, there are often plenty of people on Gumtree, Facebook etc who will borrow your compressor, for a price – advertise it for rent and see what you can get out of it! Pro tip: Protect yourself with paperwork. If someone goes and wrecks your equipment or runs it past it’s annual service hours without the necessary service, puts the wrong fuel in it, scuffs or marks it or some other silly mistake, you want to know you can get payment out of them for repairs. Dry hire agreement templates can be downloaded for free online. If you’re covered, you might find the user a little more careful with your equipment.
What people have found, is once you’ve got one you won’t know how you got along without it. A portable air compressor is such a versatile piece of equipment. Talk to us today to find out how we can help you to achieve what is important to you.