What material is the most cost effective for air lines?

[LonesomeTriZ]

My new compressor should be here soon and I have to run hard or soft lines to my garage. What material is the most cost effective? I do not want something I will have to replace or repair later but I also cannot afford anything high dollar. I know some shops I worked at in the past used PVC but I have my doubts about that. Today at a used building material ware house sale I saw what I believe to be water lines. The material resembled PVC but was not as stiff. Plus it was a bit thicker and black on the inside. The outside of it was either red or blue. Would that work?

[SWIGIN]

My plummer buddy made me use copper. All he would say is, you'll thank me latter.

It has been like 7 years since he installed it and no problems yet. I'd say thats worth every penny!

[LonesomeTriZ]

I agree, but the cost is more than I can do right now. Plus, I hope to be out of this house in a few years.

[shortline10]

Reg old air hose works for me . We did sked40 pvc at my dads shop and that works good to .

[Dirtcrasher]

The Black crap in a coil (1") works great. It travels 50' to my shed and you can buy a 100' roll for 60$ SO................ I ran another one for water TO my shed/shop.

IDK the colors, but get 1" ID and use the thicker crap (there is thin and thick). Plastic NEVER wears out, hence the reason everyone is switching over to "PEX" in allot of new home buildings. A similar material is used for radiant heat and then encased in insulution (for that purpose, or covered with concrete.

I have 125PSI in my basement everytime I flip the valve :D

To each their own...

[LonesomeTriZ]

Some one else was telling me about "PEX". What is it?

[Dirtcrasher]

Pex is thinner walled, smaller diameter water line. Hot and cold, in place of copper (mainly due to the cost of copper) and it uses copper rings that "crimp on". You have to have the crimping tool or rent one in order to use it. My crimping tool tool does 3/8 -1/2 - 5/8 - 3/4" - It's used for potable water in residential homes. Commercial and industrial are still specing out the copper, they don't want plastic rubbing on steel studs.

The Black crap (thick walled ) runs about 60$ is for 100' so it does both my lines. Homie D and Lowes have it in stock..... It uses barbed brass fittings and worm clamps on either end. Then you use decreasing fittings to get what you want for air or water. I heat it up with a torch for about 15 seconds and then it pushes right over the 4 or 5 ridges on the barbed fitting. Otherwise, good luck getting it on! :lol:

My lines are buried about 18"s deep so I blow the water line each winter. We have a 4' frost line....... (No backhoe back then....)

Did you get the hubs by the way?? Hope so............. I forget when I shipped them.

[LonesomeTriZ]

So is that cheaper than using PVC?

I did recieve the hubs. I already left you feedback in your feedback thread.

[Dirtcrasher]

PVC can explode and kill anyone near it. Plenty of info about it being a bad choice on the net...........

[LonesomeTriZ]

I am wondering if I should just run a soft line.

[SWIGIN]

Soft or copper is all I would use.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I priced out copper and there is no way I can do that right now.

[Dirtcrasher]

Have fun paying for copper that has NO VOLUME, why does no one listen to what has served me for 6 years in the East Coat and it's CHEAP??

[Billy Golightly]

We use 1in steel water pipe in our shop.

[LonesomeTriZ]

Yeah, copper is way to high. Steel also has a price above what I can do. It looks like CPVC is what I am going with.

[SWIGIN]

Yeah, copper is way to high. Steel also has a price above what I can do. It looks like CPVC is what I am going with.

Sounds like if your that bad off it might be good idea not to waste $$$ on lines..........whatever.

[hang&rattle]

In the first post you mentiond' the blue/red pipe. This is the 'pex' Dirtcrasher was talking about. It'll be cheap used, and parts & repair if needed will be reletively inexpensive. Also, it's easy to use (like Dirtcrasher explained). Pex has been used since ww2 (England) because all the copper was used for ammo. Some of the houses there still have 60 yr. old plastic pipes. Also it's used in sub-zero weather because its not suppose to burst at -30 below. It is cheap and easy and can hold several pounds of pressure. If anything it will get you by for cheap right now. It will not explode like hard pvc will. Safer.

[LonesomeTriZ]

Good call! Then all the money I could bring in by getting some stuff repaired and sold off must not be all that needed. Do not offer advice on a situation you know nothing of.

Thanks Hang&Rattle, I must have misunderstood. I thought it was less safe than PVC. I will be beading to the hardware store to get some prices. AT least now I know what to look for.

[volfan537240]

i saw a kit that came with all the pipes and connectors on a tv show once. "trucks" or "gears" maybe, cant remember. i think the pipe was aluminum and the fitings were plastic.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I saw that as well. Eastwood sells the kits. They are very nice but very pricey as well.

