Compressed air and pnuematic tools. How do you set them up and maintain them?

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  • dbhost
    Slow and steady
    • Apr 2008
    • 9209
    • League City, Texas
    • Ryobi BT3100

    Compressed air and pnuematic tools. How do you set them up and maintain them?

    I've been through a good amount of work recently on my compressed air system and it has me wondering, I went with the mounted in place setup and bring my hoses to the work instead of dragging the compressor to the work.

    My setup has evolved over time and settled on what I am hoping / thinking is a good configuration.

    Original setup.

    Central Pnuematic 8 gallon oil lubed compressor 5.4 CFM at 40 PSI. 10' HF Hybrid hose, HF inline oil / water separator, 50' HF hybrid hose,

    This setup was space efficient, and certainly a lot cheaper than consequent setups, but lacked the CFM for heavy use with the sanders or HVLP, although it can be pressed into service. It was a pain to move around, get into place and use, then move back blah blah blah. You get it...

    Second setup. Central Pnuematic 29 gallon oil lubed 7.3 CFM at 40 PSI. 5' rubber hose --> inlet manifold / tee with one way check valves that would connect BOTH compressors together without allowing backflow between compressors. --> HF Regulator / Filter --> FRL bracket / mount --> HF water separator / oil separator --> Tee --> 2 HF couplers one goes to the hose overhead, the other provides a port at the miter saw bench area. --> rubber hose, maybe 10' to HF 50' automatic hose reel. This put all outlet connections at the back of the shop furthest away from the door / driveway. This made getting the hose out to the end of the driveway. See my comments in what did you do today thread about the tire problems... I was being too lazy to drag the hose through the shop to the end of the driveway...

    Current / third setup. Same as Second setup, but with the following changes.
    #1. Wingside filter / regulator replacing the HF, waiting for replacement Diaphragm to repair HF filter / regulator.
    #2. Replaced the rubber hoses between 29 gallon compressor and filter "manifold", and output of manifold to the overhead hose reel. Overhead hose reel was moved from between miter saw bench and band saw, to between the overhead doors toward the front of the shop.
    #3. Added 2 outlet blocks.

    I keep the 8 gallon compressor for moving to areas where the hoses won't reach such as spraying texture in the master suite bathroom. OR added air flow, theoretically a grand total of 12.7 CFM for both compressors.

    The third setup, at least so far is showing wear / age of the filters / regulator, which is not tha tbig of a shock, and was considerably more expensive than the original, and was certainly not free vs. second setup, but after the rubber hoses were going bad, costs added up quickly etc... Overall the conversion to piped system really was on par with buying new rubber hoses, fittings and custom making them to length and getting them secured etc... The advantage of having the hose reel where it is now is it is MUCH easier to drag out to the driveway when needed, OR just pop on a hose to an outlet etc...

    What has gone to the wayside or just not getting used any more?

    Hybrid hoses. I got them since they are light, they are also VERY kink / tangle prone. HATE THEM. The Polyurethane hoses are actually quite good but generally are 1/4". Good for impact wrenches, air ratches, and nailers, LOUSY for HVLP, sanders etc... I have recently found 3/8" poly hoses I am planning on grabbing soon enough.

    The online oil / water separator. I can't say enough bad about the build "kwaluhtee" (A.K.A. quality) of these piles of junk. They kept spitting fittings off, splitting, leaking etc...

    So, what's your setup, and have you made mistakes with your compressed air system?
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  • LCHIEN
    Internet Fact Checker
    • Dec 2002
    • 20920
    • Katy, TX, USA.
    • BT3000 vintage 1999

    #2
    Have you or anyone else considered putting a quick connect on the outside of the garage connected to the compressor manifold by hose on the inside?

    I have considered doing this for a while just using a QC stud on a 4 inch piece of 1/4" nipple through a two by four screwed to the siding to a QD female on the outside.

    That way I can just carry a hose and connect it when I want to air the tires or blow some dust off something.
    Otherwise I will have to pass the hose through the doors or walkways and its in the way.

    Loring in Katy, TX USA
    If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
    BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

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    • dbhost

      dbhost
      commented
      Editing a comment
      Not at home, no, but I did help my brother in laws body shop set up pass throughs, although the piping was quite different I.E. he used galvanized 1/2" pipe, reducers etc...

      I could see shooting off of the back 1/4" of the outlet block with a 1/4" nipple and to a quick coupler on the outside. It might stick out to the HOA though... I would use a brass coupler though, not a steel one just due to rust issues.

      The between door on mine is screwed into a 2x4 brace, the 1/4"would theoretically pass through air under the spreader / stud, and would likely be able to pass through unimpeded. Just lock the block using at least 2 good solid 3" screws into the stud. You'd likely need a 4.5" nipple, and a good coupler...
      Last edited by dbhost; 03-14-2022, 07:21 PM.

