School me on my air compressor setup completely

[Chrislols]

Without going into to much detail, I thought I knew a little bit about having a dedicated air compressor, it turns out I don't really know anything, I've tried to research it and I'm getting so confused and I don't even know if I neeed certain accessories etc.

Here's some facts about what I want and have.

I've settled on a HF 21 gallon (I can get it for almost nothing, and I've heard great things as I owned their 8 gallon.)

I had a 8 gallon AND a 6 gallon at the same time and noticed they're both perfect for what I want/need. (Quick uses of impact wrench, filling up tires, using 1/4" air ratchet for disassembles, very delicate die grinder work)

Now, while I'm going to be getting the compressor, I have a 50ft and 25ft Goodyear hose, and I will be getting Milton v? Series couplings and a t valve.

Now here's what I want to accomplish, while I don't have a finished garage, I have a finished basement workshop (where the compressor will be stored, Ans a driveway where I do my outdoor work.

I want to have it setup in my workshop with the 25ft hose and IF possible (think north east weather) have a second line run up the wall (maybe 3ft to the ceiling) and out the wall (my driveway is literally outside the window 10 feet away in total distance) and maybe have it end at an air hose reel against the house so when I so outdoor wall I turn on the line and plug right in.

Now my main questions are, how should I go about doing this? I know nothing. Do i need an automatic oiler? A water seperator? How about two? More hose then this? Safety valves?

How can I virtually have my desired setup in the moat EFFICENT way possible.


Thanks so much for taking the time to read and answer my post!

Thank you! -Chrislols

 

[trbomax]

Re: School me on my air compressor completely

I think all you need there is a3/4' drillfor masonery,maybe a starr drill (I'gettinh drunkk"can u tell>? an summstickey a flexible caulkto fill the holes after the fohies to thru. Im realle tired now,

 

[jtbinvalrico]

Locate your compressor in your basement shop with at least two considerations: 1) Convenience of use while in the basement shop, and 2) Ease of running a line for outside use.

I'd make my connections like this: 1) exit the compressor with a ball valve, 2) next is a filter to catch excess moisture, 3) then a regulator, 4) then a Tee splitter.

With this setup you are ready to send 90psi air out in two directions. You'll send one of your Tee ends to your air hose in the basement shop. You'll plumb the other one through the wall and terminate it outside that wall with the proper quick coupling to hook an air hose up to when working outside.

You can do all this with pre-fab fittings and pipe with screw-ends on it.

This will get you up and running, and you can use these parts to expand your system later. You can install an inline oiler, but remember that everything after the oiler won't be good for painting.....of course you could always add a third, unoiled outlet and dedicate it as clean air.

You can go as far as you want to with this......I wouldn't go nuts with it, but I would make it a point to be able to build on it later and to be able to reuse parts.

 

[isaac338]

Re: School me on my air compressor completely

I think all you need there is a3/4' drillfor masonery,maybe a starr drill (I'gettinh drunkk"can u tell>? an summstickey a flexible caulkto fill the holes after the fohies to thru. Im realle tired now,

Post of the year.

 

[Warrenator]

I wouldn't bother with the inline oiler for occasional light die grinder/impact wrench/ratchet use, just keep a bottle of air tool oil with a dropper tip and squirt a few drops into the air inlet for the tool each time you use it, and thence every 15 minutes of tool use thereafter. That's what I do, I don't want tons of fine oil spray all over the shop so I use the oil sparingly. Air tool oilers keep on dripping, dripping .... into the air stream.....

When I worked in a autobody and paint shop we had a few hoses that were marked "contaminated, do not paint" so we wouldn't use those hoses to spray paint with. They had been used with air tools and an oiler. Dunno why we didn't just chuck 'em in the garbage. I remember one Austin Healey that had fisheyes real bad in the final paint, had to sand it all off, wax and grease remover wipe the entire car, paint it again, oops, more fisheyes, do it again. I think it was fine drops of air tool oil had somehow gotten into the primer, anyway, it made me very conscious of contamination from air tools.

 

[Chrislols]

Thanks for some grest ideas guys, still like to hear even more so bump!

 

[Kroggers]

I am in the same boat, so will be following this discussion with interest.

Chrislols, do you plan to use flexible air lines for it all, or will you also be installing copper lines on the wall?

 

[Chrislols]

I am in the same boat, so will be following this discussion with interest.

Chrislols, do you plan to use flexible air lines for it all, or will you also be installing copper lines on the wall?

My initial plan was to corner it by my work bench and 42" cab, and have 25ft hung up on the vertical compressors handle and pull a line from behind my bench and into the peg boards hose hole, and have that connected to a tee valve that runs off a 50 ft hose up through copper line, and onto an outdoor reel? Assuming it can withstand the northeast weather.

But now Im thinking of setting it up in a back room, and running a a small line on the wall (not enclosed) to a filter for moisture etc, than the rest to the work bench, and the other line again through copper outside. No automatic oilers though to not 'contaminate' the lines.

 

[jtbinvalrico]

I grew tired of the deafening noise that came with hitting the water purge valve on the bottom of my compressor:

So I added one more elbow, some 155psi tubing, and some compression fittings to route the offending loud water blast outside:

I made faceplate for the exterior:

And painted it to match:

I just feel sorry for any critters that decide to settle in to my vent port.....they'll be launched across the yard at Mach 2

 

[fitz11]

Re: School me on my air compressor completely

I think all you need there is a3/4' drillfor masonery,maybe a starr drill (I'gettinh drunkk"can u tell>? an summstickey a flexible caulkto fill the holes after the fohies to thru. Im realle tired now,

True dedication right there! Even when drunk all he thinks about is garages lol

To the OP the line should be fine id just un hook it or put a ball valve close to where it goes outside to close it off for the winter

 

[Nick_Escalante]

I like the drain valve idea from the prior user. Good idea. thx for the pics. But I just realized HOW MUCH water was in my 22gallon CH compressor. This is the first time I drained it while rocking it back and forth.. must have got out 5+ more ounces..

Bottom line, there was much more water in the tank than I thought and it would have not come out without me manually 'rockin' the tank..

**note I put 2 2x4's under the wheels to keep the unit somewhat level during the drain since the drain valve is long.

 

[jtbinvalrico]

The rocking may be required due to some larger rust flakes blocking the drain valve. Let all the air out and get that compressor up off the ground. Remove the drain fitting, and any additional fittings that the drain fits into. Go fishing with some wire or something to get any large bits out

 

[ibedayank]

the 21 gallon compressor is LOUD so don't run it while SWMBO is sleeping or you might be sleeping with the fishes....

 

[taumac]

Your idea is fine but heres a idea. On my compressor added a 1/4 npt ball valve off the tank before the pressure valve and the reason is being that my compressor is noise I try not to run it as much as possilbe and after each use the turn off power and close valve to keep air from leaking from any bad fittings or hoses.

 

[Motofixxer]

Especially for longer runs make sure to upsize your supply line. I would suggest at least 1/2" pipe.

 

[luv2diy]

So I added one more elbow, some 155psi tubing, and some compression fittings to route the offending loud water blast outside:

A pictures is worth a thousand words. I'll print this puppy out and take it with me to the hardware store.

 

[Krusty]

Be sure your air hose doesn't leak, even a little, or the compressor will kick on in the middle of the night, aggravating the previously-mentioned SWMBO. Ask me how I know...

Huck