WOOHOOO, i'm so excited to finally be able to fill my tanks on my own and not having to rely on scuba shops anymore. They never seem to fill my tanks all the way to full pressure. My first fill should be next week sometime. I also have one more piece to the puzzle which is coming in next week also.

Thanx goodness for Harbor Freight......lol! (seriously)




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/15/2011 08:35PM by Tofazfou.

Nice . . . keep us posted! One may be on my shopping list in the not-too-distant future too.

-- Jim

Good for you Ced! It's nice not to be tied to a major inconvienience.

.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2011 12:47AM by barnespneumatic.

[www.shoeboxcompressor.com]

-- Jim

LOL...sorry GB...i thought i attached a pic last night.........darn it, these computers are starting to get the best of me as of late. Computer 2, Cedric 0....arrrrgggghhhh!

ohhhhhh, Jim just posted a link to the shoebox. I also included a pic of my setup so far. I'm still waiting on my hose and gauge setup then i'll be ready to rock and roll.

.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2011 12:47AM by barnespneumatic.

Gary: keep in mind that they're around 1/7 the price of a traditional HPA compressor. It's true to a certain extent you get what you pay for, but I know there's a ton of margin built into those traditional compressors, too. If the Shoebox is durable enough to fill a few tanks every once in awhile with a little maintenance, that'd be good enough for me! Plus Tom Kaye (the inventor) has been doing HPA stuff with paintball for a long time -- decades -- so he's probably got most of the details worked out.

I think anything that makes HPA fills more accessible to everyone is a Good Thing.

-- Jim

.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2011 12:45AM by barnespneumatic.

Gary,

It's getting a lot of press on the yellow. The recommended compressor is $90 oilless 1 or 2 hp from Harbor Freight Tools. It was designed to be serviced needing only O-rings changes periodically and some grease on the piston shafts ever two hours of run time which is 4 times per tank fill on average.

I was VERY skeptical about them when they were chatting them up but they are out in numbers now and rural owners or people who don't have access to HPA fills and are on a tight budget are thrilled with them.

Lon



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/16/2011 06:24PM by Bigbore.

I get into more darned messes.

I hate the way this thread went. Every comment seems to suggest I came in here and ripped this product a new one. I don't know a thing about it. Jim posted a link to the product site. I thought I'd look it up. The whole right side of their own page is a forum. I started reading the postings on their own site. The whole thing is guys talking about the pistons seizing to the cyclinders. Stuff locking up. Pressure won't build. Changing O rings constantly. Having rebuilt sub-assemblies sent to them, then needing more later. Leaks. Scratching up the cyclinders during changing out the O rings. It goes on and on. I thought ... Holy Cow! This is the site of the people selling them?

But, when I suggested you'd might need a good mechahical skill set to keep them working, I seemed to be quite the party pooper. All I did is read the home page site and posted comments. I know nothing at all. If they are the best thing since sliced bread, then I'm thrilled. But the thread is getting a ton of reads. And all they are reading is "Gary this ... " and "Gary that". I just tried to bow out, but what remains still made it look like I had some ax to grind. And then, dead silence. Just reading. "Ohhhh ... wonder why Barnes hates people that just want to buy an affordable compressor???"

So, I'm just scratching whatever remains of mine, except this.

Cedric ... you know I wish you the best. I hope you enjoy your new toy. I know you have the skills to work on stuff. I hope it works a hundred years. Man, I just wondered in here with a cup of coffee. Let me off at the next stop please ...

Gary



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2011 12:44AM by barnespneumatic.

I wouldn't sweat it Gary. No one thinks you're gunning for them . . . just skeptical, which is a good thing (I am too, as are others). My point was that not everyone can afford a $3k+ traditional HPA compressor, or can justify the expense of such a unit when they're not going to be using it as much as, say, someone who builds airguns for a living, or even who shoots more than me (i.e., more days than not).

Don't forget that that's a support forum, so you're going to see mostly problems etc. posted. I've seen a lot of glowing reviews at other places on the web, from airgunners using the thing in the wild. Now, there's no debating the difference in durability, maintenance, speed of filling, etc. But for someone who doesn't have the ability to get 4500psi fills, Shoebox seems to be an option worth looking into.

