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hard plumbed air lines

rluckie

Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2013
Messages
17
Location
Texas
I have always used copper or black pipe. I've been interested in pex as well as the pex, al, pex but all the commercial buildings I have ran air lines in have spec'ed copper or black pipe, mostly copper though.
 
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ctfortner

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 7, 2009
Messages
193
Location
TN

Just a tip for the future, here is an easy way to search forums, or any site, with any amount of words you want. Try it out, its much better than the forum search option.

Go to google and copy/paste this in the search box and see the results. You can change the keywords to whatever you are looking for

site:garagejournal.com pvc airline

nevermind, I didnt see the above post until after I posted this
 

stonesfan68

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2012
Messages
2,758
Location
Houston, TX
I'd go with aluminum piping for a number of reasons. It weighs less than iron, so it is easier to handle. The fittings are a compression style that if installed correctly won't leak. You don't have to solder it together like copper or cut threads like iron.

True, the pipe is cheap but the fittings are somewhat costly, but it goes up quickly, especially if you're working by yourself. It is a good system for a DIYer.
 

zmotorsports

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
21,348
Location
Northern Utah
Baron, I had 3/4" main copper with 1/2" drops in my last 34x34x14 shop and I just completed my 50x60x16 shop a few months ago and used three kits from Aircom. They consist of 1" aluminum piping with all compression style fittings. I am extremely pleased with the outcome and don't think I would do copper ever again. But that's just me.

Here is what the machine side of my shop looks like with the drops.
d7593f788246787b5ea86735e80c74c2.jpg

Each drop comes down to a dual port manifold as well as a drain valve. I also have a drop that feeds a hose reel at door end of my shop and another hose reel on my two-post lift. The one that drops to the milling machine (coiled hose from ceiling in picture) is for my pneumatic power drawbar that I fabricated.
 
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Lwel9226

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 7, 2014
Messages
764
Location
So Oregon
I thought that was all accomplished by the full perimeter loop.......

LynnW
 
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zmotorsports

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Oct 20, 2009
Messages
21,348
Location
Northern Utah
Is no one going to flame over deleting the traditional (and unnecessary IMO) up and over water trap from the main building loop?

Nice install. Perfect amount of overkill. I see overkill perfection everywhere I look. What a shop!

Thank you.

Sorry, no up and over's, just down and out.:lol:
 

rattle_snake

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 25, 2015
Messages
5,175
Location
Chandler, AZ
There are advantages and disadvantage to both methods depending on usage and system design.
I chose to go down-and-out over up-and-over at the last minute. Glad I did, I want the water out of the piping and in the trap.
 

Lelandwelds

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 6, 2017
Messages
2,443
Location
Central Texas
d7593f788246787b5ea86735e80c74c2.jpg

The one that drops to the milling machine (coiled hose from ceiling in picture)

It is hard to see on my tiny screen but did you use quick disconnects on the ceiling end? Why?

I would have guessed a full port ball valve and threaded fittings for the whole cluster of drops. Those are all hoses, right? (Electric cable, maybe?)

I had to stick another photo up. What does the rest look like? Is that an ESAB plasma?
 

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