80superbu

iTrader: (8)

Minus the cost of the compressor, how much did the whole thing set you back? Feel free to pm if you don't want the wife seeing the total...hahahaha

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

I probably spent between $800-$900 on everything, including

-copper tubing (60' 3/4" Schedule L, 10' 3/4" Schedule M, 30 ft 1/2" Schedule L, 50' soft 1/2" for intercooler - try hauling a 10' hard copper tube in a Fiero )
-copper fittings (elbows, T's, couplings, NPT)
-Benzomatic torch, flux, solder, brushes
-ball valves
-pipe & compression fittings
-H-F Filter/Regulator setup
-Sharpe & Motorguard filters
-C-H Regulator
-hose and hose fittings

That doesn't include paint guns or safety equipment.

My wife and I have a don't ask / don't tell arrangement. Separate bank accounts and credit cards. She has her hobby (scrapbooking), and if she maybe spends 1/10 of what I spend, she gets a LOT of scrapbook supplies... I've been saving my money for a while, so it's all good.

I did get to test out the paint today before the neighbors started mowing their yard. I have a lot to learn. I tried putting down some wood primer on the bookshelves with an Astro QUL109 gun. I really like that gun, especially the fan adjustment. Anyhow, I had some viscosity issues with the paint - wasn't sure how 'thin' it needed to be. Well, it needed to be pretty thin to spray. I eventually mixed in about 30% water to get it to spray well. But the compressor stays ahead of the spray gun (I can be spraying continuously and the compressor will catch up and turn off ). And I had zero water in the Sharpe watertrap on the wall (and I was not using ice in the "intercooler").

I think I'm going to mount a real fan to run continuous over the compressor. It does seem to get pretty dang hot, and that little wheel fan that spins with the pump just doesn't cool it very much.

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

Well, I hammered on it pretty good tonight with the DA sander for the first time. About 2 straight hours of running the sander. More on that in another thread on a future day, but I've attached a pic of a sneak peek (let's just say rattle can red paint jobs have to come off completely!).

Compressor had no problem at all keeping up. Never lost torque on the sander at all. And the sander never once spit water (like would happen with my old compressor). Not one drop.

After I was done (well, the wife & kids got home I wasn't "done", of course), I checked the compressor. It was pretty hot (not surprised by that). Had a fair amount of water in the tank (that easy-access drain valve came in handy!), and had a decent amount of water in the copper pipe right off the compressor. Since the copper slopes back towards the compressor, that part seems to have 'worked' as well.

There was just a puff of moisture at the ball valve of the drop I was using for the DA... and no detectable moisture in the Harbor Freight watertrap.

So, it seems like the setup is working perfectly. I'm happy with that.

The only thing I think I'm going to do is to mount a box fan above the compressor, to help cool it down.

Inspector12

iTrader: (29)

That set up looks great! I know you guys were talking bad about the PVC, but I have been using the schedule 80 PVC electrical conduit with the flared ends with out a leack or any problem what so ever. I do only keep my compressor at 125 psi though. I have not had any issues with using a grinder, DA, die grinders etc... And it was a snap to assyembl. Althought yours is PIMP I don't have the pacients for the soildering (sp?) it. I really like yours alot want to come to houston for the weekend LOL!

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

You may be fine with the PVC... I think when it gets hot, and/or if it's struck for some reason (I never have thrown a tool in my shop ) that's when it fails. You may be OK tho. Soldering is easy. The Benz-O-Matic has a trigger start. Squeeze the trigger, flame on!

I just gotta say, I love this setup. I'm very very happy that I did this. I use air tools for everything now. Ditching that rattle trap Campbell-Hausfeld oilless compressor, and going with this big one has been great.

I put a coat of epoxy primer on that *PRACTICE* (emphasized - it's from a parts car) hood today. I made every mistake in the book. I rushed it. But I'm learning.

I have:

-solvent pop
-runs
-dry spots
-missed spots
-debris
-I dripped sweat on the epoxy as I was applying
-didn't mix enough paint (didn't consider all the 'testing' I needed to do to set the gun; I only mixed up 2 cups (1 pint) of paint - I'd never used this gun before (a DeVilbiss GFG-670)

I am unhappy with the way I hung the hood to paint, so I'm going to redo it tomorrow. May try to sand it a bit and re-epoxy prime in the morning.

On the plus side, my homemade fresh air respirator (~$120 total) worked awesomely (drawing air from the other side of a wall). I didn't catch a whiff of any fumes at all through the entire process (well, not until I percolated the gun with reducer and bubbled it up all over my hood ) I also hung a fan over the compressor today.

I've attached a picture of my "paint room" - the carport area behind my shop. It's open on one wall, with a dirt floor. Not great, but it'll have to do. You can see the black respirator hose coming through the wall, and the 2 air hoses (one for paint gun, one for compressed air spray, both coming after that .01 micron MicroGuard filter).

cantdrv65

iTrader: (3)

My dad used PVC pipe in his entire mechanic shop (60*120*20) building. It was VERY quick to install and after 10 years its holding up great and he runs 180psi.

Silverback

Did you have anything setup for cooling air?

Camaroholic

iTrader: (1)

I'd heard that copper prices had gone up recently. So yesterday while I was at Home Depot, I decided to check the rack where I bought my copper tubing.

When I built this, I seem to recall it being ~$13.50 for the 10 foot length of 3/4" Schedule L copper that I used.

Now they're $31.50 That's a 150% increase since March! WOW! Insane. I'd hate to be building a house right now.

slow

iTrader: (7)

Electrical wiring has gone up as much as 500% in the past year, due to copper prices

Ryan

1fastWS6

iTrader: (3)

Yeah.....I AM.......and it sucks believe me! No copper plumbing, but the wire was expensive. A 250' roll of 12/2 WG used to be around $30-40 and it's between $95 and $130 depending on where/when you buy it. Damn China!!!!

I'm going to use PVC again in the garage for my air, even if I replace it every 3-5 years, I'll still be money ahead!

aggiez28

iTrader: (19)

i wish i had invested in alot of coper wire

UA-Plumber

iTrader: (2)

I would recomend using steel pipe over pvc for pressure. Ive seen what it can do when it blows apart. Pvc after extended use for pressure become brittle. Especially the more colder it gets. My .02.

JeramyK

iTrader: (1)

Does anyone have experience with the Garage Pak systems? I saw them advertised on Horsepower TV once and it caught my attention. http://www.garage-pak.com/index.html

Silverback

One of my friends used it at his shop and is generally happy with it. The only negative comment that he’s made about it is that since it’s not metal it doesn’t force water to condense out so he gets more coming out of the lines that would normally end up in the traps.

96-speed

iTrader: (19)

That's pretty sweet, Andrew . Looks really nice.

Ryan

Black Plague

iTrader: (13)

Looks awesome. We used 1/2 inch black pipe for our big speedaire compressor!