[SWIGIN]

Good call! Then all the money I could bring in by getting some stuff repaired and sold off must not be all that needed. Do not offer advice on a situation you know nothing of.

Know nothing of?

I know that running air lines all over the place is not NEEDED to fix something.

I also know that nothing is cheaper then steel pipe (sometimes free). And if that is to much to spend on yourself then I can't see how you are going to aford anything else, let alone electricticity to run a compressor.

It would also help to hear what you are doing this for since most times you can only use 1 air line at a time and a simple hose off the commpresor will do fine. Kinda hard to help with no info......

[LonesomeTriZ]

Damn dude. If you just feel the need to push me just go some where else. I did not come on here asking for that kind of crap. I just asked for ideas because I do nto know all of my options. If I say somehting will not work for me then that is all you need to know.

[Dirtcrasher]

You never said "I have to go 25' " or did I miss that??

Stay away from everywhere but LOWE'S and HDepot and LOOK AT THE BLACK IRRIGATION CRAP!!

AAYCARUMMMMBA!!

EDIT - Since this board is F-D up when I reply to the last post, "my token has expired" I'll try it here -

Do whatever makes you happy and saves you the most cash. I've already stated what morks for me, has worked for and within a long period.

Here is some reading for you:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-35978.html

http://www.nmsu.edu/~Safety/news/news-items/PVC&comp_air_lines.htm

http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Basics/HazAlerts/902.asp

I'm not sure if you can read it if you aren't a member but I'll never use schedule 40 for compressed air. If it's touched or otherwise has a weak spot, it can explode with sharp edges.

Please understand that I'm not attempting to be "right" in this thread, it's merely that I did the research before I ran my lines under ground and wanted it to be safe where it entered the home and shop. Some guys box it in with OSB board just as a precautionary measure.

IDK the limitations of the cheaper (thinner walled) Black plastic but I know it was about 40$ for 100'.

[shortline10]

My shop is set up were my compressor is aprox 25' from my work bench and the compressor is used almost daily . I use the soft air hose with a roll up system next to the compressor and just roll/crank it up when I'm done .
I think 1"schedule 40 the thick stuff PVC is safe @125lbs and least expensive and prob the easiest if you need a little distance from were you need your lines to end up .

[LonesomeTriZ]

Yeah I am not going very far at all. I am just running the line straight up to the attic then to the hose reel on th eother side of the wall.

[SWIGIN]

Damn dude. If you just feel the need to push me just go some where else. I did not come on here asking for that kind of crap. I just asked for ideas because I do nto know all of my options. If I say somehting will not work for me then that is all you need to know.

Well if you would say at least how far you need to run this line from the compresor it would help.

[Jim mac]

Ive been told the problem with the pvc is after a few years of not getting the moisture out of the pipe, it will go bad from the inside. McMaster carr sells hose in 3/4 inch and other size ID thats rated for high pressures, so it would help keep the pressure from dropping. just clamp on some fittings and your good to go. Or just go to harbor frieght and buy some air hose in 50 feet or whatever and use those lines. jim

[Red Rider]

Ive been told the problem with the pvc is after a few years of not getting the moisture out of the pipe, it will go bad from the inside.I don't see why moisture would cause PVC pipe to go bad, when PVC pipe is designed for plumbing & irrigation systems that contain water, which is pretty moist. If anything causes them to go bad, it would probably be from being exposed to direct sunlight & UV rays.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I used a ruber line on my old compressor for a decade damn near. I never had an issue, but then again I was not doing the amount of work I will be with this one. To mu understanding rubber line is a bad idea because moisture puddles in it.

[Billy Golightly]

IMO the only reason to NOT use a rubber line is because its going to be up there for a decade and you dont want it to rot out and have to change it. I can't think of a single real "disadvantage" of using a normal air hose if your not planning on it being there for 30 years.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I guess with good water seperator would eleminate the pooling issue.

[SYKO]

PVC can explode and kill anyone near it. Plenty of info about it being a bad choice on the net...........



lol wtf?! Ive had my pvc line blow out only once in the 12 years its been all together running and holding 190psi for weeks on end constant and it never exploded it just pulled out of a weak joint....you made it out like pvc is a deadly killer with compressed air in it!!! lmfao!!


PVC is fine like I said 12 years and running and only one problem seems legit to me.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I have met a few people that swear PVC used as an air line will with out a doubt kill some one eventually. I am would not go thay far but I can see the concerns. With where I plan to run my lines if they do explode I seriously doubt any one will get hurt.

[300rman]

well, you seem to be on a budget, so i think the best option would be using a soft line to run the air. then when you move, you can roll it up and take it with you.

