Is there a thread on show us your plumbed garage for air?

[NewShockerGuy]

Tried using the search, nothing popped up as far as a specific thread.

Is there a thread that we have on here that shows everyone's plumbed garage for air via their air compressor?

I am looking for ideas and how to do it. I am doing copper but really just want to see what people have done. I think my setup is going to be pretty basic, it's going to have one run line to the edge of the garage so i can use it at the end and at the front of the garage if need be...

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[onthemoney]

Hey Nigel,
No advice on routing lines......joined this to get ideas on a shop for myself.....hopefully this summer though.
But you might want to check out a new system of air distribution www.woodcraft.com has to offer.....assuming you haven't already bought the copper.
I have a buddy who installed it in his shop and is pretty happy so far !

Here is alink to their site.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/20...ir-Piping-System-Compressor-Manifold-Kit.aspx

Take care,
$

 

[BigAl62]

Just don't use PVC piping!!!!!

 

[Mori55]

I had schedule 80 PVC in my garage , ran it from my ceiling with pipe hangers and drop downs that I could plug into. Had it for 6 years never had a leak.

 

[zporta]

couldnt you use plastic pressure grade piping?

 

[Outlawmws]

I had schedule 80 PVC in my garage , ran it from my ceiling with pipe hangers and drop downs that I could plug into. Had it for 6 years never had a leak.

couldnt you use plastic pressure grade piping?

The issue with PVC is shrapnel in a catastrophic failure (It will shatter and send fragments everywhere, and this is a well documented hazard). Unless the manufacturer specifies/certifies a pipe or tube for air/gas pressurized systems DON'T go there...

We have been down this path before. There are specific OSHA codes about this.

 

[jcp907]

Pitch the main run so condensation runs to a drain/drop that can be purged. When you drop a service line from the main line, Tee out of the top, go up, over, then down, to minimize condensation running down the service line when in use.

 

[BD1]

Hi, if you want a nice neat job copper is best using PROPRESS FITTINGS. This is a "crimp fitting". Pipe goes inside a fitting that has a specific o-ring inside designed for what will be going through it. No residue inside piping like with solder. Fitting is crimped using a special gun type tool with a jaw for that size. Most suppliers of pipe and fitting will rent or loan the tool.

TOOL and Fittings http://www.lakecountypipe.com/ProPress-Tools-Ridgid-Pro-Press-Pex-Tools-Fittings.aspx

 

[RV77]

Heres is what I did after alot of research 3/4 pipe and I have two of the blue water traps

 

[sberry]

The ideal situation is to have pre-installed whips or hoses where the air is needed, I use no whips on tools, never have to unplug a section of charged air line. I think the blue drop line was a whip my guy had a blow gun on for convenience, I never use it anymore, could be removed.
In my place I have 4 or 5 stations for air on 3 circuits but a common garage doesnt need that. Make a simple manifold, in fact today in a home garage I might not even screw with much piping, a piece, 2 or so, add a connector and connect 25 ft of hose, some standard lenth and even hang up, put a whip at a workbench if needed and a strategic placed hose reel for the rest of it. Sometimes less is better and you can tailor to convenience, start out with a hose reel that can reach everywhere in the place, I like 100 ft reel with 50 ft of hose, manual rewind is fine.

 

[Shadowdog500]

There are a bunch of threads in free parking and general garage. this seems to come up fairly frequently, and I'm starting to think there needs to be a section to discuss shop air or at least a sticky.

Here is the most reccomended install using black iron pipe. I hear that MSC has USA made fittings.

Chris

 

[NewShockerGuy]

Yea I am not using PVC at all... Just copper pipe. I've never used it before or worked with it before. I like the idea of the crimp idea above but I don't want to spend that much money, couldn't I just use some pipe dope and the screw in type pipes.
I read that 1/2 is good for home use. I only have a 30g compressor so just want to run two lines to both sides of the garage.. or maybe just one side where my car is located it...

My compressor looks like this and my little air hose reel, it's not connect to the far right fitting

I'd like to keep it as IS and not move the regulators to the wall or anything like that because I like the protable feature of being able to wheel it around. I have two connectors so then I couple plug a whip into the hardline and have an on/off..etc.

With the picture above I guess I am not sure why the pipe is looped or curved upwards over the straight pipe? Is there a reason for this. Also what is recommend for drain pipes or how to set that up?

In that illustration why are there so many drain tubes?
And the yellow section why do they have two on/off valves?

I would like to mount a wall mounted water collector but would prefer to keep the regulator on the actual compressor...

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[digdug18]

there are so many drain tubes for moisture going to the lowest point. If you use a desiccant dryer your tools and air lines will last longer, but you still want all those drops.

The looping upward is the proper way to do it, so any moisture will go back towards the trap. The drain tubes have the output for the tools 3 or so inches about the ball valve cleanout as well, for moisture.

As for the regulator, your better off setting your compressor regulator to the max, and then using regulators at the actual tool location your using, as some items can be real air hogs when your using them, such as an impact wrench. Where as a paint sprayer needs alot less cfm. Finer controls are required as well as a cleaner air supply.

Andrew

 

[fordbroncodave]

i am about to plumb my garage with air lines as soon as the drywall goes up. gonna just use cheap plastic air hose (the 50 foot rolls for like $8) and rout to the ceiling, and all 3 walls and 2 outlets (one externally on the front of the garage and one externally through the back of the garage)

doing so, i will not need an air hose any longer then 15 feet at any given time

 

[BD1]

There are a bunch of threads in free parking and general garage. this seems to come up fairly frequently, and I'm starting to think there needs to be a section to discuss shop air or at least a sticky.

