[AT] Air lines for shop

[Steve W.]

Spencer Yost wrote:
> 
> One of the reasons I have been thinking copper is because here in the 
> humid south, water in air lines is a problem.  You can not paint without 
> a desiccant filter for example. Nothing worse than seeing water droplets 
> coming out with your paint (been there done that).  One benefit I 
> thought copper would have would be  to condense water quickly and 
> earlier in the run; therefore water vapor would be less of an issue at 
> the tool end(assuming I slant the lines to run back towards the 
> compressor) and my tool-end water filters wouldn't fill up so fast.
> 
> Anyone with experience with copper find this to be true?
> 
> Also, copper is less than $1 per foot more expensive(3.46/ft vs 2.69/ft) 
> so for a run that will be less than 100' worth of pipe so I decided to 
> not sweat (excuse the pun) the cost factor between black pipe and copper 
> and just go on the merits.
> 
> While continuing to look around at various options and along the way I 
> saw 1-1/2" black pipe at Lowes with an oddly specific PSI rating:  
> 231PSI    I'm beginning to think Brice might be right and they are using 
> steam rating....
> 
> 
> Spencer


When I ran the new lines for my shop I went with a rapidair kit. Think
it was about 200 bucks for 100 feet of 3/4" line, three drop blocks,
line clips, cutting tool and a couple t fittings. It's basically
aluminum reinforced PEX. The aluminum makes it stiffer and a bit stronger.
My only complaint was the color, I like blue but once installed it
looked out of place, so I went over the entire thing with semi-gloss
black. Now it hides better.
Stuff is EASY to work with, can be changed or added to in minutes and
requires no soldering or threading. The blocks have extra ports on them 
so if you wanted to run a line through the wall you can do it straight 
out the back of a block. That's how I feed the system in the shop, 
compressor is outside in an insulated shed with a small heater and a 
flex line goes up to the 3/4 pipe nipple I ran through the wall.

I added a cooler loop to my compressor using an A/C condenser that is 
plumbed between it and the tank, the tank has an auto drain that also 
has a remote switch if I want to drain it longer than programmed.

I also added a couple remote tanks at the other end of the shop, those 
help a bit when you first open up a high flow tool like an impact or 
sandblaster. I did cheat a bit though, the remote tanks are ex FD air 
bottles from an old cascade system, rated for 2200 psi so my puny 150 
psi air system doesn't make them sweat..

-- 
Steve W.