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Plumbing the shop for air

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billd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Plumbing the shop for air
    Posted: Aug/29/2012 at 12:25pm
I decided I had gotten tired of pulling the little pancake compressor out, plugging it in to use my brad nailer and other air accessories. That little compressor while handy, was noisy, heavy to lug around up there and inconvenient. I needed to have a supply of air upstairs in my wood shop that was faster and more convenient.
With the large compressor in the shop downstairs, plus my desire to have air available all through the lower auto shop, and the ability to fill tires outside without dragging 50' of hose around, this just all made sense - plumb the whole shop, air outlets on all walls, near the door, and upstairs.

So, I decided to spend a few minutes here, a few minutes there, over the past several months.
It's a rather large project, (not cheap), especially to get filters/water traps in key locations. I've found that most summers, my blasters were impossible to use - those hot humid Iowa summers, and powder coating wasn't easy either when moisture hits the powder.

Here is a taste of what I have so far - about 60-70% done, maybe. The rest will be easier as it's just mostly straight runs and drops.

1 - water drain to drain water that collects in the vertical pipe.
2 - shutoff valve to allow service of just this one area, leaving the rest charged.
3 - shutoff for line running upstairs - this allowed me to have a T here and start the project upstairs, then simply turn it on when completed.
4 - cap - this is a stub where I'll connect and run the lines to the rest of this south wall, and then get to the west wall where the work benches are.
5 - filter/drier (regulator to the right, line running to hose for blast cabinets)


I simply switch the yellow air hose from one blast cabinet to the other, as well as switching the vacuum/trap hose between cabinets. Takes about 1 minute.


6 - I take the tap off the top - using a T and a loop of 6 to 8" so that any water in the line can't just flow down to this connection.


7 - drain for the larger main line - anything that gets here runs down to the valve. The other lines are sloped back to the main for a few inches, otherwise slope away, or down as they move away from here and will have a drop and valve at the end to drain any water missed elsewhere.
8 - flexible line allows for vibration, and if I need to move the compressor any for maintenance, I've got some leeway.
9 - this goes up then T's and one branch heads to the south and west walls and upstairs, the other goes to the east wall. The overhead doors are on the north, I'll probably just stop at the north end of the east wall where the walk-in door is.


Uh, just the line headed to my wood working area, 2nd floor of my shop. (Item 3 in first pic)


We're upstairs in my wood working area now -
10 - drain for this drop - anything that made it upstairs runs down the line that runs from the above line, along the ceiling and down to this.
11 - connection for air after filter/trap but before oil
12 - connection for air tools, oiled. (brad nailer, etc.)
13 - oil injection
The line drops past the levels and straight-edge, then a T to supply the filter/trap, through a regulator, then back out of the 'closet' to the connections.


Ignore the ceiling, please. It's not done, and I've no trim up yet for the part that is finished or up.
14 - the line along the ceiling that drops just a tad to allow water to run to the drain (#10)
15 - the line that goes to the filter/trap in the closet/storage area. I put that thing in there so I'd not be banging into it all the time.





Edited by billd - Aug/29/2012 at 12:28pm
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tyrodtom View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tyrodtom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/29/2012 at 2:35pm
  I think that is the longest level i've ever seen,  hanging on the wall in that last picture.
66 American SW, 66 American 2dr, 82 J10, 70 Hornet, Pound, Va.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/29/2012 at 3:51pm
8'

My wood shop is just 7'6" so  can't fully stand it up in a corner, decided to hang it instead.  Big smile

Gee, I just thought, if the outside of the building is 36 feet, accounting for 4" walls on each end that takes it down to just about 35 feet, that 8' level is not quite 1/4 the length of the shop!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tyrodtom Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/29/2012 at 4:59pm
  Oh,  my mistake,  it looked a lot longer than 8 feet,  I've seen 8 footers.   I thought it was more like 12 feet.
66 American SW, 66 American 2dr, 82 J10, 70 Hornet, Pound, Va.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gtoman_us Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/29/2012 at 5:35pm
Great! Now I have to add this to my garage envy file.

Looks very nice and well thought out.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Craven Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/29/2012 at 7:13pm
Some guy named Bruce used to have a level like the one Bill has. (note to Bill: wipe the name of the guy you stole tools from off the tools before posting on the internet!)

Garage envy indeed!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bigbad69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/29/2012 at 7:39pm
Is that all 1/2" copper you used?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote turbo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/29/2012 at 8:34pm
What is the bursting strength of that stuff?
they call me Capt RETIRED!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote amxsteve Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/29/2012 at 9:12pm
Type L copper is good for over 600 pounds we use it in refrigeration systems all the time. Soft solder is only good for maybe 200 we braze all our fittings with silfoss
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote turbo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Aug/29/2012 at 9:42pm
how hi is that stuff good for?
they call me Capt RETIRED!
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