I've already got an oil-less compressor, so I may try out the Shoebox. And perhaps enough Shoebox sales will force the traditional HPA compressor guys to drop their prices.

-- Jim



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2011 12:13PM by admin.

Hello Jim,

OK ... you've dragged me back. Since this is the only thing happening on the forum, and each post still addresses "me". For instance .... I just finished a nice custom carbine ... took it to the range for targets. That several day old post has about 50 reads. This has 90 from yesterday. And; the biggest message seems to be that Barnes is skeptical. With all due respect. I never said I was skeptical. I said that I "read the home page" of the product's website. If I were being skeptical, I'd have said ... yeah ... I know everybody loves these, but I don't believe they'll last. Never said that. I said I read a bunch of posts of people expressing problems. See the difference? Will it matter? I doubt it. You can just look at numbers of reads. and you can tell when something has come up that brings in a ton or readers from another forum. I'd prefer that they not all go away with the exact bassackwards concept of what I've said about someone else's product.

I've struggled with this concept of yours .... about people not being able to afford expensive products. Hummmm. I think I finally got it! It's probably just like .... "me" ... whenever I need or want something? Probably ... like $800-2,000 scopes! What do you think?

Regarding traditional compressors. Please note that their purpose in being, is in providing "breathable air" for the underwater diving community. A bit larger worldwide market than a few airgunners. I'll wait for that forced dive in prices (get it ... "dive" in prices ... ) but I won't anticipate it.

There ya go. One more attempt to get someone to talk about the compressor, and not me. Where in the heck is Cedric anyway! Man, if I had that guy ....



Gary

Hi Gary:

Well, I for one *am* skeptical, which I why I don't have a Shoebox quite yet. But I am encouraged by the feedback I've read from those who have actually taken the plunge and own one.

It's really a matter of where you want your dollars to go. You're a cheap scope guy. I'm a cheap compressor guy. Nothing wrong with that. However, I do honestly believe there are some folks out there for which a $3k compressor (or $3k Zeiss, if you prefer) is cost prohibitive, meaning that they don't have the funds available for a $3k item "for fun."

I don't know what the actual number of traditional HPA compressors sold every year to the paintball / airgunner communities is. I do know that Tom Kaye thought it was big enough to justify the R & D / startup manufacturing costs on the Shoebox. I think I recently read they're currently selling their second batch of 500 units (in the second year the product has been available). That means he's selling more than one Shoebox per day, which is pretty good for a $430 item. Much of those sales come from folks who would have never bought a traditional HPA rig in the first place, because they couldn't afford one -- so they don't really represent "missed sales" to Bauer et al. However, folks like me who are looking to knock down / evade the $3k price tag, because we're suspicious of how much that compressor *really* cost to make and how much the resellers are pocketing, the Shoebox may indeed steal some potential sales (like me) away from the HPA compressor manufacturers and their resellers.

One thing I have learned from building my own business -- these days, one can get high-end, used equipment in excellent to like-new condition for $0.20 on the dollar if you keep your eyes open and are patient. Perhaps I'll start shadowing dive shops waiting for the Reaper to show up . . .

-- Jim

I suspect the high number of reads is due to google searches. The same thing happened with the thread that had "shooting bench" in the title. The next post ought to be titled "cheap pellets" or "high power airgun" just to see if the reads spike.

Hello Jim,

OK ... are you just tweaking me now ... for fun? Let's see ... you said something like you "think there are actually people out there for which a $3,000 compressor is cost prohibitive ... " close to that. To which I say ..... Yes ... I do get that part.

Now .. back to the discussion. Everything I know about this product, is based upon the data published on the maker's site. Nobody has stepped forward here, to offer a lick of data. How long does it take to fill an 88 cubic ft. tank from about 2,500 to 4,500 psi? How hot does it get? What is the "duty cycle" of the machine? What is the warranty? Facts. All we've discussed is that people can't afford a $3,000 version.

