Putting together my "Ultimate" air system...

[andgott]

First, I need to thank the many forum contributors that have already answered most of the general questions I had about air compressor setups. MOST of the questions that I have had have been asked, and answered, somewhere here in the past- I did a LOT of forum searching and reading in my research- And it was most helpful.

I have been running an old, underpowered compressor for some time now, and know that I have needed a new one. I wanted a system that could keep up with painting, and possibly get into some light media blasting. I don't have any air tools, because I have never had the air supply to use them, but would like to. I WANTED to go out and get a nice big 2 stage monster that put out 15+cfm, but that just wasn't in the budget. I had been scouring Craigslist, but every time the right compressor came up anywhere near me it was snapped up faster than I could respond to the ad.

I 'settled' on an 80 Gal Kobalt unit, from lowes, and was just about to pull teh trigger when I happened upon a great deal I couldn't pass up. A guy was selling a 80 Gal, 2 stage, 18.5 CFM unit- A true commercial grade, quality compressor. It was at a price I couldn't pass up, so I went for it! I consider it to have been quite a deal, I couldn't have bought the 60 gal at Lowes for this price!

It was built in 1989, and was lightly used for a few years in a commercial environment. I know it's use was light, because they installed an hourmeter on it (actually a minute meter), which records the run time. In addition, it came with a log book that documents from the beginning everything that was done to the compressor- A weekly inspection, oil check, and all services were tracked and recorded along with the date and time on the meter. The log sheets even have the compressors name- They called him (her?) Thumper . The best part- Thumper has less than 300 hours of total run time.

Getting it here was NOT fun- We loaded it with a front end loader on a tractor, which was not quite big enough to lift it on to my trailer. We managed to muscle it on, with the assistance of the tractor, but it took almost 3 hours. Luckily, getting it off on my end was easy, Since I had a way to lift it from overhead-

So- Now I have the basis for my new system. I have chosen a 5 stage Speedaire filter/ Desiccant dryer, which I will install downstream. Originally, I was going to add a long run of black iron pipe (several runs from floor to ceiling, with water traps and drains), but I'm not sure if this will be required with this filtration system? Opinions?

I'm hoping to get it all installed after my mini vacation this weekend, and I know that some questions will come up- And I know where to turn for answers...

I also bought a NICE blasting cabinet setup from him, along with almost 600 lbs of various medias, and an oxy/acetylene torch setup as well. He was cleaning house, and making deals!

 

[autonaut]

Nice score.

Good air systems should have the compressor stored outside the shop. At least if you work on cars for a living. You wouldn't want to hear that thing roar all day when charging.

 

[bluebolt]

Nice score.

Good air systems should have the compressor stored outside the shop. At least if you work on cars for a living. You wouldn't want to hear that thing roar all day when charging.

Yes I wish mine was outside but then the neighbors would complain about the noise LOL. I would eventually like to move mine to the loft above where it is now.

 

[bluebolt]

I would still run the black pipe, I do NOT have a dessicant drier and with about 30 feet of properly sloped 1" black pipe before the first air outlet I do not get any moisture out of the lines. Your dessicant trap may not be able to keep up with extended use.

 

[Finky198]

Leave it inside its in such good condition and you want keep it that way

Nice unit enjoy it and get your self some air tools
What are u waiting for


Bluebolt ^^^^. I'm running the same setup but only 20ft of 1" black pipe sloped properly with 1 drop at the end with a sharpe filter to quick chucks and we get 0 moisture at the tool end. It's pretty wild but it works great. All I have to do is drain the little bit from the tank and a few drops out of the filter

 

[andgott]

Thanks... I am leaning towards installing 20 feet or so of black iron pipe before the dryer- I figure if nothing else it'll extend the life of my desiccant.

I plan to leave it inside- the noise isn't too bad, an almost soothing thump thump thump sound. It's quieter than my last compressor. Also, I've found that noise tolerance is a relative thing- I spent 12 years on a ship (merchant marine officer) living/working/sleep in a deck above two screaming EMD Diesel engines. This is quiet by comparison.

 

[andgott]

I got the wiring and basic plumbing done today- And fired it up!!

Everything works great, and NO LEAKS. I was happy with that.

I took the time to pull the covers off, and check how things were wired BEFORE plugging it in, and I am glad that I did! It came wired to a 50a, three-prong dryer plug. The cord that they used had three conductors- One white, one black, and one green. They had wired the white to the ground on the compressor, and the green to one of the hots- The receptacle at the last place must have been wired this way, because it all worked fine there- But I would have had the ground and one of the hots switched here. I supposed it is ALWAYS a good idea to double check any electrical work that you didn't do yourself!

