nadogail
Well-known member
20 years with Harbor Freight air hose and no problems yet.
Copper pipe for compressor lines.
- Thread starter StinkBug
- Start date
welcome to 2022
engineer2
Well-known member
If you want quick, easy and cheap, nothing wrong with an air hose. If it's going to be more permanent or inside a wall, then copper is a good way to go. For an air brush you can buy a 1/4 or 3/8 roll of copper tubing and fittings at any hardware store.
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pcmeiners
Well-known member
"search challenged "
or is it mentally challenged ?
or is it mentally challenged ?
FYI for anyone looking - the generic version of the RapidAire M7500 3/4” dia 100’ kit is on sale at Northern Tool for $140
m.northerntool.com
Not saying it is the RapidAire Kit but it looks close.
Klutch 3/4in. 100ft. Master Kit Compressed Air Piping System | Northern Tool
The Klutch® 3/4in. 100ft. Master Kit Compressed Air Piping System allows you to design and install your own personalized air system any wa...
m.northerntool.com
Not saying it is the RapidAire Kit but it looks close.
fitter30
Well-known member
You die! Or worst yet eat plastic shrapnel!
Can PVC Pipe Be Used for Compressed Air?
PVC pipe and compressed air is a dangerous combination. Learn why PVC is never approved for compressed air piping and what safe alternatives to use instead.
www.google.com
nadogail
Well-known member
When I installed some air lines at the last place I worked, I used 50/50 solder to join them together.
kelpaso1
MEMBER EMERITUS
If you don't know what you are doing you should not be giving bad advise that could kill someone.
If you think standard big box copper is too thin, and it is not even after soldering, there is a thicker grade you can find, including at some big box stores. I think one is called L and one is M. I forget which is thicker, but it is also more expensive.
Metal-Marc
Well-known member
Firebrick43
Well-known member
There are 3 thickness in multiple grades. I won't go into grades as its immaterial in air systems. The thicknesses available are M, L, and K. M the thinnest and K the thickest. M is outlawed in many localities for water pipe as it doesn't stand up to acidic water but is fine for air lines. L is what I use for everything because you can bend hard copper L (M will kink). K is usually not stocked in hardware stores but is available to special order in refrigeration houses and plumbing supply distributors.
pcmeiners
Well-known member
" i'm always curious about how seven year old threads get dug up."
What is wrong with thread resurrection? Sure beat a new thread with the exact same question being started after 2 weeks of the previous being posted and answered, wasting everyone's time.
For the folks who are too damn F***ing lazy or mentally challenged to use the search function, thank you for the 18 separate threads relating to a search of "air lines" ( an example of a search result) , much of which is redundant info. As one of the users who use the search function, I sincerely apologize for expecting the non users to expend a few calories of brain use to use the search function before starting redundant threads. I know how precious those few calories are precious to you..... Sincerely, Paul Meiners
What is wrong with thread resurrection? Sure beat a new thread with the exact same question being started after 2 weeks of the previous being posted and answered, wasting everyone's time.
For the folks who are too damn F***ing lazy or mentally challenged to use the search function, thank you for the 18 separate threads relating to a search of "air lines" ( an example of a search result) , much of which is redundant info. As one of the users who use the search function, I sincerely apologize for expecting the non users to expend a few calories of brain use to use the search function before starting redundant threads. I know how precious those few calories are precious to you..... Sincerely, Paul Meiners
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gerryw
Well-known member
Well 10yrs a go i said “m”( cheapest a@big box) was fine in my garage for the last ten years, so now i can say its fine for my garage for the last 20
See you in 10 years
Gerry
See you in 10 years
Gerry
Metal-Marc
Well-known member
Easy Tiger, there's no need to get mad. this is just the Internet.
pcmeiners
Well-known member
"Easy Tiger, there's no need to get mad. this is just the Internet."
The Internet? Is that thing still around?
..... point taken Mti-Marc
The Internet? Is that thing still around?
..... point taken Mti-Marc
Richie Rich
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 2, 2009
- Messages
- 190
Thanks for the heads up on this.FYI for anyone looking - the generic version of the RapidAire M7500 3/4” dia 100’ kit is on sale at Northern Tool for $140
Klutch 3/4in. 100ft. Master Kit Compressed Air Piping System | Northern Tool
The Klutch® 3/4in. 100ft. Master Kit Compressed Air Piping System allows you to design and install your own personalized air system any wa...
Not saying it is the RapidAire Kit but it looks close.
Perfect timing as I had logged in here to research options on compressor piping.
RapidAire kit. The 3/4” 100’ kit is an M7500. But the link I posted above is the generic version for considerably less $.
Yankeefarmer
Well-known member
But won’t that sag over time and look like h8!! like so many on this forum complain about PVC conduit?Far easier and cheaper than copper pipe:
I would definitely use PVC. You will be much happier.
engineer2
Well-known member
Wow! Type M copper is $15 for a 10 ft stick. Double what it was 2 years ago.
