air compressor question- what size lines/fittings ?
 

As a follow up to my caster question I now need to know what the conventional wisdom is when it comes to plumbing the home shop for air. I have a IR 60 gallon two stage compressor. All of my air tools currently use the 1/4 quick connect size couplers and fittings. Would it make sense to change to the larger 3/8 ? Or does it not matter for the home shop ? The compressor came with massive quick connect fitting it must be 3/4 and 50 feet of rubber hose but it's much too big for air tools. The previous owner was feeding a large sand blast cabinet.
Now onto the air lines. Is 1/4 inch sufficient or should those be 3/8 or larger ? And finally if I'm going to plumb copper around the perimeter of the shop is 1/2 inch sufficient or go with 3/4 ? The air tools I currently have are:

1/4 , 3/8 + 1/2 inch air ratchets
1/2 inch impact wrench
detail and full size spray guns
DA sander

That's it for now but I could add a small blast cabinet in the future plus maybe some additional hand tools. Nothing really volume heavy except for the blast cabinet. So what do you guys use ?

3/8 hose. I/2 supply lines are fine. Don't be afraid of pvc in this application, although I'm sure folks will chime in that its deadly.

1/4 hose will leave your high volume tools-ie 1/2 impact-without torque.

I am a big fan of copper. Use a 95/5 or a bearing solder to join fittings.
1/2 would be sufficient for your application.
Do a top take off for the line drops and a drip leg and a drain valve under your female connectors.
If you are doing any painting you may want to consider filtration for oil and water.

Ditto!!

Yeah, you'd need filtration for water for paint. I love inline oilers for tools, but only at line end so you don't oil the pipes, and you'll need separate hoses for "clean" air then for paint. You can put the separator or oiler on a male fitting and move it for outlet to outlet as needed.

I would not install any main smaller than 1/2" and if there is any distance at all, I would go to 3/4". The incremental cost to install the larger lines is largely materials for these sizes as the labor (cost or effort) is about the same.

I would be one of those that will tell you PVC is deadly. I have witnessed the consequences of PVC failures in compressed air lines (100-125 psi) first hand and the thought of SHARP shards of PVC flying through the air at a person is not pretty.

There are other plastic lines that are rated for Compressed Gas services but I personally do not like them since they are very difficult to install, repair or add to properly.

My garage is aprox. 23 x 24 with the compressor going in the front left corner. So the copper run will be about 47 feet at its longest run. I'm basically going to make a " U " out of copper with 2-3 drops per side. I will face my quick connect couplers up and will add a drain valve at both ends of the lines. I think 1/2 inch copper is sufficient for this length of run ?

Yes, it is. 3/4" is overkill.

Seamless hydraulic tubing is cheap and easy to install if you can borrow some tools. Just flare the ends and you are done.

I like the SMC push in connections. You can get them in just about any size and the line you can get in any color. I have this line run all over from my basement to the garage.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/4f6a1d28.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/659290aa.jpg

Not to hijack the thread but what would be the recommended minimum rating of a compressor to supply the lines? 5 CF at 90 PSI? or ?
Barry

Please - no PVC

19880520 The Use of Polyvinyl Chloride Pipe in Above Ground Installations

02/28/1991 - Use of thermoplastic pipe in above ground locations

SprayGunWorld.com - Professional HVLP Spray Guns

Get hi-flow quick disconnects, scroll down a bit you you will see them..

I got mine locally

HVLP Spray Gun Hoses

Indeed! if you go with a tubing make sure its either Polyurethane or Nylon Tubing!

Include an inline water knock out pot. I like quick disconnects, get more than a few and keep them handy as you always need an extra one. I prefer the one sold at Sears.

There MANY different makes and when you buy a new tool, you'll need a compatible male end. Nothing pisses ya off more than a QD that don't fit.

Nice to be able to reach into a bin and pull one out. Use Teflon tape on the threads.

[QUOTE=cgarr;5756400]I like the SMC push in connections. You can get them in just about any size and the line you can get in any color. I have this line run all over from my basement to the garage.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/4f6a1d28.jpg
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/659290aa.jpg[/QUOT/]
How do you get enough air flow during a draw to power tools? Looks like real small I.D. tubing. Looks like vinyl tubing to boot.

The main feed tubing is 3/8 OD and seems to flow more than I use. I have an old 30 gal tank stuffed up in the garage and that feeds my needs closer if I need an impact wrench otherwise all the other tools I have don't require a great flow of air.

The tubing is SMC choice for this type of operation. Its what we have been using in our plant for better than 15 years without any problems.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...1/adcb6e93.jpg

Flexible tubing is ok since it does not shatter in failure like rigid PVC pipe.

Below diagram shows the correct way to pitch pipe, drains, risers, etc.

http://www.tptools.com/StaticText/airline-piping-diagram.pdf

small line may flow enough, but will have pressure fluctuations when demand changes.

One more for NOT using PVC: http://www.lascofittings.com/supportcenter/CompressedAir.asp

quite intriguing. gonna have to look into this in the next couple of months after we move...

http://www.smcusa.com/sections/products/prodoverview.asp

I read that 50' of 3/4 black pipe before the water separator will cool the air enough but when I use my cheap sandblaster it still turns into a water nozzle.

Cooling it back down does not get rid of the water it just condenses it back to water but you still need a trap/filter after that to collect that water.

I had to setup a system in our food plant which needs clean dry air to meet the critical standards for packing such products. It starts with a Quincy air screw compressor then thru a pre-filter water/oil separator before the storage tank. It then runs thru a 5 micron filter then a .01 micron filter and finally it passes thru the chiller to remove any moisture before it enters the plant. There are 5 auto drains in the system to keep any collected water purged from the system too.

I installed three water traps in a row about 20' away from my 60 gal IR compressor. Each one took out some water, but not all, as it showed up 75' later, especially on a hot humid summer day. I think the only way to remove it is with a drier of some sort.

If you don't chill the air and drop the dew point it does not matter how many traps you have it will just pass right through. Pack some ice around the pipe before the traps and see how much water you get out of it.

I was not questioning the flex just the size and at the time unknown material used. Many air tools would suffer a debilitating pressure drop when the trigger was pulled with 1/4 or less ID. Fish tank tubing will balloon and fail, and per the second post this is not fish tank air line. That said any flex tube will whip like mad if the non pressure fed end comes loose of the fitting. Push to lock fittings can be knocked loose while being handled. Bump the lock ring in and the tube flies out and whips until the air flow is shut off. I don't think push lock reusable fittings are recommended for hand held use.

Good air hose is cheap.

Green 912,

I do not think that you and I disagree. I would assume that any tubing used would be rated for the intended service.

You correctly point out that the fittings used need careful consideration as well to ensure that they do not fail.

Pressure / temperature ratings and Service use ratings are often not be the same. Tubing that can take the pressure but does not have good abrasion or cut resistance or resistance to attack by commonly used automotive chemicals might not be the best pick for tool end use. Fine on static machine use but when in end users hands subjected to conditions where it can get hooked, pinched, make contact with hot or sharp surfaces and all the other fun stuff we knuckle dragging happy wenchers subject air hose to.

One thing is sure, schedule 40 PVC hard pipe is 100% not rated for any air service. I know it is cheap and easy to get and work but please just say no.