Re: Air Compressor requirements for Spindle/Tool Holder?
The pull stud is normally held in place by spring pressure (normally belvil washers) and released by air pressure. So theoretically you disconnect the air from the machine between tool changes. But the machine air may also supply purge air to the spindle to keep coolant out of the bearings, this is the case in some machines. I would just do some shop plumbing to supply air to the needed locations.
[rant] I don't mean to beat up on you, but you have fallen victim the compressor marketing advertising hype. ''25 gallon'' as a description of an air compressor is meaningless, that is only the storage tank size. I have two air compressors sitting out here one is 100 gallon, the other is 60 gallon, both are 15HP. I also have two 80 gallon and both are 5 HP (real 5 HP). What is really important is the CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) output at a given pressure. Normally in the range of about 3.4 CFM/HP @ 90 PSI So the HP is more meaningful than the tank size. The other problem is that in the consumer type compressor advertizing many times a ''5 HP'' compressor is in fact about a 3 HP compressor, you have to look at the motor amps to actually get a real HP number. The marketing types are trying to outdo each other. [/rant]
Jim Dawson
Sandy, Oregon, USA