Here is the most reccomended install using black iron pipe. I hear that MSC has USA made fittings.

Chris

Hi, UNIONS "U" and "R" are NOT in best location. Unions should be DOWN STREAM of valves for easy disassembly of devices.

 

[Outlawmws]

Hi, UNIONS "U" and "R" are NOT in best location. Unions should be DOWN STREAM of valves for easy disassembly of devices.

"U" I get.

"R"? it's a ******?

 

[BD1]

"U" I get.

"R"? it's a ******?

The thing on the green line ABOVE valve is ****** and UNION. Union should be between tee and valve.

The thing on the yellow line ABOVE valve is ****** and UNION. Union should be between tee and valve.

Not to mention that there should be a UNION at the two regulators and filter too. Saves time unscrewing a whole bunch of pipe fittings. Extremely useful when piping is tight against wall.

 

[Outlawmws]

The thing on the green line ABOVE valve is ****** and UNION. Union should be between tee and valve.

The thing on the yellow line ABOVE valve is ****** and UNION. Union should be between tee and valve.

Not to mention that there should be a UNION at the two regulators and filter too. Saves time unscrewing a whole bunch of pipe fittings. Extremely useful when piping is tight against wall.

I got all that, and agree, but in the yellow line the R bit is a ******, the Unions are marked with "U"s (for obvious reasons, except in the yellow line where it is unmarked), and the Valves are marked "V" again obviously.

I did not follow why you said "R" unless you thought that was for the yellow union.

 

[ishiboo]

Killer air lines would be a great MythBusters episode... someone should submit it.

When the Schedule 80 PVC fails to explode in death shrapnel, they could make an entire system out of 2" DVW with 10" DVW storage tanks.

 

[Outlawmws]

Killer air lines would be a great MythBusters episode... someone should submit it.

When the Schedule 80 PVC fails to explode in death shrapnel, they could make an entire system out of 2" DVW with 10" DVW storage tanks.

I've seen enough shattered PVC pipe and fittings to admit it is a real danger. How about you go take a hammer to a piece of scrap, and see how it reacts? Especially if older and/or cold? Then ask yourself if you would want your face to be on the receiving end if something did fail?

It does not have to be a failure where pressure alone causes it to shatter, Once pressurized, the energy is there. Now imagine a ladder falling over and hitting an exposed pipe...

Lastly, it is not a theory; there are plenty of documented cases of injuries due to PVC being used for air lines and failing. Just because you or others got away with it, does not change the danger. I'm in that boat myself. I plumbed my old garage from prior to 24 years ago for air with PVC. I was lucky. Stupid/ignorant; but lucky...

 

[pipsters]

I took a pick axe to PVC and couldn't even get it to open up. I ended up having to hack saw it. Took forever.

 

[ishiboo]

I've seen enough shattered PVC pipe and fittings to admit it is a real danger. How about you go take a hammer to a piece of scrap, and see how it reacts? Especially if older and/or cold? Then ask yourself if you would want your face to be on the receiving end if something did fail?

It does not have to be a failure where pressure alone causes it to shatter, Once pressurized, the energy is there. Now imagine a ladder falling over and hitting an exposed pipe...

Lastly, it is not a theory; there are plenty of documented cases of injuries due to PVC being used for air lines and failing. Just because you or others got away with it, does not change the danger. I'm in that boat myself. I plumbed my old garage from prior to 24 years ago for air with PVC. I was lucky. Stupid/ignorant; but lucky...

I would never use PVC for air lines, you've hopped on the Jump to Conclusions mat.

 

[Outlawmws]

Killer air lines would be a great MythBusters episode... someone should submit it.

When the Schedule 80 PVC fails to explode in death shrapnel, they could make an entire system out of 2" DVW with 10" DVW storage tanks.

I would never use PVC for air lines, you've hopped on the Jump to Conclusions mat.

It was a pretty short jump...

I took a pick axe to PVC and couldn't even get it to open up. I ended up having to hack saw it. Took forever.

Really? I didn't have any trouble: pictured is about 5" of schedule 40, and two different breeds of fittings, and I can attest that **** is sharp, I damn near cut myself getting it into a pile (What I could find of it). It didn't take much of a tap either...

Now I have to clean my garage as the stuff exploded and went EVERYWHERE... (0 air pressure just a tap with a hammer...)

 

[1984Datsun]

You can use PVC for air lines... if it's an actual air hose.

Cheap, easy to run it when it's warm, and will last.

However, PVC air hose ***** for working with it in the cold... pita.

PVC pipe is a bad idea. You may be fine today and tomorrow, but what about when it blows apart the next day?

 

[Shadowdog500]

The thing on the green line ABOVE valve is ****** and UNION. Union should be between tee and valve.

The thing on the yellow line ABOVE valve is ****** and UNION. Union should be between tee and valve.

Not to mention that there should be a UNION at the two regulators and filter too. Saves time unscrewing a whole bunch of pipe fittings. Extremely useful when piping is tight against wall.

That was copied off of the TP tools website. They sell air line components and air systems and that is their recommended install diagram. You should probably contact them and point out their errors so they can change their drawing. Here is their phone number 1-800-321-9260.

Chris

 

[pipsters]

Really? I didn't have any trouble: pictured is about 5" of schedule 40, and two different breeds of fittings, and I can attest that **** is sharp, I damn near cut myself getting it into a pile (What I could find of it). It didn't take much of a tap either...

Yeah I was surprised. Had been sitting underground for a year as well. I was surprised how pliable the PVC was. I got it from Lowes for $1.50 per 10 ft. Cheaper than dirt and seemed to be real good quality. I used it to run an underground watering system and drilled holes in it to let water out underneath the ground in my garden.