For now, I opted not to do the 'cooling loop' in the piping system- I'll see how I do with moisture with the dryer system that I Have. It goes through 5 stages- the first of which is supposed to remove the majority of water- then an oil filter, THEN the desiccant- So hopefully that'll knock the moisture out. If it proves too much, I'll add some additional pipe.

Now, I just need to buy some more air tools!

-Andrew

 

[ovrrdrive]

That's a heck of a nice system. Congrats.

Does the black pipe work better than the elaborate copper systems I've been seeing all over the net?

I also just bought a stationary compressor a few months ago and thought the copper was the way to go. The copper is pretty pricey though so if the black pipe works just as well I might save a few bucks. I know the copper is a better heat conductor though but is it worth the premium in price is the question.

I ended up with the Husky 60gal from HD. It doesn't put out the cfm yours does but it's plenty for me and still twice what I almost ended up with. If I had seen one like that though I would have scooped it up too. Nothing like a little overkill.

 

[Finky198]

Copper is the way to go in the long term but it is much more costly then black iron I would also consider it a little more technical to assemble the copper piping depending on your skill level.

Black iron works great just use a min of 10'-15' and slope it and add drops before the first outlet/filter

 

[ovrrdrive]

Copper is the way to go in the long term but it is much more costly then black iron I would also consider it a little more technical to assemble the copper piping depending on your skill level.

Black iron works great just use a min of 10'-15' and slope it and add drops before the first outlet/filter

Makes sense. I might look in to building one out of pipe for now and then working up a design for a copper replacement as funds permit. Thanks.

 

[andgott]

I looked in to using copper, but didn't really see any huge advantage that justified the cost. It does probably dissipate heat better than the black iron does, which will help remove the moisture.

I'm looking in to using some form of flexible tubing (rapid air, Etc) when I run the stations to a few areas of the shop where I want air- But I'll have to wait a while to do that. I got a GREAT deal on all these new toys, but I still blew the budget for a little while

 

[ovrrdrive]

I ran straight into the attic and over to the middle of the garage and mounted a 50' retractable hose reel there. It works really well and I can reach everything in the garage, and the two trucks in the driveway. Just an idea...

 

[andgott]

I ran straight into the attic and over to the middle of the garage and mounted a 50' retractable hose reel there. It works really well and I can reach everything in the garage, and the two trucks in the driveway. Just an idea...

I'm probably going to do this as well. My compressor is just about in the middle of my 24 x 48' shop building, so mounting a hose reel above it will allow me to reach anywhere in the shop with ease.

I want an outlet outside the shop as well- I have a lean-to on one side and there are times i'd like to have air out there, too.

 

[sberry]

Cool beans, good score and a nice unit. Here is the thing. Don't step on you great deal by tossing money you don't need to at it. At the rate you use it wont pizz out water. Some pipe is in order. This size building could be well done with 1 set of equipment an even a single size pipe to start with. un some pipe to a good spot, mount equipment, add T and pipe on to reels or fixed whips and forget about hydrants. Buy a couple connectors you like for the business end of the hoses, screw everything else together. It keeps the cost to about 3 couplers and a box of the plugs that fit tools.
I have a big shop and some extra and some tailored from experience but really could cover 4K sq ft of shop with 2 50 foot reels. I would have to move one and there is no gain for me and its uber tailored. Instead of a wall hydrant if I want a whip I use a T and screw a hose to it, put a hanger there.
If its kept simple, say 2 reals to start with a guy doest have feel guilty about shutting the valve, unscrew the fittings and change as you gain experience.
There is a compulsive trend to large pipe. if this was mine on this scale it would be 1/2 black for a much as I could. You can get it, tight, the runs are super short, every fitting an hanger the same size, its easy to re fit, could a couple10 ft for the main and they stock ******* in 1/2 inch lengths below 6 everywhere. You wouldnt need to make any threads and I have 2 threaders but a rare day I actually make one especially in1/2.
Most of the time a design for something like that is fussy is a poor design, same for it having several X the valves, fittings, unions in a pipe a size or 2 too big and then wonder why it leaks.

 

[sberry]

I'm probably going to do this as well. My compressor is just about in the middle of my 24 x 48' shop building, so mounting a hose reel above it will allow me to reach anywhere in the shop with ease.

I want an outlet outside the shop as well- I have a lean-to on one side and there are times i'd like to have air out there, too.

If you above freezing these are great or utility. Last one I got for 50$. By the time a guy figures the cost they are a bargain.
I really like the plans where a guy starts with the concept that a hose will reach his work over the highly specialized pre engineered designs.

