mr_velocity

Wow, never knew about brazing and never thought about fire. I don't leave my compressor valve open. I had a friend who did, the line after the oiler ruptured and misted his garage with oil for 2 days. What a mess, ever since then I keep the valve off even though I don't have any oilers in the system.

Coupe

I think your fine with that discipline, I dont think I would bother to change it at this point.

I was going to run my line with 3/4 PEX, it could handle it fine but that fire thing and welding in a shop with a plastic line spooked me a bit, then I learned about the heat sink properties of metal pipe and started reading up and landed on the galvanized to help with potential rust issues.

TexasAxMan

Thanks for all the input guys!

I ended up buying the SpeedAire in one of the craigslist ads Coupe posted. Brand new 5 HP motor, freshly cleaned and lubed pump, great shape. It also came with Graco drier, regulator and oiler. I paid $700. How'd I do?

I've got to plumb this together and get it wired up. I'll be using DA sanders in the near future, so I guess the oiler is a good thing. I'm not sure how to cut it off for painting though, and I'm pretty sure oil and paint don't make a pretty color. Anyone got any clues?

As far as care and feeding, do I just drain the condensate periodically, or is there more to do?

Thanks again for all the input!!

Old Mustanger

Just make sure you do not buy a unit made in China or one that has a compressor or motor made in China.
I used to have a small construction company. We used compressors a lot. Any parts made in China are junk, they last maybe 1/10 as long as the made in USA components. We had motors fail the first day of use and compressors that lasted a week.... Pure junk.
There are a couple good USA manufacturers, they are worth every penny.

Coupe

Tex, I don't use a line oiler for the line that runs my body tools, air blowing through the tool can contaminate everything. And anytime oil gets in your air hose or hard line your just asking for paint issues.

I ended up getting a motorguard 1 micron filter as a final filter before the tools, it's a $65 filter that uses a toilet paper looking element and really does the job well, just be sure to have a 5 micron filter in front of it. Most filter regulators are a 5 so you may have that covered.

One thing though, make sure you run enough hard line before you're filters to deal with the temp change, this can abate some moisture issues. If you put the regulator/filter right on the compressor it can easily get overloaded with condensation.

I ran mine uphill with a few drip legs with drain valves along the way.

TexasAxMan

I was planning to run the pipe up about 3' and mount the drier and reg up on top. Wi ll that be enough to eliminate the moisture? I live in Houston, so think tropical rain forrest (except for the last year) when you think about my environment.

Coupe

If you get creative you can find a finned pipe that can let the heat out of the pipe before the regulator, look around on the garage journal for some tips.

But, to answer your question, no, 3' will not cut it. Most people mount a regulator right near the tank and can't figure out why they get air and oil in the line.

One way is to Just get some short runs of galvanized and make an up n down section that eats up 15 feet of tube, and put a drain on the bottom at the last lowest loop, then the end loop run up taller and put your first filter or filter regulator there.

I know it sounds like a hassle but most people take the easy way out and expect a filter to trap water when in reality you need to deal with that heat first. Spend the small amount needed to get some hard line, even if you need to go from one side of the shop to the other and back again, if you make those runs on a slight angle you can predict where the water trap/drip legs should be. Then the filter can deal with any moisture left over.


Here is a good thread, at least it has some interesting bits here..

http://www.spiuserforum.com/showthre...!!!!!!!!/page9

Another tip, get a 3/4" braided steel flexible water heater line to connect the tank to the wall plumbing ($13 at home depot) and it will reduce the noise transmitting into the walls and may reduce the odds of a broken line, and it adds the flexibility of connecting everything together, making hard line connections to a heavy air compressor sucks without that hose. I had a hydraulic line made for mine at the farm store, $15, it made life easier.

TexasAxMan

Do I need to use black pipe for this? I know PVC is out, but what's the best material for the hard line?

Coupe

Not black....galvanized or brazed copper...black rusts and you dont want to deal with that. Again, brazed copper and not soldered like plumbing.

You can buy pre threaded galvanized at big box hardware in a variety of lengths and make it do whatever you want for well under $100.

TexasAxMan

Thanks! And good tip on the flex between the compressor and hard line.