Technical TOOLS, Just got my compressor, wwoohhooo, need piping advice

It's done now and I'm sure it will work fine, I'd never be caught without a compressor again. I have a suggestion for others that might view this post. Man, there is no reason to be afraid of using PVC pipe in lieu of black iron or anything else. I went to a decent plumbing supply house and bought some schedule 40, I think its gray in color, at least mine was, and twice as thick as the crap that they sell at Lowes and Home Depot. I have had this system in my basement and plumbed up to the garage for eight years, never having as much as a small leak. It's an old Kellogg 2 cylinder, 2 stage compressor, setting on a 80 horizontal tank. I have a Sharpe dryer and all is well, never have moisture in the gun or tools. Drain the air tank often, don't wait till you loose half your volume and realise the tank is full of water, depending the air quality conditions in your garage, they can make huge volumns of water. Just another suggestion, don't go out and buy every air tool on the market like I did........you need a good spray gun and a junker, a good 3/4 drive impact and I like a 3/8 drive air ratchet, the rest of the shit I rarely use. For those seldom used items, you can shop at the roadside tool sale and use through aways. I bought a 1/4" air ratchet 20 years ago and it still works excellent, it ought to, I never use it! Chicago Neumatic, Portor Cable, good stuff and the MAC tools folks sell a good product as well. Very expensive but will last forever. Just my 2 cents worth..............


Shoe

 

Your right, the gray pipe is a higher schedule specifically for high pressure, they carry schedule 40 at HD and Lowes..but it was not gray.... thicker PVC HD and Lowes doesn't carry it, or would have to special order it. I am not dogging on PVC, I haven't used it, after reading and asking several people, it was 50/50 on the pros and cons of using both pvc and metal, I just went with my gut feeling.

As far as tools go thats the 1st thing I bought an air ratchet, I love it, I started diassembling everything is sight.....then had to put it back together

 

toolwise...

3" cut off wheels are awesome, I use mine all the time...

I use the air wratchet when I remember I have it...

Blow guns are sweet too...

 

a maker of PVC has this to say on compressed air in PVC

http://www.lascofittings.com/supportcenter/CompressedAir.asp

if the maker says don't use it i sure wouldn't.

copper or black pipe seems to be a regional choice, in az i have never seen black pipe used but doesn't make it wrong tho.

later jim

 

Just a suggestion.

After reading the post and actually working on it I also feel this is Tech
O'Matic material. It gives the pro's and cons of different pipe, gives several setup suggestions, diagrams and overall opinions.

I learned alot, there alot of HAMB'ers out there that will be in the same boat as I was.

I know this isn't traditional, but a compressor is almost a necessity in the garage.