Stupid Question about Air lines.

[mpire]

I have a stupid question.

I bought a 3 foot 1/4" air line that goes from the compressor to the 1/2" copper pipe on the wall.

I need an adapter to make it fit the hole on the compressor and to fit the copper pipe.

Do they make a short whip in 3/8th inch?

I am sure they do, but I have no idea what its called.

Please help.

 

[Zeke]

You can get it made up at the paint store that repairs painting equipment. Also, there's a recent thread about just this subject that may have your answer (mine was the same as here).

 

[machine_punk]

What you are looking for is, indeed, called a 'hose whip.' You can get them in a lot of different diameters and lengths (from about 2 feet long to 8 feet long). All the fittings for air hoses use the NPT (National Pipe Thread) fittings...so you can go to your local hardware/home store to get black pipe reducers and other fittings. I'd suggest you get a larger diameter hose...like 1/2 inch, and use reducers to fit your whip hose to the compressor.

While you are there, get a pipe coupler, a couple of 90-degree fittings, a short piece of pipe, and a ball valve to extend your tank drain to where it is easy to drain.

Kev

 

[JCQuick]

Something like this. this is a standard 1/2" x2ft malexmale swivel hose that where i use to work keeped on the shelf. but most good hose companys can make them. I woul;d keep it 1/2" if your feeding a 1/2" line thats my plan for this setup. i'm planning on running blk pipe to a reel then to my work bench in the back of the garage.

 

[BADSIX]

why are you putting a 1/4 in. line from your compressor to 1/2 copper you should use something with an id. at least as large as the id on the copper

 

[TWX]

One of the few things I bought at harbor freight- they sell 3/8" leader hoses in 2' and 3' lengths. No swivels like the hoses for the air tool end. They were something like $5.00 each. Cheapest by far I found for them. I haven't yet installed them, but since the one installed with hose clamps before these ballooned up and exploded even though it was supposedly high quality hose these can't be any worse.

 

[cnc-me]

I just use hydraulic hose from TSC.
Works great and will never blow out, at 100 pounds when its rated for 2000.

 

[mpire]

I haven't found it locally, so I was hoping to order one online.

The hole in the compressor and the hole in the copper pipe is 3/8", so thats what I am looking for. Probably 2-3 feet will do the job. Will have to check harbor freight again.

My air lines are very simple 1/2"copper water pipe from lowes. I used it because I know how to do copper, and you guys seem to think PVC is just a bomb in waiting.

My drain is already set up with 1/4 inch tubing left over from the a/c install.

 

[Red Green]

My local Napa will make custom hyd hoses.

 

[mpire]

Apparently I need a hose with the 3/8" fittings, not a 3/8" hose.

I found a couple on amazon that are 1/2" whips with 3/8" fittings, so that seems to be the ticket.

Thanks for the help!

 

[MoonRise]

I haven't found it locally, so I was hoping to order one online.

The hole in the compressor and the hole in the copper pipe is 3/8", so thats what I am looking for. Probably 2-3 feet will do the job. Will have to check harbor freight again.

My air lines are very simple 1/2"copper water pipe from lowes. I used it because I know how to do copper, and you guys seem to think PVC is just a bomb in waiting.

My drain is already set up with 1/4 inch tubing left over from the a/c install.

Ummm, if I have the picture parsed correctly, you have a 1/4 inch copper extension coming off the drain valve of your compressor?

That's fine and good.

But you have that copper extension touching up against the shell of your water heater. You also have the wooden platform your air compressor tank is sitting on ALSO touching up against your water heater tank.

Move or rearrange things so they are not touching.

Dissimiliar metals touching = bad

Vibrating things touching = bad (keep your mind out of the gutter for now )

Also, don't 'choke' your airflow down by running a 1/4 inch hose whip. 1/2 inch hose with 3/8 NPT fittings is better.

(also, keep in mind that the fittings are almost always NPT, which do not 'measure' on a 1:1 basis with a ruler. ie: 3/8 NPT fitting/hole is NOT 3/8 inch in diameter. Make sure you get the right size fittings/adapters.)

btw, a good for running your airlines in metal. 1/2 inch copper should do just fine for a relatively 'short' run of air line for 'moderate' air flows. But I usually go for overkill, so I like to run the hard lines as 3/4 inch for the main 'trunk' line(s) and then maybe tap off with 1/2 inch at some stations (or just tap off at 3/4 inch and put reducing bushings/fittings for the quick-connects to attach to.

Also, bigger pipe acts as a bigger air resevoir as well as flowing more air (if you compressor can keep up) and gives more exterior surface area for the air stream to cool off after being compressed.

 

[mpire]

The drain hose is temporary until I decide how I am going to go about it. I am seriously considering using the 5/8" copper leftover from the a/c install and putting a ****** on it outside in case I ever decide I want air on that side of the wall. I figure I could use the compressor to get the charcoal grill going faster.

I am now imagining all the dangers that would certainly involve.

I have copper in the working areas garage, but I have a boring old air line in the attic currently. I will probably replace it with tubing of some sort, but currently I can't really feed anything easily into the space. I am tempted to use some 1.5" pvc pipe I have laying around to do the air lines in the attic. At least if they exploded it wouldn't hurt anyone. I am anticipating flames for that last statement.

The compressor is sitting on a wooden base filled with sand and that is on a rubber pad. It really helps with the noise in my small garage.

The compressor is tethered to the wall using braided stainless cable. I am thinking I should run a round to the cable just in case.

I will get to that after I finish installing the new Garage A/C.

 

[Gary S]

I just use hydraulic hose from TSC.
Works great and will never blow out, at 100 pounds when its rated for 2000.

That's what I used too. TSC and all the other farm stores have them on the shelf in just about any length you could want.

 

[mpire]

I assume thats Tractor Supply. I don't have one of them thare things around me.

I wonder if they have those at Harbor Freight.

 

[MartyO]

Why would you neck down to 1/4 inch before feeding into a 1/2 inch line?

You will limit your volume of air (air flow).

Use a whip that is at least the same size as the line you are feeeding.

 

[MartyO]

Get the 1/2 of this:

http://www.tptools.com/Product.aspx?display_id=165

I order from this company all the time.

 

[darkk]

This is funny, I was at Home Depot and had one in my hand last night...

 

[mpire]

Lowes didn't have any.

Guess I am going to try HD after work.

 

[mpire]

HD only has the 1/4 inch tubing.

So I guess I am going to order it off the internet.

 

[Bib Overalls]

Make sure that you get a hose with one end with a fitting that can be turned (relative to the hose) with a wrench. If you get one with two fixed end fittings you are going to have problems.

Local O'Riley's makes up hoses for cheap. On more than one occasion I have had them make up whips for me.