I see very little mention of Shelden Sporting goods in Kansas here except in very old posts. For those of you looking to buy a compressor, you should really call him up and see if he has anything available. I was just reading on some scuba boards and he recently sold a 4.2 SCFM kidde without filter/assembly for 950 dollars after he went through it. Customer had traded it in, just needed reed valve cleaned and everything else was perfect. Shelden builds/services them and other compressors and has a stellar reputation in the diving community. You could have added a couple hundred for a real filter to be added, and after shipping had a real compressor that would last a lifetime for under 1500. Shelden spends most of his time on scuba boards, he is a former navy demolitions diver. I have one of his last 2.2 SCFM compressors before his supply of them to rebuild ran out and it has been perfect since 2015. Just change oil, inspect/clean filter housing every 40 hours or every year whichever comes first. I just this year finally repacked the filter for no other reason that it has been close to 7 years. I keep reading about all the cheap compressors people get and the littany of problems with them. If you are looking for a good compressor, give him a call. You never know when he might have one and get lucky.
Shelden sporting goods
- Thread starter karl_h
- Start date
Bought my 4.2 Kidde from him years back, few months ago I had to give him a call to troubleshoot it after it decided not to pump up past 3k psi. Spot on information and had my compressor going in no time. Super simple compressors and very high quality materials used throughout.
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He does, but it is an old tech site. http://www.sheldensportinggoods.com Can't open it on my computer without changing my security settings and allowing http sites, his is not an https site. If I remember from years ago, it is a super simple site. Better off calling him and asking if he has any used more budget friendly hpa compressors currently. You save a lot by not having certified breathing air, even though my kidde passes the test with just the packable filter in place. A friend that dives was curious when it was new and filled one of his older scuba tanks and had the air tested. I told him I wouldn't fill his tanks, just because my compressor is not certified and no telling how often the packable filter would have to be repacked to continue putting out air that can pass muster for breathing.
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No phone number, just an old website that doesn't work? A phone number would be great!
Thanks!
Mike
Thanks!
Mike
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his number is 316 992 0505, you could have looked it up on the web in same amount of time it took you to ask.
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Love my compressor I got from him years ago. Has given me problem free service. I dread the day when something goes amiss with it and he's not around. After having this, I could never go back to a cheap compressor.
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karl-h
Thank you for the effort of looking up the phone number. Since I tried the website and it didn't work, I wasn't sure that anything would come up in a Google search.
Mike
Thank you for the effort of looking up the phone number. Since I tried the website and it didn't work, I wasn't sure that anything would come up in a Google search.
Mike
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Yep....The website has been Hi-Jacked!!!
It redirects you to another web address.....
Odds are it will try to install Malware and/or a Virus...
It redirects you to another web address.....
Odds are it will try to install Malware and/or a Virus...
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If that happens, I'm sure you got the full service manual with it if you bought directly from him. Came with mine. Other than some simple stuff, any real problem would not be anything a skilled user should try to do themselves. With the service manual, many places that work on HPA could at least find out what is wrong, but parts to fix would likely be a problem if Shelden was no longer around. Probably wouldn't be worth the money to have fixed once Shelden no longer works on them. Without him, I'm betting a major fix would be more money than a smaller alkin or used bauer.
The only "problem" I ever had was with the pressure blow off on top of my filter housing. Around the 10th or so fill I did on scba tank, I let the pressure build till it released, right at 4500 psi with pressure guage just a tick under that. Scared the piss out of me, I was just walking up to it to stop the fill when it released. It is supposed to reset when everything is depressurized but on mine it had a good leak afterwards. I called shelden and he told me the smallest particle that gets in the sealing surface inside will not allow it to seal, you might not even see it when you take it apart. Told me how to take it apart/clean/reset and it was super simple, but getting the pressure set exactly where you want it is tricky. And you have to be surgically clean when cleaning the mating surface or you wasted your time. Took me two tries to get it clean to seal, and I never saw anything dirt wise, looked sterile to me. I used a micrometer and measured before I took apart and set at same height as best I could, fired up and was filling another scba tank and pressure blew off at just a tick over 4000 psi, it reset itself properly that time. I adjusted the height a little, fired back up and it blew off just over 4400 psi. That is still where it is set today, touchy thing to adjust and I figured it was just fine where it was. I have less than 45 hours on mine in 7 years, that is a lot of air at this pumps capacity. My vibration hour meter is showing just shy of 42 hours, I got the meter off fleabay used for next to nothing, new on them was over 500 dollars. Best I can tell from timing fills with stopwatch, it is extremely accurate. I obviously do the 40 hour or once a year maintenance once a year instead of the 40 hours.
