Do I need compressed air throughout my shop?

[SJMaye]

I was planning on how to route air lines for my new garage. It dawned on me that many of air tools I used to use are now battery powered. Other than airing up a tire or using a blow gun, what else would I need my compressor for?

I don't want to spend an enormous amount of time and effort running air lines only to never really use them.

 

[cvairwerks]

Blast cabinet and a paint gun are a couple things I can think of immediately.

 

[SJMaye]

Thank you, cvairwerks! I knew I was having a brain lock. That was the kind of input I was looking for.

 

[MushCreek]

I have a machine shop, so air is pretty much a given for blowing things off. I also use it for a coolant mister. That being said, I just have an air hose dragged across the floor. I really should plumb a couple drops in strategic spots.

 

[toyotadriver]

I have 3 air hose reels at different areas of my 30x40 shop. One is 25 ft and the other two are 50ft. I use all of them regularly and I also have some battery powered tools for things I used to use air for. I love my hose reels and won’t be without them. When one fails, it’ll be replaced.

 

[javyLSU]

Air hammer is the biggest reason I still have air in my garage…

 

[SJMaye]

For my situation I can see the use for a ceiling mounted hose reel for blowing off stuff, airing tires. Maybe a air drop at the work bench.

 

[tyyost]

I often struggle with this too. I keep thinking that a larger compressor and a dedicated set of lines would be ideal, but honestly unless you routinely paint or run machines that need air to run like a blast cabinet or tire machine it becomes hard to justify.

Without knowing what you do it is really hard to say. I do a mixed bag of woodworking and mechanical and auto repair. My main uses for air are cleaning, nailers, plasma cutter, air hammer and die grinders. Like you I find cordless tools doing some of this work, as I have a M12 die grinder, ratchet, and inflator along with cordless impacts. After dragging hoses so long I know where I would want dedicated air, by the door for the plasma and auto tools, by the assembly bench/table for the nailers, etc. My reality is that I would only need 3-4 dedicated drops and be set. Or just keep pulling out the long hose…

 

[SJMaye]

My reality is that I would only need 3-4 dedicated drops and be set. Or just keep pulling out the long hose…

Your reality sounds like mine. A great reality check for me

 

[seber]

I used to have a 120 gallon V4 compressor with drops everywhere. Now I use battery tools for almost everything. I am down to a 30 gallon two horse twin on wheels and just wheel it around as needed. A portable tank covers most of my needs.

 

[ddawg16]

Compressed air is one of those things you don't realize how much you need it until you start using it.
My 2-stage compressor is in a 'closet' behind the garage.
I have 2 drops at the back of the garage and a hose real at the front. The front sees a lot of use. Even my wife uses it.

Typical uses....
Blowing saw dust off project...
Blowing out the garage
Using my portable sand blaster in the back yard
Air tools
LVHP Paint sprayer
Nailer's

 

[dr_clyde]

Compressed air is an absolute requirement as far as I’m concerned, we have a drop at every machine and every work area, as well as by the doors.

There are untold applications for compressed air that we may never get any other replacement tool for. Pneumatic hand tools are only a fraction of what compressed air is good for. Best not to limit yourself unnecessarily.

 

[VolvoRyan]

I'll echo others. Without knowing what you do, it's hard to say what's the way to go. I just use air hose in my new-to-me garage. Waiting for my workflows/needs to crystalize before committing to plumbing.

-Ryan

 

[MattN03]

Also, how big is your shop? I have a 32' x 64' and a portable Husky 30 gallon upright with a 50' hose. That gives me pretty good coverage in most of the shop and if I need it towards the back, I just roll the compressor back to the area. I may look at some air lines around the shop in the future, but this setup has worked fine for my infrequent use of airing up tires or impact gun.

 

[Hammer1963]

I could not work without compressed air. Running pipe throughout your work area shouldn't be terribly expensive and you may find that you use it more than you think

 

[PoorUB]

I have a 5 HP 80 gallon compressor, and one air drop connected to a 50 foot hose real. Unless you have very specific work areas I wouldn't bother with multiple air drops in a home shop. I have considered a second hose reel right inside the over head door that I can drag outside.