[LonesomeTriZ]

That is one thing that appeals to me about using a soft line. Plus, if i want to hard line it later I always have a use for sfot air lines. So it will not go to waste.

[SYKO]

whatever....lol come one louis I know good and damn well you really didnt need to get on here to ask about air lines if you want cheap you can run either pvc or goto a fleet truck center and get the DOT air line and fittings its cheap. But all this noise abotu pvc being so deadly is the biggest pile of crap ive ever heard in my life.. oh yea im sure their are a million cases of people getting brutaly killed by bad pvc but were they doing it correct? im sure some hilbilly used elmers and scedule 20 1 pvc and ran 200psi on it and it blew slaugtering his whole imbred family and now just like trikes are to blame that they kill people so do pvc now......

[LonesomeTriZ]

I was mostly looking for something I may not have heard of. I do not claim to know everyhting about everything. I did learn a lot about PVC though. I did not know there were different thicknesses. A little like that may have cause a serious issue down the road.

[big specht]

I plan on useing somthing like scedule 80 pvc in my shop we plan on making a 2'' halo around the shop then 1'' drops for more capasity(can't spell). I've seen pvc used and abused as air lines and never seen one fail

[LonesomeTriZ]

i have worked at shops that ran it out side in the weather and did not have problem.

[Dirtcrasher]

lol wtf?! Ive had my pvc line blow out only once in the 12 years its been all together running and holding 190psi for weeks on end constant and it never exploded it just pulled out of a weak joint....you made it out like pvc is a deadly killer with compressed air in it!!! lmfao!!


PVC is fine like I said 12 years and running and only one problem seems legit to me.

PVC "can be" dangerous is the only point I was trying to get across. It's not suitable for air lines. There are as many success stories as failure stories with PVC. You guys can use a garden hose for all I care, he asked and I offered my best suggestion. I guess this one wasn't enough to sway anyone http://www.cnczone.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-35978.html .


If I find the post that shows the carnage were the person said "Thank god no one was near It", I'll post it up and you guys can laugh at it, discredit it or shrug your shoulders.

That was the reason I chose not to use schedule 40 PVC.

When we used schedule 40 for a water source heat pump, half of them blew apart when we turned on the water. Back to FB Webb we went and they said the high pressure was just a fitting with a deeper shoulder to hold more glue.

[300rman]

I agree with DC....i have seen PVC potato cannons shatter, and PVC is EXTREMELY dangerous to use as a fireworks tube launcher. if you want a pvc-like line without the risk, get High-Density PolyEthelene (HDPE) pipe. it doesnt shatter.

[LonesomeTriZ]

I have not heard of HDPE. I would like ot learn more about it. There is a chance my finacial concerns might go away soon. Well, not enitrely but at least soften up a bit. If so I might go with some better material.

[SYKO]

I agree with DC....i have seen PVC potato cannons shatter, and PVC is EXTREMELY dangerous to use as a fireworks tube launcher. if you want a pvc-like line without the risk, get High-Density PolyEthelene (HDPE) pipe. it doesnt shatter.

and that has alot to do with 120psi compressed air in povc as well......I see that the simialarities are stagering....so if I put compressed air into a 2 litter bottle and it explodes its about as unsafe if I put compressed air and a unpinned granade in a 2 littre bottle? its still a 2 littre bottle......

[LonesomeTriZ]

That was funny^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Dirtcrasher]

I'd say "I'm done with this thread", but I'm posting so obviously I'm not, but I will be after this post:

Use whatever you want, whatever is cheapest. Maybe you can go to the junkyard and get some used pipe. Then use some truck inner tubes and shove them in something so they won't blow up when used for a holding tank.- Maybe some 2' sewage pipe or something to act as a holding tank.

And screw respirators for paint, just wear a dusk mask; If you feel overcome with fumes, just get some fresh air and then get right back at it!

Have a ball.....

[SYKO]

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j209/Redlineracing06/butthurt-report-form.jpg:naughty:

[LonesomeTriZ]

Damn man, how do you find this stuff?

[fabiodriven]

This thread is absolutely INSANE!!!!!!!!!

[LonesomeTriZ]

Who knew looking for suggestions would turn into this.

[SWIGIN]

Who knew looking for suggestions would turn into this.

I kinda did........

[LonesomeTriZ]

By the way. I checked out PEX and CPVC today. I also found the schedule 80 PVC. I guess it all comes in different ratings. Because the schedule 40 PVC was rated at 480 PSI and the other stuff was all waaaaaaaaaaaaay less. Even the schedule 80 PVC was only 300 PSI.