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

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!

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.