Now if you have equipment the requires it, a blast cabinet for one, I might change my mind. It depends on the type of work you do out there.

 

[Ign]

I really only have air along one wall which is the lift bay. I run hoses across the floor from hose reels to my mills, which is kinda dumb.

All I really need air for is blowing off machines, inflating tires, and the air hammer. Actually, plasma, too

Personally I think you're right to scale back your system. They always leak and more runs is just more chances for problems. Copper and plumbing is beyond ridiculous right now $$$$. I just replaced, er eliminated, my regulator. IME all regulators are headaches.

If my 80gal compressor dies I'm stepping down to a decent 60gal, I just don't use air THAT much

 

[wreckdiver1321]

You know, I've been thinking about this too. I do plan to upgrade my compressor to a quieter one at some point, but I've been doing just fine with the 20-gallon Craftsman I got when I was 17.

I don't do a lot of work that requires air. Occasionally I'll do some cutting or dremel-type work with a die grinder, but that's the exception. Mostly it's for filling tires and my rattle gun, which should be upgraded soon to a battery-powered one. That being said, I am planning am autobody project over the next couple months, and air tools are a requirement there for sanding, cutting, and flanging.

My plan for my 23x23 workshop is to run a hard line (probably galvanized pipe, mostly because I like the aesthetics) up the wall from the compressor, then roughly half the wall length to the middle of the shop by the door. At the end of that I'll mount a 50' hose reel and Bob's your uncle.

All that being said, remember that I don't own a blast cabinet or any other equipment that requires a dedicated air drop near it. My BIL's shop has a blast cab, a tire machine, and a few other things that he likes to have air near. My space isn't nearly big enough and I don't have the equipment, so a hose reel and modest compressor suit my needs just fine.

 

[joshmodelskidoo]

I upgraded to a 60 gallon in my 24x24 garage and i ran about 6ft of copper to a dryer then a hose reel with about a 50ft hose. It works good for me. If i had a barn I would probably have 2-4 air outlets

 

[APEowner]

Between my current shop and my old shop in NY I've been dragging an air hose around for about 20 years. I'd like some dedicated drops and it's been on my todo list for all of those years but other stuff has always been a priority.

 

[racecougar]

It depends on what you do. For me, it's a necessity. Sandblasting, painting, all the pneumatic tools I use for mechanical work, cut off wheel, DA, shop press, bridge jack, and far more all require air.

 

[wreckdiver1321]

I upgraded to a 60 gallon in my 24x24 garage and i ran about 6ft of copper to a dryer then a hose reel with about a 50ft hose. It works good for me. If i had a barn I would probably have 2-4 air outlets

Good reminder, I should have a dryer in mine too.

 

[gerryw]

I have a 2 car garage, i do a lot of brakes ( family/friends). I use the right bay for service.
I have 3 drops , one with a reel @ workbench, for left side of car , 2 on right (wall) side of car , with coiled line for each wheel.
I couldn’t function without my compressor.
Press, glass beading cab, air chisel etc.
I would consider it a necessity.

Gerry

 

[Ton ton]

I wouldn't be surprised if the OP bought some high quality air powered tools, he may actually use a lot of air drops. Battery power is nice out in the field. But I like air power too. I think you should try both.

 

[slowtwitch73]

I have a small portable compressor. No air tools...all electric. I like to vacuum parts off instead of blow **** everywhere.

If I blasted or painted that would change.

 

[2oolhound]

I have a small home shop. I just added a drop through the outside garage wall by the driveway. I do a lot of blasting, painting and tires there so I love the connection there. In the shop I use air for blowing stuff off like reamers, taps & dies that have metal chips stuck on by cutting oil or around the lathe or mill. I have 1/2 dozen die grinders too (so I don't have to switch bits so often). I use air regularly on a daily basis.

