[AT] Air lines for shop

[Spencer Yost]

Hey Steve W.

I finally got a few minutes at lunch today to check on Rapidair. I never knew they existed.  This kinda looks like the way to go.   That kit you installed has gone up a bit ($283) but still comparable or even cheaper than the alternatives.   I might just go with Rapid air .   Of course, I hate missing the opportunity to do things the long, hard, expensive way - my usual mode of operation - but I’ll get over it 😆 

Spencer 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 14, 2021, at 1:36 AM, Steve W. <swilliams268 at frontier.com> wrote:
> 
> 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.
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