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Thread: Spring Shop Project: Completed - Air System

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    St. Louis
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    91
    Jim,

    Very inspiring setup. Guess I'll add that to my shop improvement list (finish one, add two seems to be my motto).

    That compressor is a beaut! If I see that for $499, I think I'll jump. I put my compressor in as an aside thinking I'd use it now and again. Its turned out to be one of those tools that you find a hundred uses for, so now I'd like to upgrade a bit. I did at least spring for a retracting hose reel so I'm not tripping over hoses like some

    Hey, thanks for the pix and ideas!
    Ken
    Ken Waag

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Ken, even at the normal price most places sell it ($549 or so), that IR compressor is a good buy. That's not much more than the units sold at the 'borg and is a much better constructed compressor with more serviceability.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Sterling CT
    Posts
    2,473
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker
    Russ, you do know that PVC is not rated for compressed gasses?...Be really careful that nothing smacks that pipe when it's cold.
    I agree with jim on this one. I have used copper all over factories where I have been a plant engineer, without any incident. I did have a system that I designed for another military application that used hundreds of feet of clear 2 inch pvc pipe. someone did smack it when it was depressurized and I did not know it at the time. Upon pressurization, that hairline crack failed and talk about an atomic bomb going off !!!! not a good thing

    nice job in the air install jim

    lou

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Lancaster, PA
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    1,363
    Well Jim, I have you to thank for giving me the "kick in the behind" to get my system up and running. No where near as impressive as yours - just a small "Y" set-up - no where near 58'!

    The new layout of the closet looks like it will make access to everything much easier - well worth the investment in time.

    OBTW - is the auto-drain activated by a pressure kick or timer?

    Wes
    Last edited by Wes Bischel; 05-09-2005 at 10:59 AM.

  5. #20
    Jim, great job! Anyone would love to have that setup. BTW, how were my birthday brownies?

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    15,332
    Jim,

    Looks good...I sweated enough copper while crawling around under my house that I have no wish to repeat it...unless I'm comfortably in my garage!

    I have a question, however, and that is with regards to condensation in your lines. I notice you have the main line filtered but is that enought to keep water out of your lines throughout the shop?

    I was always told to put in compressed air lines with the thought of water dripping in mind and to put points where it would collect so that you could easily remove it by opening a valve here and there.
    Wood: a fickle medium....

    Did you know SMC is user supported? Please help.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Mont. Co. MD
    Posts
    973
    Jim,

    I actually don't mind sweating copper. In alot of ways I prefer it to working with pvc. Dry fitting for instance, is better with copper. I did buy a new torch head with the push button on/off. It works great while working one handed in tight spaces. Not that I would use pvc, or cpvc for air any way. I too used copper for my air system.

    Actually that's not why I am responding. I just wanted to throw another vote in for Flexeel hose. I first saw the hose on a TOH episode and thought that it looked primising, but I never saw it come to the market. The first time I got to see it "in the flesh" was severral years ago during the construction of my house. A group of framers were using it. I was impressed with it, but I couldn't find a convienent local supplier, nor a good online supplier.

    So, as of now, I still don't have any. However, since you brought it up, I just did another search and I found another supplier in addiiton to the one listed on your website (Coastal).

    Tools-Plus sells both the hoses and more importantly, they also sell the end fittings. I was mostly concerned with the availability of the fittings before buying the hose. Plus, I could only find online suppliers that only sold it in 100' lengths. Now I can also buy some 100' lengths and make custom lengths with the end fittings.

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Easthampton, MA
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    986
    I do lot with commercial air systems and the prefered way to do a drop is to have the pipe go up from the T or elbow, then it drops down. See the pic with the green coil hose and the last pic in the series. That way the main water goes down the pitched pipe and won't collect in the drops. Typically on a small system the main pipe would be pitched to the compressoer tank to utilize the drain in the tank. Also on the actual drop it's recommended to extend the pipe down with a drain valve so the water can't accumulate. I'm referring to the pic with the filter for you spray filter. The bottom disconnect is at risk to spray water through a tool or whatever.

  9. #24
    jim, that looks way too neat and tidy for a woodshop. looks like valuable time was spent (wasted some might say) that could have been used making shavings for a cradle or rocking horse. ;}.. really, nice job.

  10. #25
    Wow, that is a pretty cool set up. Nice work!

    Corey

  11. #26
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    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Blasco
    jim, that looks way too neat and tidy for a woodshop. looks like valuable time was spent (wasted some might say) that could have been used making shavings for a cradle or rocking horse. ;}.. really, nice job.
    LOL! Cradle...no. One would hope that a 4 year old and a 5 and a half year old wouldn't need one. But a rocking horse is a nice idea...after the toy box, however.

    On a more serious note, I do try to keep the shop reasonably clean for both safety reasons and because I like it that way. It's a good habit to get into...clean up at the end of the day or at least the end of the weekend. 'Less to deal with later and easier to find things. Oh, and I'm anal...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,675
    Quote Originally Posted by Rick Lizek
    I do lot with commercial air systems and the prefered way to do a drop is to have the pipe go up from the T or elbow, then it drops down. See the pic with the green coil hose and the last pic in the series. That way the main water goes down the pitched pipe and won't collect in the drops. Typically on a small system the main pipe would be pitched to the compressoer tank to utilize the drain in the tank. Also on the actual drop it's recommended to extend the pipe down with a drain valve so the water can't accumulate. I'm referring to the pic with the filter for you spray filter. The bottom disconnect is at risk to spray water through a tool or whatever.
    I agree with everything you said, Rick, and originally planned to do it that way. But after mulling it over for a long time (really!), I decided to just manually drain any condensation in the drops from time to time since this isn't a commercial shop and I didn't have any more patience to sweat more pipe or put more money into it. I just wanted more convenience.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Easthampton, MA
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    986

    ABS is air lines, PVC is not!

    Quote Originally Posted by Russ Massery
    Nice job, Jim I used 3/4" sch40 pvc in my last shop worked great. I haven't done it yet in this shop but I do miss having not to trip over the hoses on the floor.
    If you want the convenience of plastic air lines only ABS is rated for air lines. PVC is dangerous and not OSHA approved. You may have had good luck but there are many documented cases of others less fortunate.
    Chem-aire is air line rated http://www.nibco.com/cms.do?id=2&pId=14

  14. #29
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    936
    Great Job Jim.

    Did you have to use a certain copper pipe grade?
    Rich

    "If everyone is thinking alike, someone isn't thinking."
    - General George Patton Jr

  15. #30
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    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rich Konopka
    Did you have to use a certain copper pipe grade?
    I used Type L copper.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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