 

[mikedodge]

I have a big compressor and hook up a hose directly off it when needed. I'd put some drops in but never had the time and would probably end up needing them where they don't exist any way.

 

[softailgarage]

I had a 2 car garage, converted to a shop with a 60gal upright compressor. I found out a few things...1. when you have a compressor, you suddenly find reasons to use it. 2. Hose lines all over the shop ****. So, I got some black pipe and started a line. It was fun, wouldn't mind doing it again. It eliminated the hose lines alll over, looked professional and just all together more efficient. I really wanted to go with copper lines but was a little more than I wanted to spend

 

[Mark in Indiana]

I have a 60’ hose reel at the front of my garage and a coiled hose at the back, for my bench. Over the years I’ve collected air tools to do everything from grinding, nailing/stapling, impact, painting, etc. At my current position, I couldn’t do without my compressor.

 

[DocsMachine]

Plumbing my shop for manifolded air was one of the best upgrades I ever did.

One, it moved the compressor out to an attached side shed, where you almost can't even hear it when it's running, plus that opened up some valuable space in my increasingly crowded main room.

I now have regular air at each of the commonly-used machines, direct connections to the CNCs, and easy, quick access to air when I'm doing fabrication outside. (Used to do more of it inside, but that was before I filled the shop with precision machine tools. )

Airing up a tire is two minutes with a hose and the nearest connection, the air is nice and dry for the plasma cutter, and I prefer the smaller, lighter air tools for certain jobs.

Sure, it's not for everyone, and I know lots of guys that have some many rechargeables that they haven't even plugged in their compressor in a couple of years. But for me, it was a significant and welcome upgrade to the shop.

Doc.

 

[pbon]

I ran copper lines all around while renovating and hid them in walls and ceiling so it took a lot of work. I almost never use them. Be realistic about your needs. My shop is 24 to 30 by 30 and one outlet other than for the lift would have been fine. Plus an outlet upstairs for the blast cabinet I will one day assemble. Overkill does not hurt but for most is a waste of time and money.

 

[u2slow]

Im setting up a spot for my portable compressor to quick-connect to a plumbed system. For now it will give a drop at each end of the shop, and have it's own regulator. Using pex for it.

 

[Lucid Moments]

Depends on what you mean by throughout the shop and the size. My shop is 50 X 60 and I have 4 drops. 1 basically midpoint on each wall. Of those the 2 drops on the long walls have 50 ft reels on them and handle 99% of my air use.

 

[u2slow]

A point to note is if you run 50' of something like 3/8" hose with 1/4" fittings you're losing flow and pressure for bigger tools. Part of the point of plumbing air is to run more of the distance with larger line and a have a shorter hose.

FWIW, 50' of hose to run my IR232 at full strength needs to be 1/2" hose with 3/8" fittings.

 

[MongoTA]

I have a couple of air reels for hand tools; Die grinders, nailers, tire filling, etc. I have dedicated drops near the larger CFM things like plasma cutter, blast cabinet, etc.

 

[dnschmidt]

I'm a car/furniture painter so I have little choice. Big compressor is a must. If you're going to plumb air lines the aluminum ones pioneered by Prevost and now sold by everybody are the nuts. Black iron typically leaks and copper cost a bundle. PVC is asking for BIG trouble when one of the shards goes through you eye. As Nancy Reagan said: "Just don't do it." Some claim that you can do it with PEX but I don't know if I buy that or not.

 

[Jbullfrog]

Die grinders, cut off saws, and plasma cutters need air to run. My shop is 38x54 with a hoist and a bay for tractor work. I have an air reel on both sides of the big bay, a drop in my wood working area, my welding table, the front of the hoist, and by the main door. It is really nice to have a second tool and hose when working on projects.

 

[toyotadriver]

I have a vacuum radiator fill tool and a vacuum brake bleeder. Neither can run in batteries and both need compressed air to work. The need for compressed air will never go away.