Rusty Bowtie

General Category => General Discussion - Intros => Topic started by: EDNY on January 21, 2019, 08:26:54 AM

Title: Shop air line supply
Post by: EDNY on January 21, 2019, 08:26:54 AM

I want to run about a 30' length of air line supply from my compressor and see both metal and non metal lines being used.  Have a bunch of leftover 1/2" PEX that I can use.  What are you folks using?


Link discussing metal vs non metal:

https://www.tptools.com/tech-metal-piping.dlp

BTW: I have a ball valve on the bottom of my compressor tank and regularly purge moisture out of it.

Title: Re: Shop air line supply
Post by: sammons on January 21, 2019, 09:50:10 AM

Ed, our shop was hard plumbed with 1/2" black pipe back in 1969. We had water trap/filters at the end of every dump where the rubber hose plugged into. I always ran a good quality 50' hose (usually Goodyear yellow) I changed it out every 3-6 months on my paint stall to prevent hose failure. One small chunk of rubber in a clear coat will ruin your day ;)

When we put up my friends parts house/mechanic bay, we used the RapidAir 3/4" master kit. I think it was around $170 in 2012.  He needed more air for the 3/4" impact. No problems to date.  I was going to put this RapidAir 1/2" master kit in my garage, but haven't got around to it yet :(  My 50' hose reaches just fine.

My neighbor at the parts house across from my shop plumbed in his back shop with 1- 1-1/2" PVC. Bad mistake, he was blowing joints all the time.

Title: Re: Shop air line supply
Post by: EDNY on January 21, 2019, 01:43:03 PM

sammons...great info...I like that RapidAir 1/2" package and may just grab one.  Thanks

Title: Re: Shop air line supply
Post by: 62131 on January 21, 2019, 04:41:06 PM

I have a buddy who just plumbed his new shop with 3/4"pex, the only negative thing using it we could find was it is not uv resistant but his thoughts was its inside the shop and not in direct sun light. He runs 125 psi shop air.

Title: Re: Shop air line supply
Post by: sammons on January 21, 2019, 07:21:01 PM

I don't see anything wrong with Pex, should hold pressure fine. I don't think the Rapidair was UV rated either. The handy thing about the kit was a resonable price and everything was included. Didn't leave you looking for fittings, regulators or quick connects etc.

These days black pipe and fittings are getting expensive, unless you have a stash of used lying around. The other is that this new Chineses crap is hard to get a good thread cut without flaking off >:(

Title: Re: Shop air line supply
Post by: 62131 on January 21, 2019, 07:44:20 PM

I'm using 3/4 pvc so far no problems, it's 11 years old though anything could happen

Title: Re: Shop air line supply
Post by: TFoch on January 22, 2019, 05:37:59 PM

I have black iron pipe when I built the garage 12 years ago.