    • dbhost

      dbhost
      commented
      Editing a comment
      Darn you and the ideas you stick in my head!
  • capncarl
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 3564
    • Leesburg Georgia USA
    • SawStop CTS

    #3
    I don’t want to be the one to mention it, but compressed air piping and fittings is somewhat like dust collector piping, Every fitting, long runs of piping, reducers, hose etc. reduces the air pressure and flow. In previous job we figured that each quick disconnect reduced pressure 10-15 lbs, a regulator reduced air flow 50% and a 1/4” hose should be no longer than 25 feet. A 100 foot x1/2 hose would hardly run an air grinder!

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    • dbhost

      dbhost
      commented
      Editing a comment
      I have maybe 25' of pipe, and 50' hose on the reel, I have more than enough air to run the impact wrench at the end of the driveway, and even the pnuematic random orbital sander, but yes air flow concepts are the same between compressed air, and dust collection, Yes regulators do reduce air flow, and pressure, However when regulatoed down the air flow is more than sufficient for my high flow devices. FWIW, the reason for the output tee right after the regulator / filter assembly is to bypass the pipe and 50' hose, a 25' 3/8" hose is used there, and runs the HVLP just fine. The only device that has ever been truly air greedy is the hopper / texture gun, that thing eats air...
  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    #4
    I decided long ago not to go with pneumatic tools. I worked with them in a body shop situation for 3 years back in the early '70s. They worked well but were too limited to the work area confinement - to be fully beneficial for me and not worth the investment. It works fine INSIDE a large shop area.
    Hank Lee

    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

    Comment


    • dbhost

      dbhost
      commented
      Editing a comment
      My first career was as a mechanic. I guess old habits die hard. I can't imagine not having pnuematic power, Or the ability to air up tires like I should more often...
  • cwsmith
    Veteran Member
    • Dec 2005
    • 2737
    • NY Southern Tier, USA.
    • BT3100-1

    #5
    Here is pictorial diagram of a typical compressor installation set-up for piping. I was hoping I could just give you a link to the mfg site, but I couldn't find the diagrams there. Take note that when installing air line of any kind, you must design in proper slope to ensure that moisture cannot drip back into the compressor discharge or into the tools being fed. "Drain legs are placed at points in the piping system to trap any moisture, oil, etc, that might otherwise damage the compressor or tools. These so-called legs, are fitted with valves to allow manual drainage of the air system piping.

    On industrial systems drain valves are often automatic. I notice that someone mentioned using galvenized pipe; in industrial practice, galvenized pipe is never used as the zinc will flake off in time and damage the air tool.

    Hope this helps,

    CWS

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    Think it Through Before You Do!

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    • capncarl
      capncarl commented
      Editing a comment
      The plant I worked at used miles and miles of galvanized pipe for air lines. Our compressors were dry screw Atlas Copco with predryers. I can’t ever remember a problem with water in the lines. (There were drip legs all over the place) Some of the other factory’s I visited used copper with sweated fittings. Our last building expansion I installed stainless pipe for air lines with 1” .035 wall tubing for smaller runs.

    • cwsmith
      cwsmith commented
      Editing a comment
      Hey, just passing on what the rules were when I worked for Ingersoll-Rand and just now doing a Google search confirms that: https://www.google.com/search?q=use+...hrome&ie=UTF-8



      CWS
  • dbhost
    Slow and steady
    • Apr 2008
    • 9209
    • League City, Texas
    • Ryobi BT3100

    #6
    Interesting. I need to dig up my HF manuals. When I set up, the layout was recommended as follows...

    Compressor --> Air regulator / filter --> Oil sepataor / dessicant dryer --> line out to hose. And yes, IF in the case of my dual input, there is a straight up shot from the compressor to the filter instead of sideways with a slope, use a one way check valve, which I do... I see a LOT of setups factory pre configured with the regulator / primary filter at front and dessicant dryer at back, and yet other designs the other way around...

    Each drop yes gets a dump valve at the bottom to bleed off any potential condesate.

    I agree on the galvanized issue, but every single automotive repair shop I have worked in uses galvanized pipe to run compressed air. No idea why. It's not like it's cheap..

    Before I found the push to connect / reinforced nylon tubing setups, I was hoping and planning for brazed copper pipe setup, but that is kind of spendy and risky with brazing it. I don't know if tubing / compression fittings would work with compressed air, but it might be worth looking into for industrial applications. Pretty sure somebody else knows more about that than me...

