Joe99SS

Anyone used this piping from www.garage-pak.com or heard anything about it? Seems like it would be a lot better and easier than iron pipe. No threading or glue required. If you haven't used this stuff, what are you guys using? Any hints or things to look out for when running hard lines for the compressor?

1fastWS6

iTrader: (3)

That stuff is nice, but expensive.

Just get some CPVC (not PVC) pipe from the hardware store. I use 1/2" dia. but I think you can get 3/4" also if you're running a bunch of lines or a long way. It glues together easily and is good for around 1500 psi I think. Just use a flexible line from the compressor to the hard line. Simple and cheap.

Craig

chupr0kabra

iTrader: (10)

The guys on Horsepower TV did a spot on the garage-pak stuff and it looked neat. Those couplings look handy, but I'm more in line with 1fastWS6. How often are you planning to disconenct and re-conenct the lines?

I went the cheap route and got a hose reel for my birthday.


-Mike

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

I just used galvanized iron pipe because I located the
compressor in a fairly central spot and no runs are
more than the 4' handy Home Depot length (at the
4' I have a tee and a quick-connect, only ran 8' of
hard line to get right to the garage door). I also
drilled through the block and have an outdoor air
connect, by the side driveway).

Galv iron pipe means never having to say you're
sorry.

OWENMUSTANG

iTrader: (2)

as 1fastws6 said don't use pvc! anyway, just to throw this out..
the larger the pipe is the more reserve air you get.(like an additional air tank)
also. you need about a 16 foot run or so before your water trap to catch all of
the moisture in the line.. that garage pak stuff looks $$$$

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

I used black iron pipe ... rated for natural gas and undergraound use.

A moisture trap is key ...

99SLOWC5

iTrader: (8)

I always use copper. Doesn't rust, or corrode, and any moisture in the air will not do anything to the copper. Thus not having any particles go into your tools.

JEFF

robertbartsch

can u use PVC pipe; it looks pretty strong and is designed to hold about the same water pressure as am air compressor makes; right?

SMOKIN01TA

iTrader: (10)

no you can not use pvc, i just had a customer of mine blow a big hole in the shop roof becuase he took the cheap route with pvc pipe and after a few years of heat it became brittle and blew. use iron pipe, all of my commercial customers have the plants plumbed with it. small price to pay for safety, especially in a small shop. if you can afford it, get a small refrigerated dryer just out of the reciever tank, it will remove all moisture from the lines and preserve the tools or if you do any painting its a must.
have any piping questions feel free to ask
Rodney(the sites compressor tech)

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

And think of your plumbing as extra tank capacity.

I ran 1" pipe every where ...

Daweazel

If you use PVC, it's just like making a pipe bomb. VERY dangerous. use galv pipe.

Red2000SS

PVC works great... until it blows! Granted, it might be years (or NOT!) before it blows up, but unlike copper or iron/steel pipe, when a PVC air line fails it typically shatters and sends sharp shards of plastic shrapnel in every direction. That it why it is much more dangerous.

Your point about PVC pipe used for water at similar pressures is a reasonably one. There is a BIG difference in what happens when a pipe (any pipe) bursts with water vs. air in it. Water is basically incompressible, so when the pipe bursts, once a small amount of water has been shot out (perhaps at very high speed), the pressure in the pipe drops to zero. Not so with air.

When they test burst strength of steel pipe, there is a reason they use water instead of air. You could probably stand in the same room (I wouldn't sit on the pipe though...) when they pressurized a steel pipe of say 1/4" wall thickness up to a couple or more thousand psi with water and when it burst, it would scare the crap out of you and you would get wet! The pipe would still be in one piece but with a tear in it. Do this same experiment with air and you would probably be DEAD! LOL

99.9percenter

iTrader: (2)

[QUOTE get a small refrigerated dryer just out of the reciever tank
Rodney(the sites compressor tech) [/QUOTE] Rod, Where do I get this dryer? -Tim

Pas in Canada

Harbor freight

J-Rod

My Dad retired recently. He was a piping inspector for a large refinery. He posted about metal vs pvc, and basically what he said echoes what was said up top.

PVC has a rating for liquid service. If it fails in a gas service (like compressed air) you have bomb on your hands. I bought a few sticks of galvanized pipe, had the hardware store cut them and thread them, and I hung them on the walls. Took less than 1 day to pipe a 60x60 shop. Including a few trips to the store.

SMOKIN01TA

iTrader: (10)

Rod, Where do I get this dryer? -Tim[/QUOTE]
i have distributors i get them from, they run about 700bucks or so, you should be able to get them through harbor freight and grainger, not sure if they have some cheaper models, but i know they like to stick it to ya on the prices.

Rat_Fink

I just have a really long hose