Setting up air lines in shop?

[1971CamaroGuy]

I have a small 14' x 24' workshop in my back yard, it's wood with a concrete floor. Not very big but it's good enough for working on one car.

I bought a 60 gallon upright, 5 hp I think, a few years ago from home depot. Again it's not very big but it works "ok" for smaller jobs and light sanding. I'm tempted to fork out the money for a 2-stage, but I have other things I need right now.

Having said that I have been fighting water in my lines for a few years now...tried different water traps and such.

Did some research and realized that you have to have the water trap at least 25' from the compressor for it to work.....mine is less than 4'.

So I need to come up with a way to run some galvanize line around my shop....maybe up and over the ceiling to the other side? And then install the water trap?

I built a room for my compressor outside of my shop....and it's really in the ideal place right now...so only thing I can do is extend the lines.

Looking at 3/8" galvanized steel pipe, or is there a cheaper solution? Would I need thicker pipe?

[496z28]

Im sure im going to catch heat, but I helped a buddy of mine plumb his shop with pvc for air. Its worked with no issues for over ten years.

[BonzoHansen]

you'll catch heat because the makers of pvc say don't use it for that. don't be standing near it if it breaks, flying shards.


Seems most pick black pipe over galvanized because the coating can come off and get loose in the lines. There are a couple decent threads in this section on air lines.

[grzewnicki]

I was looking at Rapidair to do my garage.::

http://www.rapidairproducts.com/

[69TAPoser]

I think I spent about $150 on mine including the valves + another $30 for the Harbor Freight filter/regulator:





I have been doing a lot of sandblasting lately and do not get any water at the cabinet. I do briefly open the valves about every hour or so to let it drain while I am blasting.

Phil

[1971CamaroGuy]

Originally Posted by grzewnicki

I was looking at Rapidair to do my garage.::

http://www.rapidairproducts.com/

$139 for a 100' foot kit isn't bad

[1971CamaroGuy]

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

Seems most pick black pipe over galvanized because the coating can come off and get loose in the lines.

Won't the black pipe rust?

Thanks for the info about the search on other threads, I'll check it out

[Twisted_Metal]

Originally Posted by grzewnicki

I was looking at Rapidair to do my garage.::

http://www.rapidairproducts.com/

Hey.... There's an idea!!!
Their garage kit (and a filter system) looks like it would fit the bill for my needs.

[Gary S]

I didn't run hard air lines in my shop and I don't have a water problem. My shop is 48' long, so I set the compressor in the middle of the shop and when I work, I use a 50' hose connected to a water trap at the compressor tank. Try a longer hose before you spend money on hard lines. It is cheaper.

There are other factors that cause water in the lines. #1 is your climate. If you live in a warm humid climate, you don't stand a chance of keeping all the water out unless you have an expensive inline refrigeration water remover. If you live in a cool dry climate, water isn't much of an issue.Winter here is cold and dry, so moisture isn't available. A couple of weeks ago I needed my air sander in the house to sand my hardwood floor. I simply ran 75' of rubber hose out the garage door across the frozen ground and light snow cover, and into the window of the house. I sanded half a day with it, and when I finished, I drained the tank. I had less than 1/2 teaspoon of water in the tank, and only a fine mist of water on the glass of the water filter.

Another factor that causes water is compressor size. The smaller the compressor, the harder it runs to keep up. The more it runs, the hotter it gets. The more you end up changing the temperature of the air, the more moisture you can collect.

[BonzoHansen]

I have not either. Just a big compressor in the corner, a trap there, and another at my blast box. zero moisture issues. I do want to run lines for convenience

Originally Posted by 1976CamaroGuy

Won't the black pipe rust?

Thanks for the info about the search on other threads, I'll check it out

yes, also an issue. thus using copper ($$$) or those new kits.

[kik_start]

Have any of you had an air tool completely freeze up?
That is the problem we're having....frost actually builds up on the tools. We need a heated garage.

[Gary S]

Originally Posted by kik_start

Have any of you had an air tool completely freeze up?
That is the problem we're having....frost actually builds up on the tools. We need a heated garage.

Freezing tools are more a temperature issue than a water issue. When air or any gas is compressed, it heats it up. When the pressure is released, it cools. This is the principle that air conditioners work on.
Freezing tools can occur even with air that doesn't contain excess moisture. Try getting your shop and air compressor warm before use, and that should solve the tool freezing problem.

[71flh]

One thing about hard air lines I read is they should always be on a slope so any water has to either drain back to the tank, or get caught in the water trap at the far end.

Something people seem to not realize is where the water comes from. Given volume of air, say a cubic foot, at any one time, it contains X amount of water as vapor. Compress that cubic foot of air and now that water vapor want to become actual water because its in a smaller space.

The point is, the amount of water in the air doesn't change, the space taken up by the air is reduced making the water want to change states.

My impression is that the expansion of the air is less of a factor than the movement of the air creating the cooling effect. Otherwise, we'd be using air as a refrigerant. Get out your handy air gun for giving stuff a blast of air. Hold your hand a foot away and give it a blast. How cold does the air feel? This is just my opinion...

Lots of mythology involved with compressed air systems...

[night rider]

I don't have a shop yet, but had my compressor for 10 years. No water probs.

My 60 gal. 220 volt compressor is in my living room.
Small water trap at compressor outlet
25' rubber hose from there up the wall, over window, down the wall and out through wall, end of it is a $25 habor freight filter/trap/reg.
3' hose to a hose reel.
100' of rubber hose on real

I drain the tank once every 3-5 days, and drain the filter after I finish work for the day.

When I do get my shop done (hoping in the next 6 mo), I will pipe the shop with black iron pipe, and make my drops and drains

[bracketracer-78]

Originally Posted by 496z28

Im sure im going to catch heat, but I helped a buddy of mine plumb his shop with pvc for air. Its worked with no issues for over ten years.

I have seen first hand what happens when pvc lets go. There was plastic schrapnel everywhere. It was stuck in the ceiling and the walls. The pvc is razer sharp after it kabooms. I am just glad no one was in the shop when it let go.