Tinkering_hobbyist
Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2022
- Messages
- 5
I ended up going with black steel pipe, copper wasn’t that bad of a price from what I could find locally, I just got all the steel pipe I needed for $10 and they’re letting me borrow a Rigid powered threader. Sometimes I get lucky in life by knowing the right person… only happened twice in my life ha. Only thing now I was looking at was a reamer, I got a 00-R threader and 3 dies for $40 of Mercari so I couldn’t say no to that. Now I’ve found a good deal on Rigid 2 straight pipe reamer and the 2-S, both less than $100. Anyone have experience with either, is one better than the other? I can’t help it, I like getting tools and they’re virtually brand new… I’m a bargain hunter lol. Anyways was good info in this thread even if it was old, was very helpful.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
In the pictures Rapidair may look like garden hose, but it's less flexible than you may think - it has an aluminum core. If the mounting clamps are installed at recommended intervals, sagging shouldn't be a problem.
Yankeefarmer
Well-known member
I don’t doubt you. My post was not intended as a criticism of Rapidair- I have no experience with it.
About a year ago, maybe more, in another GJ forum, someone inquired about using using PVC conduit for their electrical. I posted a picture of mine, in order to help the OP decide what way they wanted to go. A number of GJ’ers were critical, saying it would sag over time, that PVC looks like ****, etc. Mine still is as straight as it was on the day I installed it. I was just attempting to warn that Rapidair would be likely to be viewed in the same manner, regardless of the facts. My attempt at sarcasm was too esoteric.
My intention for my new shop is to run copper or steel pipe in a vertical grid pattern behind the compressor with a drain before I distribute into the garage. My current set up uses rubber hoses to a brass manifold, which was foolish, not because of the pressure but because of the moisture. I can rinse things off with my air hose at the moment.
Something like this
Something like this
Metal-Marc
Well-known member
That's a cool idea.
Metal-Marc
Well-known member
They're already available for water hose. Shouldn't be too long they are available for air hose too.
PBCampbell
Well-known member
I'd go with the straight. The spiral reamer wants to pull into the pipe and requires more attention, fidgeting to get the hang of.
toyotadriver
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2010
- Messages
- 1,586
I have copper in my shop. I used L.
Bradbilt
Well-known member
The way I looked at it was like this. I'm going to do this ONCE, so lets do it Right without question. 3/4 of it is in the walls, and really dont even want to have to rip a wall apart for a leak
I went with 3/4" L Ran a main trunk line the length of the shop with it pitched from the center down to the ends.
There are 8 "T" and a total of 13 drops. All in 3/4". Every drop but one has a water drain 6" below the air fitting. I have about $1500 wrapped up in the total project. The main trunk line is about 120' and each drop is about 34'
Everything is strapped in place with galvanized clamps and 2 screws per clamp. I wrapped the copper in electrical tape to give a barrier between the copper and galvanizing to not have any adverse reaction from dissimilar metals.
SO far I had the system charged to 100psi for 60 days without a single drop in pressure.
That was at least the way I went about it
I went with 3/4" L Ran a main trunk line the length of the shop with it pitched from the center down to the ends.
There are 8 "T" and a total of 13 drops. All in 3/4". Every drop but one has a water drain 6" below the air fitting. I have about $1500 wrapped up in the total project. The main trunk line is about 120' and each drop is about 34'
Everything is strapped in place with galvanized clamps and 2 screws per clamp. I wrapped the copper in electrical tape to give a barrier between the copper and galvanizing to not have any adverse reaction from dissimilar metals.
SO far I had the system charged to 100psi for 60 days without a single drop in pressure.
That was at least the way I went about it
Mine hasn't. It comes with clips to attach to the wall. I only ended up using one.
I've been very pleased with it. It only took about 10-15 minutes to pull it about 75' down my wall. Adding the fittings took a couple hours but the actual run was only 10-15 minutes.
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ericm
Well-known member
My intention for my new shop is to run copper or steel pipe in a vertical grid pattern behind the compressor with a drain before I distribute into the garage. My current set up uses rubber hoses to a brass manifold, which was foolish, not because of the pressure but because of the moisture. I can rinse things off with my air hose at the moment.
Something like this
If you make the runs horizontal and feed the air into the top of the radiator then it should blow all the condensed water to the bottom. Then you only would need one water trap or drain instead of one for every drop like in the pic. If you want you could spread the loops out some so each horizontal run was slightly down hill. Having them not be parallel might bug some people though.
Metal-Marc
Well-known member
pcmeiners
Well-known member
"I wrapped the copper in electrical tape to give a barrier between the copper and galvanizing to not have any adverse reaction from dissimilar metals."
Just to add, they sell Teflon tape in various widths on Ebay, will work better than electrical tape.
Anyone making a cooling manifold from copper pipe, shinny un-oxidized copper is not a good radiator of heat; shiny copper is a good conductor of heat but that is not the same as the ability to radiate heat. Either paint the pipe black or chemically darken the pipe, with a sulfide salt or gun blue as linked below.
Just to add, they sell Teflon tape in various widths on Ebay, will work better than electrical tape.
Anyone making a cooling manifold from copper pipe, shinny un-oxidized copper is not a good radiator of heat; shiny copper is a good conductor of heat but that is not the same as the ability to radiate heat. Either paint the pipe black or chemically darken the pipe, with a sulfide salt or gun blue as linked below.
Thanks for the tip, I can run them sloped and parallel to each orher