Compressed air lines in shop

[cruiseroutfit]

What do you recommend using?

I know people that have used PVC, while its not recommended and can shatter its proven to work fine. Joints can be a pain and adding anything in is a task. Seems to have the same myths as beadlocks and wheel spacers... zero real world calamity experiences, lots of talk. But is it worth the risk for minimal savings?

Regular air house routed behind the walls? Its actually pretty cost effective, doesn't seem heavy duty and I worry about degradation and the small diameter affecting flow 50' away.

I remember there being some material specifically made for this, ring a bell to anyone?

Anyplace in SL Valley you recommend?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

A few of the commercial ones I've found:
http://www.rapidairproducts.com/
http://www.garage-pak.com/

This kit looks pretty nice for $140

 

[Corban_White]

I used copper in mine and I love it. I used to have a problem with condensation in the winter (especially when running my propane heater) but since putting the copper lines in they have acted like an air dryer and I have had no condensation at all. I don't know what the price is like now but when I went to plumb my shop I was planning on using black pipe because of cost but the copper was $0.01 cheaper per stick so I used it. I built it all to slope and have drains at the 2 low points in the system. In addition all the air couplings are higher than the lines. I love it.


EDIT: BTW, I used 1/2".

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Hmm, copper. I hadn't thought of that. Braze all the joints?

Called Evco, they recommend just going with regular hose all around the shop, this is how their buildings are plumbed. If its going to be exposed, which it is not in my case then black iron is recommended for the long runs.

Hose & Rubber recommends either copper or polyethylene tubing, they have ferrule style fittings or push-lock fittings to covert it back to NPT where needed. I like this option but he doesn't recommend it behind walls as it might need 'patching' in the future?

 

[Jedisdead]

our whole shop(press room and bindery) is run off 1/2 copper with no problems. All joints are brazed also.

 

[Unimog]

I would imagine that polyethylene would be indestructible. Much easier to provide a self-draining slope with pipe, though.

 

[JL Rockies]

For what it's worth, I've outfitted more that one shop in my time with PVC and haven't had problems.

 

[Corban_White]

Yep, I soldered all the joints. I had quite a few (~65) and it only took a few hours. Tinning flux is the only way to go if you do go the copper route. Almost takes all the work out of it.

 

[Unimog]

For what it's worth, I've outfitted more that one shop in my time with PVC and haven't had problems.

X2

 

[Bucking Bronco]

I have been thinking of plumbing mine with PEX Pipe. Extremely cheap and it uses barbed fittings. The joints require a special crimp fitting but you can rent the tool from home depot for less the 20.00

If you set up all you joints ahead of time you will spend more time driving to home depot then it takes to crimp the joints. I'm sure you could even just use hose clamps for the fittings if you wanted to.

 

[chadschoon]

hose clamps will not hold a pex fitting for what it's worth. Pex is only rated to 100-120 psi. Being a plumber I would not recomend that. I run air lines all the time. We run it in black pipe or copper. But one question, why are you guys brazing the copper? Soft solder is fine.

 

[Corban_White]

I did use solder (hence the reference to tinning flux). I was just responding to Kurt's use of braze. Sorry for the confusion. I will correct it above.

 

[Spork]

For what it's worth, I've outfitted more that one shop in my time with PVC and haven't had problems.

x3 I did it in my garage 9 years ago and haven't had any issues.

 

[sixb]

I ran .75 sch 40 in my machine shop back in 95 and it was fine until recently. Last winter we ran 1.0 pex and no issues yet. D lux also ran .50 pex in his shop with no issues to date. i will be putting some pex in my shop at home also.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

So I'm back from a field trip...

Poly is great, but can be damaged by the forklift, etc and is not recommended behind walls by several sources as over time it can crack, etc. Many are recommending galvanized pipe, its pretty cheap ~$100 for everything I need and it is super sturdy. Any reason not to go with galvanized? Fwiw to do the same runs in PVC would only be ~$30, sure a savings but I'm willing to spend $70 extra to have it out of galvanized that I don't have to worry about crushing?

 

[PolarXJ]

Haven't done it, but if I did I'd use copper. I did see on Xtreme 4x4, they set up a system with a prefabbed one that sets up real quick and can be taken down quick to a new shop if needs be. Of course I don't remember the name.

 

[BCGPER]

I'd go soldered copper, which is what I did. The big drawback to steel piping is the time involved with cutting and threading, not to mention the chance of rust. Oh, and I'd NEVER use any plastic inside a finished wall.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Lowes has 'Gator Grip' quick disconnect fittings for copper that don't require any soldering (sorry called it brazing earlier), but they don't have any rating for PSI where as the Galv. is listed for air.

 

[BCGPER]

Go soldered joints, it's mucho cheaper and will last forever.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I'd go soldered copper, which is what I did. The big drawback to steel piping is the time involved with cutting and threading, not to mention the chance of rust. Oh, and I'd NEVER use any plastic inside a finished wall.

Cutting and threading were big concerns but most of my stuff will be completely straight runs and Lowes and others cut/thread for free. 1/2" copper is about the same price as galv. Decisions... one factor is I've done about zero pipe soldering, can I use my oxy/acet or do I need a fancy MAPP setup? My dad has all that stuff but I've got a pipe wrench for galv.