Now, based upon the materials posted on the maker's site ... I would personally consider THIS train of thought. Fact 1). I can't afford a $3,000 compressor ... so I don't have one to use. But it hasn't cost me a nickle to realize that. OR 2). I did spend $430 for the compressor, plus $99 for the little 120 psi shop compressor, plu$ all the hose$ and gauge$, etc ... so ... I might have $600 in a system, (which isn't chicken feed). And, now it's broken. Maybe it's broken ... again. So - it cost me $600 to realize that. I ask myself if the fills I got, between issues, were worth it. (Since I still have to have a plan B for air, when it's down). If the good times are worth it - then great! Everybody is happy. If maintenance is the total issue for durability ... than an owner is responsible for sticking to it religiously. However; the owner who religously follows maintenance instructions .... is quite rare. I don't, and I'm very much "machine minded".

I like the idea. I really hope that they work well, and last well. I hope the guy makes a ton of money with them. Hope ten times the number of people can afford HP Air now. Only thing I've heard is that people are buying because they cannot afford higher priced units. "IF" trouble with the machines is rare", then they have the absolute worst marketing program I've ever seen in 45 years. First thing you see, upon going to their site, is an endless listing of issues, troubles, repeat troubles, and broken down machines. So; the ones of you who know, please tell us some success stories. Love to hear them.

And, somebody go get Cedric! hahah.

Gary



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2011 11:21PM by barnespneumatic.

Hi Gary:

All the questions you asked (and more) have been answered by folks who own and use the Shoebox, at other places around the net. How long to fill 44/88cuft tanks (from empty, 88cuft seems to take about two days), cooling, etc. If it was just the company reporting it did what they claim it does, then no one (including me) would care . . . but they've had hundreds of real units in the field with real users working great for over a year now. That's why folks are very interested in it.

I certainly have no dog in this fight . . . but I'll admit that "disruptive technology" is something I readily embrace, especially when it can potentially save me some real money.

-- Jim

Hi Jim,

I said their site gives the new reader the impression that it's trouble prone. That's all. Hey ... I'm starting to wonder if you wrote their site for them ...

Never doubted why people would be interested in them. I was thinking we were going to have a discussion about all their neat points. Guess I missed it. My bad.

Thought occured to me, while running the lathe a while ago: I'll bet there are enough expensive scopes laying under beds, unused from year to year, to buy a bunch of these!

Anyway ... said it before: Sounds neat. Hope everybody gets one. Guess I just couldn't hide the fact that all my family money has come from "Big Compressor" and Granddad Bauer.

Gary

Jim,

"All the questions you asked (and more) have been answered by folks who own and use the Shoebox, at other places around the net."

Yeah, I don't know why he's taken a disliking to it?

shooting bench
cheap pellets
high power airgun

Cedric: where did you buy your hose / gauge setup? How much was it?

-- Jim

Hey gary don't feel bad, I thought the same thing after reading their site. After doing a little research I found out they were originally intended to fill paintball guns, not big tanks. However they seem to be doing alright for most people that keep the maintenance up on them.
I was on the list for one but backed out when I found out what they were originally intended for. Keeping my eye on the postings though, if they do well over time I may decide to take the risk.
Cedric keep us posted on how you like it.

GB.

Now you know that i would never take anything you say as negative. When you made the comment, i knew exactly were you where coming from. i read that stuff also. You have some valid points for sure. But, if i have to even put just a little bit of time and money into modding this thing or shall i say "MAINTAINING" it, then, thats cool with me. Unless it becomes a pain in the ARSE..lol. Then i will really be t'd off. I was so close last year into simply plopping down the money for a FULL BLOWN (no pun intended..lol)compressor but, its just a TON of initial money to get one. Most of my airgun cost i can hide from the wife (come on, all you guys do it...lol) but a full blown compressor at 4000 dollars..............NO WAY!. So, comment on, i take all opinions then form my own beliefs anyway.

Oh ... you're a big help now! With your "drive by" posting. Then disappear and let me take all the arrows.

Uncle Bauer is gonna be real mad that I lost another sale. We so enjoy taunting the little people ...

Hope it does a great job for you!

Gary

I took a look at their website, interesting animation of the internal works, but it locked up my computer several times after running a couple of cycles...hmmm...

Given that I have exactly zero hands-on experience with one of the gizmos, I do have one question. Why is it so complicated mechanically?

