On Jun 11, 8:59*pm, Richard J Kinch wrote:
jay writes:
I assume it's not safe to breathe air from an oil lubricated air
compressor at sea level.

I do it all the time and so do my kids. *We hook it up to a scuba
regulator and practice scuba diving in the swimming pool. *Never
detected any irritation or as much as a scratchy throat from doing this
for long periods. *Boat and pool repair guys do this to work underwater..

The compressor consists of some metal and clean hydrocarbon oil, so
there's nothing particularly toxic in low amounts. *The amount of oil
entrained into the air must be way below any OSHA limits for oil vapor,
since the oil consumption of a well-running compressor is miniscule. *
I'm sure that running a lathe with kerosene cutting fluid and hot chips
generates more oil vapor into the lungs via ambient air than this.

I was working with this every day I might add a filter canister.

Now in filling scuba tanks to 3500 psi you have to be scrupulously
clean, but this is only 90 psi.

I'm more worried about microbes growing in the puddle in the bottom of
the compressor tank. *But the intake filter should keep out most of the
nutrition for them, so there's just clean distilled water and rust in
there.

http://www.truetex.com/scuba_lp.pdf

I'm not considering underwater usage. Being a SCUBA diver, I've
thought that air being compressed to 100+ bar for consumption
underwater required special compressors, lubricants, filtering,
dryers, scrupulous maintenance, etc. At this moment I'm just
interested in getting a safe topside positive air flow to protect me
from dust, diesel fuel & other nasty **** that affects my allergies. I
despise respirators. I'm retired & I refuse work another day waring
one. I'm considering a small 5 to 10 cfm compressor that I could use
to do other stuff such as paint while bleeding off a small percentage
of it's air to breathe. I'm considering a Sears or other brand @
around $300. I realize that oil free compressors don't last as long,
but that's OK. I was concerned that perhaps even the oil free ones put
out some hazardous gases.
Thanks for your helpful words.