09/01/2025
Seeing that we started building a custom mobile, yard 7.5kW screw compressor, & 105Amp plasma cutter. Fitted with air dryer, filters & custom air receiver (tank) chassis.
So we thought, let's maybe first show where Air Systems essentially started.
This is the very first compressor built by the founder of Air Systems, Henk Schuiling, built when he was in Standard 8 (Grade 10) at the age of about 15 years old.
He only realised the air receivers were segmented, that, after startup, the air didn't come out the other side. Hence the tubing on the outside to join the, now 4 tanks.
This is a 150cc truck compressor & 2.2kW motor, mounted on dual, split air receivers.
Parts were obtained all over Pretoria.
For instance, the air receivers were obtained from an abandoned truck that was standing in the veld, close to the Armscor head office, long before they actually built it, nevertheless, the Spookhuis was there.
The handle is from a broken old spade. The compressor pulley was machined from the closest standard alunumnum pulley, maybe from Churchills at the time.
The only stuff bought, was a pulley, V-belt, pressure switch, & filter, pressure regulator. The last 2 items were from Amlac in du Toit St.
The performance of the compressor is on par, if not better than, any new domestic compressor.
The reason to build it at the time, was to be able to spray a DKW station wagon which Henk restored at the same time.
The only other available compressor & option he had, was using one from a friend, Donald Hartig. The problem was that he was located right across town.
Henk was in trouble for bunking (AWOL) for 3 weeks, to work on the DKW the next year. π€£
The compressor is now being revived/restored as a functional display unit.
You are welcome to come check it out, at our Air Systems factory, at 258 Dykor St, Silverton, Pretoria.
Enjoy! πππ»