 

[sberry]

I ran straight into the attic and over to the middle of the garage and mounted a 50' retractable hose reel there. It works really well and I can reach everything in the garage, and the two trucks in the driveway. Just an idea...

Yes, 1 good location for air is way better than a series of outlets to chose from and cheaper/faster to install.

 

[wildbill23c]

You got your hands on a great compressor...that should work great for airing up tires HAHA. Anyhow, I'd love to have a dedicated compressor that just sits stationary...then again I'd love to have a shop too LOL. Running pipe for the compressor is a great idea, and I'd think that putting a coil of hose in the output before going into the pipe would help with the moisture issue?

Definitely a good idea to look at wiring before plugging anything in...especially if it wasn't done by you or someone you trust...even then I'd double check before plugging it in as you never know if a rodent got in and chewed on some wiring. I've seen all sorts of horrible wiring jobs in appliances and sometimes resulting in the appliance not working and an easy fix...other times it results in blowing out some expensive components making it not worth fixing LOL.

 

[rick carpenter]

I want an outlet outside the shop as well- I have a lean-to on one side and there are times i'd like to have air out there, too.

For that, you might want to consider a ball valve threaded into a bulkhead fitting threaded into a plate mounted on the inside wall. Run a tube from the fitting through the wall, wrap with saran wrap, and then spray insulate. You'll have a 'hard mount' outside to fit your coupler on. An added advantage is that no joker who breaks into your shed and pulls on the line could damage what's inside.

 

[sberry]

Put a baffle wall on 2 sides, you just want to quiet it some. Hang a heavy tarp. Studs with fiberglass batt inside would work too. I have mine with a foam sheat leaned over it behind the bolt bins. It wont run much in this shop and if it does a guy will be busy.

 

[sberry]

At 300 hrs they wasted their time with maintenance effort,,, ha Don't be foolin with it from every idea you can find on the net. The only add on I consider is drain method if it is even an issue. Kick the ball valve open a few seconds on occasion when you read a "problem with my auto drain thread". In a home shop a ball valve at tank for service is ideal, shuts it all down to work on it and I am all for running a pipe if it helps the setup save work and don't be scared to take a thread apart, bushels of fittings are added in the fear we would ever have to unscrew a thread.
I designed a lot of gizmo's in as a kid, today I am for features I use where they are used and as few fittings as practical.

 

[sberry]

I have under floor plumbing and put a hydrant in a poor spot. Was a real killjoy and never used till I simply added on a re route. I used inch, it allowed for winterization features and was no net loss in the end but some extra pipe mostly.
From the op point of view it looks like feeds to a reel or 2 would be as easy as tapping the system and go from there.
This is a nice compressor, the best, due to the location a simple manifold mostly on and thru maybe one wall wouldn't take but a handful of parts. As it is feed a working reel for hand tools and T for a place to plug fixed equipment like the blast cab, buy 25 ft of ready made hose, screw it to a valve right after your filter and screw the other end to the cab. It doesn't even need to remain charged.

 

[sberry]

The difference here between this and your old air is night and day. Air as a utility is a bit more like water in regards to demands, electric has so much fixed and parasitic now in nature. In my shop the only connected equipment is plasma, a cab I never use I connect with a hose and a tire machine.
Every other use is hand held thru a hose, the sandblaster is hooked as needed. I would feel lost without standing air pressure in the same way as I would water. It would be a stall to have to charge air but I have seen some pitiful systems, almost bring a tear to your eye to realize what it cost some not to have it.

 

[sberry]

I finally had it a while back as the hydrant I use for sandblast was buried by a truck we parked in front of it. It made it an extra step. I removed it and used the parts and another piece of 1/2 pipe was added which put it in a convenient place where it shortened the hose to a 25 ft section as well.
Its something I want to/need to have but it doesn't need to be plumbed all the time, havnt used it in a year now. When I first built the thing used it often and in a different location and even different building.

 

[andgott]

I'm really not too worried about the noise- I can hold a reasonable conversation without shouting 4-5 feet away from it, I am surprised at how quiet it is.

I agree they were a little overboard with their maintenance, but I'd guess it was like where I work now, they just had 'standard' checks on all equipment regardless of how much it was used. I am not sure what kind of business they ran, or why they needed air, but they didn't use much air. It was installed there from 1989-2001, and only put those 300 hours on it in all that time. There are several pages of records for it- It was checked religiously every two weeks, oil level recorded, and run time noted. Overkill? Sure. But I'm happy- I know it was well cared for!

 

[Hounddog]

That level of maint these days is unheard of. This is a throw away society. sad...