[AT] shop air piping

[Gene Dotson]

    When I bought my far, the first project was converting the former sheep 
barn into my workshop. The first project was a new 200 amp electrical 
service, seperate from the house. I installed conduit and wiring to outlets 
and lights antehere I needed them inside and outside. Very satisfied with 
that.

    Next project was installing air lines. My shop is about 30' by 24'. I 
used all copper pipe. I used a 3/4 inch hose from the compressor to my first 
homemade water separator, made from 1 1/4 inch copper with a drain in the 
bottom. Next is a 3/4 inch copper line run overhead the full length of the 
shop to another water separator at the far end. This is primarily a cooling 
line, so moisture condenses in the second trap. From there I ran 3/4 inch 
copper back overhead across the shop that is used as a manifold with 3/4"to 
1/2" tees and run the 1/2" lines to the air stations. I have 6 air outlets 
in the shop and 2 outside. I have been extremely satisfied with this system 
and with the copper for heat radiation, I have no problem with moisture in 
the lines, which all have drains at their low points.

    My shop is concrete block, so installing electrical conduit and airlines 
was no small feat. I used Tapcon fasteners to mount everything to the walls 
and drilled over 500 holes for the Tapcons and wore out about 6, 1/4" and 
5/16" sockets plus a dozen small masonry drills.

    My former shop was plumbed with 1/2 " PVC pipe. While it functioned 
alright, I always had moisture in the lines and always had to be careful 
when plugging in a hose to the disconnects for fear of breaking the pipe.

    It did take a lot of time to install all of it, and was in a bare shop. 
May be a bit overdone but it is in for my lifetime and will never have to 
worry about any form of degradiation.

                                        Gene