Blow off valve is brass part on top of 15"x4" stainless breathing air filter housing on mine.
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Interesting about his website, just looked him up on https://scubaboard.com and found a post by him this year that he is now retired. He is frogman62 over there. With him retired that explains the website not working any longer. Wish I had found that before I started this thread.
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I had thought the same re repairs and have resolved to likely buying a Alkin or Bauer should this one go south. I've got appx 30 hours on mine as of now and have had no issues. I track usage with my watch. Never considered using a vibration meter. As to maintenance and the manual, I've sent you a message.
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Did some more research on the scuba board. He announced his retirement in Oct last year, at 82 years old. Was selling stuff off cheap. Last item he sold was a few months ago over on the scuba board.
I just sent him an email asking what commercial filter fits in my housing since I no longer have new packing material for the repackable cartridge he supplied. At the hours I use it, a commercial filter would be the way to go for me in the future, just have to know which one to get. I also asked if he by any chance still had a compressor or two that haven't sold yet. I don't know if he has the same email he had when we were conversing 7 years ago, if he replies I'll post here on whether he still has anything left.
I just sent him an email asking what commercial filter fits in my housing since I no longer have new packing material for the repackable cartridge he supplied. At the hours I use it, a commercial filter would be the way to go for me in the future, just have to know which one to get. I also asked if he by any chance still had a compressor or two that haven't sold yet. I don't know if he has the same email he had when we were conversing 7 years ago, if he replies I'll post here on whether he still has anything left.
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The old military units that you and I have are over 1,000 hours rebuild time in tough military use. Barring something odd, or not doing maintenance, you and I should never need another compressor.
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I have a military compressor that has not had anything done to it. It looks a lot like the ones that Sheldon sold, but I have no info for it. If someone has any hand books or manuals I would like to have a copy, if it's not too much trouble , or let me know where I can get them, I have talked to Sheldon and says he does not have any left.
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I have:
Filter: LAWRENCE FACTOR X65240 or MAKO PC1801
MIL PRF 23699F (jet turbine oil), also know as JET II.
Filter: LAWRENCE FACTOR X65240 or MAKO PC1801
MIL PRF 23699F (jet turbine oil), also know as JET II.
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I got a reply from James Sheldon, so he is still kicking and my old email for him is still good. Good news maybe is he has one new compressor left, bad news it is a more expensive one. If anyone is willing to pony up for a brand new military compressor that will last the rest of your life, this is the email I got back from him.
From: James Shelden
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2022 12:12 PM
To: karl
Subject: Re: kidde compressor I bought from you in 2015
Karl
I don’t recall the filter # but the number should be on the filter label on the top. You can order the material to repack it from Lawrence Factor of Miami. Good to know the compressor is still running well - they are a great unit.
I have one unit still - it is a 4 CFM unit, electric but has no filter. It is a new (old stock ) unit with oil pressure gauge, moisture trap and frame. The motor is used but good and the compressor in new - $2000.00 plus shipping cost.
Good luck on the unit
Jim Shelden
316-992-0505
From: James Shelden
Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2022 12:12 PM
To: karl
Subject: Re: kidde compressor I bought from you in 2015
Karl
I don’t recall the filter # but the number should be on the filter label on the top. You can order the material to repack it from Lawrence Factor of Miami. Good to know the compressor is still running well - they are a great unit.
I have one unit still - it is a 4 CFM unit, electric but has no filter. It is a new (old stock ) unit with oil pressure gauge, moisture trap and frame. The motor is used but good and the compressor in new - $2000.00 plus shipping cost.
Good luck on the unit
Jim Shelden
316-992-0505
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I have a Kidde 4.2 CFM. After he retired I decided to get a different compressor since I wouldn't want to call him after he retired. The only two problems I ever had were that the oil pressure dropped and I had to turn it back up and the pressure relief valve o-ring went bad. I had instructions on rebuilding it but I just removed it and watched over it when I filled my tanks. It only takes 5 -6 minutes to top off a big 60-minute tank so it was not a problem.
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