The Best Tyre Pumps... in the World?

[jbudgie]

Meteor Madness said:

It doesn't appear to have a gauge. How will you know when to stop pumping??

They do have gauges on them.

[DiscoColin]

My only exposure to old pumps was to broken old pumps so I was never converted. As has been widely said though - mainstream low cost options (foot or electric) really aren't at all great, thus I have a Ring RAC900 (a healthy metal lump that connects to the battery terminals and is more than up to the job of filling truck tyres were it needed). If the battery is dead when you have a flat then you probably are't going anywhere before the RAC van gets to you...

All said though - loving the vintage industrial stuff and will be following the thread with interest.

[buggalugs]

caelite said:

I paid £20 on a Michelin branded double barrel footpump, yes it may not work as well in 70 years but is a fantastic piece of kit when compared to a lot of the bargain basement single barrel ones.

I have one of those! Had it about 6 years, I've replaced the hose with a nice long one, and the nozzle thingy with a nice brass one off eBay. Oh and one of the springs broke the other day so it doesn't rise up as fast. But it is quick to pump things up with.

[ExPat2B]

TooMany2cvs said:

Those oldies are seriously lovely... but if you want a reliable, effective, efficient manual inflator - get a bicycle track pump. MUCH better than any foot pump.

We got one like this for the VW camper...

50psi into 195/80 van tyres? No sweat...

This, a 1000% this, a foot pump is a terrible design, Bicycle track pumps are so much better. I have used various foot pumps for years, I bought a track pump a few years ago and could not believe how much better it was.

[AlexC1981]

This is very good. Fast and appears to be well made. It's miles apart from the cheap inflators I have had in the past. You set it to the pressure you want and it automatically stops when it gets there.

[silentbrown]

helix402 said:

Use a bike track pump. Much better than foot pumps.

+1 on this, but the OP's pumps are simply lovely.

I have an VW 12V electric jobby which is mainly used for little SB's monster paddling pool, but all the car, bike tyres and other nonsense gets pumped up with one of these.

[InitialDave]

Thanks for posting this thread, I never knew about these, interesting stuff. I might pick one up. I like solid, quality kit that feels like it'll outlast me.

[beanoir]

silentbrown said:

and other nonsense gets pumped up with one of these

Go on, what do you call her..??

[silentbrown]

beanoir said:

Go on, what do you call her..??

"Fanny". Or was that another thread?

"Nonsense": Spacehoppers, netball/footballs etc. I tried it for party balloons but that wasn't successful.

[dcb]

ExPat2B said:

This, a 1000% this, a foot pump is a terrible design, Bicycle track pumps are so much better. I have used various foot pumps for years, I bought a track pump a few years ago and could not believe how much better it was.

+1

I've tried various foot pumps over the years and the cheap thin metal at the end
of the cylinder always gave way. Double barreled ones not much better. Basically
a bad design.

Track pump from a well known supermarket just so much better. Simple design, has both
Shrader and Presta valve attachments and I can go to 100+ psi if I need to.
Swept volume means it doesn't take too long to fill anything.

Only real issue is how accurate the gauge is, but that's easily solved with a proper gauge.

Monthly checks on the cars, weekly checks on the bikes. Sorted.

[Klippie]

What a great thread...those vintage pumps look fantastic, probably very expensive in their day but as the OP says it will last for years I'd happily use one I'll bet they are smooth as silk in operation.

[Blackpuddin]

Deisel Weisel said:

caelite said:

I paid £20 on a Michelin branded double barrel footpump, yes it may not work as well in 70 years but is a fantastic piece of kit when compared to a lot of the bargain basement single barrel ones.

Mine fell apart in under 6 months with light use. If you check out Amazon reviews, you’ll find mine wasn’t the only one. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Michelin-Double-Barrel-Fo...

So did mine, absolute rubbish. Got a Heyner now, much better.

[Rhyolith]

Interesting a lot of people think track (or stirrup) pumps are better. When talking solely of the modern pumps with their cheap construction stirrup pumps probably are better due to their simplicity. However a properly made foot pump will be faster and capable of achieving higher pressures than a stirrup pump, so is in no way inferior.

I am actaully in the process of doing up a vintage Hattersley and Davidson Stirrup pump, it needs a lot of work but will post pictures when I am done. I think it has a duplex double stroke piston, in which case it will probably out perform modern track pumps in terms of max PSI.

[Jamesf288]

Plastic nozzles really get my goat . They are largely rendered useless after a few encounters with the valve. I currently favour a screw-cap closure, which so far negates the aforementioned plastic nonsense.

[Hrimfaxi]

My footpump is a bit of a "Trigger's Broom" with all different parts salvaged from past broken footpumps

[S0 What]

Rhyolith said:

Hello! I am new to this forum

I don't know much about cars (though I have owned a classic mini cooper recently ), however I like to do up old tools and machines as a casual hobby which often leads me into the car world

Was drawn here by an old post (http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=849746) which I think I can answer and may just be of interest.

To my knowledge there are no modern foot pumps made to a decent standard, least not compared to the likes this:

Duplex Kismet Master (Air Ministry 1944) by Rhyolith, on Flickr

Its an Kismet double stroke foot pump (one cylinder inside the other, so compresses the air twice) made for the air ministry in 1944 by William Turner and Bro. Ltd of Sheffield to pressurise pneumatic systems on aircraft such as Spitfires and Hurricanes. It can pump up to 300psi and is built like a tank, so will never ever brake if looked after (kept oiled).

I promise, once you have owned a working one of these you will not even be able to look at the offerings in halfords without cringing.

And if you don't feel like lugging round a heavy Kismet master, William Turner made many many more pumps, all of high quality, such as this cute thing:

Kismet Baby by Rhyolith, on Flickr

Hope thats of interest to someone

Edited by Rhyolith on Tuesday 25th October 17:04

top bit of kit !
i have a stirup pump which i prefer over the cheap foot pumps but i'd love that ! i do like something you can rebuild, i just rebuilt my bradbury jack, it's second rebuild since it was made in 1958

[Big_Dog]

Thanks for your posts. Can't believe I found them so interesting.

[rovermorris999]

My Kismet Junior is winging its way to Gloucestershire to be overhauled. I inherited it from my father in the 1980's and used it for 20 years or so until the hose gave out and I couldn't find a replacement. I've got through six or seven modern replacements since then so it will be nice to have it back working again. Kismet packed up in the 1950's so it's done pretty well. I think my father got it just post-war, it always looked old to me as a child.

[g7jhp]

Track pump is the way to go. Cars, bikes etc



Topeak Joe Blow Sport II

[lufbramatt]

Didn't know these Kismet pumps existed before I read the OP, but now I want one. Although I'm a big fan of bike track pumps.