Air line system

[RivennHewn]

http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2012/Main/225


Any thoughts on this air system from Grizzly?

 

[GeneralDisorder]

Probably ok for smaller shops though I wouldn't consider the 1/2" for any serious air system. The 3/4" stuff looks alright but the cost will get serious if you plan on having a lot of fittings and T'a and such. One of the advantages of copper is that the couplers, T's, and NPT fittings are relatively cheap. This plastic stuff has cheap tubing but fitting prices are much higher.

GD

 

[kc-steve]

I like Grizzly products but I think they missed the boat on that one. One of the primary reasons for a piping system is to cool the air before it gets to the air tool. After the air cools then moisture is easily removed from the system. When the air is still hot out of the compressor, it is still in vapor form and will pass right through any moisture removal system and on to the air tool.

The plastic tubing will not cool the air like steel or copper will.

The reason for removing moisture from the air is to keep your air tools from wearing out sooner than normal. The reason I won't buy used air tools is because most people don't remove the moisture from the compressed air to maintain tools properly.

Steve

 

[GeneralDisorder]

With a proper aftercooler, large tank, and condensate drain you can remove virtually all of the moisture before it even hits the lines. Ideally you shouldn't have to cool the air using your piping.

GD

 

[kc-steve]

With a proper aftercooler, large tank, and condensate drain you can remove virtually all of the moisture before it even hits the lines. Ideally you shouldn't have to cool the air using your piping.

GD

I prefer to spend $100 on steel piping and $100 on a moisture removal/filter rather than the added hundreds of dollars on plastic piping and all the "after coolers, tanks, and condensate drains" required to do the job.

I speak from experience with an air system for painting.

Steve

 

[theknurl]

cool the air using piping?????
how many scfm are you flowing?

i have a '46 2 stage with a 2 hp Baldor on it the tank is ~50-60 gal, i used 3/4" PVC (its rated at 480psi) angled back toward the tank so any condensate will tend to go back to the tank.....every once in a while i remember to drain it
there's a DeVilbiss filter/trap on the tank.....if i was doing serious painting i'd put a 2nd one in there, but for gun stocks its fine with my DeVilbis finger gun

Steve;
you ever wear out an air tool?
i'm 65 and am using the air tools my Father had....but i did add to the collection
i have a Dotco 1/4" porting tool that the case in almost worn smooth.....works fine....it has a stainless brush in it for weld prep

i have 2 Dotco angle head air grinders one has a 4" wire brush the other a 3" grinding disc
they get USED, bought both in a pawn shop for ~$15 each....one as new, the other slightly used....they're over $400 each new

your choice

 

[kc-steve]

It isn't really my opinion knurl. It is called physics. Try it some time, it'll work great for ya.
Here's some reading material of a research study since you won't take my word for it.

From the second page . . .

..... When we moved into our Canfield, Ohio plant, we had a shop full of air tools and needed to get set up quickly. We ran temporary rubber air hoses, and had 4-way crosses and quick connectors everywhere. Hoses were scattered all over the ground. Within 2 weeks, we started to have problems - air drills were failing, air rivet guns would not operate properly, and shears and other air-operated equipment were out of order more often than not. The reason this happened is simple. By using long lengths of air hoses, moisture remained in a vapor form, which passed through our water separators. Regardless of the number of water separators installed, moisture worked into our air-operated equipment, causing premature failure. We needed to make corrections quickly, so we equipped our entire shop with metal piping. . . .

Read more; http://www.tptools.com/StaticText/airline-piping-diagram.pdf

Steve