I've worked with big piston/small piston type pressure multipliers before, we used them to boost the oxygen pressure in the built-in oxygen tanks on the EMS helicopters I flew on my last contract. You could run the booster off of either a nitrogen bottle or shop air, and the shop air topped out at 120 psi. We would fill the onboard tank to the highest pressure available from the cascade tank system first, then attach the booster to the last (highest pressure remaining) O2 tank and let it run till we got the PSI we needed on the aircraft.

That booster had exactly ONE moving part, a reciprocating piston with one big "piston" in the middle and a much smaller diameter piston at either end. It shuttled back and forth according to a built-in valve, boosting the tank pressure every time it hopped either direction. The movement of the shuttling piston uncovered the valve ports, so there was no exterior valve machinery needed, other than the hand valves to turn it on and off and unhook it.

It was pretty noisy, sounded like a big guy whacking a piece of hardwood with a ball-peen hammer every time the piston came to a stop at the end of it's stroke, a loud CA-LACK! Not something you'd want in your basement shop if you like peace and quiet.

On the other hand, it didn't take days to fill a tank, either. We could boost the O2 tanks by a thousand or so PSI in about twenty minutes, less if the N2 bottle was topped off.

Perhaps all the good designs are patented, and he doesn't want to pay royalties. Perhaps he's overly fond of that home-made looking hi-PSI pump of similar design that I see for sale, I forget the maker but it looks similar in design.

I'll will definitely keep everyone posted on how it performs not only short term but long term also. Will probably do a video or two on it also.


[www.tofazfou.blogspot.com]

Hello Faz,

Looks good. Hey Dude ... I want to see yardage notations on your targets. Whatchtryintopullhere??? I just assumed that they were all 250 yards.

Nice looking posts.

Gary

AWWWWWE SHUCKS GB, i never even noticed that. you could tell that this was my first day out shooting in a LONNNG TIME. I'm rusty.

Admin, i got the hose/gauge set up from JOE BRANCATO at: [www.airtanksforsale.com]

And this is the setup that i got except my hose is Black and not grey: [www.airtanksforsale.com]

First fill was very fun and successful last night. I'm LOVING it so far.

Update coming soon

I don't believe it!!!! Jim said it took two days. There aren't two days in a night! HAH!!!! I got you!!!



Gary

LOL....i love it...lol

My tank was at 3900 psi and i filled it to 4500 psi + a lb or two. The most that i ever shoot my CF tank down to is right at 3500 psi. So i will only in the future be topping it off back up to 4500 psi. So my top offs should only take some hours.

Trying to put together a video now. Maybe i will have it up today or maybe tomorrow.

Now ... Cedric ... will this video be in "real time?" I mean, how many intermissions are you planning ....

Gary

I can see it now, the shoebox-webcam! So that those of you at home on the internet can catch all the thrilling action as the gauge needle creeps ever so agonizingly slowly towards the 4500PSI mark...

On the other hand,it wouldn't be that much different from watching golf on TV, or bowling, or baseball, or paint drying, or....

Why no, I'm NOT much of a TV sports fan, could you tell?

Oh ... NOW you've gone and done it Sean!

You've besmirched a concept that could have been the next "Gone With The Wind" ... Or ... hah ... "wind" ..... there's a joke there ... somewhere ..... hahahh.

Common Cedric. Don't listen to Sean. I want the boxed set of four CDs.

Gary

LOL....that is too funny.

I really don't think you guys wanna see a 3-4 hours movie of that thing in action. OMG. Trust me, watching paint dry is way faster than this thing. Plus, i don't think the sound of that thing running would ever leave the far reaches of your minds....even when the dvd is turned off, you guys would still hear that sound...lol

You will see. 7 minute movie coming up!!!

hi guys ,
check the profile pic and the name,
im a commercial diver ,and ive been in engineering of one kind or another for a long time ,. without going into all sorts of reasons the first and most scarey thing about not using diving grade air is the contaminants.
air with dust moisture and prob oil in it just wouldnt please me.
thats it.
id rather invest my money in an extra dive cylinder or two and work that way
just my thoughts.