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big specht
03-25-2020, 03:38 PM
Well I’ve been thinking about plumbing the shop air up finally. What is every body else using to move compressed air thru there shop?

coolpool
03-25-2020, 04:34 PM
I used soldered 1/2" copper throughout. If you don't want to experience any lag in the system you should make it a continuous closed loop system that effectively feeds equally from both ends. The tee would have to be downstream of your separator/regulator off the discharge of the compressor. I also put a block valve and quick connect at every point I need to supply air, ie sandblaster, workbench, air hose, etc. And one more idea I was able to do with my standup style compressor was to put a u-shaped loop straight down from the tank with a drain at the lowest point before it heads up the wall to the separator/regulator. I get lots of water here! Here's a post I replied to awhile back.

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthread.php/173469-Air-compressor-set-up-what-are-you-running-!?highlight=compressor

big specht
03-25-2020, 06:26 PM
I was planning on running 1”or2” for the extra volume. If I ran a loop I would have a couple grand in just pipe. The shop is 40x80. I’ve heard a lot about making it a loop but any more it would just be for filling tires or blowing off stuff. The tool that consume most of the air are the tire machine and blast cabinet. Have you had any issues with pipe leaks with out a flexible pipe between the compressor and piping ?

Scootertrash
03-25-2020, 07:54 PM
I use the Milton type V high-flow connectors. A lot better airflow. The other nice thing is there a simple push to connect, you don't have to pull the collar back to connect them. You still have to pull the collar back to disconnect them all

coolpool
03-25-2020, 08:58 PM
I was planning on running 1”or2” for the extra volume. If I ran a loop I would have a couple grand in just pipe. The shop is 40x80. I’ve heard a lot about making it a loop but any more it would just be for filling tires or blowing off stuff. The tool that consume most of the air are the tire machine and blast cabinet. Have you had any issues with pipe leaks with out a flexible pipe between the compressor and piping ?

Whew 1" or 2", that is some big stuff to run and correct, expensive! You wouldn't need a closed loop system with that setup. I'm hard piped from tank to service; I think that was another post that ran flexible line for vibration control?

coolpool
03-25-2020, 09:02 PM
I use the Milton type V high-flow connectors. A lot better airflow. The other nice thing is there a simple push to connect, you don't have to pull the collar back to connect them. You still have to pull the collar back to disconnect them all

Never heard of them, neat! I think I use the type 'M' connection which seems to be common around here. Not sure who makes it?

big specht
03-25-2020, 09:06 PM
I was originally go into use schedule 80 pvc pipe but everybody keeps trying to talk me out of it. Cause when it explodes it has shrapnel. But I know shops that has had it in there for 20+ years with out a problem.

ironchop
03-25-2020, 09:26 PM
I was originally go into use schedule 80 pvc pipe but everybody keeps trying to talk me out of it. Cause when it explodes it has shrapnel. But I know shops that has had it in there for 20+ years with out a problem.We run that and it breaks alot. Ours is twenty year old sch80 and we have a couple blowout every year for the last three yrs.... it's 2" diameter. I would not suggest it. Ive been cut by the shrapnel myself. We're hoping to run new steel pipe soon.

They always break right around glue joints and it's almost always the coupler, elbow, tee, or valve piece that always fractures, not the pipe itself

We just got a big new Ingersoll compressor and they would not warranty the installation because of that plumbing so that's another thing to consider

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

ATC King
03-25-2020, 11:05 PM
I was in a shop last year, that had PVC air line.


We were replacing the clutch on a Freightliner and suddenly, boom, whooooossssshhhh. A joint blew apart nearby and the entire system went down. Good thing I was wearing brown pants that day.


I'm not a fan of PVC either.

MrConcdid
03-25-2020, 11:05 PM
Please DO NOT USE PVC, I did and at 175psi, I had an explosion, it sent piece 1.5 feet long pipe 40 feet across the shop, I had just walked past that bay when it blew.
At the very least run rubber hose to brass nipples and Y-splitters mounted to the wall, if that's all you have the budget for.

Learn from other's mistake, had my daughter been hit or I lost an eye or something, I would never forgive myself.
Just not worth it.
MrC.

badasskfx
03-26-2020, 04:56 AM
I used cooper in my shop but heard of people using pex. Pex is used to plumb water supplies in homes. It’s cheap and can handle some good psi. Do not use black iron the moisture rusts the inside of the pipes.

Blackwater 357
03-26-2020, 11:42 AM
I used stainless steel instrumentation tubing and fittings to do the lines and outlets in my shop. Light and bends great around corners and other piping. I am an instrumentation mechanic so material was close to free. I have a smaller shop so 1/2" tube works great. Not affected by moisture.

plastikosmd
03-26-2020, 05:38 PM
3/4 copper
1/2 drops

Plenty for 175psi

coolpool
03-26-2020, 06:01 PM
I was originally go into use schedule 80 pvc pipe but everybody keeps trying to talk me out of it. Cause when it explodes it has shrapnel. But I know shops that has had it in there for 20+ years with out a problem.

Never heard of using PVC that but you could always wrap it in duct tape for safety? It's fairly cheap...the duct tape I mean.

