marchboom

Just finished building a new house and now want to run air lines to various parts of the garage. I have used PVC from the compressor to several locations in my last house and it worked fine. BUT, I have heard that this is not the safest material to use as it could shatter. Without getting into too much expense, what would be a suitable piping?

Thanks

mdlbldrmatt135

Poly tubing would work well.........

Check twice!

I have three outlets off my compressor and use, http://busybeetools.ca/cgi-bin/pictu...2&NTITEM=B2505

This is easy to run and takes up little room.

John

__________________
Cleaning my glasses will not make me look any better.
But will make what I am looking at better!

smitty1967

I've always been partial to black iron until now. It is relatively cheap, and relatively uncomplicated to intstall. I have plumbed my entire natural gas supply from the meter to every appliance with it, so I'm sure of its integrity. Therefore, I'm going to use black iron pipe in my new workshop. That's just my preference....

smitty

User3489

I retired from WE-ENERGIES a few yrs ago. About 20 yrs ago we changed to plastic air lines. Schedule 80 PVC. WE run 200 lbs. pressure and have not had a failure of any kind with it. In my shop I run 4 air outlets with 1/2" copper tubing.It makes for a neat looking sturdy set up. Where the compressor hooks to the copper line you need to use a short flexible line to keep the compressor vibration away from the copper. What ever type you use,if you drop down to an air outlet put a tee with the air fitting out the side and a water drain out the bottom on a short piece of pipe. Dale

User3489

Natural gas has no moisture. Moisture plus oxygen = rust on uncoated iron. Compressed air (oxygen) and moisture = accelerated corrosion or rust.
nice progress on your shop. I'm Jealous. Dale

Suz

Anohter reason for not using plastic. I have posted this before on other posts and maybe here on this site, but another reason not to use plastic is fire. I know of a workshop that burned from what was a small smoldering fire that melted the airline. When the airline burst an inferno developed from the fresh supply of pressurized air fanning the fire. It was like a blowtorch until the breaker popped on the compressor from the wires being burned through. BTW, the fire was caused from a pile of sawdust under the table saw being set on fire from an extension cord that was chafed from the leg on the contractor saw base.

__________________
Jim

smitty1967

Hey Tom: thanks for the comments...the work is finally starting to pay off in visual dividends---we can see progress!!

On the black iron, are you saying the moisture content in the compressed air will in fact lead to corrosion inside the compressed air plumbing? Or are you saying that the black iron, being coated, will inhibit corrosion?

I already know all the tricks about drops on each run to collect iron flakes, etc....any other tips?

thanks
smitty

mike65072

I used copper pipe back when I built my garage/shop a few years ago. Now it's a little pricey, but recently I've seen piles of it at the local recycling center, so you might be able to pick up some used pipe little cheaper than new... good luck, Mike

TomD

I have to agree about the copper. For painting, I would definitely stay away from any form of iron pipe. The only real problem with PVC is if someone goes out of their way to break it and hits it with a hammer. Copper doesn't rust and you can buy refrigeration tubing in rolls of 50'. It is possible to make complex runs with out a joint in the middle.

Tom