Compressed Air Plumbing options

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They are also expensive...

We have an Atlas 3 cyl in our other shop. If we had planned ahead when i had the trench open we could have ran a line between the shops and we have a 60gal tank from another compressor (this one has a bad pump and you can't find parts for it) we could have put out there for a buffer.
 
Have you looked at Eaton Compressor's? There made in Ohio. By the way don't waste your money on galvanized go with black pipe.
 
I imagine that's the way we'll end up going. How should i size the lines? The compressor will likely be in a corner, it's a 80'x120' steel building and i at least need air at both doors (centered at opposite ends long ways)...
 
120' :eek: Without getting into the " What volume of air ,cfm is required for each tool'' I would guess 1 1/4 main with 1/2 branches should be fine. Use tape not dope. If you can find it in your area there is a teflon tape called Blue Monster that is a tad bit thicker and works great.
 
In my shop I used a combination of rapid air, and Air net rigid aluminum piping http://rapidairproducts.com/airnet.asp . the advantage of the aluminum is it is available in up to 4 inch diameter,( I used 3/4 inch in my shop) it has the quick fit fittings that slip together like the rapid air, and it doesn't rust like steel pipe. and it is less expensive than copper.

I used the rapid air lines for terminal runs and to get it out to some areas where it was easier to run the rapid air lines. it has worked very well for me for the last 4 years.

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at first I was concerned about how much air I would get through the rapid air line. but I can tell you that I can run my 1/2 inch impact or my air cut off wheel just fine with my retractible line and that has about a 40 foot run of rapid air back to the air net. I always intended to go back and replace that with air net but heck it has worked so well I finally decided why bother.

the one thing I will say is that the air net is a bit easier to work with actually than the rapid air, but the rapid air is great because it is flexible which has huge advantages if you are trying to keep it hidden.

http://rapidairproducts.com/airnet.asp
 
I like the blue color. How far apart do you have to put hangers on the plastic line?
 
Otahyoni said:
I imagine that's the way we'll end up going. How should i size the lines? The compressor will likely be in a corner, it's a 80'x120' steel building and i at least need air at both doors (centered at opposite ends long ways)...
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this form has a cfm calculator at the top. and at 90 psi for 120 feet the 3/4 inch air net calculates out to 82.04 cfm, plenty of cfm for most any common air tool you could choose. bigger pipe will give you more air storage capacity but if you do like I do and install a valve at the compressor that you shut off because there are always small leaks in the system, then it takes a lot of air to fill those lines back up as well. I personally think the 3/4 inch air net would work well for most people. if you you went up to the 1 inch or 1.5 inch that would give you even more reserve.

http://rapidairproducts.com/flowrate.asp
 
GoSkins said:
I like the blue color. How far apart do you have to put hangers on the plastic line?
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I don't know really. I just put them up wherever I thought I might need one. mostly when you change direction on airflow, and when you connect two pipes or if you put a direct drop in the line, to prevent the possibility of one of the connectors blowing off, and every so often in between, like every 5 feet or so on a 20 foot line would be more than adequate I think. on the plastic line you have to put them closer together because the line has memory and tends to want to curl and loop in ways you don't want it to lol. basically I just put them wherever I needed to get it to stay how I wanted it.
 
If i'm thinking right it's more like DOT air line.

The largest air tool we would use out there would be our 1" impact. I would say 75% of the time will be airing up tires or a 1/2" impact.
 
Ok You guys are showing me stuff iv'e never seen. What is DOT airline? I google it and it takes me to an actual Airline.
 
Dot airline is like what you would see on semi trucks air brakes etc. the rapid air is a synthetic line designed for use in compressed air distribution. pex is designed for water. I have heard of some people using it for air lines but that is not what it was designed for and so I have no idea how well it would stand up. it is however a flexible tubing so if it fails it would likely just leak air unlike pvc which can shatter and send shrapnel all over. so even if it failed I doubt it would do worse than make you crap your pants from surprise lol.

but again the rapid air is designed for this use and has been tested extensively to be both functional and safe.
 
FYI for anyone who needs more rapid air tubing. they have changed the formulation of the tubing so that it is more flexible, but the good news for me is that they are getting rid of the old stuff cheap. if you call there number and mention the old stock you can buy 100 feet of the tubing for 9.99 while supplies last. I bought 200 feet of it last week. don't know what I am going to do with it for sure yet but I will find a use for it.
 
I have a leak in a short length of black pipe where it goes into the regulator valve. There is no convenient way to tighten the line. Any recommendations as to a sealant?

Am afraid if I use JB Weld, it may cause more problems than it solves?
 
d.yaros said:
I have a leak in a short length of black pipe where it goes into the regulator valve. There is no convenient way to tighten the line. Any recommendations as to a sealant?

Am afraid if I use JB Weld, it may cause more problems than it solves?
Click to expand...
No suggestions/opinions? :confused:
 
I have no sealant suggestion. my suggestion is what My Dad always tells me in this situation, You can either fix it right or fix it twice. I suggest you take it apart use teflon tape or pipe thread sealer and fix it right no matter how difficult it may be. that is the only way it is ever going to be right. jmo
 
i have piped,,i dont know...20 maybe 25, oil change stores.

2 ford dealers and 1 toyota dealer mechanics shop.

we run 3/4 to everything in either black screw pipe or copper type L

to the pit, we loop 1/2 soft copper under the concrete

I have even run an air line to a hydraulic lift, it works on air as good as hydraulics
 
Upgraded the shop compressor a few months ago. Don't mind the mess, we've been re-arranging and expanding.

 
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