    FWIW, I have mine set up for what they consider non lubricated applications, BUT I run a mix of lubricated and non lubricated tools. For lubed tools, I simply put a few drops down the connector and connect it up, run for a while, pop it off and a few more drops. Been working that way for me since, well decades now in various setups both mine and previously borrowed but my air tools.. The only air tool I have ever had utterly fail was my Blue Point long anvil impact wrench, and that happened while I was still a professional mechanic as the guy in the bay next to me flooded my bay while I was still working, and had my impact on the floor with soapy water that got in via the exhaust vents... His impact got quickly thrown into the bayou behind the shop, words were siad yadda yadda yadda.... I do NOT miss that job.
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    • capncarl
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2007
      • 3564
      • Leesburg Georgia USA
      • SawStop CTS

      #7
      I’m not sure if galvanized pipe flaking was an early on thing because I remember hearing about flaking but everyone I worked with used it. I suspect it was coating process that improved over time.
      The Stainless that we used was not pipe but was schedule 10 tube and used crimp on fittings. The crimper machine was what looked like a reciprocating saw power unit with jaws that gripped the fitting and squeezed it. ( google Milwaukee M12 machine) This piping system was installed extremely fast! At that time it was as about as cheap to install stainless with crimped fittings as to have a crew install threaded galvanized pipe. Photo of the crimp fitting, I think it is a Grinnell g something fitting.. Click image for larger version

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      • dbhost
        Slow and steady
        • Apr 2008
        • 9209
        • League City, Texas
        • Ryobi BT3100

        #8
        So the pipe issue. Let me be clear. Sorry I was mislabelling galvanized and black iron / non galvanized pipe... Sorry for any confusion.

        For anyone interested, there are multiple pipe / tubing types, and various price points for permanent installations.

        #1. BLACK iron. Sorry I said galvanized, but BLACK iron pipe. Works great, reasonable to work with assuming unions and pre cut / threaded lengths, however corrosion prone.
        #2. Copper pipe / sweat fittings. This is great permanent installation method particularly for commercial applications. However there is risk of fire due to the sweat fittings. Takes some skill to install without burning your shop down.
        #3. Copper pipe or tubing with Compression fittings. Costlier from a components stand point VS sweat fittings, but is MUCH easier to install. Durable, Many compressors use copper tubing / compression fittings. Had I not gotten the deal I did on the push to connect / reinforced nylon setup. Costlier than push to connects, but still within reason for 1/2" REMEMEBER pipe is measured in ID, tubing is measured in OD, so 1/2" tubing is actually 3/8" ID. Which matches the most common size hose ID for commercial / home shop hoses etc...
        #4. Stainless steel with a variety of connector types. EXPENSIVE and not super common. As in I only ever saw them installed for a compressed air system in a lab at Johnson Space Center. That kind of rare...
        #5. Push to Connect fittings / Reinforced nylon tubing A.K.A. Rapidaire and similar. This is the system I went with. Lowest cost, super easy installation, cheaper than PVC with zero risk of shrapnel shower should there be a catastrphic failure. PROBLEM: The push to connect to MPT fittings in most cases seem to be necked down to 1/4", however I found the Primefit fittings have a full 3/8" bore, so no bottleneck. Installation was easy, and in theory SHOULD be reliable. I replaced the cracking rubber hose configureation.
        #6. Rubber hoses and multi outlets. This is kind of a brain dead approach. Advantage easy, readily available at almost all locales, and pretty brain dead to click together, just run hoses and splitters, use hangers on the wall. Disadvantage. UNREIABLE. Rubber hoses crack and leak over time, and not very long time comparatively. This is a good solution for a temporary shop, but terrible if you are going to be in there for a decade or more...

        I am sure that there are other setups, these are just the ones I found.

        The reinforced nylon tubing setup is reportedly reliable. I know Rapidaire has been around for 2.5 decades and I have NEVER seen a single complaint about reliability of this type of system.
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        • cwsmith
          Veteran Member
          • Dec 2005
          • 2737
          • NY Southern Tier, USA.
          • BT3100-1

          #9
          Yes, black iron pipe was certainly the main use in our factory and outer buildings. As I mentioned earlier, real galvanized pipe was taboo. In my thirty plus year working at the Painted Post facility, we had a few different divisions there and through the 50's and most of the 70's it was the largest compressor plant in the world. I started my technical illustration and writing career in 1966 doing contract work for IBM, Singer-Link, GAF, GE, and I-R, as well as a dozen or so smaller companies in the region, but Ingersoll-Rand was my client almost exclusively. In 1973 (after the great 'Agnes hurricane', I-R hired me directly as a technical writer/illustrator and I worked for the air compressor division which also incompassed responsibility for the Type 30 small compressor division too.

          All my work required working with developement, manufacturing, and product engineering, so I took my technical points and instructions from engineers and worked out the details with 'on-the-floor' manufacturing and took a few classes with field service operations too, getting to know first hand operation and maintenance issues. I always figured I had to know first hand every component, how it fitted and operated, and I wrote and illustrated manuals for installation, operation, and maintenance. I did that as a direct employee from 1973 until 1982, when the air compressor division moved south. I then moved to the Engine-Process division (the only remaining division at Painted Post) which made compression and engine equipment for the petro-chem industry (refineries, oil field and platform stations). I retired in 2003, so it has been quite awhile and surely I've forgotten a lot of stuff, but the galvanized pipe thing I do remember.

          CWS
          Think it Through Before You Do!

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