90nut
03-26-2020, 07:17 PM
3/4 copper main is plenty. PVC works but is sketchy, we ran PVC in my buddies attic with drops in certain areas to flexible line. We had to get air a long distance on a shoestring budget. Many of the tool catalog places i.e
Northern Tool have a set up that is similar to pex but with push to connect fittings. I have thought about pex, its rated for 160 psi at 180° (or real close) I've never made up a test section and torture tested. When I move into new house it's going to be copper unless I can convince myself to run pex. Copper pipe isn't to pricey, the fittings are what gets ya. Old fashioned air hose is pretty reliable!

sledcrazyinCT
03-26-2020, 09:53 PM
Just ran a shop in PEX. Easy to plumb and should be fine for most compressor output.

Arky-X
03-26-2020, 11:30 PM
Parents were in upholstery and used black iron. They only ran about 90psi because it was mainly staple guns and not many air tools. Uncle was a plumber and he put that in mid-80s and never had problems with it. Obviously shut down air compressor down each night. Before weekend we emptied the water separator and then took the furthest away drop and attached an air nozzle and held it open until tank was empty.

plastikosmd
03-27-2020, 06:28 AM
Not great pics
4 reels on this wall with slope to legs for blowing out. Take offs for the reels go up and over, first
https://i.postimg.cc/QxZ27ZPf/5-DAA8221-B66-C-4-C1-A-981-D-A8-C345724-C3-A.jpg (https://postimg.cc/gr4t9QGh)

Drops are easier to see in machine shop, lines are sloped to right of pic here
https://i.postimg.cc/2jWp3SHq/6-A7-DF709-65-AA-441-C-9-E4-C-B94-F2913-D812.jpg (https://postimg.cc/BtJ7V4fs)

Woodshop, air is behind the pvc dust system. You can only see the reel here. I think there are 6 drops in that room
https://i.postimg.cc/WpSTPzX4/6-F68-D1-D3-03-BB-4-A7-A-B9-BF-A4532-EE898-BD.jpg (https://postimg.cc/5jHZB4cc)

I think I was at around 2k installed, clearly a lot cheaper DIY, some walls were 50-60’ runs, so a good deal of copper and the elbows in the drops and fittings add up. I am very happy

big specht
03-27-2020, 09:23 AM
We originally planned on a 2” loop threw out the shop with 1” drops so we would have enough air for the impacts but now we never use the air impacts cause the battery one work so good. I will have to go get some good measurements and get some prices with 3/4 and 1 copper. I was thinking of using one of those air line kits you can find but they seem like the get you on the adapters/fittings to hook them all up

plastikosmd
03-27-2020, 09:31 AM
I never use my air impacts now either.

Descale
Inflate
Blow/blast
Sandblast

big specht
03-27-2020, 02:20 PM
Yea that’s about my biggest air consumers too

coolpool
03-29-2020, 11:12 AM
Yea that’s about my biggest air consumers too

I would've though a sandblaster would be, are you running one of those things? If yes, find out what it's peak demand is and plan from there.

big specht
03-29-2020, 08:53 PM
Yea we have a sandblaster too. That really shows you how well your air dryer works or don’t work.

fabiodriven
03-29-2020, 11:47 PM
I use the Milton type V high-flow connectors. A lot better airflow. The other nice thing is there a simple push to connect, you don't have to pull the collar back to connect them. You still have to pull the collar back to disconnect them all

Milton air fittings are absolutely top notch. I've been using them for years myself. They make the only A-M-T fitting I've ever used that doesn't suck. After the first one I bought probably 15 years ago, I've always put them on everything I bought from that point forward. Nothing chaps my arse more than finding out the air tool you just dug out doesn't fit the line. Or if I'm away somewhere using the air from the truck and I borrow a tool from someone, I don't need to worry about what kind of fitting is on there.

Before someone go outfit their entire shop with these on my word, buy just one and try it. I recommended them to a guy I know in the past and he was bent because he didn't like them. In my defense, this guy would have a hard time changing a belt and buys actual tools from Harbor Freight, so he doesn't have much of a gauge for these things. I think they're the tits.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200330/82d618e4d1da212f29fe305cd046a705.jpg

Scootertrash
03-30-2020, 02:19 PM
The Milton Hi-Flow V style also fit the M and A style plugs but you'll lose the hi-Flow capability.

V style couplers and plugs offer a maximum pressure of 300 PSI and air flow of 74 SCFM.

M style couplers a max of 300 PSI and airflow of 40 SCFM.

A style couplers a max of 300PSI and airflow of 35 SCFM

AMT style couplers a max of 300PSI and airflow of 42 SCFM

The V style offers a good increase on SCFM over the others ;)

I've swapped over most, if not all of my tools to the type V and I keep a few spare type V connectors in my toolbox for new tool purchases or if I damage one.

The bonus, for me at least, is if someone wants to borrow an air tool I just tell them mine won't match their fittings. I never used to mind borrowing out tools but I'm old and crotchety now and over the years I've grown tired of maintaining a "borrowed tool" list on the door of my cabinet and hunting down "I'll bring it right back" tools and tools damaged by people using them incorrectly.

I also give my connections a little dab of oil to keep the o ring lubed and things working smoothly.