Plumbing air lines for painting

[Neura]

So I am in the process of plumbing air lines. Material was decided a long time ago and I am cutting and threading black iron pipe.

the space is a 24x22 garage (small space but what I have to work with right now).

3/4" pipe will be used for a main loop. I have a 3/4" hydraulic hose connecting to the supply for the line off of a 5 HP 2 stage 80 gallon compressor. I am add an auto drain that works off the unloader line.

I am installing a up-lift desiccant dryer. It is a cheap one from Princess Auto (same as HF). needs to be a min of 25 feet from compressor. So I am ponder run the pipe down the wall to the front of the garage and mount it there or down that wall and back towards the compress 16 feet for extra cooling before entering the dryer. and then from the dryer into the main loop around the garage.

The dryer uses 1/2" with a 3/8 reducer how much of a loss will I have doing this should I remove the 3/8" reducer and go with a 1/2" whip hose?

I also have a tire machine that has an on-board tank as well that I am going to use as an extra air reservoir. this is located on the other side of the garage. again it has the 3/4 reducer bushings. should these be removed and replaced with a 1/2 whip hose? what about plumbing directly with black pipe into these?

Should the drops coming off of the top of the main loop be 3/4" pipe or 1/2" pipe? I need to reduce it to 1/2" before the filter/regulator combo.

another question is since this is a small space should I regulate each drop or regulate the entire main loop. Not worried about the cost for extra regulators.

changing out the 3/8 air lines on the reels from 50' to 25' foot lines.

I think thats it for the questions at this point.. but may have some more yet.

 

[May Pop]

All sounds real good. Drops at 1/2 are sufficant for all but the heaviest air tools. !/2 at the dryer is a good idea. I would only regulate the lines for painting as its real nice to have max air for impacts. The back and forth for the dryer will also act as a cooler so its a good idea. Dont forget a dedicated drop for moisture removal at the end of the line.
Sounds like you have given it alot of thought.
GOOD JOB

Ron

 

[Neura]

compress is set to cut off at 150 PSI, and cut back in at 135 psi. No Regulator on the compressor. so I have way to much pressure for air ratchets and other air tools, so will need to regulate it somewhere... so entire loop or at each drop to give better control at that drops. I had a regulator before the hose reel before set at 100 PSI and it basically allowed for a 10 psi drop at the tool when under constant use. As most air tools are rated for 90 PSI.

There will be a dedicated drop at the lowest point of the loop for the moisture to collect and be drained, now where in canada or alberta or edmonton can a person find an auto drain for the moisture leg? not a timed one either just a regular old float one that opens at a certain point and drains the moisture...

Next question that I actually have are in-line oilers required, are they too much of a headache? how often do they need to be refilled? I know if going this route it answers the question of regulate at each drop or not and I mine as well put a regulator/filter and oiler at each drop except for the drops for painting or sand blasting.

 

[Vinko]

Next question that I actually have are in-line oilers required, are they too much of a headache? how often do they need to be refilled? I know if going this route it answers the question of regulate at each drop or not and I mine as well put a regulator/filter and oiler at each drop except for the drops for painting or sand blasting.

I'm no expert, but I read a lot of threads about 4-5 years back when I was overhauling my system and I did a lot of improvements (including drops, some modifications to the compressor drain, fixing leaks etc.) I've got about 6 lines. I regularly use impact guns and die grinders and other things and I came to the conclusion that I'd rather have the tool oiled at the source rather than have an inline oiler that can possibly reduce the usefulness of a particular line if I want "clean" air. Maybe I wrong. Corrections welcome.

 

[sberry]

All the bushings and reduced sizes dont mean much, even less in a small shop. (even less on the HP side.

 

[CNGsaves]

Several great threads on GJ in past have gone over minimizing moisture in airline system.

Good diagram that I snagged from one of those came from:
http://www.tptools.com/StaticText/airline-piping-diagram.pdf

It shows how drops from main airline system should first go UP out of main line, then back down. Also shows that airline should have slight slope away from compressor so that any water makes it way to final drop where there is ball valve to drain water (if any).

This same setup is what I've observed in body shops with black pipe steel.

OP your plan looks to be very well thought out. Good luck with making it work for your shop.

Post up some pics and details when you're done.

 

[sberry]

Good pics, only one addition. In a small garage it is easy to do simple plumbing to use possibly a single regulater to most stuff. Pic above where same reg fed both tools. In this type of garage there is a real use for air, you need it but you do not need multiple numerous hydrants. do not need 3/4 air line. 1/2 is 4 times the flow the hose you are connecting to it. Its 20 ft not 200 in a class 8 truck shop.

The first one reg has a ton of connected equipment and in the second the thing is a generic simple deal that feeds only one thing, a hose reel outside the building. The connector could be removed, we never use it. There is no reason, a hose reel is local and its not a "work" area.

 

[sberry]

I dont use oilers.

 

[HotrodHR]

compress is set to cut off at 150 PSI, and cut back in at 135 psi. No Regulator on the compressor. so I have way to much pressure for air ratchets and other air tools, so will need to regulate it somewhere... so entire loop or at each drop to give better control at that drops. I had a regulator before the hose reel before set at 100 PSI and it basically allowed for a 10 psi drop at the tool when under constant use. As most air tools are rated for 90 PSI.

There will be a dedicated drop at the lowest point of the loop for the moisture to collect and be drained, now where in canada or alberta or edmonton can a person find an auto drain for the moisture leg? not a timed one either just a regular old float one that opens at a certain point and drains the moisture...

Next question that I actually have are in-line oilers required, are they too much of a headache? how often do they need to be refilled? I know if going this route it answers the question of regulate at each drop or not and I mine as well put a regulator/filter and oiler at each drop except for the drops for painting or sand blasting.

If you plan on shooting paint DO NOT install in-line oilers! Even if you dedicate a line just for paint guns you will invaribly grab a hose that you're running an oiler behind and connect to a gun.

A couple of drops of oil in the air fitting of your air tools is all you need each time you plan on using them for an extended period. Also, using that tire machine at the end of your line (run) for an extra reservoir is fine... just remember not to use it for paint guns...

Clean hard (black iron, copper, etc) air lines after they get contaminated is next to impossible... and forget about air hoses, replace if they are ever contaminated with oily air or trash. Hate to ruin a $$$ paint job with a dirty $20 hose.

 

[sberry]

This is the hose reel for paint, has a little baby filter ahead of it. It might have went thru a couple plumbing revisions. Its on a filtered regulated line, then another one of its own just for this gun circuit.

 

[Vinko]

That's a nice hinge you've fabricated for that hose reel.